Best Buy Tests Used Game Market with Kiosks
Best Buy Tests Used Game Market with Kiosks
Posted 06/24/2009 at 6:15am
| by Paul Lilly
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Best Buy, which began testing used game sales in some of its Canadian stores a year ago, has begun testing the waters in the U.S. by installing kiosks in its Dallas and Austin locations.
"This week, several of our Dallas and Austin stores will test a kiosk-based model that allows customers to insert their used games into a kiosk that will scan it for functionality, and immediately issue a voucher that is instantly redeemable for a Best Buy gift card," Barry Judge, CMO of Best Buy, wrote on his blog.
Judge went on to say that Best Buy will also be testing the sale of used games in those stores, while some of the kiosks will also rent games (and movies).
If any of this sounds familiar, it's because Wal-Mart made a similar announcement just one month ago, launching a limited pilot program of 77 "Video Game Buyback" kiosks in 2 percent of the chain's 3.656 total U.S. stores.
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Cadmium
June 24, 2009 at 9:20am
You would think that Wal-Mart would just spring for a kiosk for each of their 3.656 total U.S. stores...
FRAGaLOT
June 24, 2009 at 9:16am
how much credit do you get? I barely can score $15 for a semi-recent game at GameStop. But since I don't have to deal with a snarky clerk at Gamestop, Best buy can cut down labor costs using these machines, and POSSIBLY give me more money for the trade in. But since Best Buy dosen't SELL used games, it's kina moot. I'll have to trade in at least 4 games to get $60 worth for any title they have.
nekollx
June 24, 2009 at 9:47am
Judge went on to say that Best Buy will also be testing the sale of
used games in those stores, while some of the kiosks will also rent
games (and movies).
READ THE FRICKING ARTICLE
------------------------------
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neo1piv14
June 24, 2009 at 8:26am
Test for functionality? Does it also test if I put in a burned disc before giving me a gift card? Seems like they'd still have to have someone watching the kiosk to make sure people put in legit discs. Still a fantastic idea to get some business in their store.
grayscare0
June 24, 2009 at 10:47am
I, too, am wondering just how the machine will be able to distinguish legit and pirated discs. I'm thinking such functionality won't be available for awhile--especially if several consoles are supported-- but this is merely a test and not a widespread deal.
Soufboy
June 25, 2009 at 1:27pm
Its quite easy to distinguish pirated discs from legal discs based upon the codes imprinted on the inner ring of a cd. Commercial burners in PCs aren't high tech enough to burn these imprinted codes on the inner ring of the CD...while industrial burners which companies use are powerful enough to do so.
nekollx
June 24, 2009 at 8:09am
color me intriguied
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
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