GameStop, BestBuy Won’t Accept Sealed Games for Trade-in

"Ok maybe you already know this, but I did not. GameStop and Best Buy won’t accept a sealed video game for trade-in. I got various reasons for this the two most common where “because we don’t know where the game came from” and “we only buy used games”.

[Da Ill One]

It's actually YMMV on this, I have taken back a couple sealed games to Best Buy out here where I live in Illinois, but Never tried Gamestop.

[famoussasjohn]

Same about taking sealed games to Best Buy. I won an Xbox 360 slim that came with the Kinect and a Kinect game. I traded it in with it being sealed no questions asked. Unless policies have changed since then, I would have assumed it would have been fine. I would just open the game up and trade it in lol.

[mewhy32]

This is news to me. I guess I've just never tried to trade in a sealed game.
Good information.

[r3f1cul]

like someone couldnt just open the product then walk into gamestop.... just another dumb policy that has basically no effect on anything...

[MysticStrummer]

I've taken sealed games to both in the past and exchanged them at full price. That was a while back though so maybe the policy changed.

[DanielGearSolid]

You bought an X1 because you couldn't wait for COD on Ps4?

Wow

[DanielGearSolid]

COD DLC*

[C-H-E-F]

Yup sounds like a dumb@$$ if you ask me.

[Shadonic]

If anyone's most driving factor behind which console to get is COD then they are C-H-E-F

[quinten488]

M$ and Activision loves sheep like him.

[SaffronCurse]

My ebgames takes in sealed games at the same value as opened-used games..Fucking pricks.

[FPSRUSSIA]

same here i bought a PS4 and it came with knack unopened and went to ebgames and tried to sell my game and they give me the same deal as a open one 20 credits.

[ExCest]

Well, you're not returning the game so there's that. To them, a game you're selling is a game you're selling. If they had to "value" games based on age and wear, then there'd be a fuck-fest of different prices. Also, your game is "pre-owned".

[Captain Qwark 9]

true it may be pre-owned but so is half their stock. they allow employees to take games home and play them then turn around and sell them new

[frostypants]

Because some a-holes out there have the means to re-seal game boxes, and will put a blank DVD in there just to make it feel like it has the game inside. It's common sense that they wouldn't take them.

[SaffronCurse]

You can tell when a game is resealed. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

[frostypants]

@SaffronCurse, well, apparently the people who do this for a living disagree with you.

[SaffronCurse]

Sorry to burst your bubble frosty, but I do this for a living too.

[BattleTorn]

I'm familar with the difference in seal jobs. And have previously been warned about bad seals.

But there's a kicker - here in Canada, games are often opened and re-sealed with French-manuals (by law) or pre-order stuff. And often these re-seal jobs look as though they're bad or knockoff

[_FantasmA_]

And they sell you open games as "NEW". By their definition I should be able to buy a brand new sealed copy of game, unwrap it in front of them and they trade it as NEW. Gamestop is my last resort if I can avoid them, I do.

[Game4life]

Um...... isn't this just common knowledge? It's not even surprising

[bigtrucknd]

Yet they sell opened games as new. Gotta love gamestop.

[SaffronCurse]

"But it's the same thing!" - Gamestop/Ebgames employee

[xBraiNshOcK]

I always ask for a sealed copy, if they don't have them. Then I might as well get it preowned and save money with the powerups card.

[PersonMan]

I buy all my non-day-one games used. No reason to ever buy a game new unless it's the first day it goes on sale.

[Hicken]

There are rules about that, but I can't be bothered going through them for people who don't actually care, anyway.

[RiPPn]

Never trade in a sealed game at these places, you will never get what you can get on Amazon Market, eBay, Half, etc, especially being new/factory sealed.

I remember years ago I discovered GameStop not taking sealed games when I went to trade in a game, dude opened it up, then looked on the computer to discover they couldn't take it, I was pissed. I think that may have been one of my last trade in experiences with them, crap company.

[vikingland1]

Never had this happen but, that's because I would try the game first so it would be opened.

[kevnb]

Just open them then... Or better yet, sell it to somebody else.

[Starbucks_Fan]

Yeah how hard is it to open them LOL

[MrMURDERFACE]

It's a liability issue. Taking sealed games makes gamestop liable for purchasing stolen product therefore making them a "fence" which is highly illegal especially in a corporate environment. And yes, gamestop's policy is they only accept used games on trade. What they're supposed to say is "go home, try the game out, and if you don't like it bring it back to us." If you have a purchase receipt from the retailer you bought it from the. They will accept it sealed.

[Exodecai]

Why would you trade it in to them anyways when you can make more money by selling it on Amazon or eBay?

[jmac53]

We'll considering these bastards turn around and sell a used game $5 cheaper than a new one, I am not surprised.

[porkChop]

Most don't take sealed games because so many people try to trade in stolen games.

[OmegaShen]

Duh, are's won't take sealed games. But all you need to do is open it and trade it. I brought a 360 with a game I didn't want an just open it and trade it to them.

[monkey602]

This has always been a rule in our store. Sealed games are seen as potential stolen property. No plastic and no multiple copies. If the person seems genuine ypu just ask them to open it. After all you have to check for a disc.

Is any body here actually surprised they get the same trade value for sealed trade ins. It still has to be sold as a trade product. The business makes no extra money from it

[Pro_TactX]

"Sealed games are seen as potentially stolen property."

"If they seem genuine you just ask them to open it."

You don't see the flaw there? If you refuse a trade-in on the premise that "it might be stolen", then why would you be willing to accept it if they open it?

Either a person seems genuine, in which case the plastic doesn't matter, or a person seems suspicious, in which case the plastic doesn't matter. If it is actually stolen, then having them take the plastic off won't change that.

[monkey602]

I do know what your saying, I forgot to mention we ask for proof of purchase. Like I said if you know the customer or they are regulars or genuine you can make a judgment call.

[MIDNIGHT 21]

Yo monkey what's up!! It the custy has a problem just call Kevin Frathiem yer dm he's all about the customer

[monkey602]

I'm sorry I have no idea who you are talking about. Or maybe this is a joke gone over my head?

[Tidybrutes]

Same as CEX, Game and Gamestation (before they closed) here in the UK.

Luckily for me I've got a local independant store near me that will, although I very rarley ever trade or sell any of my games anymore.

[persona4chie]

Will they accept sealed nintendo games?

[PersonMan]

They've never taken sealed games.

[strigoi814]

the only bad experience i get from gamestop is that they are selling me a Tearaway game that is out of the box was put in a sleeve (box was on their display) and priced it brand new..and they guy was really telling and convencing me it is brand new..

[HonestDragon]

This is universal knowledge. You cannot trade in sealed copies to those retailers. There are a few places that will open them up, but GameStop and Best Buy won't. Also, it is for that very reason of liability of taking in stolen merchandise that they won't take sealed games.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I think the real reason is they don't want it is so there can be no dispute about the game being "used" and so the buy back price is that for the used version.

[HonestDragon]

Ah, yeah true. I've heard that argument more than once before at any given store. It's a slippery slope when trading in games. Which is why I don't do it, lol.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Had the same thing happen to me at Gamestop. Brought a game in sealed...wouldn't buy it back sealed. Had to leave store unwrap and bring to them. It serves one major purpose: They don't have to give you full retail price for the game. You give to them unwrapped means its used and therefore it gets a used buy back price.

[MIDNIGHT 21]

Yup gamestop is all about money ,YOURS

[colinf438]

I work at a hastings store and pretty much a huge chunck of what people bring in to us is stolen. I remember on halo 4 launch we bought about 10 sealed copies the day of, same with AC3 and GTA 5. This also happens with tv shows and movies. Its a daily thing for is with no way to prove they are stolen so we just take them.

[TearsOfARapper]

It's because people will use magnets to steal games at Walmart and other places that don't give a crap, and run right down the street to trade it in. It's been a policy for since I worked there from 2007-2012, and odds are it hasn't changed. If it's obvious, like a Not for Resale from a console, we trade it in. But outside of that, we tell them to come back another day with the unsealed game, as that's the way to work around the policy.

[Grimhammer00]

let me tell you all a story - perhaps the greatest trading game story ever told!

2yrs ago a game I preordered (because I love fps) was MOH warfighter. (sequel)
I paid full price! However, EBgames/GameStop had a promotion - return it for a $1 less per day. They were also running an absurd trade 2 get it free. Back then the trade deal was min $8 game to qualify for trade 2.

I scoured the city looking for turds. I ended up trading in enough games for 6 MOH! +1 I bought full price.
I managed to get 6 new games because the EB manager knew me and cut me a break. I never opened the 6 games - just took the $6 loss on 6 games and preorded up the wahzoo! LOL

7th copy I ended up getting $47 credit - I played it for a week or so lol.

good times. simpler times.

(yes MOH is disliked...I enjoyed well enough)

I should mention I had turds to begin with...I only had to get 2 to meet the 6 game requirements.

[tigertron]

I don't get how a sealed product could be considered stolen but an unsealed one couldn't?

To avoid any issues just take the packaging off.

[theDivision]

When I had the Receipt gamestop had no issue with it, I got full price for the game or double for store credit because of some deal. This was in december I think so I don't believe they would have a policy change like that in such a short period of time.

[WeAreLegion]

It's theft prevention. What a stupid article.

[Surt]

just go to what ever passes as china town in your state. I've been doing buesness with the same chinese shop for years. game costs $60. I get $40. All the time. game stop will give $13 and then demand for you to apologize to them for making them broke.

[Nicxel]

I've only ever returned sealed games to Gamestop after purchasing it from them a few days later. Never stopped to think they wouldn't take sealed games other than that.

Logically it makes sense. If you aren't doing a return, and trying to sell/trade the sealed game, how can they verify that there is even a disc inside? You can easily find ways of having one of your cases "professionally" sealed so it looks legit. It's smart stores do this. One less loophole for consumers to take advantage of haha!

Now if only Best Buy realized the loophole with their returns of opened gaming controllers. You know...buying a new controller and swapping it out for your old controller. Repackaging it and then returning it for a full refund the next day.