Gamestop Vs. The World

The Adult Toys R' Us (Best Buy) Gives a Big Fist Pump

How I feel after every trade-in visit to Gamestop

So I just read an article today that says both Target and Best Buy will begin allowing customers to trade-in their used video games for store credit. All I have to say is "Oh Mah Gahd!" Not only that, it was brought to my attention recently by my friend Rocio Hernandez that Wal-Mart has already been dabbling in the used gaming market. I had no idea. If anyone has ever tried to trade in a used game to Gamestop before, you'll know the travesty that comes when you realize the game you're trading in is worth about $3. Adding insult to injury, you're then forced to use that cash as store credit, which will most likely be spent on another crappy game that you'll eventually trade in for even less. With Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy jumping in on the competition, the power has most certainly gone to the players...just not in the way Gamestop had hoped for.

Serves ya right ya bloody bastards!

For years Gamestop has had the 1-UP on video game sales thanks to its trade-in deals. With no real challengers in the market, gamers were practically forced to accept whatever they could get for their used games and systems, which often resulted in tears of agony (see photo above). I know there's always eBay, but it's such a hassle to put up the auction, determine shipping price, blah, blah, blah. I remember one time I traded in "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance," a fairly decent game, and Gamestop gave me just $.75 for it. A 16 oz. beverage costs more than that! Gamestop determines its trade-in values based on how many used copies of the game they already have, but regardless, the prices they give you sometimes are absurd. On top of that, once your trade-in game goes for re-sale, it goes on sale for about $20 to the public. It's a brilliant business strategy, but I hope those days are finally over.

Best Buy employees...easily half of my earnings pay their salaries

Now that Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target in the mix, I'm hoping Gamestop offers some better trade-in deals for gamers. I mean...they HAVE to. Best Buy says it's going to begin its gaming trade-ins by next week. Adding even more incentive, there's some kind of special offer starting this Sunday that gives customers an extra $20 Best Buy gift card, on top of their trade-in value. I love it. I'm getting cash for my games, and I can spend it on other games, movies, music, computer parts, even toilet paper! (for Target people) Adding to the beauty of it all, both stores will eventually sell those used games as soon as they accumulate enough copies. Think of the competition Gamestop will have now that it's tyranny over the used games market will finally collapse. Not even the Imperial Army had this kind of resistance.

This location houses some of the most hideous creatures on earth

I can't emphasize how huge this is for these three comapnies. Hell, it's even good for the gamers. Capitalism is all about free enterprise and competition. With Gamestop's monopoly on the used games market coming to an end, I can finally trade-in my games with the comfort of knowing I may get more than a gumball's value for my hardware.







For more on the story here are a couple of links...Enjoy:
IGN
Ap Story
The Examiner