Are You Getting Enough CeX? (CeX (Computer Exchange))

Member Name: kitschkitty

Product:	CeX (Computer Exchange)
Date:	25/03/09 (471 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A veritable feast of second hand delights and a good place to cash in on your junk

Disadvantages: The prices can fluctuate so it's worth checking the website in advance

CeX, pronounced sex, is a chain of shops that specialises in buying, selling and exchanging a range of products. More specifically, CeX focuses on electronics, DVDs, computer games and has recently dipped its toe into the CD market. My experience of CeX is through using the Manchester Piccadilly branch and whilst I'm sure there are certain nuances to each individual store, I suspect the overall experience to be quite similar in all branches.

In the current economic climate, it seems branches of CeX are popping up all over the place and the website boasts that the CeX family had 80 stores as of late 2008 with more scheduled to open in 2009. The concept behind CeX is simple and not too dissimilar to the Cash Generators and Cash Convertors of this world. If you're looking to make a few pennies, you can take in your second hand games, DVDs, consoles, mobiles etc and you are given two options. You can choose to cash in your items and sell them to CeX or you can exchange them which will give you a slightly higher value in the form of a CeX gift voucher which you can then use to purchase other items from the store. The value of items does vary quite dramatically and if you plan on selling or exchanging your items, I'd definitely recommend surfing over to the cex.co.uk website before lugging your prized DVD collection to your local store.

The CeX website is listed in its own right on Dooyoo so I won't go into too much detail here but it is handy for looking up the prices of items at CeX and will give you a cash price, an exchange value as well as the amount CeX sell an item for. The pricing structure can seem sporadic so this gives you an up to date indication of how much to expect for your items so you an make an informed decision as to whether or not it's worth selling. In some instances, the prices may seem very low but on the whole I've found CeX's buying prices to be quite reasonable. They certainly pay for more than Cash Generators and similar pawn shops and, although it's often less than you might hope to earn on Ebay, CeX offers a quick sale without any hidden fees or catches.

In order to sell, you need to register with your local CeX store and you'll need to take some ID with you in order to do this and be issued with a membership card. You also sign a disclaimer each time you sell items to CeX to confirm that none of the goods you've sold have fallen off the back of a lorry or similar. The only problem I have ever encountered in selling to CeX was when I visited once I they didn't have enough cash in the tills to pay me which was surprising since the value of items I was selling wasn't very high at all. I overcame this by wandering round Manchester for a couple of hours before returning to the store and completing the transaction. If I do plan a trip to Manchester to take some bits to CeX, I tend to ring the store in advance now to confirm they do have money in the tills.

As a buyer, CeX takes me back to my teenage years of trawling second hand music stores for elusive rarities. If you like a clinical and sparse approach to your shopping, then CeX isn't for you. The Manchester Piccadilly store has separate sections for DVDs and games and electronics are displayed in glass cabinets around the store. The films tend to be in alphabetical order with the odd discrepancy and games are separated into console type and then alphabetically. I enjoy the process of browsing and pondering strange titles but if you're in a rush, the layout makes it difficult to find what you're looking for in a hurry.

When it comes to buying or selling, there is one large desk in the store which usually has 3 members of staff working on it. The staff in the Picaddilly store all seem to be young studenty types who appreciate my impeccable taste in films and can usually be trusted for some friendly and interesting conversation whilst the transaction is completed. Unfortunately, the visitors to this particular branch of CeX seem unfamiliar with the British institution that is queuing and there tends to be a lot of pushing and shoving which means patience is of paramount importance. The process of selling or exchanging items takes about a minute per item so if there are lots of people selling at one time, you need to be prepared for a wait.

In many ways CeX isn't too dissimilar to sex. It's not everyone's cup of tea and probably something the younger generations will enjoy on a more regular basis than the more mature set. It can be dirty at times and some visitors may need a little encouragement to get the job done but overall it's a pleasurable experience and I hope to be enjoying CeX for many years to come.

Summary: Swop Shop noughties style.