Trade-In FAQs
Current Exceptions - December 2025
For the month of December, we will not be offering cash on any trade-ins. We will resume cash trades in the new year.
Please note that we are currently not accepting DVDs for trade-in or cash - we have such a mammoth backlog of amazing movies that we are temporarily pausing DVD trades while we work through them. We will be re-opening DVD trade-ins in the near future!
How do trade-ins work?
We offer in-store credit for anything console and handheld video game related (systems, accessories, games, etc), as well as Bluray and 4K movies. (We do not accept or sell modern computer games.) Trade values are determined by condition, completeness, inventory levels, and market price. Values are determined in store only at time of trade in. We do not offer quotes, ranges, or estimates without the items in front of us. It is always our mission to give a fair deal for your items!*
What can I do with trade credit?
Once a trade is completed, we will put the agreed upon amount on your account in the store. It never expires, and can be used as a payment method for nearly everything in the store, both new and used - the only exceptions are any consignment items we may have at the time. We can also put the amount on a gift card for you, but as always, the sole responsibility for safeguarding gift cards lies with the customer.
Do you buy stuff for cash?
While we can offer in-store credit for nearly everything, we are selective with what we offer cash for. Values are determined by condition, completeness, inventory levels, and market price. Values are done in store only at time of trade in. We do not offer quotes, ranges, or estimates without the items in front of us. It is always our mission to give a fair deal for your items!*
How can I get a quote ahead of time?
While we do appreciate that some collections can be very large and/or difficult to transport, we unfortunately cannot do quotes, either in trade credit or cash, without seeing the items in person. Any offers we make can fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including (but not limited to) condition, completeness, inventory levels, and market price - if one of those factors changes (such as our inventory level of that item), it can cause a dramatic increase or decrease in our offer. As such, any offers we make for items are only valid on the day of the in store assessment.
How do movies work?
We have an enormous selection of disc movies of all types, from DVDs and Blurays to 4Ks and even Laserdiscs. Due to how we categorize movies into price bands, their trade values will be heavily reliant on which band we place them into, and also makes it difficult (although not impossible) to offer cash for movies. The primary exception is boutique labels such as Criterion Collection movies - as we price those movies individually, rather than in bands, each movie will follow its own set of rules and possible values for trade-ins.
Is there anything you won’t take in?
While we strive to consider offers on everything you bring in, there are a few categories of items we are unable to accept:
- Instrument peripherals for games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Don’t just throw them away - they do have value! - but due to how they were constructed, connect to systems (some need dongles), and are used, it makes it impossible for us to reasonably offer our standard three month warranty on them. As such, we have made a decision to generally not accept them on trade in or to sell them.
- VHS tapes. As much as we love movies, the market for tapes is typically not large enough to justify the amount of physical space they take up. Additionally, just in the nature of how they are constructed, they’re extremely difficult to check the condition of.
- Modern day PC computer games. While we do both accept and sell retro computers (Commodore and Atari models, for example), digital storefronts such as Steam, GOG, and the Epic Game Store have made selling modern day PC games largely redundant.
*Video Game Trader is not obligated to take any presented items for in-store credit or cash. While we will always strive to make you a fair offer on your items, we do reserve the right to refuse items for any reason and at our sole discretion.