Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: $40 For That Old Thing? How Used Games Are Priced

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    9,074
    Rep Power
    27

    Default $40 For That Old Thing? How Used Games Are Priced



    Not content to pay any old price for a used game, Kotaku recently attempted to figure out how big stores decide what to charge for old games.

    The idea to research the subject of how game resellers priced their titles came after a visit to a local GameStop store. Browsing the used PlayStation 2 section, I came across used copies of Tecmo's Fatal Frame trilogy, which I had long wanted in my collection. I quickly snagged all three, only to be taken aback by the prices.

    Though I was standing in front of two bins filled with $.99 to $9.99 PS2 titles, these three games were marked $39.99 apiece. I still walked away with Fatal Frame 2 and 3, both of which were in pristine shape, but it left me curious as to how, out of all the PlayStation 2 titles, GameStop decided to mark these three in particular at price approaching the original manufacturer's suggested retail prices.

    I decided to contact various retail and online video game resellers to help shed a little light onto the process behind pricing used titles.

    GameStop was not available to comment on this story.

    A Secret To Everyone

    Upon making my initial inquiries, I found myself repeatedly running into a stumbling block: Secrecy.

    Used games are big business. At the core of this business is a simple economic concept -– buy low, sell high. When a new game is released, the price is generally fixed. The profit margin -– the difference between what the retailer pays and what the customer pays -– is relatively low. With a used title, retailers can essentially dictate their own profit margin, as long as customers perceive the value of buying and selling used merchandise at the set prices.

    Since new prices are relatively fixed when a game is released, the pricing of used titles is an important weapon in the video game retailer's arsenal. Madden 10 might be the same price everywhere new, but if a customer can get a used copy at one store $5 cheaper than at another, that could be the impetus that drives that customer to return.

    With so much riding on used sales, it really isn't a wonder that many companies weren't willing to share such sensitive data with the press. It's not that they don't want the consumer to know as much as they don't want to give the competition a leg up.

    Despite this, several retailers did take the time to explain how their specific processes work.
    Read more here.

    We all know is robbery
    This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
    You assume all risk for your use. © 2006 Azix Solutions.
    All rights reserved.

    Dropbox: http://db.tt/8qVS35lo

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    226
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    yup them well thief you can try get your games from ebay its much cheaper

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    107
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    guess certain games attract high prices based on popularity, similarly to how final fantasy 7 is selling from between 70$ on ebay to 140$ on amazon. However im not sure how popular this title is but maybe it falls under the same category :|

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    163
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    the pre-owned games really cost too much especially the playstation games, they cost the most, july I was in Atlanta and took my nephew to gamestop to grab some 360 games so I decided to buy a few ps3 games for myself but the prices are not good at all .

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    226
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    just try buy them 2nd hand in ja

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    1,227
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Crimfatale View Post
    just try buy them 2nd hand in ja
    regular ting for man all want 4-5 grand for fifa 09

    i only buy games off amazon still
    >>Insert something witty here<<

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    163
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    are amazon prices better than ebay? and what method you normally use to get them here?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    107
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    amazon prices are pretty good depending on how old the games are tho, couple weeks ago i ordered 6 ps3 games from them, all used in "like new" condition, when they arived everything was mint even the case itself looked like it was straight from the store shelf, amazon for me
    is teh best way to source games all you have to do is look at the review rate of the seller and your good to go. some people will even ship your games in plastic wrap. amazing prices too

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    61
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Mi wouldnt pay that much still... a some serious love yuh have fi da game deh

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •