GameStop Now Accepting Apple Pay (And Buying Other Stores’ Gift Cards)

Mobile payments the Apple way got a boost on its continuous if somewhat slow march to wide retailer acceptance with the announcement earlier this week that GameStop will be accepting Apple Pay.  The video game and entertainment retailer joined the Marriott hotel chain and crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in signing on with Apple’s NFC backed mobile scheme.

The Apple Pay roll-out will extended to GameStop’s approximately 4,200 retail locations around the United States.

“We are excited to make it easier and more convenient for our customers to shop at GameStop,” said Jason Cochran, senior VP of U.S. stores at GameStop. “Providing a positive, memorable customer experience is our top priority. Incorporating the latest in mobile technology, like Apple Pay, into our stores is another way we are offering customers options to help simplify their purchases.”

This announcement immediately preceded the announcement of GameStop’s new in-store policy of buying back the gift cards of other (select) retailers in much the same way the retail chain currently purchases used video game and gaming equipment.

“We’ve always provided the best value through our trade-in and preowned offerings, and the success of our original gift card exchange offering has proven that,” Jon Haes, senior director, pre-owned merchandising at GameStop, noted in a statement about the release.  “We’re excited about our growing partnership with Cardpool. This is the logical ‘next step’ in revolutionizing the way major retailers offer prepaid gifting exchange while providing customers even more ways to access immediate value both in their retail stores and online.”

The gift card buyback program in-store is an extension of a gift card purchase program piloted online.

“GameStop is already the leader in the game trades business,” said Tomas Campos, Blackhawk Network general manager of digital & emerging services. “Gift card exchange is another valuable service to offer to their customers that further differentiates GameStop in the market.”