US citizens: want to trade at Best Buy? Head north [update]
Update: A representative from Best Buy Canada has told Joystiq that any decision made regarding trades in the US "will not have any impact on Canada's operations at this point." The representative went on to say the trade-in program has been "very successful" in Canada and Best Buy Canada Ltd. has no plans to discontinue it.
Original: Although reports indicate that Best Buy America's used games trade-in operations will come to an abrupt end, Best Buy Canada continues to offer the used and trade programs in its own stores. On February 1, Industry Gamers reported E-Play, the company that distributed used game and trade kiosks to Best Buy and Walmart, suspended operations. Currently, neither major retailer appears to be pursuing replacement programs in stores.
In Canada, Best Buy and Future Shop both operate under the umbrella of Best Buy Canada Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of its American parent. The company currently runs used game and trade programs within stores of both brands, where customers are given a store credit toward other purchases in the store at each location's customer service desk. The process appears to be modeled closely after GameStop's approach, and the companies even offer similar multiple trade-in promotions (such as drastically slashing the value of games immediately following release).
Joystiq has contacted Best Buy Canada Ltd. for comment on the recent news affecting its American counterparts, and whether its own operations will change as a result, but has yet to hear back as of this publishing.
[Thanks, Nathan]
