Goozex is a videogame and DVD trading service I’ve been using and I’m quite happy with it. Each game or DVD has a point value based on the age and demand. You earn points by giving items and spend points to receive items. Each trade costs the receiver 1 dollar. Points can be purchased 100 for $5. New games usually enter the market at 1000 points and age in 50 point increments.

I started using the service when I realized I wasn’t a videogame collector and started getting rid of my Playstation 2 and 1 games. I decided that I didn’t want to go to the trouble of finding a backwards compatible PS3 so I bought an Xbox 360. Again. Of the 15 Playstation 2/1 games I listed, I got rid of 11 within a month. I could then reinvest those points in 360 games.

I like the economy of Goozex because it helps you avoid the new game penalty. You can get a new release, play it, and then trade it before it has dropped in value. Thursday night I completed Assassin’s Creed II. The game was released in late November and is 1000 points. I got it in trade a week ago and just sent it to a new person today. With the cost of shipping, packaging, and $1 for Goozex, the game cost me $4 to play since it didn’t drop in points. I could have kept it another month and it would still be 1000 points. I could use a subscription service like GameFly but sometimes I’ll go long stretches without playing anything. It’s also 2/3rds more expensive than Netflix, a service I use all the time.

I learned about Goozex from Chris Grant at Joystiq. I had used ITradeVideoGames a few years before, but I like Goozex’s reputation system and presentation. It also lets me pick up cheap DVDs without having to deal with random eBay auctions or Amazon sellers.

Next up, I’m going to be resuming my Mass Effect game (wherever the hell I stopped that a year ago) in preparation for the playing the sequel.