When you ask people to give you their junk in exchange for $5 coupons, they will happily do so. And if it’s GameStop asking they’ll apparently take it even farther, trying to pawn off sex toys, pets, and literal garbage in exchange for store credit that’s valid for other garbage like FunkoPops. The meme stock retailer’s “Trade Anything Day” led to viral stunts and some big headaches for the people who had to work during it.
The rules precluded customers from bringing in stuff like hazardous chemicals, medications, and certain electronics like Meta Quest headsets, but encouraged them to trade in bizarre paraphernalia like taxidermy animals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some people did exactly that. GameStop shared images over the weekend of what looked like a stuffed bobcat and a half-chewed goose. But those weren’t the only random artifacts pawned at the gaming retailer on December 6.
Other customers reportedly turned in a Netflix disc for installing the streaming service on Wii, a gift-shop replica of the Declaration of Independence, and a plastic spoon. Bizarre curios that GameStop rejected included someone’s Social Security card and some guy’s dog. “They said no,” joked Pokémon card loot box streamer Roaring Sensei. “Exclusions include dead or alive animals,” GameStop explained in response.
*Exclusions include dead or alive animals (Taxidermy items are valid for trade). https://t.co/OnuKfRhlqR
— GameStop (@gamestop) December 6, 2025
But while the video game chain was clout chasing on social, employees in stores had to manage the stunt’s awkward fallout. “My trade in anything day didn’t start out bad: a few odd 3D printed items, shoes, etc., etc.,” one staffer, who said they were just hired back in September, wrote on the GameStop subreddit. “I then have a man come in with a LARGE bin. filled with video games. he tells me ‘the video game store down the street told me i had too many for them so I came here.”
The employee continued, “I’m not even kidding he had at LEAST a hundred games. and so I’m like ok I’m scanning the games opening them checking them out to make sure they’re correct and not scratched and…I open one…and inside is an INCREDIBLY graphic adult film disc.”
Another apparent staffer said someone tried to trade in a dildo. “Had someone come to the store and they full on slapped it on the table,” they wrote. “There were a lot of kids in the store and so I got upset and kicked him out. Well word got to my DM and apparently my RM is blaming my whole store and DM for crashing out and letting this happen.” Was the dildo used or new? They didn’t say.
One customer drew a face on a leaf. GameStop declined that trade-in. Another brought in a piece of lint. GameStop did not decline that. “Absolutely bunkers,” the person wrote. “Lol.” Food items were also fair game as long as they weren’t immediately perishable. In fact, some stores said they were encouraging players to bring in canned goods that could easily be donated to local food drives for the holiday season. That resulted in everything from Pokémon Campbell’s soup to Vienna Sausages. Someone even got $5 store credit for Tangy BBQ McDonald’s sauce.
But the best trade-in of all was a thank you note written on a Kirby Post-It. “To the dudes @ GameStop, I hope your day has been well,” it read. “I’m sorry that they are trying to trade in garbage. That sucks and I hope no one in this area did that. I also hope you are doing well as people outside of GameStop. Stay sane and happy holidays.”
“This is worth so much more then $5,” one staffer wrote in response. “Thank you.”
