Dumpster diving is like treasure hunting at its finest. Many have heard that you can sometimes find games, magazines, memorabilia, and other items from a Gamestop dumpster. Can you dumpster dive at Gamestop?
Dumpster diving is technically legal in all of the 50 states. This means you can dumpster dive at Gamestop, but it is worth noting that you may violate other laws in the process of doing so.
Although dumpster diving is considered legal, you should still research your county or city’s ordinances to make sure you are complying with all applicable laws if deciding to dumpster dive at a Gamestop business.
Does Gamestop Throw Away Good Stuff?
There are many articles on the internet revealing that Gamestop does indeed throw away items that are definitely worth some money. In this article, they go over how a dumpster diver found multiple Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 games, old Nintendo 64 cartridges, and some older console hardware.
Don’t expect to find an Xbox One of Playstation 4, but you might be able to find accessories like headsets, controllers, or even handheld games and devices. Since the growing popularity of dumpster diving, Gamestop has been made well aware of people profiting off of their so called trash.
They have been taking measures to help prevent it by cracking the game discs, cutting wires on the controllers, and game guides are even being ripped or torn apart in order to prevent dumpster divers from profiting off these items that are being discarded.
Still, there are employees that do not follow all of the stores policies when it comes to discarding trash. This means you will still be able to find games or accessories that are still in usable and sellable condition to flip for a small profit.
What Time Is Best for Dumpster Diving?
The best time to dumpster dive is after the store has closed and all the employees have left, or early sunrise before any of the employees get to the store. Diving at these times will allow you the most privacy without intruding during their working hours.
If coming during closing time, be sure to inspect the store to see if there are any lights on or employees left in or around the store. It’s always a good idea to look around the front and the back of the store to make sure employees aren’t still hanging around after closing.
If coming early in the morning, be sure to check for cars or employees inside the store, as many employees will get there early to make sure that they start their shift on time.
How Do You Dumpster Dive Safely?
Be sure you arrive very early in the morning before the shift, or later at night after their shift. This is the most important factor if you don’t want anyone contacting the authorities for suspicious activity outside of their store.
The next thing you need to do is make sure you are well prepared. Make sure you have all your necessary tools like gloves, bags, grabbers, etc. Also be sure to make space and clean out your trunk or backseats to make sure you have more than enough space to accommodate your findings.
Bring pre-prepared moving boxes that are placed in your back seat/trunk area is a great idea to keep the inside of your car clean. On top of being clean, be sure to bring a little bit of soap, water, and a reusable towel in case you need to clean your hands.
Be sure to dress in clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty because you will be in a trash bin nonetheless. Although Gamestop trash isn’t very dirty in itself, that doesn’t mean you wont find food or drink mixed in with everything else.
Is Dumpster Diving Against the Law?
As of right now, dumpster diving is legal in all 50 states. Just because the act of dumpster diving is considered legal, does not mean that you won’t necessarily break the law.
You will need to research and learn the ins and outs of your city to know what laws might be broken when dumpster diving. Things like trespassing, or tampering with locked trash bins can get you in a lot of trouble and isn’t taken lightly by the authorities.
If there are enough people watching you that don’t like what you are doing, they can call the authorities and this act can be considered disorderly conduct. This is why it’s best to do this early in the morning, or late at night.
Final Thoughts
You can dumpster dive at Gamestop trash bins. Don’t expect to find the most recent video games or accessories. You will most likely find old and outdated magazines, broken accessories, game cases, scratched beyond repair game discs, or even old consoles for parts.
Be prepared and bring all the supplies you need as well as make sure that you clear out your vehicle and make space to accommodate for your finds.
All in all, the most important aspect of dumpster diving at Gamestop is to make sure you do your research. Be sure to check on your state, county, and cities rules and regulations to make sure you aren’t breaking any applicable laws while you are dumpster diving.