Confirmed: 360 trade-in value increased [update 2]
by Dustin Burg 
{ Apr 16th 2007 at 11:30AM }
Over the past few days there has been a few rumors hitting the web about potential Xbox 360 trade-in prices increasing over at EB Games and Gamestop for the launch of the Elite. Well, we got in touch with a few Gamestop managers and it's true. The promotion started today and dramatically increases the trade-in value for original Xboxes, Xbox 360 Cores, and Xbox 360 Premiums. If you trade in a Premium 360 they'll give you $250 in-store credit, $200 in-store credit for a 360 Core, and $50 for an original Xbox. These trade-in price have increased pretty dramatically, because last week Gamestop was only paying $190 for an Xbox 360 Premium, now upped by $60. Both Gamestop managers also said that the new trade-in credit does not have to go towards an Xbox 360 Elite, but what other reason would you have for selling your 360? There you have it all wrapped up and confirmed. More trade-in cash for your old Xbox 360 to buy yourself a black Elite if you so choose.
Update 1: We're thinking there may be a little confusion in Gamestop's head. We just got word from Kevin (who works at Gamestop) that the trade-in program uses coupons that are not valid until April 29th. Kevin says that the only way to increase the trade-in value is to use these coupons and the only way to get these coupons is to buy an Elite. So, according to him, you need to buy an Elite to get the increased trade in value. But, we double checked with our local Gamestop managers and they still are saying we could come in today and they'll pay us $250 for a Premium 360. Maybe all the stores just aren't on the same page ... silly Gamestop.
Update 2: Even more details have emerged.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
J.Goodwin @ Apr 16th 2007 11:36AM
Does the console have to work?
I could trade in a busted unit and a working one as "cores" and get an Elite practically for free :D
J.Goodwin @ Apr 16th 2007 11:40AM
Actually, maybe I could pull the towel trick, take the console to the shop, then walk out with an Elite...the wheels are spinning...and it's dangerous :D
Ciaran Gallagher @ Apr 16th 2007 11:40AM
You failed to mention anything about UK consumers and how much it will cost you by swapping your 20gb white for a 120gb black one!
Don't you EVER think of us in europe/uk?
Drdre74 @ Apr 16th 2007 11:49AM
waste of money. I just paid 400 for my xbox 4 months ago and all i get is 250 for it? they can keep that elite. you only need the extra HD space for movies. I just keep streaming movies off my mac.
J.Goodwin @ Apr 16th 2007 11:48AM
I've always wondered why you whiny Europeans don't channel some of your negative energy into actually designing a console and manufacturing it in Europe instead of constantly complaining that you're 3rd class citizens to the Japanese or North American markets.
It's not like you've got a shortage of well financed information technology and aerospace companies (SEGA's Model X arcade hardware was all based off of Lockheed Martin simulator technology, and the first home consoles were designed by Baer at Sanders), or a lack of cheap manufacturing facilities (tons of Xboxes were produced in Eastern Europe). You've also got a strong development community.
You'd think the French at least would be all over that. Mystifying.
AnOffday @ Apr 16th 2007 12:01PM
I still my have my baby from launch day. I'm not trading her in. She's been good to me.
Adam @ Apr 16th 2007 12:09PM
Tell me this is a joke... 250.00 for a working premium so they can sell it to someone else for almost 400.00 anyway maybe with some shitty preowned game, please. A premium with maybe 100.00 should get an elite... this is a joke and if microsoft is gonna start screwing with its fans they may end up with the same problems as sony has right now... anyone remember the videogame crash of the 80's...
Hoffer @ Apr 16th 2007 12:09PM
I've got an old Xbox in my closet and a premium 360. I'm sending my 360 in for the third time tomorrow for repair. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a new 360.
If I trade in my two consoles, that's $300. So, I'd just need $180 more for an Elite. Which we all know is the price of the 120 GB hdd.
Steve @ Apr 16th 2007 12:13PM
Let's hope they let you swap the memory contents of the 20Gig of the traded Premium to your new 120Gig Elite HDD...
dancingtosirens @ Apr 16th 2007 12:13PM
@ Adam
But... what does Microsoft have to do with the prices that EB nd gamestop offer on used merchandise?
Nothing, I'm pretty sure.
They just like to overly screw everyone over, they should be the ones you place your frustration
Funkatron @ Apr 16th 2007 12:15PM
When they say premium, do they mean with the HD? Cause the HD is considered a whole different credit the last I checked at EB. 480 - 250 = 230 = 50 more than just buying the bigger HD. Works for me
scott @ Apr 16th 2007 12:20PM
I work at a gamestop, we take in the system as a core with our without a wireless controller. The hard drive is taken in separately.
So the two trade ins are
XB360 system w/wireless
XB360 system w/wired
Then we take in the 20 gb hdd as a seperate device
So the 250 you see is the xb360 system w/wireless with the hard drive added on as well.
And how much do you people honestly expect us to take it in for? We have to sell it for a reasonable price. If we take it in for 350, and sell it for 380, nobody will buy it since it's only 20 less then a brand new one.
People get so pissed at gamestop/eb games because they have the ability to see how much we mark stuff up.
Do you question best buy when you buy a 2000 dollar tv? Are you aware they mark those up like 500+ dollars?
How about those accessories you buy from best buy for 19.99? You know those are marked up like 17 dollars, right? But you don't get pissed at them!
Companies are out to make money, not to give you amazing deals on everything and save you as much possible money as they can.
Robby @ Apr 16th 2007 12:24PM
Adam your anger is misdirected. Anyways, does anyone else realize that price u could buy two premiums. That would be much better than an elite in my mind. Ill leave the media functions up to my laptop with a broken screen, that i turned into a media center. Plus theres this place called stupid prices, i bought two Microsoft brand wireless controllers with Play n' Charge kit for 28 dollars each.
ANt @ Apr 16th 2007 12:23PM
Gamestop/EB have always been criminals when it comes to trade ins. This actually isn't that bad of a deal, if you have a bricked console.
The Elite isn't that big of a deal to me anyway. If they were upgrading the guts of the unit then maybe, but slapping on a upscaling DVD player and HDMI (no big deal there, VGA is as good) 120 gb HD is cool, but you can always put an external HD and save a ton on the package......
Black, eh, been there , done that.....
scott @ Apr 16th 2007 12:25PM
And adam, you're a jackass.
"A premium with maybe 100.00 should get an elite... "
You think that a possibly 1.5 year old 360 has only lost 20 dollars of value? You honestly think your used premium 360 is still worth 380 dollars? You're a complete jackass.
ANt @ Apr 16th 2007 12:26PM
Scott, stop defending GS, get a real job.
Keep defending a company that's paying you $10 an hour with no future whatsoever.....
Robby @ Apr 16th 2007 12:33PM
@Scott. Yes, thank you for finally saying what needs to be said. The only way this would work anyways is if people actually traded it in and they will. Just tell your friends who want a elite and have a premium or whatever to sell u their console for 250 cash. Better than a trade in right! I just want more 360's, i don't care about HDMI or anything like that because i have VGA, and am not moving up to any HD format till one wins, and when i get a HD TV haha. For now im ok playing 360 on my 21" widescreen gateway with VGA. I can just bypass the gamestop mark up.
scott @ Apr 16th 2007 12:33PM
ANt, I'm in college, it's a part time job. Thanks for the input though! :)
Adam @ Apr 16th 2007 12:40PM
So since my machine has started giving me the red lights, can I still trade it in?
Matt @ Apr 16th 2007 12:46PM
If you people think you can trade in a broken console you are pretty damn stupid. They will test it before its accepted as a trade in.
Tarl @ Apr 16th 2007 1:07PM
I agree with Scott. I don't know why people complain so much about anything retail. If they new how much anything cost wholesale they would claim that the whole retail industry is screwing us all. People gotta make money.
Grant @ Apr 16th 2007 1:14PM
just like how they test all their trade-in games?
i've bought maybe 10 or 15 pre-played games, and so far i've had to return 3 or 4 of them.
Even with the resurfacing tool they use, 1 or 2 discs still had SERIOUS deep scratches, one was even cracked halfway through the disc.
I'm pretty sure if you can get the console to boot past the logo screen, they'll take it.
Mike Dong @ Apr 16th 2007 1:20PM
Actually MATT your pretty damn stupid because Gamestop does take your busted worthless console they just take a refurb fee. Much better than letting it sit there and rot.
Good Points Scott but i'd rather throw my games out then give them to gamestop!
scott @ Apr 16th 2007 1:22PM
Grant they don't test used games, that would take hours upon hours. Testing a system takes minutes, they plop a game in and see if all the buttons work correctly, then box it up and sell it. Just ask to look at the disc and see if it looks too scratched.
Grant @ Apr 16th 2007 1:23PM
oh and forgot to meantion this:
trade it in, you can't transfer your data from the premium HD to the elite HD....
unless you don't trade in the HD and then hook it up to a friends 360... if that even works, and then trade it in.
These deals don't usually last to the time when the product the are promoting for is released, AKA you won't get as much for your 360 at trade in once the elite launches. but either way, unless you have the datel xplorer or another way to back up your data, your gonna lose it.
that already happened to me once when i got the 3 lights of death, and it sucks real bad.
Grant @ Apr 16th 2007 10:01PM
regardless of testing or not,
a cracked disc?
it was visable on both sides of the disc.
i can understand slacking off at a shitty job, but missing something that a 4 year old monkey could easily pick out?
simply put, GS and EB are good places to pawn off your useless junk, because when you think about it, all they are are glorified pawn shops.
I'm pretty sure i could get them to take my busted PS2 since it only has the disc read errors every other disc.
But seriously, i hope everyone who reads this site has better sense than to buy the junk consoles that people sell to them, this isn't the gen of no inner working parts anymore, consoles break more than ever
Grant @ Apr 16th 2007 1:30PM
regardless of testing or not,
a cracked disc?
it was visable on both sides of the disc.
i can understand slacking off at a shitty job, but missing something that a 4 year old monkey could easily pick out?
simply put, GS and EB are good places to pawn off your useless junk, because when you think about it, all they are are glorified pawn shops.
I'm pretty sure i could get them to take my busted PS2 since it only has the disc read errors every other disc.
But seriously, i hope everyone who reads this site has better sense than to buy the junk consoles that people sell to them, this isn't the gen of no inner working parts anymore, consoles break more than ever
John @ Apr 16th 2007 1:35PM
If a 360 + wireless controller is $250, what is the trade-in value for an HDD then?
Deezul @ Apr 16th 2007 2:05PM
It's a "new" console, so I'm looking to get a service plan. What does EB Games/Gamestop charge for the Premium? $50? I bought one with my launch day 360 and had to use it last August, so I'm willing to pay the piper.
Garrett Vonk @ Apr 16th 2007 2:23PM
FYI - eStarland still pays $300 in credit for an Xbox 360. I've sold them many games and systems in the past and have always been satisfied.
I'm not a spammer but a satisfied customer, and $300 is better than $250, and eStarland even gives you a prepaid label to ship them your stuff for free!
TheLegendary87 @ Apr 16th 2007 2:27PM
So what are we supposed to do if we want an Elite yet we need all the stuff on our current HDD?
Triforceowner @ Apr 16th 2007 3:09PM
No, Goodwin, this is what you do:
You give the clerk a pro, and say, "That's $250." Then you give him a Core, and he gives you another $200. Then you give him a core, and then you give him a Pro, and you say, "That's $650 for the two cores and the pro." Than he gives you the money, and you give him a Pro and $200, and you say, "Here's $200, why don't you give me an even $1000 for everything else?" You must do this all within 30 seconds and you will be rich >:). Or you could just play it safe by not getting arrested for fraud or whatever this crime is.
Chris @ Apr 16th 2007 4:19PM
I just called gamestop because I have an old xbox laying around collecting dust and I asked if you get $50 in store credit and he said it's ONLY for the Xbox 360 Elite and that you get $30 in store credit if it's not going for the elite. Wtf? That isnt what this blog says.
Tom @ Apr 24th 2007 10:25PM
Gamestop only pays minimum wage, like $6 USD or so. They can go fuck themselves and rape their mothers.
HighDef @ Apr 16th 2007 4:38PM
Suckers. I've already got a buyer for my Premium 360. They have agreed to pay $400.00. Why? Well I'm also including 3 games (F.E.A.R., NBA-06 & Need for Speed).
Some will say I'm loosing but I don't play any of those games anyway + the buyer is a friend.
nightcrawler @ Apr 16th 2007 4:54PM
Scott,
How much do you get paid at EBGames...I was thinking about getting a job there this summer. Thanks! =)
Rubbinz @ Apr 16th 2007 5:03PM
Will these jackholes --I used to manage a Babbages, I can call them what I want-- allow you to setup your old system and the Elite in the store so you can transfer your data over, then erase your data on the old drive? I'd be willing to bet, No.
scott @ Apr 16th 2007 5:07PM
Why are you guys getting pissed at gamestop for not having a method to transfer stuff to your new hard drives? If you're that worried about it, just wait until the day the elite comes out and do it while you are in the store.
Can't believe you guys are honestly pissed at them for this though, unbelievable.
Nukem945 @ Apr 16th 2007 9:55PM
Nice, but unless you're planning to buy the Elite system first, transfer your HDD data, then get your $250 store-credit, you're gonna lose all your gamertag stuff. Hopefully Gamestop is aware of this and allows you to transfer your HDD contents in-store.
Otherwise why would you do this if you're planning on buying the Elite system?
Giselle @ Apr 16th 2007 10:29PM
Just wanted to add to the "gamestop/eb games is robbing us" thing. I don't know if you people understand that those used profits are what run the store. We make next to nothing off of new games & harware. That used profit pays for our supplies, our bills to run the store, and most importantly, IT PAYS ME. Our trade ins directly effect how many hours our store gets because thats how they pay the employees. You want to bitch and moan about how terrible the trade in values are, but cars don't keep their value anywhere CLOSE to what you bought it for once you've used it ONCE. As someone else stated, sure I don't plan on spending my entire career @ EB games, but right now, its my job. It might not be the best job, but it sure as hell beats flipping burgers or selling clothes. I enjoy working around video games and even if I disagree with some things the company does, I really have to say you need to shut your mouths about trade in values because thats what puts food in my kitchen.
Giselle @ Apr 16th 2007 10:35PM
Also needed to add that, while this isn't the company standard, my store manager (I'm the 3rd key) is going to try and work something out where our customers can transfer their data in-store. If not, like the article said, its not that it has to go towards your 360, so the trade in wouldn't have to be all in the same transaction, or most of the store managers I've worked under have had no problem giving you that store credit for the trade in if you do it after you buy the 360 or whatever new system if you bring in your receipt of your new system w/ your old system to trade in.
And yeah, gamestop/eb is usually around min wage to start, but that also depends on your previous experience w/ retail & video games. Also depends on the SM.
ZeroCorpse @ Apr 16th 2007 10:42PM
I used to manage a FuncoLand long before any of you kiddies ever got your hands on a videogame controller, and I left because the company is fracking evil and rotten to the core. Defend them if you like- Pride in your job is a good thing- but don't imagine you're working for a company that has decent ethics, because they most certainly do not.
It's not even about the trade-in values, but the resale price. I see USED games in GameStop/EB Games that are priced higher than the current new retail price everywhere else. For example, I can pick up "The Outfit" for $16 new at Meijer, but at the same time GS was asking $24.99 for a used copy of the same game. They don't keep up with price changes in the market and try to take advantage whenever they can.
Oh, and don't get me started on their hardware return policy being the ABSOLUTE WORST in the industry. Buy a game console or accessory (like the HD-DVD drive) at Best Buy, and you can take it back for a REFUND or exchange within 30 (or is 14?) days if you have a receipt or paid with a credit card. At EB Games and GameStop, once a piece of NEW hardware is sold, it's a done deal. All sales are final unless defective, and then it's just an exchange for the same item. You can't take it back, you can't have buyer's remorse, and you can't ever expect to see your money again on a piece of hardware.
Oh... They'll BUY it back for a significant mark-down. But the return policy is basically non-existent.
There's more, but I'll leave you to your happy fantasies about working in a place that sells video games. I did it for a long time for that company and several others, and of all the retailers I've sold videogames for, GameStop (FuncoLand) was the worst.
You can do better. Hell, try Best Buy. At least they pay more and have the best employee discount out there, if you can put up with 6:00 AM meetings where you have to watch puppets and amateur comedians tell you how to deal with customers. (I'm not kidding)
tubedogg @ Apr 17th 2007 1:10AM
For the record...from someone who works at GS and has seen the actual coupons you need to get these trade values...
The increased trade values are as such:
Premium Xbox 360 (w/ wireless controller, component A/V cables & HDD) - $250 w/ coupon - $215 without ($190 for system + $25 for HDD)
Core Xbox 360 (w/ wired controller & S-Video A/V cables) - $200 w/ coupon - $160 without
Xbox - $50 w/ coupon - $30 without
The promotion DID NOT start today; the coupons are not valid until April 29th, because in order to get the coupon, you *must* purchase an Xbox 360 Elite. But you don't have to spend the trade credit on the Elite...here's why: You can either present your trade when you purchase your Elite (April 29th thru May 27th, 2007); or you can purchase the Elite, and return before May 27th with your trade, the receipt from your Elite purchase, and the coupon. Obviously at that point, you have already paid for the Elite, so the trade credit is yours to do with as you want.
You cannot combine this with any other offer and the trade has to be in working condition.
Also keep in mind that the article is wrong on (another) point...the $190 is only for the system itself, the hard drive nets another $25, so the total normal trade value is $215, a difference of $35, not $60.
As to the specific accusations about GS pricing policies etc...all accessories, opened or not, can be returned within 7 days for a full refund (this includes the HD-DVD drive which is considered an accessory, not hardware). I for one would be interested to know what Best Buy is doing with all those returned opened systems, and what kind of loss they are taking on them, since the system manufacturers sure as hell won't take them back unless they are defective.
I also disagree with GameStop not keeping up with prices changing. Meijer clearancing The Outfit at $16 does not mean that the publisher list changed on it, nor does it mean that any other store is selling it at that price. Often times at big box or mass retailers, games stay priced at what they came out at until it is time to clearance them. And GameStop wouldn't survive long selling games used for more than the market will bear...obviously they are selling enough copies at $24.99 to make it worth it.
Jon Angelo @ Apr 17th 2007 3:40AM
I really don't understand why some of you are so mad. Is Gamestop/EBgames your only source for videogames and/or to resell used videogame products? Because you know, there is this great thing called eBay.
If you feel like they're ripping you off then don't trade it in, sell it on eBay for 300 with two or three games you don't play anymore, there's bound to be some dufus who will think that's a great deal, probably the same type of person who would sell their old 360 for 250 in store credit.