GameStop Trade In Review: Trust or Not?

Should you sell used video game consoles, games, electronics and accessories to GameStop? Find out how GameStop’s trade in program works and if it’s a good deal in our GameStop review.

GameStop trade in overview

What they buy

• Video game consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo)
• Video games (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC)
• Game accessories
• iPhones & smartphones
• iPads & tablets
• iPods
• Apple Watches
• Apple TV
• Speakers & smart home speakers (Google Home, Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo)
• Media players (Amazon Fire, Roku, etc.)

How GameStop trade in works

1. Visit GameStop’s trade in page and search for your console, phone or other device. Select its condition if applicable
2. GameStop will present a trade estimate with two offers: trade credit value and cash value. The trade credit value is usually greater than the cash value
3. Save and print your trade estimate, then visit a GameStop store to complete your sale or trade in
4. If you accept the trade credit offer, the value of your device can be applied toward the purchase of new items or issued via a GameStop gift card. If you accept the cash offer, you will be paid in the store

GameStop price quotes are only good for the day they are quoted, so they’re subject to change. Cords, chargers and other accessories should be included with your trade in. GameStop Pro Members ($14.99/year) get an additional 10% on video game and accessory trade ins, but not consoles or electronics.

GameStop trade in reviews

Consumer Affairs, Trustpilot and Reseller Ratings all give GameStop a 1-star rating. The company has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, but BBB customers collectively give it a 1-star rating.

Since GameStop also sells retail products, these ratings represent the entire company and are not exclusive to its trade in program. Few individual reviews mention GameStop’s trade in program specifically, but negative reviews that do mention it cite low video game trade in offers.

Low offers yield high margins: GameStop earns a 46% profit on used games, according to Polygon’s Ben Kuchera. He writes: “So just remember that GameStop clerks are not your friends… they want you to trade in games they can then resell at a higher markup and use the credit to buy a used version of the game so they don’t have to share the revenue with anyone else.”

The verdict

Same-day payment might make GameStop an attractive option if you need fast cash. However, poor reviews and low trade in values mean GameStop might not be your best option.

For example, at the time of this writing GameStop would pay $480 for a 64GB iPhone XS Max in good condition, but we found a store that would pay $695 for the same phone – a $215 difference. GameStop would pay $160 for a PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB system, but we found offers for $205 – a $45 difference.

It’s also worth noting that GameStop is not a Flipsy Trust Verified Store. We’ve vetted each Trust Verified Store to ensure it offers quick payments, excellent customer service and has good reviews from independent sources.

The bottom line? GameStop might be a good option to get same-day cash, but you can get more money plus an added layer of security if you sell to a Flipsy Trust Verified Store.

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