Trade Anything Results Are In

GameStop held their touted Trade Anything Day — a national experiment in what could have been chaos, that somehow worked. The company invited customers to bring in anything to trade, and America responded exactly how America always does: with enthusiasm and a willingness to hand over things that should probably remain in a garage, attic, or evidence locker.

According to GameStop, the event brought in more than 80,000 items across all 50 states, which is either an impressive sign of engagement or a stark reminder that no one in this country throws anything away.

People unloaded everything from old gaming consoles to vinyl records, sports memorabilia, and the usual parade of tangled wires that look like they were pulled from the bottom of a junk drawer. Then there were the surprises — including a trophy, a model train car, a boxed bikini, and yes, as the headline proudly boasts, a taxidermied bobcat.

Of course someone brought a stuffed bobcat. Of course GameStop accepted it.

GameStop says the idea came from wanting to connect with more than just “gamers,” acknowledging that the company has a vintage and collectible streak baked into its DNA. So, for one day, they went full “Let’s Make a Deal.” Customers could literally show up with whatever odd relic they could dig out of a closet and walk away with up to $1,000 in trade-in value, depending on what they brought. The most valuable category turned out to be collectibles — rare cards, vintage items, nostalgia pieces that have surged in value as adults now try to buy back the childhoods they emotionally abandoned.

What makes this whole stunt genius is that it worked exactly as intended: it got people talking, it pulled in a tidal wave of foot traffic, and it turned GameStop into the center of America’s collective attention for 24 hours. They even emphasized how much fun it was for employees and customers, a sentence I’m sure was written by someone who did not personally work a register.

For one chaotic Saturday, GameStop became part pawn shop, part thrift store, part episode of “Hoarders,” and somehow everyone was on board.

And look — in a retail world where everything is increasingly digital, predictable, and corporate-sanitized, this was… fun. Weird, messy fun. The customers who showed up had a blast. The employees walked away with stories they can tell during playing parties of Settlers of Catan. And GameStop walked away with national headlines and a reminder that sometimes, all you need to revive a brand’s relevance is to let people trade bobcat.

Honestly? They should do it again. Because if there’s anything this country will always have, it’s more weird stuff to get rid of — and GameStop now knows we’re more than willing to line up to hand it over.

-TBob