Rejection Guidelines: What Happens if Games Don’t Work

Updated: January 2026

By using our service, you acknowledge that The Old School Game Vault may reject any item that does not meet our quality standards. If an item is non-functional or in poor condition, we will notify you by email and offer a return option.

Return shipping and packaging fees will be deducted from your payout. If we do not receive a response within 5 days, rejected items will be recycled. Non-working consoles are subject to a $7.50 per-unit deduction.

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What Happens If Items Don’t Meet Our Standards

It’s Important That the Items You Sell Actually Work

We reserve the right to reject an entire order and return it to the customer.
We test all items for functionality, appearance, and cleanliness.

Quality Standards

What quality standards must my items meet to avoid rejection?

All items must meet our published quality and functionality requirements to be accepted.

For full details, please review: Our Quality Requirements

If Your Video Games or Consoles Are Rejected

If any items in your order do not meet our quality standards due to poor condition or non-functionality, we will notify you by email.

How Rejections Are Communicated

You will receive an email notification if any items are rejected.
Each rejected item will include a brief explanation of the reason for rejection.

Common reasons for rejection include:

The item does not power on or read games
The disc is excessively scratched or cracked
Cartridge label damage or internal corrosion
The item does not meet functional or authenticity standards

We do not provide repair diagnostics or refurbishment estimates, but we will explain the reason for rejection.

What Happens Next

You may choose to have rejected items returned.
- Return shipping costs will be deducted from your payout.
You have 5 calendar days to respond to the rejection notice.
- If we do not receive a response within 5 days, rejected items will be recycled.
Payment will be issued only for items that pass inspection.
- Rejected items are not eligible for payment.
- If you used a prepaid postage label, the shipping weight of rejected items will be deducted from your payout.
  - For example, if 15 pounds of your shipment are rejected, the USPS cost for a 15-pound package from your ZIP code to ours will be deducted.

Console Rejection Policy

If a console is non-functional, a $7.50 per-unit deduction will apply to cover shipping and handling.

Return Packaging Supply Fees

If we return your rejected items, the following fees will apply:

Boxes: $5.00 fee
Envelopes: $1.50 fee

Recycling Process

What happens to recycled items? Are they handled in an environmentally responsible way or refurbished?

If rejected items are recycled due to no response within 5 days, they are disposed of properly. Depending on the item and its condition:

These fees cover the cost of packaging materials for return shipments.

Non-repairable items are disposed of through appropriate electronic recycling channels.
Salvageable components may be recycled or repurposed.
Items are not resold as working products.

This procedure reduces electronic waste and ensures rejected items are not reintroduced into the resale market.

Payment Timing

When will I receive payment for authorized items?

Payment for items that pass inspection will be issued within 3 business days after the rejection process is complete, in line with our standard payment timeline.

For full details, please see: Our Full Payment Policy

Read Our Other Policies

Cartridge Selling Requirements
Learn what you need to do when selling your game cartridges to us.

Packing & Shipping Guide
Follow these tips to prevent damage and avoid delays or reductions in your payment.

About Us
Learn how The Old School Game Vault.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens if my game or console doesn't work?

If an item does not meet our quality standards, we will notify you by email and offer a return option. Rejected items are not eligible for payment.

Can I get rejected items returned to me?

Yes. You have 5 days to respond to our email. If you request a return, shipping and packaging fees will be deducted from your payout.

What happens if I don’t respond to the rejection email?

If we do not receive a response within 5 calendar days, rejected items will be recycled, and payment will be issued for the remaining items.

Is there a fee for broken consoles?

Yes. For non-working consoles, a $7.50 per-unit deduction will apply to cover shipping weight and handling.

Are there any fees for packaging returns?

Yes. A $5.00 fee applies to boxes, and a $1.50 fee applies to envelopes used for returning rejected items. These fees are deducted from your payout.

Brandon Perton

Brandon Perton started The Old School Game Vault , an online business focused on retro video games, and has been running it since 2008.

His perspective comes from nearly two decades of hands-on experience buying and selling retro video games and consoles at scale, with millions of dollars invested in inventory and processed through the business.

Every guide, review, and pricing insight published on this site is written from first-hand operational experience, including sourcing collections, evaluating condition and authenticity, testing and repairing hardware, and actually playing the games being discussed.