GameStop's Trade Anything Day: Gamers Get Creative

From decluttering junk drawers to re-gifting opportunities, this quirky promotion is sparking excitement and curiosity across the country. A new survey of 1,004 U.S. shoppers reveals who's planning to participate, what they'll bring, and how they'll spend their credit.

Key Takeaways

• 1 in 5 U.S. shoppers plan to participate in GameStop's Trade Anything Day, while 36% are still undecided.

• 43% of participating U.S. shoppers expect to receive more than $5 in store credit.

• 43% of participating U.S. shoppers plan to spend the store credit on themselves, while 33% plan to spend it on a gift for someone else.

Study Findings:

• 1 in 5 U.S. shoppers said they plan to take part in Trade Anything Day, and another 36% said they're still undecided.

• Gen Z is the most interested generation, with 25% planning to participate, and men (24%) are more likely to participate than women (17%).

• The top items people plan to trade include a used video game (25%), something found while decluttering (9%), and a console or accessory (8%). A small but bold group (2%) said they plan to trade a gift from an ex, and 1% admitted they'd trade expired snacks.

• Some participants are turning their trade-ins into content: 12% said they plan to record the exchange for social media.

• 43% of participants expect to get $10 or more in store credit.

• 43% of participants said they'll spend the store credit on themselves, while 33% will use it to buy a gift.

• A surprising 14% said they plan to trade in something that doesn't belong to them. That includes items from their child (5%), partner (2%), sibling (1%), parent (1%), ex-partner (1%), friend (1%), and roommate (1%).

Methodology

For this study, we surveyed 1,004 U.S. shoppers about their participation in GameStop's Trade Anything Day. 50% of respondents identified as men, 49% identified as women, and 1% identified as nonbinary or gender-nonconforming. Generationally, 6% were baby boomers, 23% were Gen X, 50% were millennials, and 21% were Gen Z. Survey data was collected on November 26th, 2025.

Topics Gifts