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Gaming on a Budget, Part 3: Used Merchandise
By Marc | January 15, 2009
Read Buyer Beware
Purchasing pre-owned games, consoles, and peripherals is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you are able to get out-of-production goods and popular newer titles for a lot less than if you were to buy them new. On the other hand, those same treasures were at the hands of who knows what before they came to you.
Bargain bin new is good for pristine, unscratched disks and factory-working hardware, but you won’t always get those long-sought treasures unless you bite the bullet and buy used. But if you decide to go second- or third-hand, make sure you understand the return policies of the stores you give your money to as well as what they do to ensure a decent deal.
Friends
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get a different selection of stuff is one of the oldest: trading. I used to do this with comics and trading cards, so I don’t see why it couldn’t be done with games. Your friend has a few titles you are thinking about buying that he’s bored with. You may have a game or two he wants. There might have to be some haggling, like giving two of yours for his one or something, but it all depends on what you’re willing to sacrifice, and you also don’t have to spend any extra money. Also, since it’s someone you know, they aren’t likely to have any slippery small print on a return agreement.
Garage Sales, Auctions, and Flea Markets
These can be good places to find hidden gold. A lot of times you are able to handle the merchandise directly to look for things like defects in disks and missing instruction manuals. Plus you get a good chance to talk to the actual owner to ask if that Atari Jaguar or Game Boy Color even works. On the downside, you will be wasting a lot of time for a small chance to find something that may not exist that day.
eBay and Other Online Auction Sites
A much better chance of finding something you really want and a lot of times for dirt cheap.
Some cons: If it’s a popular item, you’ll have to compete with someone else for it, raising the price to something not worth your time. You also don’t always see good pictures of what you’re bidding on.
Also, check the seller’s postage rates. Many people don’t bother looking at this, only seeing a $0.99 price tag but not noticing the $20 shipping charge. There are some sellers who tack on huge shipping to guarantee a good profit even if their item sells low. It’s legal, but pretty shady and unethical, so watch your back.
If the seller does have photos, check to see if they have other auctions. If they do for the same product, lots of times they will re-use the same photos, so what you’re seeing isn’t always what you’re getting. In cases like this, the seller has a bunch of this stuff on hand and could be in various levels of quality.
On the plus side, eBay has a really good reputation for protecting their clients. If you think you’re getting scammed, there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re taken care of. In most of our dealings with eBay, the sellers were legitimate, honorable, and speedy.
Used Game Stores
One of the most well-known and least respected chains of used game and system stores is Gamestop. I don’t really have a lot of experience with them, only buying a few things from Electronics Boutique (one of the businesses they ate a few years ago), but there are a still places out there with info on their business practices (and a few digs), so I’m leery about stepping foot through their doors. But, for some reason, most of the attacks on them aren’t to be found anymore, so Google searches mainly have results about how they aren’t accepting original Xbox stuff after Feb. 9 and their big money haul over the holidays.
But, if you can get in and out without selling your soul or buying something extra, go for it. As with most stores, the less you are tied to them, the better. They can also have some pretty good deals. My brother in law tells me he often can get games for his PS2 for around seven or eight bucks.
One of our local chains that buys and sells primarily used items, Gamers, is a really good place to check out. Not only do they have a pretty large inventory, but they test every game and system before it’s sold. The times I’ve sold old things, they will test the systems and a lot of times cartridges right there. If a disk needs resurfaced, they do that, too. Plus, their return policy is pretty good.
Check your area for your own area’s dealers and find out about their policies. A lot of time if they’re local, the employees are a little more personable about their company’s rules.
Video Rental Places
For some reason, lots of people don’t take advantage of these places. Like their movies, when a game gets rented a certain number of times or needs to be moved off the shelves to make room for newer stuff or just isn’t getting rented, the big chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood sell their used stuff for usually pretty cheap.
One of the down sides with this is the idea you don’t know who or how many people handled the thing you’re buying. You run the risk of deep scratches or mystery sticky stuff on the disks. But fortunately, these places generally have a pretty solid return policy. Take it home. If it’s got deep grooves or isn’t readable, take it right back while it’s fresh in your mind.
On the upside, Hollywood and Blockbuster are almost always running some sort of deal. A few weeks ago, Hollywood was selling all previously-played Playstation 2, Gamecube, and Xbox games for $3.99. Their current promotion is buy one game, get one free (for any $14.99 and less game).
Using these two deals (and a similar one at Blockbuster), I’ve bought seven games in the last month for a total of $32, and haven’t had problems with any of them.
Happy Hunting
You don’t need to spend lots of money to own some good games. If you’re looking for something as a gift that just has to be a certain title or system, you might possibly have to not only buy it new, but also full price. But if it’s more about the fun than the show, why not save some money and forget about having the nicest and the newest.
Keep your eyes peeled for deals and do some research to make sure you’ll enjoy what you buy. I’d love to read about your bargain conquests, so please share them.
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