How to Sell Old Video Games and Consoles

Making space for new consoles or games can be difficult. If you’re thinking about selling some of your games or consoles, it’s actually very easy to do so.

Selling games can be done easily online, and there are also in-person options. Depending on how many games and what type they are, you may be able to make a profit. Research the games and consoles you plan to sell to estimate their value before listing them for sale.

Sell Your Games and Consoles Online

There are many different online sites where you can list your items for sale. Some of them are more popular and easier to use than others.

eBay

eBay offers many opportunities to sell pre-owned games. All you need to do is create an account and then list your video games and consoles.

A nice feature of eBay is that it makes it easy to see how much items are selling for on the platform. You can search for items like the one you have, and use the search filters to look at what has already been sold. This will give you a good idea of how to price what you’re selling. 

LetGo

If you want to worry about shipping, LetGo makes it simple to sell locally.Take a few pictures, write a description and price, and you’re good to go.

Your listings will be shown to people who live near you, so you can arrange to meet them once someone has bought your item. Be sure to choose a safe location. Many police departments now offer “safe meeting zones” for online buyers and sellers to meet in person in a monitored area to ensure both parties’ safety.

OfferUp

This is another app to sell your games and consoles locally. It works similarly to LetGo. Unlike LetGo, however, you can also list things for people beyond your immediate locality.

The only downside is that the app takes a 12.9% fee and you must ship the item to the buyer. For local selling, though, OfferUp is a great option. 

Facebook  

Facebook has made it easy to sell things you don’t want through their Marketplace feature. You can post items for sale in the local Marketplace. Buyers contact you through Facebook, and, once the item is sold, arrange to pick it up.

You may also be able to find Facebook groups for your area that are focused on selling video games online. Search on Facebook to see what you find. 

Craigslist

Although a bit of an outdated method these days, it can be a nice option if you don’t have a Facebook account or smartphone but want to sell your items locally. Plenty of people still check Craigslist listings, so it’s a viable option. 

It’s also anonymous to post, so if you don’t want to give out personal information it’s a good method. You can decide to meet with someone if they want to buy your games. 

Sell In-Person at Stores

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of listing your items, you can always sell your items at stores. Many video game stores and pawn shops purchase games for cash or store credit. 

Local Video Game Stores

Local video games stores are a good place to sell several games at once. However, they may not take some of your games if they aren’t in good condition or they already have too many of the same game in stock. 

You can usually sell consoles or other gaming accessories there, too, but the same limitations may apply. Stores may not pay as much for items as individual buyers will pay. They want to make a profit on reselling the games. 

Pawn Shops

If you can’t find any video game stores in your area, many pawn shops buy used games or consoles. The better condition your items are in, the more you’re likely to get for them. 

Tips for Selling Your Games and Consoles 

The following tips will help you when you’re selling your games and consoles get the most for the items. 

Look Up Your Items

Know the value of what you’re selling to avoid getting less than they’re worth. You might be surprised how much you can get for certain items. eBay is a great resource to check the current selling price for similar items.

List What You Can Sell

Even though you might really want to sell that old Nintendo Wii and Wii Sports game, in actuality you may not be able to. Some games and consoles were either so popular that almost everyone had one and is also trying to get rid of theirs, or wasn’t popular enough for many people to want it. 

Again, doing research on your items can help you determine the best method for selling them. If you have something that might not sell well, getting rid of it for a low price at a pawn shop or other store that buys games may not end in a total loss. 

Take Care of Your Games 

Keeping your games clean and undamaged will help you in selling them. You may not be able to change how you treated your games earlier, but in the future you can practice careful handling in order to sell them easier if you ever decide to.

Also keep in mind that everything that comes with your games or consoles, such as the box or plastic case, manual, or other extras will increase the value of it if they’re included when being sold.