Selling your used video games that you do not play anymore is a great way to make a little extra money. I have been selling video games for a number of years now to help keep the funds going. In college this was especially helpful because I didn’t have much of an income back then. Here are some tips to making a better profit on selling your used games.
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Compare prices between websites. I use Amazon.com and eBay to sell my used games. Amazon does not charge you for posting your games, but does take a percent from you once you actually sell it. eBay takes away money from your right away whether you sell it or not, and PayPal will also take a little percent as well for using PayPal as the method of payment from your buyers. So this is something to consider as well if the games are selling for a comparable amount.
Check how much eBay is selling a certain game for, and then hop over to Amazon to check. Sometimes the price difference is considerable. (This also works well if you are a buyer instead of a seller)
Describe the condition in detail. Many people are not satisfied with just the game disk or cartridge. Often times people are looking for a seller that has their game in complete condition. This could include: case, instruction booklet, maps, soundtracks, or game demos that come on a separate disk. If your game comes as a Family Hits or Platinum Edition instead of the original copy, state that too. The case will look different when it becomes a Hit, and many people are looking for the original.
Types of Conditions to state: 1.) Disk Condition: any scratches or perfect? 2) Instruction book or no instruction book. 3) Was it adult owned? 4) Did you buy it new, and is it coming from your personal collection? 5) Original case and artwork? 6) Comes complete or is it missing something? 7) Any stickers on the case or box? 8) Are there any known issues with your console? 9) Are you allowing returns or are all sales final?
This way people know what they are paying for, and there should be no complaints. Many people will skip your item completely if you do not state the condition.
Use Photographs instead of Stock Photos. If you are using eBay where you have the option to post photos of the game, take the time to snap a shot of it and use that. All stock photos do are showing a picture of the game they are purchasing. However, a personal photograph taken by you can show your potential buyers the condition, and prove you have all the items stated in the description. It also shows you have the game in your possession.
Don’t Get Too Greedy. Some games go up in value over time and as their rarity increases. However sometimes the prices decrease. If a sequel is coming out, or perhaps a new game system entirely is coming out, the sooner you can sell it, the better. I knew the Game Boy Advance SP was coming out soon, back in the day. Instead of getting greedy and only selling my Game Boy Advance if I could make a lot (such as setting my eBay sales high) I made sure I set it at a competitive price to get rid of it before places like Gamestop sold them for less. While others were sitting at $65, I had mine for around $55, and it sold very quickly. And not that much later after that the Game Boy Advance SP was released, making the original Game Boy Advances not worth as much. If I got greedy and set it high, it could have been sitting at $65, never to sell, and eventually I’d have to drop it to $30.
Timing is Key. There are buyers’ markets and sellers’ markets for games too. If you are really good at the video game and systems market, you can watch this closely. If you know for a fact a game like Suikoden II is worth at least $100, and want to sell your copy, don’t try to sell it when you see several people selling it for $75. This would be the time to buy a copy of Suikoden II. Wait until those copies are sold, and then post yours when the low end is where you want your copy to be.
Also, if you are learning that a game is being “re-released” and copies are going to be sold soon on a new system, be available for download like on Wii’s marketplace, or just reprinted in general etc, get rid of your copy online before the price significantly drops. I have had games that were worth around $50 used, and a year later they were producing more brand new copies of it. The possible profit was dropped in half.
Ship FAST and Receive Positive Feedback As you progress with your selling, you want to have positive feedback. Often if people can’t choose between a couple of sellers, they check if they are a new seller or a well established high rated seller. If you state all issues, show and tell the customer exactly what they are getting, and ship fast you should get some positive feedback. It will help future sales.
Shipping Fees If you are using eBay you can set your shipping cost. Find out before hand how much it’s going to cost you to box and ship. Find the weight measurement of your item and look it up on UPS or USPS, which every you decide to use. If you set your shipping fee too low, you will end up taking a hit on this away from your profit. Amazon has a set price for standard shipping and faster shipping which you can choose which one you’re going to use.
Making a profit off your used games is possible, especially if you can keep a good watch on the market and know how to sell them. It’s a good feeling after you ship your item off. It’s like releasing the little entrepreneur in you. Happy selling!