I keep reading threads about trade-ins so I decided I'd share an idea I had a few years back about opening up a business where we maiinly focus on trade-ins (but also sell new). What's different? Well for starters I'd give more money to sellers and lower prices for buyers. Ever trade-in a game for $2 bucks and see it on the shelf used for $20? Yeah not at my store you won't.

Did you know that specialized gaming store you go to.... well they make much, much more money off of used games than they do off new. They do so I have no doubt in my mind that there's plenty of wiggle room when it comes to pricing while still making a profit without being so damn greedy.

Also here's the kicker that really sets my store apart and where it gets it's name. You can trade one game in for another of equal or lesser value if you buy two or more games. So in the customers mind he's basically getting a free game. This would help increase store traffic, the hardest part in sales is getting them there in the first place.

I'd call my store Fair-Trade. So what do you think Fair or Fail?

Fail, not helping developers.

It would fail.

One of two things would happen-- you would be competing head-to-head with Gamestop or you would turn yourself into a gaming store.

If you compete with Gamestop, it would be a quick bloody death. Gamestop has the bigger name, supply, and preorder bonus. You'll be bleeding money for at least the first few years and you just can't afford it. Unless you just have stockpiles of money laying around you don't care about your store will go under during that time.  This is completely ignoring the question where you're going to get your initial stock.

So then what if you turn your store into a gaming store? You have your video games you sell but you also sell things like Magic: the Gathering, provide TV's so people can play, have tables so people can play DnD, and corner devoted to Warhammer. Sounds great! Too bad those just die horrible slow painful deaths. Gaming stores like that just fail in general and it's general a very
slow fail. Those are even more risky that restaurants.

So fun idea, but there's a reason why you don't see things like than popping up all over the place.

Good answer.