Used GameCubes Listing at $29

[shardian]

The Gamestop closest to me is staffed mostly with guys roughly our age.

The fact they're working in Gamestop and not someplace above min wage also likely explains why the do such a poor job.

I doubt it requires much of an income when you live with Grandma and your only expenditures are a PS3, a computer, Cheeto's, and Mountain Dew.

[pmc]

I always feel like I'm intruding on some kind of creepy kids video club-house when I go there.

Maybe I'm just getting old. 

-pmc

[SavannahLion]

I'll I'll probably risk EB or GS and see about the $29 GCN's if they have them still. Might be a good idea to get the seven year old her own console and games and keep attention away from my own collection.

My experience leans towards the bad side. Years ago I walked into one of the stores (forget which) and had a mind numbing conversation about the TeaSip protocol on the (then) latest Xbox. Ended up writing about it somewhere on my old stomping grounds. I'll see if I can dig it up and link to it here or something.

Generally, up until that point, I wasn't too thrilled with their service or prices. I had a friend who used to work at a GameStop who told me once that you know it's a bad place to work when you see a customer walk by the door and you pray they don't come in. Horror stories abound from both the customer and employee perspective with EB and GS. Damn shame really.

[97thruhiker]

Well I guess it really depends on the store / franchise / or however they have it setup where you live.  I have nothing but positive things to say about the one by me here in Orange Park, Florida.  Very clean store, everything well organized on the shelves and the workers there for the most part are very helpful.  The manager even sat there with me while I looked over the used memory cards.

In the end you get like a 30-day exchange if the thing does not work or quits on you.  Yes you get a chance of picking up a lemon but for $29 its worth the risk.  How many times have you bought a game for that much or more and it turned out to be a turd.

[SithMaster]

i dont see what the big problem is just dont touch anything (in the store) and ask to see the system before you buy it.  then just test it within that 30 day period and see if it needs to be exchanged.

[ChadTower]

Not everyone wants to have to return something 3 times in order to get a working unit.  People have jobs, kids, lives, etc.

[pmc]

I guess the upside is that if they really "refurbished" them in the way that other companies do, they wouldn't charge $29. I'd rather pay $29 with a visual inspection and a return gaurantee than $59-$69 for a true refurb.

-pmc

[ChadTower]

Of course, lying isn't all that good either and not something to receive customer goodwill for doing.

[SithMaster]

Not everyone wants to have to return something 3 times in order to get a working unit.  People have jobs, kids, lives, etc.

True but the only issue should be cosmetic since they should be checking to make sure they power on and the game loads when its first traded in.

[ChadTower]

True but the only issue should be cosmetic since they should be checking to make sure they power on and the game loads when its first traded in.

Did you read the whole thread?  There are multiple people here saying that doesn't happen.

[SithMaster]

  When i traded in my xbox they plugged it into a tv and put a game in to see if it worked.  This was at an ebgames though (not sure if that matters) or it was just that employee doing his job.  Also from what ive read people are just saying they arent clean except for the roach in the system.

If they didnt at least check to make sure the system works then i could just trade in a nonworking system for credit.  I dont think they are that stupid.

[ChadTower]

If they didnt at least check to make sure the system works then i could just trade in a nonworking system for credit.  I dont think they are that stupid.

At many Gamestops they only check for power LED status... they never hook it up to a television to see if it actually works.  I have always been tempted to trade in an empty shell with just a working LED and a rock inside.

[SithMaster]

Hmmm i must conspire about this.

[ChadTower]

The NES cleaning kits were actually useful.  With the NES cartrdridge shape and handle, I still have a couple. 

[pmc]

So I went tonight to check it out...

First, they tell me "$29? I don't know about that, but I'll check. That's probably a web-only special".

The kid goes in the back to get "one of them". I ask if they have several assuming I'll be able to choose between them. "No". OK Whatever.

I asked what "refurbish" means and they tell me that they are formerly broken units that are sent to to their in-house facility to be repaired. They are not working trade-ins which they sell in the store as "used".

The kid eventually comes out with a white shipping box sealed with packing tape. To their surprise it rings up at $29. I was like, OK, let's take a look at it. "You can't. Once it's opened it cannot be returned.".

So I passed on it. Broken once and fixed by their own techs, sight unseen, and no returns.  Not for me.

The manager (I assume he was the manager because he was the adult) said "I don't blame you". I got the feeling they don't sell many like that but I don't really know.

The store was clean and well organized. No one was in it and they were pretty bored. They had a stack of GBAs in the display case that looked like they had been through a war (priced at $49.99 if you can believe it). They were friendly. I bought a PSP game while I was there (Puzzle Quest for $19.99) so I guess it worked out for them.

-pmc

[ChadTower]

Bought a platinum Cube tonight to mess around with... used.  They did open the box to show me but for some reason the guy wouldn't let me hold it until I had paid for it.  All I wanted to see, really, was if it had the digital out port, which it did. 

At the same time they were taking in an Xbox in trade... they powered it up, saw a green ring, and took it without seeing if it actually worked.

[pmc]

Bought a platinum Cube tonight to mess around with... used.

How much were they selling used ones for Chad?

-pmc

[tommy]

All these stores around my area seem to do things so much different than what I'm hearing from some of you. I'm allowed to pick and choose and test while you guys seem to be buying junk from a guy in the street. 

I'm not saying this is a good company but it does seem I'm being treated a little bit better where I am.

[97thruhiker]

All these stores around my area seem to do things so much different than what I'm hearing from some of you. I'm allowed to pick and choose and test while you guys seem to be buying junk from a guy in the street. 

I'm not saying this is a good company but it does seem I'm being treated a little bit better where I am.

I've got the same service.  Thats one of the main reasons I started this thread.  I'm sorry to hear that many over you have stores with such poor service.

Chad,

Thanks for your suggestion on Lugi's Mansion, I will give that one a try (and why not considering the prices of these games).  Did you like Mario Sunshine or whatever that one was called?  As previoulsly mentioned the main reason I picked this up is to play these first party games that I missed by not owning the gamecube.  My original intention last year was to pick up a Wii and play many of these games that way but shortages gave way to apathy that gave way to other non-game related projects over the last year (one reason I have not been around here much lately). 

I think I like following the approach of picking up these systems up after the company moves on to the next generation of consoles.   I'm like a kid in a candy store when I can pick up many of these games for $7-$15 a piece.

[ChadTower]

How much were they selling used ones for Chad?

They don't have different refurb/used prices here.  They don't even tell you which it is supposed to be most of the time.

Mario Sunshine is a strong game... the water pistol thing is annoying at times but it is general first party Nintendo quality.  I didn't mention it because it should be in all the top 20 lists you mentioned.

[pmc]

They don't have different refurb/used prices here.  They don't even tell you which it is supposed to be most of the time.

I thought you were in the same area as me (metrowest Boston). I went to the Framingham MA (Sherwood Plaza) store last night.  Very strange that each store would have it's own policies on this topic. Maybe I'll hit another store on the way home tonight and see what happens.

Anyway, maybe after the holidays the used market will flood with cheap cubes.

-pmc

[ChadTower]

I thought you were in the same area as me (metrowest Boston). I went to the Framingham MA (Sherwood Plaza) store last night.  Very strange that each store would have it's own policies on this topic. Maybe I'll hit another store on the way home tonight and see what happens.

I'm south of there but not too far south.  This Gamestop is in RI and they only have one price displayed for used consoles - it doesn't specify used or refurb, or if it did, I didn't even notice.

Anyway, maybe after the holidays the used market will flood with cheap cubes.

That time is now.  They won't go much lower than $30 before they start phasing out GC hardware.

[tommy]

When a good 1st party GC game is costing more then the system Itself I cant imagine the system going any lower in price.

[ChadTower]

Good point.  Many of them are still in the $40 range used.  I got this Cube to practice a mod on before I attempt the one my kids got me for my birthday a few years back.  It doesn't look like those games are ever going to come down to reasonable used prices.

[tommy]

They seem to hold those 1st party Nintendo games at such a high standard still. I think in this case Nintendo's backwards compat is not cool and keeps prices high for the Wii.

[pmc]

I still occasionally see PS1 games at Gamestop, BestBuy, and Walmart for $20+. I guess they just refuse to let that inventory go away for $2 each.

-pmc

[ChadTower]

The Gamestop I'm talking about has had a copy of Mario DDR on the shelf for $50 for weeks - I'm surprised no one has snagged it for ebay.

[tommy]

The main problem with Gamestop is their trade-in values. Don't even bother buying a sports game and expecting to trade that game back in and expecting to get any reasonable cash back. I once bought an old Madden game and soon after the next years game came out my $50.00 game was now worth about $4.00, ridiculous. I can understand wanting to make a profit but these guys are just raping customers.

If you ever buy a game and you even think you may ever want to trade that game back in for something else, that game must be a top notch 1st party Nintendo game to even get a 1/4 of what it was worth, if you're lucky.

[ChadTower]

It's not rape if you walk into the Rape Store, pull your own pants down, and bend over.  Then you're just a ---smurfette---.  That's what I don't get about the complaints - don't like their procedure, don't go there.

[tommy]

It's the only place to go to trade in a game. If there was only one place to go eat and they charged way too much you would ---smurfette--- but still have to go there.

This is also about making others aware when they buy a game there and think they can trade it in for a fair price, it's not gonna happen.

[ChadTower]

It's the only place to go to trade in a game. If there was only one place to go eat and they charged way too much you would ---smurfette--- but still have to go there.

It's not.  You can sell them on Craigslist, you can sell them in the newspaper, at a yard sale, on ebay, on a web forum, hell you can sell them door to door if you want. 

This is also about making others aware when they buy a game there and think they can trade it in for a fair price, it's not gonna happen.

Your definition of fair may not be the same as everyone's.  Most people would never buy a sports game with the previous year's rosters... thus they wouldn't sell at retail... thus they are worth very little as trade in.  If you must blame someone, blame the people who won't buy a 2006 sports game.

[tommy]

Come on dude, you're starting to sound like you work for them or something. All people want is a fair trade in on hard earned money spent. Getting 1/4 of the money spent is not too much to ask for, getting 1/16 is too little to offer anyone.

[ChadTower]

Come on dude, you're starting to sound like you work for them or something. All people want is a fair trade in on hard earned money spent. Getting 1/4 of the money spent is not too much to ask for, getting 1/16 is too little to offer anyone.

What other entertainment industries offer what you are asking?  What general consumer items for that matter?

[tommy]

I can buy a brand new car and get half my money back a year later. I can buy a house and even at a loss get a good chunk of cash back after some time spent paying on it. I can buy a XBOX360 and get at least $100.00 back on it. Anytime you trade in software you get screwed, without software there is no point in buying any system, they should offer more on games.

[ChadTower]

I can buy a brand new car and get half my money back a year later. I can buy a house and even at a loss get a good chunk of cash back after some time spent paying on it. I can buy a XBOX360 and get at least $100.00 back on it. Anytime you trade in software you get screwed, without software there is no point in buying any system, they should offer more on games.

Cars and houses are not $50 consumer items.

If Gamestop's tradein is so terrible why aren't you selling these games for more via other means?  Clearly you could, yes?

[pmc]

They don't need to offer more. They are in it for the money.

It's not rape if you walk into the Rape Store, pull your own pants down, and bend over.

Amen. I don't go there much and I've never traded anything in there because the value equation is not in my favor. I buy and sell online with other gamers where it's win-win.

-pmc

[shardian]

It is not financially in their favor to give you $15 for a game they'll be lucky to sell for $20. Put it this way, if they bought every single game on trade in, and then only actually sold 50-60% of those, they will end up either breaking even or being in the hole. There is only money in it if they can buy cheap and resell high.

Oh, and people who pay $50 for a new Madden and/or NCAA football each and every year are idiots. 

[tommy]

They want you to go there and if they knew people felt so strongly about this they would have to offer more or go out of business. People just accept these things instead of trying to say something bout it.

I can buy games at walmart if there is no point in getting a good offer when i want to trade in a game. If I'm going to be stuck with a game and get nothing for it or $2.00 i can just not shop there and keep my game.

Try to change things so the people do not get screwed man, don't swallow it.

[ChadTower]

They want you to go there and if they knew people felt so strongly about this they would have to offer more or go out of business. People just accept these things instead of trying to say something bout it.

Every single time I go in there some fat lazy person is yelling at the clerk that he just told them their copy of Madden 2005 will only get them $4.  Every time.  They know how people don't like their business model.  9 times out of 10 that fat idiot still trades the game in and spends the money in the store.  Clearly people are willing to do this business.

[pmc]

I can buy games at walmart if there is no point in getting a good offer when i want to trade in a game.

Ah, I see what you are saying. Yes, it would be cool if they said "if you buy it here we'll give you a better deal on trade-in". It would encourage people to do more business there. I go to stereo shop that works that way and it's a great situation for both sides.

But since they don't, why don't you just sell your games here?

On another note and in case anyone is interested,  Amazon has new cubes for $60.

-pmc