Not everyone feels the same way about the video games they've purchased. Some people keep every single game they've ever bought, and even go so far as to display them proudly, while others sell or trade in the majority of their games. It all depends on available space, mindset, and of course, whether the game is a POS or not. If it were up to Sony or Microsoft, every game would be digital and each player would have to pay for the right to play it. Thankfully, the gaming industry hasn't embraced this concept.
I tend to keep my favorite games and get rid of the rest without a second thought. I used to think that GameStop was the only choice I had for trading/selling games, but over the years I've discovered that chain stores are the least rewarding, especially if you want cash. Here is a list of the best places to trade/sell video games in order from best to worst.
Craigslist
If you live in a large city, Craigslist offers the most rewarding way to sell games because thousands of local people browse this website every day. For starters, sellers get to set their own price, and they usually get what they ask for because there's not much competition (except for AAA games like CoD).
Second, sellers keep every penny of their sale since Craigslist is free to use and sellers expect cash payments. Third, it's not uncommon to see a used game for sale and set up a trade for a game you don't want anymore. The only downside to Craigslist is the small chance of being scammed, or worse, so always meet buyers during the day, and set up meetings at a neutral location, like a coffee shop.
eBay
My second favorite place to sell games is eBay because millions of people around the world browse the gaming section every day. This is also one of the few places where rare games fetch a good price. It's easy to set up an eBay account, and just as easy to figure out how to sell games. Long-time users can find deals to list games for free while newbies may have to pay up to fifty cents to list a game.
After the sale, eBay takes a 10% cut, and sellers who use PayPal will have to cough up an additional 3% of each sale. That means for every $50 sale, sellers will get to keep $43.50 (minus any listing fees), which is still pretty decent. Make sure you have buyers pay for shipping or else you'll have to pay for it yourself, which cuts into the overall profit.
Mom & Pop Store
In every city there's at least one mom & pop store that specializes in buying, selling, and trading video games. While the rules for each one may vary, chances are you'll get a better deal than selling games to a chain store/company. These types of stores also recognize the value found in older games, so they're more likely to actually buy that old Sega Dreamcast game that's been collecting dust in your closet. They are also usually more lenient on the condition of the games they buy too. In addition to getting more for my games, I enjoy the feeling of knowing that I'm helping an actual family rather than putting more money in the coffers of a large company.
Amazon/Best Buy
If you're not limited by a cash-only sale, it's possible to trade/sell games at both Amazon or Best Buy for store credit. Best Buy accepts games in-store or by mail, but the store credit is only good for Best Buy stores. Amazon accepts games by mail only, and they will send you a “pre-paid” package to use for mailing them in. On the plus side, their “store” credit is good for any of the plethora of items sold through Amazon. Both Amazon and Best Buy require that all games be in good condition with minimal scratches and no cracks or chips.
Gamestop
Last on the list is Gamestop because they pay the least amount of cash of anywhere I know. For starters, they always give you the store credit purchase price first and only tell you the cash price if you ask (hint: it's 20% less). The company makes most of their money by selling used games at 3-5 times what they pay for them. It's infuriating to get $15 for a game I bought for full price less than a month ago only to see them turn around and charge $45 for it.
Sometimes they have special offers, but the overall payout is always less than the other choices I listed above. Moreover, they don't buy older games, and they have the nerve to offer less than one dollar for many games that are over one or two years old.
