Best Buy Unveils Pre-Owned Game Program

[Andy Chalk]

Best Buy Unveils Pre-Owned Game Program

Best Buy [http://www.bestbuy.com] has confirmed that it will launch a used game trade-in program this summer as part of its effort to become a major player in the videogame retail business.

Best Buy online trade-in [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100624-Best-Buy-Toys-R-Us-Retrying-Used-Game-Sales] program currently available and will offer the same value for used games.

Why the big push into games? According to TradingMarkets [http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/bby_best-buy-looks-to-up-video-game-sales-as-earnings-fall-short-986834.html], music, movies and videogames accounted for 20 percent of Best Buy's total sales as recently as 2008 but only add up to 13 percent now. "Music is definitely regressing the fastest," Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn said. "We're starting to see movies move down that line a little bit."

What's not regressing, obviously, is videogaming, which the company hopes will help compensate for losses in other areas. It's pushing hard to make an impact, with an in-store gaming magazine [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/the-needles/7710-The-Needles-Can-Best-Buy-Save-Gaming-Mags], @Gamer, set to debut later this month, and plans to install touch-screen kiosks in stores that will let customers test and pre-order new games. Best Buy also plans to begin offering used games for sale in its stores.

"Our commitment to creating an improved gaming experience begins with giving customers easy and exciting ways to connect with the games they love," said Best Buy Senior Vice President Chris Homeister. "We know how important game trade-in is in that mix."

Source: GamesIndustry [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/best-buy-begins-new-trade-in-programme]


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[Kevlar Eater]

If you wanna answer a questionnaire, buy something at Best Buy.

But seriously, should I be glad or worried about this?

 

[Jared]

Well, I guess another place for for Publiushers to worry about...Well, at least dosnt effect us in the UK...yet

 

[shaboinkin]

If you wanna answer a questionnaire, buy something at Best Buy.

But seriously, should I be glad or worried about this?

Glad.
It gives Gamestop competition. Gamestop wants to give you $3 credit for a game? Well maybe walmart or bestbuy is offering $7 for the game. Used games may actually cost less than the new game. And not cost just $5 less than the new copy.

 

[ShadowKatt]

You know, a lot of Best Buys across the nation already have had a movie and games machine in them that they could buy or rent used games for quite some time now. I used to work for that company once upon a time. I'm not sure this is so much a new thing as they'll just be handing their games over to someone different in the store now. It's not as big a deal as they're making it, nor is it that new.

 

[Catalyst6]

"as part of its effort to become a major player in the videogame retail business."

This made me laugh hard. I guess I've been overestimating Best Buy.

The problem here is that, while buying a disk is cool and all, I typically buy games on Steam anyways. I don't think I've bought a disk since... DA:O.

 

[crazyfoxdemon]

I'm not entirely sure how effective it will be... Mainly b/c I have my edge card at Gamestop so I'll prolly just keep going there for all my used game needs...

 

[Danpascooch]

Even if they use the same ridiculous trade in values as Gamestop (fat chance, now there's competition) they already have an advantage over them.

What is that advantage? The fact that their credit can be spent anywhere in the store, not just on videogame related items.

 

[Wolfram23]

Best Buy in Canada has been doing this for quite some time now.

It's actually pretty good. You can usually get a fair bit more than, say, EB or Gamestop (newer releases are pretty much always $45), and it's just in store credit so you can use it on whatever.

Yeah I read this article and was like... uh... what? I returned FFXIII a long time ago and got BFBC2 instead lol.

 

[Say Anything]

If you wanna answer a questionnaire, buy something at Best Buy.

But seriously, should I be glad or worried about this?

Glad.
It gives Gamestop competition. Gamestop wants to give you $3 credit for a game? Well maybe walmart or bestbuy is offering $7 for the game. Used games may actually cost less than the new game. And not cost just $5 less than the new copy.

Yeah, but this is Best Buy that we're talking about.

 

[Corven]

So enough traded in games could buy me a new computer, now that is cool.

 

[edgeofblade]

By giving me $10 back for every $150 I spend on anything gaming, they have already become my only force in retail gaming.

If they really wanted to turbo charge this, they should give Reward Zone points for trading in games. Spend $60 on a new game, get 60 points (plus applicable bonuses)... AND when selling the same game back for $40, get another 40 points. Of course, if you do the math, the consumer is still on the losing end of these transactions, but hey... from the biz point of view, it's brilliant.

 

[Stormz]

OMFG Best Buy is ruining the gaming industry!!!!!11111

 

[Canid117]

I haven't been to Best Buy in a while. Are the receipts still six yards long?

 

[Timbydude]

Best Buy is just so much better run than GameStop. This really makes me happy.

 

[Baldr]

One step closer to diskless and DLC only games