Tag Archives: used games

GameStop doesn’t think Amazon’s foray into the used videogame market will succeed.

CEO Dan DeMatteo told Edge today that the gift card scheme was something his firm unsuccessfully tried in the past.

“I give the probability of this working at zero,” he said. “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, and I can’t see it working for them”

Trade-in requirements from Amazon state that customers have to wait for the gift card to be processed and shipped, instead of getting an immediate recoup from the trade.

More through the link.

Amazon has entered the used videogame business.

From now until March 19, customers will receive 10 percent off a “future single game or accessory purchase” when they trade in a used game.

Amazon trade-in requirements:

1. Games must be undamaged with manual and original case and be postmarked no later than 7 days after submission.
2. Print a pre-paid shipping label (provided free by Amazon) and packing slip, package your games, and ship them to Amazon.
3. An Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games

Cheap Ass Gamer says that used titles are purchased by a third-party called NorAm International — which buys used books, CDs and DVDs through online stores on both Amazon and Half.com.

Xbox Europe boss Chris Lewis has told GI that second-hand games are just something the industry has to live with.

“I’m a fan of the ecosystem overall,” he said.

“I can see the positive in it, because I can see that what you then get is more and more people touching, playing, experiencing a game that they may not otherwise have access to.

“I think you’ve got to try and extract some positive from it, and that’s undoubtedly a good factor – a positive swirl of ecosystem that results.

“Clearly it’s a reality, and certain retailers are very focused and spend a lot of time on it. It’s good business for them.”

The exec’s comments come after Gamestop boss J Paul Raines said at DICE last week that used game sales don’t harm full-price products.

According to this Gamasutra report, 49 million American gamers buy both used and new games.

At this year’s MI6 game marketing conference in San Francisco, the MI6 organizers exclusively commissioned global consumer research and consultancy firm OTX to study the video game resale market in the United States.

These details, provided by its creators alongside today’s presentation, include the fact that 60% of gamers purchase both new and used titles, and that sellers (who make up a third of all gamers) tend to reinvest their money in the industry with new game purchases.

Click through for some splendid Venn diagrams with words on them.

Major US retailer Circuit City is to start selling secondhand games, according to this.

The store chain is to trial the service in 10 outlets, with plans to expand to other shops if the test is a success. Which it almost certainly will be. The move by Circuit City is a second step to get into the games business, after recently launching a discount plan called the Gamer Savings Club, which has now attracted more than 25,000 members.

In case you’re wondering why this matters, or why American publishers are probably reading this news through the gaps in their fingers, take a look at this.