Walmart Video Game Trade-In: Stores To Give Credit For Used Games, Eventually Sell Refurbished

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) announced on Tuesday a new program that will allow gamers to trade in used video games for store credit. The world’s largest retailer said the game trade-in program will begin at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores on March 26. Customers will be able to buy the refurbished games in those stores and online later this year.

Currently, Wal-Mart offers trade-ins online, but only in a limited capacity.

“Gaming continues to be an important business for us, and we’re actively taking aim at the $2 billion pre-owned video game opportunity,” Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising and marketing officer for Walmart U.S., said in a statement. “When we disrupt markets and compete, our customer wins. They’ll save money on video games and have the flexibility to spend it however they want.”

The program will allow customers to exchange used games for store credit -- but not cash. Wal-Mart said the trade-in games will be sent out to be refurbished and “made available for purchase in like-new condition.”

Games eligible for trade-in must be in their original packaging, and they will be evaluated for damages by electronics department staff. Customers will receive a specific trade-in value for each game, which they can use immediately at any Walmart or Sam’s Club store, or online at Walmart.com and SamsClub.com. USA Today reported that values will vary by game “from just a few dollars for older games to $35 and more for newer ones.”

Customers will be able to purchase pre-owned, used video games in stores and online later this year. Games will be marked “Certified Pre-Owned,” or “fully refurbished and in like-new condition.”

“While new releases will remain the focus of our gaming business, we’re glad to give our customers the option to buy pre-owned games,” Mac Naughton said.