With a broken down economy looming over the head of almost every gamer, many of us have taken a step back to examine what we’ve been doing with all of the games that we’re done playing. For many, going to Gamestop and getting $4 for a game you paid $60 for is just no longer an option. These are the gamers who find themselves turning to the Internet for help. But how do you know where to start? The following is a break down of 4 game trading sites that I’ve had experience with and all of the bartering baggage that comes with them.

Goozex – The up and coming method
http://www.goozex.com/

Goozex (pronounced “goos-ex” they say it’s short for “goods exchange”) is probably one of the most talked about game trading services in recent years. Founded in 2006, Goozex has become one of the top picks for many reputable gaming sources.
How it works – Once registered as a member of the Goozex community, you can start registering your games. As with many other sites like this, you need to provide the UPC of the games you wish to trade. Once you list your game as available, you’re able to find out how many points it’s worth. The point system is based on the demand for each particular game. The newer and more rare a game is, the more points it will be worth. The more common a game is in the listings, the less it’s worth. You can also create a list of games you want and track the point value of those as well.
When you list a game as a ‘have,’ you put yourself on a first come first served type of list. As all of the people ahead of you who have listed the game as a ‘have’ get requests for it, you inch closer to the front of the line. When you reach the front of the line and someone requests that game, you’re sent an email that prompts you to accept or reject the trade. You have 24 hours to respond, but once you accept, you’re locked into the trade and Goozex provides the shipping address of the person who is getting the game. Once the trade is successfully completed, you get the points for that game and are able to use them towards requesting games from other users.
The catch – Each trade on Goozex costs $1. You can also buy points directly from Goozex, which is sometimes a bargain, and sometimes not so much depending on what you want. This also isn’t a 1 to 1 trade, meaning when someone requests something, you don’t immediately get anything tangible in return… just the points.

playSwitch – The confusing method
http://playswitch.com/

PlaySwitch is probably the most aesthetically appealing site of all the game trading sites listed here, but that’s about all they seem to having going on for them. They tout their services as “Game trading made crazy easy.” After watching the How it Works video, you’ll find that it’s quite the contrary.
How it works – Maybe I’m just dull, but from what I can decipher, playSwitch bases its service on an auction type method. At it’s simplest, you place bids on games you want and when people who have them are willing to give them up at the price you bid, you’ve got yourself a trade. Through a complex system of listings, you’ll eventually find that a really dynamic economy is established where the users really set the value of all games listed.
The catch – Each trade costs $1 and you also have to manage the other currencies. That’s right, more than one currency. One form of currency is referred to as ‘switchbucks,’ which is just another word for dollars. The other is called ‘trade tokens,’ which you earn when you complete a game trade successfully. It seems really overwhelming, but if you can get the hang of it you might end up with some pretty good deals.

GameFly – The experimental method
http://www.gamefly.com/

Gamefly is best known for being the Netflix of games, monthly fees and all. Personally, I’ve been really satisfied with Gamefly as a rental service. All of the options you’d want are there. You have the ability to keep the games you like at really generous prices, free shipping, and pretty decent customer service. So when I saw that they had a trade-in service, I decided to check it out.
How it works – Gamefly trade-in is pretty straightforward. You list the games you want to trade in using the UPC and they give you a price for it. The prices they give you are guaranteed for 10 days and you just mail the games to them using a free shipping label.
The catch – First and foremost, you have to be a GameFly member to take advantage of this service. Also, at the time of this writing the service is still in “beta”. The money you receive from GameFly trade-ins can only be used towards the cost of your monthly bill. Which could be nice if you’re on the pricier ‘3 games out’ plan, but other than that you’re kind of pigeon holing yourself in the way of reciprocation.

Swaptree – The direct method
http://www.swaptree.com/

Swaptree was started in 2004 and allows its users to trade books, games, CDs, and DVDs. The service is simple and both the customer service and user rating systems are great as well.
How it works – After signing up for an account, you submit the UPCs of all of the items you wish to trade. Then you make a list of all of the items you want to receive. Based on what you have and what you want, the site will show you everything you can get for your items, and even highlights the ones that you’ve stated that you want. When you initiate a trade, the user with the item you want is notified and can choose to accept or reject. Once the trade is accepted, shipping addresses are exchanged and the users ship their items. You have the option of printing out a shipping label for a couple of bucks, too, if you don’t feel like going to the post office or guessing with stamps.
The catch – Swaptree is a 1 to 1 trade. There really isn’t a catch. The rating system helps you avoid users who have had trouble in the past, you are in total control of what you’re getting out of a trade, and the results are quick. There’s no fake money, tokens, limitations, fees or fine print.

Personally I’ve had the most success with Swaptree. No matter what service you try, I don’t think there is any way to get over the sick-to-your-stomach feeling you’ll get when you drop one of your games into a big blue mailbox. With Swaptree, I know that I’m going to get a game in return and know exactly what game it is. Even when I’ve had a problem and have not gotten a game in a timely manner, the staff there was more than helpful in reminding me that they’d take care of it. My problem was solved and I got my game, just in case you were wondering.

These aren’t the only ways to get the most of your unwanted games. There are always eBay and half.com where you can get cash for your games. You can try the newer experimental trade in services from Amazon.com and Toys ‘R Us too. Don’t forget Gamestop if you just need a dollar and don’t feel like using that copy of Tony Hawk’s Project 8 as a coaster anymore. Your options are always expanding.

Let us know what you’ve used to get the most out of your games! Is there something we didn’t mention or a method you want us to know about it? Leave us a comment and let us know.