Trade-In Program Terms & Conditions

Retrofam buys back retro consoles, games, and accessories directly from gamers. This page explains what we accept, how the process works, what we pay, and the terms that apply when you trade with us. Please read it before submitting a request - by sending us your items, you agree to everything below.

1. WHAT WE ACCEPT

We buy retro and current-gen consoles, controllers, games, and accessories listed on our Buy List. If your item isn't on the list, email sellyourgames@retrovgames.com for a custom quote. We do not accept counterfeit, stolen, modded-beyond-repair, water-damaged, or heavily incomplete items (e.g., consoles with no power supply or major missing parts). We also do not accept items from dealers or bulk resellers through this program.

We reserve the right to refuse any trade-in for any reason.

2. HOW IT WORKS

1. Submit a request. Fill out the trade-in form on our website with clear photos of every item (front, back, ports, screen if applicable, and any visible damage).

2. Get an initial offer. Our team reviews your request and replies by email - usually within 1–2 business days - with one of three responses:

• Approved at the listed price

• Counter-offer at a lower price (with the reason explained)

• Declined (with the reason explained)

3. You accept before shipping. No item should be sent until you've accepted our offer in writing (via the link in your email). If you decline, the trade ends there at no cost to you.

4. We send a free prepaid shipping label. Once you accept, we email you a prepaid label with a unique Trade-In ID, plus a packing slip to include in the box.

5. You ship within 14 days. Pack items securely (bubble wrap, padding - see Section 5). After 14 days, the label and offer expire and you'll need to start over.

6. We inspect and test. When your package arrives, our team grades each item visually and our testers run a full functional check.

7. Final evaluation. If the items match the condition shown in your photos, we pay you the agreed amount. If they don't, we'll send a revised counter-offer with tester notes explaining what we found (see Section 4).

8. You get paid. Once you accept the final amount, payment is sent within 1 business day for PayPal and store credit, or within 3–5 business days for checks.

3. PRICING

Trade-in offers are typically for items in good working condition. High-demand or excellent-condition items may earn more; cosmetic or functional issues earn less. All values are determined at our sole discretion.

We grade items on two axes:

• Cosmetic condition - scratches, chips, cracks, yellowing, missing labels, sticker residue.

• Functional condition - does it power on, hold a charge, read discs/cartridges, output cleanly, run cool, and include all critical components (power adapter, AV/HDMI cable, at least one working controller for consoles)?

An A+ item (no visible wear, fully functional, all parts) earns the full listed offer. Each issue we find lowers the offer in proportion to the cost of repair, refurbishment, or markdown.

4. IF THE ITEM DOESN'T MATCH YOUR PHOTOS

This is the most common reason for a revised offer. If our testers find issues that weren't visible in your photos - heating problems, dead ports, broken disc drives, hidden damage - we'll email you a revised offer with the tester's notes. You then have 7 days to:

• Accept the revised offer - payment is sent within 1 business day.

• Decline the revised offer - see Section 6 (returns).

Once you accept any final offer and payment is sent, all trades are final. No refunds, returns, or revaluations after that point.

5. SHIPPING

• We pay the inbound shipping via the prepaid label we provide. Carrier is selected by us (currently USPS).

• You're responsible for packing items safely. We recommend bubble wrap, padding, and a sturdy box. Items that arrive damaged due to poor packing will be re-evaluated or rejected, and we won't honor the original offer.

• Drop the package at your local post office or hand it to your mail carrier. Don't use blue collection boxes for packages over 1 lb.

• The Trade-In ID on your label is your reference for any questions during the process.

• Risk of loss in transit: until the carrier scans the package as received at our warehouse, the item remains the seller's property and risk. Once received, it becomes our responsibility.

6. RETURNS & ABANDONED ITEMS

If you decline our revised offer after we've inspected your items, you have two options:

1. Pay return shipping yourself - purchase and email us a prepaid return label within 14 days of declining. We'll ship the items back at your cost.

2. Reimburse us for both the original inbound label and a return label, and we'll handle the return shipping for you.

If we don't receive a return label or reimbursement within 30 days of your decline, the items are considered abandoned, become the property of Retrofam, and may be repaired, recycled, or disposed of at our discretion. We will send two reminder emails before the 30-day deadline.

For items that arrive non-functional and not economically returnable (e.g., shipping back would cost more than the item is worth as scrap), we may instead offer a small salvage payment in lieu of returning them. You're free to accept or reject that offer.

7. FIRST-TIME VS. REPEAT SELLERS

• First-time sellers are paid only after items pass our inspection and testing.

• Repeat sellers with a clean track record (3+ successful trades, no quality disputes) become eligible for our Trusted Seller tier - we pay you up front when your label is sent, and may offer pricing 5–10% above standard rates. We'll invite you by email when you qualify.

8. PAYMENT METHODS

We pay via PayPal (fastest, recommended), mailed check, or Retrofam store credit. Store credit comes with a 20% bonus on top of the final offer. Choose your preferred method when submitting your request. We do not pay in cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfer.

9. YOUR DATA

Before sending us any device that stores data (consoles, handhelds, hard drives), you are responsible for signing out of all accounts, performing a factory reset, and removing any save data, photos, or personal information you want to keep. We will reset every device we receive as part of refurbishment. Retrofam is not liable for any data left on a device, including loss, access, or disclosure of that data.

10. OTHER TERMS

• You must be 18 or older (or have a parent/guardian's consent) to use this program.

• All trade values, condition grades, and final decisions are made at our sole discretion.

• We may modify, suspend, or end this program at any time without notice. Pending trades already in progress will be honored under the terms in effect when you accepted your offer.

• By submitting a trade-in, you confirm you are the rightful owner of the items, they are not stolen or counterfeit, and you release Retrofam from any claim relating to the items, their contents, or any data stored on them.

• This policy is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA.

11. QUESTIONS & QUERIES

Email sellyourgames@retrofam.com or call +1 (608) 938 8085 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm ET). Reference your Trade-In ID in any message. We aim to reply within 1 business day.