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It’s a joke as old as GameStop itself: trade in dozens of brand-new, triple-A games and walk away with $1.50 in cold hard cash, or $2.50 if you opt for store credit. While resale value is a good argument for buying physical media over digital, you’re often getting pennies on the dollar. But do you get more value for consoles than games? Or are you better off opting to resell your old hardware at the bright yellow competition, Best Buy (or is reselling consoles at Best Buy just another common mistake)?
The quick answer is that which retailer offers better value depends on the console (generally speaking, if you’re selling a Sony or Microsoft console, GameStop is likely to offer better value), but you can get reasonably good trade-in value for your game console at either retailer, with a couple of important caveats. For one, Best Buy only provides store credit equivalent for trade-ins; they will not offer cash for your used hardware. While GameStop does offer cash value for trade-ins, it’s significantly less than the store credit equivalent. The cash value is often two thirds or less when compared to the store credit offer for used game consoles.
Secondly, bear in mind that consoles traded in without a working controller are worth significantly less than those that include one. The difference is absolutely massive, and can actually be more than the price of a brand-new controller, meaning you’d be better off buying a controller and including it with your trade-in rather than trading one in sans controller.
Console value by retailer
Whether you’re better off reselling at Best Buy or GameStop depends on the console you’re trading in. Let’s compare some common options from the big three console makers for context.
If you’re looking to trade in an original Nintendo Switch with working Joy Cons, the default trade in value for consoles in good condition are actually identical between the two retailers, at $75. Bear in mind that Best Buy doesn’t offer a cash value option, but you could opt for cash at GameStop, in which case you could expect up to $52.50
On the Sony side, a good condition PlayStation 5 with working controller will net you up to $230 at Best Buy, or $275 store credit or $192.50 cash over at GameStop, clearly the superior option. Interestingly, the value is the same for the discless Digital Edition at GameStop, while at Best Buy the value drops to $215.
Finally, for a 1TB Xbox Series X in good condition with a gamepad, Best Buy will offer you up to $225, while GameStop is again the clear winner, offering up to $300 in store credit or $210 in cash. If you do end up with a handful of Best Buy eGift Cards to spend, consider these handy gadgets under $100 you can snag while you’re in the store.
