What Would Hezeus Do? (W.W.H.D.?)

[Half Japanese]

Inspired by the cunning and all-around genius plan of DP member Hezeus Christ, I too decided that I would do my part in gaining from Blockbuster's flaws, so here's what I did:

As most of you know they have the trade 2 games, get one for $9.99 deal, and the beauty part is that all games are taken, even old sports games, and that the $9.99 comes out of the credit they give you, so you usually don't end up paying a thing (unless you trade 2 crap games). Anyway, to make a long story short, using 3 Gamerush-equipped Blockbuster stores, I would get games and trade them in at another Blockbuster, using the deal to replenish my stock of high-dollar titles over and over again. Over the span of 2 nights I have managed to rack up roughly $213 in Blockbuster credit, plus I kept a game (Kill.Switch for Xbox) and picked up 2 others (Mario Golf GBA and Driv3r for Xbox, the latter of which is going to be taken to Gamestop for cash).

Now for the hard part, deciding what to get with it. I'm tempted to go for the ps2, since it's the only current console I don't have, but I don't even play what I have enough to merit getting another console on top of the GCN and Xbox. I also already have an SP so that's pretty much said and done as well. If I can hold out long enough I've pretty much got my Nintendo DS paid for, or I could pimp out the Gamecube with a full house of Wavebirds! So many choices! Thank you Blockbuster for your stunning idiocy!


And before anyone says anything about me ripping off the company, you might as well save it. They opened themselves up for it and by not having a reasonable limit, (20 trade-ins a day, which is nowhere near what I traded in, I went for 2 or so at a time) they even encouraged it. It was a lot of gas to travel to 3 different Blockbusters, but boy was it worth it!

[-hellvin-]

Geez. This little niche amazes me. I would imagine it couldn't possibly be a very good thing for their business but I guess not that many people do it. Hehe.

[tholly]

Geez. This little niche amazes me. I would imagine it couldn't possibly be a very good thing for their business but I guess not that many people do it. Hehe.


yea, im sure not many people that trade in and shop at stores like this really shop around for the best price, know what to trade in, and know how to use the system to their advantage....most people that shop at places like this dont really know what to look for as far as a good deal is concerned and just buy a game that they think will be fun for them to play......most people arent collectors, so im sure it isnt hurting blockbuster too much

[SkiDragon]

You could always keep doing what youre doing, and get enough credit to buy everything you want.

BTW, what games do they take for the most money. I did this and made a profit while they had the trade three for a $5 game deal, but I figured it might not be worth my time for only a $10 price.

You ARE using the expensive games toward the deal, right?

What games are worth the most at blockbuster?
If you buy your trade in games at another retailer, which ones are cheap to buy, and/or valuable at blockbuster. For example a game I traded in was worth $3, but I bought it for $1.

[Half Japanese]

Yes, I usually couple one of the big-dollar titles with a cheap sports game I pick up with extra credit (sports titles = ammo, essentially). Then I trade in the titles at another store, getting at least $15 in credit each time per big title. It's a semi-complicated process my friend figured out and also did (he has $120 in credit left after keeping Mario Kart, Ogre Tactics and FFTA for himself).

As for the questions of what trades in for the most credit there's a simple rule of thumb:

Anything they sell for $39.99 will usually generate $22-25 in credit, usually $25.

Confirmed 'big shootas':

Socom II - $25
Van Helsing - $25
LoTR: RotK - $22
MoH:RS - $21
Mario Kart - $25
Mario Party 5 - $25
Hitman: Contracts - $25 ps2 / $30 Xbox
Splinter Cell: PT - $25
RE: Outbreak - $25

It's really not too hard to discern which are going to be worth the most money, and assuming you have at least 2 Gamerush stores in your area, it's a fairly easy thing to do. I finally stopped before the employees said anything, as one guy said something to my friend when he came in a second time ("if you're trying to pull a scam, you might want to find another store, we're kind of catching on here") and another guy just looked pissed as shit after his 3rd encounter with us, although he was never verbal. I think I'll stop while I'm ahead, with 3 gift cards in my pocket equaling enough to buy practically anything I want there.

[Half Japanese]

Also, to answer your other question, confirmed cheapass titles:

Jet Set Radio Future
Any and all sports games pre-2003
Dark Angel

We only bought $2.99 games (cheapeast ones in the store) and also took advantage of the buy 1 get 1 half off sale (2 games for 4.50), shaving off even more. Keep in mind all these games were bought with extra credit, using no cash except my initial investment of $4 (when I started out with 4 crappy games from my own collection and had to pay a little cash also). There are probably a few kinks we could have worked out or corners we could have cut to save even more, but I'm pleased at how it turned out overall. Not sure how much longer this deal is going to last, so you may want to hurry if you're planning to take advantage of it.

[norkusa]

Yeah, you might not want to take advantage of this deal *too* much. I've heard about some people actually getting their trade-in privileges banned from GameRush stores because they are trading too much. I've been taking advantage of this trade-in deal for the past 2 months now and I don't think any of the employees have really caught on. However, I'm spreading it out over the 6 Gamerush stores in my area so it's not like I'm going to the same stores every day.

Here are some trade in prices I remember off the top of my head. These were a couple weeks ago though so I don't know if they are still accurate:

Riddick-$35
Full Spectrum Warrior $30
Transformers $30
Lupin The 3rd $25
RPG Maker 2 $25
Resident Evil: Outbreak $25
P.N. 03 $21

Oh yeah, and *ALL* GBA games have a $10 trade-in value at Gamerush (yes, even the crappy Majesco ones that you can get at Gamestop for $3 used).

[SkiDragon]

Do you know what time blockbuster opens, or where a strore locator might be found?

[norkusa]

Do you know what time blockbuster opens, or where a strore locator might be found?

www.gamerush.com has a store locator I believe.

[hezeuschrist]

Hahahah guys, I just saw this thread. Rockin!

Just a few things. If they try to revoke your trade privledges, raise hell, for a couple reasons:

1) It's their own fault for being retarded. If they try to give you shit tell them to piss off. They make $7 an hour and owe the company no loyalty. As a whole, the entire company is a bunch of spineless pansies, you whine, you win. If you call the DL and tell them they just lost a customer that has spent hundreds in their store in the past few weeks they'll be chewed out, written up, or if it's happened before, fired. There's zero tollerance for losing a customer, even if it means giving them head to keep them.
2) It's fun.

One of the guys taking advantage of it in my area had over $1000 in credit at one time. A few tips I got from him:

1) Take your high credit titles back to gamespot/eb to stock up on shitty PS1 titles or GBA games (yes, $10 across the board. $13, or even $18 for some. GBA-SI for Kids football was $18 last i checked).

2) Never trade in anything in odd amounts. Always get your $10 game, regardless.

3) A few high credit, out of nowhere titles:
PS-Largo Winch: $5
PS-Robo Pit 2: $7
PS2-Samurai Warriors: $35


Sunday was my last day at the gamerush store, so I don't really feel obligated to hold anything back. Do 20 trades a day if you feel like it, if they give you lip, smack them. They've got no right to deny you taking massive advantage of the system. And really, if you're nice enough to not bring titles back to the same store the day after you traded two to get them, they won't really notice or care. Don't try to turn around a game at the counter (trade two, get Hitman. Walkout, walkin, trade hitman), they'll get real annoyed and real pissed and then have the authority to stop trades on your account for a week.

As long as you try to be considerate and not feed them tons and tons of the same title, they shouldn't care.

[Ed Oscuro]

There's zero tollerance for losing a customer, even if it means giving them head to keep them.
Can I have your child, sir? :D

[petewhitley]

You immoral sons of bitches. You're robbing Game Rush.


Just kidding. I'm so freakin' jealous that I don't have one of those gravy trains in the Washington State area...

[norkusa]

Just picked up Double Dragon Advance and Chronicles Of Riddick (both complete) at GameRush today for $11 out of pocket after trading in 4 crappy PSX games.

The great GameRush deals keep coming and coming...

[davidbrit2]

Holy hell, now this is a nice deal. I think I might go to Gamestop later for a quartet of PS1/GBA games, then head to Game Rush later and hope they have used copies of GBA Mario Golf and FF:CC. ;-)

[Half Japanese]

If your Blockbusters are anything like mine they have loads of FF:CC. I got that one originally to keep, but carrying around that damned chalice pretty much ruined it (making one player in multiplayer the bitch essentially). Still probably the best looking GCN game out though.

[davidbrit2]

Okay, I just got Custom Robo ($32.99) and Kirby's Air Ride ($29.99) for the low low price of -$14.82.

Some trade in values: (all GBA)
D&D Eye of the Beholder - $13
DBZ Legacy of Goku - $5
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars - $9
Planet Monsters - $9

If anybody needs me, I'll be masturbating into my receipt.

[norkusa]

Okay, I just got Custom Robo ($32.99) and Kirby's Air Ride ($29.99) for the low low price of -$14.82.

Some trade in values: (all GBA)
D&D Eye of the Beholder - $13
DBZ Legacy of Goku - $5
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars - $9
Planet Monsters - $9

If anybody needs me, I'll be masturbating into my receipt.

Man, it looks like they stopped their "trade-in any GBA game for $10 credit" deal. Gland I didn't buy a bunch at Gamestop yesterday to use at Gamerush.

[davidbrit2]

Yeah, I guess they quit doing it. The average value is still plenty high, though. And I'd say it was definitely worth it, because Custom Robo and Air Ride are both absolutely awesome.

Edit: post 1600. Time to go reevaluate what I've done with my free time. Ha ha.