If you’re anything like me, then you buy a LOT of games. Occasionally I trade in some of the games that I no longer play towards new ones. The problem with this approach is that usually the stores don’t offer very much for your games. It’s a well-known downfall to the trade-in policy at most stores.
However, it is possible to get a little more for your games when trading them in at stores like Gamestop. Not many people realize that stores like Gamestop run promotions from time to time on trade-ins. As it turns out, right now Gamestop is running one of those trade-in deals. Until 10/04/09 you can trade in games towards the pre-order or purchase of Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3 ODST, Assassin’s Creed 2, New Super Mario Bros, Tekken 6, and a few other new titles and get an extra 25% tacked onto your trade-in value.
The problem is that Gamestop doesn’t really broadcast these deals. Furthermore, many stores will ignore these promotions unless you actually mention it to them at the counter. The secret here is to check their website before going into the store. They have a section where they list the current trade-in promotions. There is almost always some type of promotion going on at Gamestop.
For example, in addition to the trade-in deal I mentioned earlier, they’re also running one where you trade in three games and you get an extra $10 on your trade-in value, or four games for an extra $20. It’s deals like this that actually make trading in your old games worth it.