Sunday, April 10, 2011

Tips On Buying Video Games

By Bobby Lee


Is the local retailer's game testing system becoming your primary console? Have you resorted to subscribing to game magazines simply to play the included demos? Are you having to go on a forced Ready Rice diet since you can't afford to buy the latest games? Now you don't need to, in this article we'll examine ways for consumers to save money when buying video games.

Steer clear of Purchasing From Offline Retailers

Among the worst things you are able to do as a consumer is to buy games, particularly if they are not new, from a local retail outlet. Most of the games within these stores are too expensive even after you factor in the discount which you will get from the advertised sale price or the savings through the store's discount card. If you have, then it's best to purchase a game from the pre-owned section. Pre-owned games are generally in good condition and cost Twenty Percent less than their counterparts, just remember to inspect the game box for any missing game manuals and the game disc for scratches.

Search for Online Deals

As a consumer, your first option should be eBay. Generally used games on eBay are much cheaper than the major retailer's pre-owned selection and sometimes you do find good deals. Instead of bidding on a single title, you should instead try to win lots of 10 to 50 games. Keep the games that you need from the lot and auction off the rest. Lots are generally much cheaper, on a per game bases, and in my experience, these sellers don't gouge buyers on shipping costs. Furthermore when making use of eBay, make sure to use Paypal as the payment option. Paypal issues, a number of times during the year, coupons which can be used when paying for eBay items, these coupons offer another saving of 5 - 10% and are usually found in eBay's monthly newsletters. You will find also on-line sites such as pricegrabber.com and dealrush.com which present weekly deals from all the major video game retailers. An advantage to utilizing these websites is that they are updated daily meaning you are able to stop needing to rely on the Sunday flyers to seek out deals. Apart from these sites, you can also save money by purchasing used games from members on the different gaming forums (such as cheapassgamer.com) that you may participate in. Just be sure that the forum members that you trade with have a high iTrader rating.

Have Patience

Game prices go down dramatically within a span of 4 months. Therefore, you need to consider waiting a few months prior to buying a new game. Apart from saving you money, this approach also permits you to get a better idea of how good the game is and whether it is worth owning.

Rent If Broke

Why should you rent games? Because it is cheap and it provides you the ability to test new games. Most of the latest games appear on the renting shelves within the first 2 weeks of the initial release date, and given that most major retailers charge only $4-$8 for a game rental, this is the perfect opportunity to test, review and hopefully finish the game. Renting works especially well if you simply have to play the latest games without caring too much about owning a personal copy. Remember, you can always buy your favorite rented games down the road in the year when they cost a fraction of the original price.

Sell Your Games After You Finish Them

As a broke gamer, the worst thing you could do is start a collection, especially with new releases. Most new games fall dramatically in price within the first couple of months, thus it's vital that you sell your new games the moment possible. Remember, you can always rent games, either when company comes over or at times when you are bored. This method will not only give you additional revenue but will also insure that you are able to play the latest releases.






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