I don't know about you, but Amazon's trade-in program sounds pretty solid to me. I love that Netflix caters to my laziness by allowing me to mail back movies when I feel like it, and although I don't trade in games too often, it seems like not having to get up off my couch to do it is definitely relevant to my interests. On the other hand, some people seem to think it's the worst idea of all time, such as GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo, who offered these words on the topic:
I give the probability of this working at zero. Electronics Boutique also tried it and failed. There’s no consumer acceptance. With consumers, there is an immediacy for currency when they want to buy a new game. It didn’t work for us (gift card system), and I can’t see it working for them.
Did Amazon just get bitch-slapped? I think they did. I do. Apparently, Dan doesn't factor in the annoyance of going to stand in line at a GameStop while you have to smell the BO of the dude in front of you in line. People are LAZY. I'm lazy, you're lazy, most of our friends are lazy. After all, we spend hours and hours sitting in one place holding a controller; why wouldn't we want to not have to budge to trade in games? I think Amazon can make it clap ... but only time will tell. Will you consider using their new service?
[Via GoNintendo]
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Contest:
8:20 AM on 03.06.2009
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My kids would probably use it though cause they don't have enough cash to buy games all the time and its easier for them to mail it in than try to talk me into driving them to gamestop heh
And, for the record, EB Games trade-in program was infinitely better than Gamestop's. In fact, EB>Gamestop. I still don't understand why EB sold out when they were worth more and more profitable than GS.
Granted, I don't buy or sell used games (I use Goozex), but it looks like Gamestop's astronomical profit margin will take a hit.
I f*&%ing hate gamestop. If it's not the pretentious ass behind the counter trying to sell me the new Madden game, it's the same douche trying to sell me that opened copy of "Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles" as "NEW". At least when I order stuff from Amazon and it says "new" it IS new.
I've always had good experiences with Amazon. I can't say the same for gamestop.
l can't see gamestop putting Amazon out of business.
He's just giving off doom because he's afraid of them taking business away from him... Like this gamers business. I don't shop at gamestop anymore.. I haven't for at least 8 years.
1.) Gamestop company guy said this because Gamestop's Stock dropped ~15% the MINUTE Amazon made their announcement. He personally, likely lost millions of dollars (on paper) in about 90 seconds. He was trying to stop the bleeding.
2.) Hell yeah, I'll use this, for a couple of reasons: If I want to trade towards a game, I'm not locked into getting just whatever Gamestop has in stock: Hmm, do I want Madden 04 or Madden 05?. I can get any game I want, as Amazon has everything. Plus, since it's a "giftcard" (or gift email, really), I can use it to buy used games from 3rd party sellers, which have by far the lowest prices you'll find for most games, unless you get lucky on an Ebay bid. If I don't want to use the bucks for a game, I can get whatever else I want. This is like if Gamestop gave you Target giftcards for trade-ins.
I suppose it would have to depend on the process. How quickly will the value be credited once the game goes out? Will they send it back if it's not up to snuff? How long would THAT take? Would any of this mean that more games will be getting "release day" shipping for preorders?
I really want it to work because if any online retailer can do it, Amazon can, and they have some obscene deals on all kinds of scented candles.
Would you sell that for 10 bucks in Amazon gift cards?
If I were working there, I'd open your game in front of you after you bought it, just to tick you off. xD As much of a pretentious douche you think they are, I know people who work there who hate it as much as you. I feel its an accurate statement to say that most people who work there can't stand the place. Thats why the turn-over rate is so high.
And it takes way too much time to open new games just so they can sit an empty box on the shelf for us to look at. If thats the only reason they open new games, is to put up an empty box, why not spend some money on cardboard placards of the game box, or just stick everything locked up behind glass. And stop using those cheap dvd cases and looney cartoon covers for all those used games. Their stores look too junky.
on the other hand, I don't really trade in games so I wouldn't know.
You'll be hearing from London Underground's lawyers.....
On topic: I think Amazon has "zero chance" of listening to Gamestop's concerns
But I don't trade in my games.
I am still surprised that GameFly hasn't tackled this segment more aggressively.
.....
....ugh....typing is hard. Finish...tomorrow.
I haven't traded in a game in years though. If amazon gave good value for trade ins though I would consider using that service.
just to spit in the face of the gamestop empire... oh whats that you have 6 people behind the counter but only one register open... yeah fuck you
grrr
Gamestop believes that online buyback will fail because of their experience with Tradestop. With Tradestop - Gamestop customers were already used to trading pre-owned for new games in the thousands of brick & mortar Gamestop stores across the country and the way Tradestop was presented online it didn't provide any additional benefit to the current Gamestop consumer who had been trained on in-store trading, plus (IMO) Gamestop shuttered Tradestop due to it’s recent (in 2005) acquisition of Electronics Boutique and since it owned a monopoly ( ~80%) of the pre-owned video game space, why offer a service that exposed their buyback prices with no material benefit to their existing customers. First, what Amazon and other buyback sites offer is a trade for cash platform that isn't Gamestop. Many gamers feel that Gamestop doesn't pay a fair price for their games. I believe Amazon (along with many current online buyback sites) will offer buyback in additional categories - this is where Gamestop will have to make a decision to follow (or not) since consumers will be better served by trading for cash across multiple categories. To date there hasn't been anyone the size of Amazon to offer this service to consumers - I believe Amazon will iterate their offering (as well as other buyback sites) to add more benefits and successfully differentiate from Gamestop in-store trading. In my opinion, for Gamestop to say that online trading will fail is like Blockbuster saying that Netflix will fail because why would people want to receive new movies in the mail rather than go to their local Blockbuster store – we now know how that story line has played out.
Though buyback sites have been around since 1996/97 (with the debut of SecondSpin.com) this category of ecommerce (consumer to business) has been a sleeping giant. No one with any significant resources to date has offered consumers the type of service that really compels consumers to trade online in the numbers consumers do with online ecommerce or rental of movies through Netflix type services. With Amazon’s entry this sleeping giant of an online commerce segment will wake up and challenge brick and mortar stores (who trade) like ecommerce did with brick and mortar for the last 10+ years.
Game on!