Columns III: Revenge of Columns

"Item Contents" is defined as the original components included with an item. The categories we use at RcadeTrade are Loose, Game and Box (GAB), Complete in Box (CIB), and Sealed. Every game for sale on the RcadeTrade Video Game Marketplace will be categorized. Accessories and systems will follow very similar definitions; however, there may be slight differences.

Loose

A loose game is any game without its original box or case. This could be either just a game cartridge or a CD. Loose cartridges and discs may have replacement cases, but since they are not original they can not be sold as GAB. Common examples are discs stored in plain jewel cases or GameStop placeholder cases.

Game and Box (GAB)

Game and Box means the original authentic game and box/case are included. The box or case have to be the original. The difference between GAB and CIB is that GAB may be missing the original manual or other inserts.

Complete in Box (CIB)

Complete in Box is when all of the original contents of a game are included. This can be the game, manual, inserts, and box/case. Some newer games do not come with manuals and only come with a game and a box. These games can still be categorized as CIB because all of its original components are included.

Sealed

Sealed is when an item still has its authentic, original factory wrapping on it. This automatically means the game is also CIB, since it was never opened. Reseals or rewrappings CANNOT be sold as Sealed.  However, they can still be sold as CIB as long as that is described in the listing. Sealed games become more rare with time and you will find sealed games to be among the most expensive on the marketplace.

Item Condition describes the physical condition of the item and its contents. Item conditions are mostly relevent for listings without images. When classifying an item's condition, it is recommended to use the lowest condition rating of all of the item's contents. For example, for a Complete in Box game: if the disc is in good condition and the case is damaged, then that item should be listed as damaged. That item could also instead be listed as loose and very good condition and still include the damaged case. In either scenario, the item's price will likely remain the same, but may attract different buyers depending on what their needs are. If a product listing has images, then those images are to be used by the buyer for dictating an item's quality instead of its listed condition.

Very Good

Very Good can encompass items in Mint condition or items with minimal signs of use. Very Good items have no stickers on them. These items will have minimal edgewear, creases, scuffs, markings, or dents, but a single instance or two may be present.  When you come across a very good condition item, you will definitely be thinking “dang, this is in very good condition”. You might not even want this game, but you take it anyways because it is in such great condition.

Good

Good condition items are to be considered above average. These items have no permanent marker writings on them, few scuff marks and scratches, no external stickers are present. Boxes can have slight edge wear.

Fair

Fair is an acceptable quality you can expect to find at a random garage sale. This item has been well played and well loved. Fair is the grading category with the most products in it.  It may have minor damage to the jewel case, including scuffs or cracks, or to the item cover, including scuffs, scratches, or cracks. Cartridges may have names written on them with permanent marker, some sticker damage, faded label. Boxes may have small bends to them, and corners may have a fair amount of wear to them.

Damaged

Damaged items are in working condition, but have massive flaws. Can include missing or damage label, water damage, dirt. This game could have been pulled out of a swamp, but it still works. You can expect this item to have an unreadable or missing label or smashed box. There are no limits to the amount of damage offered, as long as the game plays. 

We are excluding a Mint Condition as a category because as games get older, its becomes more and more rare to find them in that great of condition. Mint Condition games are going to be worth much more, so if you want to find Mint Condition games, you are encouraged to look towards the most expensive listings and look at the listing pictures.

On the RcadeTrade Video Game Marketplace, we've added specific labels for a listing's optional features. Item feature labels are not required for each listing, but are recommended to showcase a seller's effort to improve the quality of an item. A customer buying an item with the listed features doesn't have to second guess the condition and quality of the item they are purchasing.

New Battery

An item with the "New Battery" feature is guaranteed to have a fresh battery installed. This is most common for older cartridge based games that allowed you to save your game. These games are nearing 20-30 years old, and their batteries just starting to expire. Not all cartridge games used batteries.

Cleaned

A "Cleaned" game will mean the seller has made an effort to improve the condition of the game and its contents. This could be as simple as removing price stickers from cases or marker from games. A cleaned game doesn't guarantee that it will be free from cosmetic flaws. Sometimes you can't always remove permanent marker, or maybe a sticker will remain because it means damaging the original game.

Tested & Working

"Tested & Working" means the sellers made an effort to check that the item functions. For a game, this could be as simple as it being able to power on and play or that a disc is able to be read. For controllers, this commonly will mean that all the buttons work. For systems, a basic check should be done to confirm that it boots and is able to run a game.

Disc Resurfaced

Disc Resurfaced will only apply to CD based games. This means that the disc as been ran through a Disc Resurfacer, which removes most existing scratches and appears like new. Disc Resurfacing machines are traditionally very expensive, so few sellers will be able to provide this feature.

Free shipping comes on all games with a subtotal over $25, per seller.  Accessories and systems can have separate additional shipping charges. However, accessories and systems can contribute to the $25 free shipping threshold for a game. Orders below $25 will have a flat shipping rate of $3.

For example, if you were to order two games for $10 from two separate sellers, each order would have a separate $3 shipping charge. Ordering two games for $30 each from two separate sellers will each have free shipping. Ordering a $10 game, a $5 game, and a $50 system all from one seller would result in you not being charged shipping for any of the games, since you have reached the free shipping threshold from a single seller. However, the $50 system may have its own shipping cost.

Sizes and weights of systems and accessories vary to such extremes that we are unable to establish a blanket policy for all items in those categories.

As the RcadeTrade Video Game Marketplace grows, we hope to improve upon these shipping policies for both the buyers and sellers.