US: Best Buy moves into pre-owned games

US retail giant Best Buy is to roll out video games ‘vending machines’ as it moves into the pre-owned market.

The firm is trialling the kiosks in its Dallas and Austin stores in the US – but MCV understands that the strategy will be expanded across the US if successful.

It is likely the programme will reach the UK when Best Buy launches its first stores here next year.

The kiosks are similar to the pre-owned ‘vending machines’ that Wa Mart installed last month.

Best Buy CMO Barry Judge said:

As we continue to explore new ways to make our customers happy, Best Buy is moving into the used games market.

"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.

It’s a pretty slick system and one of the few trade-in programs to provide instant gratification; you get the gift card on the spot and can redeem it on anything in the store – not just another game. We’ll also be testing the sale of used games in those stores, and some of the kiosks will even rent games and movies. We’re excited about this test, especially because we know how deeply passionate our customers and our employees are about gaming, movies and entertainment overall.

And the trade-in and used value propositions will give those passionate customers even more choice and value at Best Buy.”