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Gamestop is one of the biggest games and console retailers in the world with a massive 6 billion dollar yearly turnover.
They stock every game’s console going including vintage units in their trade-in section. They also stock a wide variety of games and accessories on pretty much every platform imaginable.
If you’ve purchased a new console from GameStop but it’s not what you expected or perhaps it’s an unwanted gift, then you’ll probably want to know what their returns policy is.
To help you out with that, we’ve examined GameStop’s return policy for consoles in detail to bring you up to speed with what their policy is, whether you need a receipt, how to return your item, and much more.
We’ve covered what the returns policy is for:
- Consoles such as PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and virtual reality headsets like the Quest 2
- Accessories like controllers, racing wheels, and headsets
Keep reading to find out more…
What is Gamestop’s Policy for Consoles and Accessories? The Short Answer
You must return your games console and accessories to GameStop within 30 days of purchase instore or of your receipt if ordered online for either replacement or refund. However, orders shipped from their website worth over $500 cannot be returned in-store.
We’ve covered the policy in a lot more detail below so keep reading to find out more.
How to Return a Console or Accessories to GameStop
To return a games console to GameStop, you can either take it back into the shop and request a refund or replacement there or you can complete the online process.
To complete the online returns process, simply navigate to the returns screen, input your order number and email and complete the returns process.
As above, you can’t return goods worth over $500 purchased online by returning them in-store, you need to complete the online returns process as above.
Do GameStop Returns Include Free Delivery?
No, if you return your console or accessories using the online process, then you’ll need to cover return shipping.
However, GameStop will offer a refund to you for the full cost of the goods and any other additional costs like tax and shipping.
Will I Need a Receipt to Return My Games Console and Accessories?
Yes, to return your goods you will need a GameStop receipt or GameStop.com order number.
The latter should be easy to find if you made the order online as an invoice/receipt will have been emailed to your email address.
If you can’t find your receipt or order number then consult your credit or debit card provider or bank statement to try and find evidence of the purchase on there.
What About Boxes, Packaging and Accessories for my console. Do I Need Those for a Return?
GameStop makes it clear that they will not accept returns of unbroken consoles and other items if they have been opened and used.
Clearly, that must mean that you need to have the packaging to make a return.
In other words, if you get a PS5, open it, play it for a few hours and then decide you don’t want it, GameStop won’t offer you a refund and you’ll be stuck with your console.
However, they will accept returns for opened but defective or broken units not in their original packaging but remember to include all the accessories that come with it, otherwise, you may fall foul of GameStop’s policy and be refused a refund.
How Long Will it Take to Get a Refund for My Console?
If you return your console in-store, expect to receive a refund there and then to the card you purchased it on.
If you paid cash, then you will receive a cash refund or a refund onto your card if you prefer.
For returns made in-store, it usually takes a few days for the funds to appear back in your bank account depending on how quickly your bank can process the transaction.
For returns made online, allow a couple of weeks as GameStop need to await the return and then check the goods to make sure they are eligible for a refund.
Will GameStop Accept My Console Return After 30 Days?
GameStop’s general policy is to not accept returns after this period.
However, we’ve seen several reports online and elsewhere of people saying that there is some flexibility when it comes to this policy.
The best thing to do is to speak to a manager in-store, especially if 30 days has only just expired. In our experience, there’s invariably some leniency when it comes to returns that fall just outside the returns window.
If you’re well outside the 30 day return window and there’s no chance of coming within GameStop’s return policy, then here are some other things you can do:
Warranty
Check the warranty of your console if it’s developed a defect or was received broken and look to claim a refund or replacement that way.
Here’s a breakdown of the warranties provided by the major console manufacturers:
| Console | Warranty Length |
| Sony PS5 | 1 year from purchase |
| MS Xbox | 1 year from purchase |
| Nintendo Switch | 1 year from purchase |
| Meta Quest 2 | 2 years from purchase |
In summary, most of the console manufacturers provide a 12-month guarantee as standard with Meta offering 2 years on its Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.
You should note that to receive a refund or repair this way, you’ll need to contact the manufacturer directly. GameStop won’t deal with this for you outside of the returns policy.
Sell Your Console
Another option is to sell your console online at places like:
- eBay
- Craig’s list
- Online forum
- Facebook Marketplace
You can normally get a good price for consoles, especially the PS5 which has been in short supply due to global chip shortages, and therefore you’ll likely get close to what you paid for it as things currently stand.
Check Your Insurance Policies
You should also check your home insurance and other insurance policies as many policies now come with damage and refund cover.
However, claiming on your policy will likely increase your premium and attract an excess, so bear this in mind if you go down this route.
How Does GameStop Compare to Other Major Retailers?
We thought it would be useful to take a look at the returns policies for other retailers that sell consoles which might be helpful if you’re thinking of buying one but haven’t yet pulled the trigger.
Let’s take a look:
| Retailer | Returns Policy |
| Walmart | 30 days from purchase |
| Best Buy | 90 days from purchase |
| Costco | 90 days from purchase |
| Kroger | 30 days from purchase |
On the basis of this date, it would seem that GameStop is right at the bottom of the pile with Kroger and Walmart when it comes to the generosity of their returns policy for games consoles.
Make of that what you will!
Final Thoughts
In summary, if you’re looking to return your games console or accessories to GamesStop, you’ll have 30 days to do so but you mustn’t have opened the packaging (unless the unit is defective) and you’ll need a receipt.
This is fairly underwhelming returns policy compared to most of GameStop’s competitors and they also charge for return delivery, which is not ideal.
As above, if you’re outside the returns window to return your games console, you still have options open to you and it’s always worth speaking to a manager at GameStop to see if they have any flexibility to extend the window for you.
FAQs
What is GameStop's return policy for Consoles? ›
GameStop Return Policy. We value our customers and are committed to providing quality support when things do not go as planned. You have fifteen (15) days from your in-store purchase or receipt of shipment of a new item, and seven (7) days for a used item, to exchange or return, unless noted in our exceptions.
Can I return a used console to GameStop? ›Yes! The GameStop return policy allows you a period within thirty days of a new purchase, including a receipt, you may get a full refund including your game consoles. You have a seven day period to receive a full refund with pre-owned items.
Does GameStop accept returns on opened games? ›We do not accept returns of:
Any product(s) that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap). Any product(s) not in its original condition. Any product(s) that is damaged, played, or is missing parts. Any product(s) that were sold as part of a bundle, unless the bundle is returned complete.
You'll need your GameStop receipt or order number to get a full refund. GameStop is pretty strict with this policy, so be sure to hold onto your in-store receipts.
Does GameStop check consoles for trade in? ›To answer this question, yes. The GameStop employees do test the systems. Each and every associate is expected to do this with each and every system that gets traded into our stores. And if they don't and it comes back, there's an automatic corrective action, or a write up.
Does GameStop give cash back for consoles? ›You can choose to receive in-store-credit for max-value on your items, or get paid in cash. And remember, PowerUp Rewards Pro Members get 10% extra in value on most items.
Can I return ps5 console? ›Returns Window:
For an order of a refund-eligible item, you have 30 days from the date your item ships to initiate a return. For instructions on how to initiate a return, please visit Cancellation, Returns & Refunds FAQ page.
You can request a return or exchange on your Microsoft account Order history page. Find the relevant item and select Request a return. Tip: If you don't see Return information, your item may not be eligible for a return.
How do I return a value from console? ›You would call your function like this: var ans = square(5); This would set ans equal to the value returned by square() but will not print it to the console. Hence, the return statement is passing the value x*x back to the call of square . If you want to view the value in ans, you would write: console.
Does GameStop wipe consoles before selling? ›Our pre-owned and refurbished consoles are reset to factory default settings.
What does GameStop do with trade in consoles? ›
What is the GameStop Trade-in program? GameStop offers the opportunity to trade in your used games, accessories, and consoles for in-store credit. Customers can also trade towards pre-paid Visa or Mastercard gift cards that can be used elsewhere.
Does GameStop take consoles that don't work? ›Yes, GameStop does buy broken consoles, controllers, and accessories for either cash or store credit but they charge you a refurbishment fee which is usually around sixty dollars. There are conditions though. The product has to have it's original serial number. It cannot be worn off, faded, torn or scratched off.
How to get the most money from GameStop? ›- Enroll in the PowerUp Rewards Program. The PowerUp Rewards program at GameStop offers members-only benefits. ...
- Keep Your Games in Good Shape. ...
- Trade In at the Right Time.
Unfortunately Gamestop doesn't take consoles without specific items. Gamestop won't take consoles without a functioning controller, all of the power cords, HDMI cable, and with the PlayStation they need the micro USB Cable aswell.
How long do you have to get a refund on PS5? ›Full games, downloadable content, in-game consumables and season passes fall under this category. After purchasing this type of content through PlayStation Store, you have 14 days from purchase to request a refund.
Can you return consoles to target? ›Enjoy free & easy returns
We're happy to accept returns for a full refund within 90 days for most items. Add an extra 30 days if you paid with RedCard. And you have up to a year to change your mind on Target owned brands or registry items.
Within 14 days of making your purchase, you can get your money back without any questions asked, with one huge condition: you cannot download the item in question, because the second you start doing so you'll lose the ability to get a refund.
What is the return policy for Xbox? ›We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on most items purchased from gear.xbox.com. All items that do not qualify for our 30-day money back guarantee will have special messaging on their individual product pages.
Can you return consoles to Best Buy? ›You may return any item purchased on BestBuy.com at any Best Buy store. For faster return processing, please bring your packing slip (if you received one), or your receipt, the credit card used to make your purchase, and a valid photo ID.
How long do you have to return something on Xbox? ›Refund eligibility
Refunds are typically issued for requests made within 14 days of the purchase date for games in which you haven't accumulated a significant amount of play time.
What does console read return? ›
Read() (returns an int): or Console. Read() reads only one single character from the standard input stream. Similar to ReadKey except that it returns an integer. It returns the next character from the input stream, or returns (-1) if there is no more character to be read.
What's the difference between console log and return? ›console. log is function that logs passed in argument to console. return is keyword, which part of the return statement, used to end function execution. Once line with it is executed, the function is exited and function returns whatever is defined in the return statement.
What is console output? ›It usually means a combination of a display monitor and an input device, usually a keyboard and mouse pair, which allows a user to input commands and receive visual output from a computer or computer system.
Can you return PlayStation console? ›For an order of a refund-eligible item, you have 30 days from the date your item ships to initiate a return. For instructions on how to initiate a return, please visit Cancellation, Returns & Refunds FAQ page.
What is the return policy for PlayStation? ›Full games, downloadable content, in-game consumables and season passes fall under this category. After purchasing this type of content through PlayStation Store, you have 14 days from purchase to request a refund.
What are Playstations refund policy? ›Games, game add-ons, season passes, in-game consumables and PlayStation® Video titles. You can cancel a digital content purchase within 14 days from the date of purchase and receive a refund, provided that you have not started downloading or streaming it.
How do I return my PS5 console? ›Initiate a return from My Orders
Find the order in question and select Return. Select the items you want to return, the type of return (refund versus replacement), and the reason for the return. Select Confirm Return. Follow the on-screen instructions to print the return label.
Electronics and entertainment items (excluding Apple® products) must be returned/exchanged within 30 days.
Can you refund games PS5? ›Within 14 days of making your purchase, you can get your money back without any questions asked, with one huge condition: you cannot download the item in question, because the second you start doing so you'll lose the ability to get a refund.
How do I return to console? ›console. log() is a function used to print information to the console. return on the other hand is a call to pass some value back up to where the call was made. For instance, let's say you create a function called square() that takes in a single numeric parameter and returns that value squared.
Can you return a broken PS5? ›
We want to get you playing again as soon as we can, so we aim to return your repaired or replaced item within 15 days of receiving it. If, after this time, you have not received your repaired or replacement PS5 console, please enter your returns reference number on our PlayStation Repairs page to find out where it is.
How do I get a refund on PS4 and PS5? ›- Go to playstation.com/en-us/support/store/ps-store-refund-request/.
- Select Request Refund. ...
- If you were the owner of the account that was charged, select Yes in the chat window that opens up. ...
- Select why you'd like a refund. ...
- Select why you're returning the game.
Enjoy free & easy returns
We're happy to accept returns for a full refund within 90 days for most items. Add an extra 30 days if you paid with RedCard. And you have up to a year to change your mind on Target owned brands or registry items.
If you returned your order for a refund, it may take up to 7 business days after the return is processed to reflect on your account.