The Exchange

My girlfriend bought me 2 different color record players for Christmas so I had to return one. When I went to the closer store they said that they can’t issue the refund and that I’ll have to go to the same exact Exchange it was purchased at. So I did. The cashier was trying to be helpful at first, but then she told me she could only issue a gift card (surprisingly I don’t carry my girlfriends card around, so I couldn’t get the money). My frustration was growing. To top it all, the cashier started giving me an attitude and blamed me in being rude.
Usually a friendly staff. Not this location. Not this time.

I live in GA but visit family in Pittsburgh. Any time I’m in PA I make a point to stop here; and have for years. They have a HUGE selection, including a few hidden gems. Video games dating back to the consoles from the early 90s, CDs, movies and more. The store always has awesome rare items to look at on the walls and shelves, and the staff goes above and beyond to help. Check this place out for ANY entertainment needs!

I usually come to The Exchange to get movies and sometimes ps3 games. This past time I came with my roommate to get a bunch of movies, which mostly included Wes Anderson films. For the most part we found what we were looking for there may have been 3 or 4 movies they did not have. Most of them were $ 7, but of course the Grand Budapest Hotel was $ 22. We decided to get it anyways because we did not want to wait until it was cheaper. We were able to buy 5 movies for $ 60. Usually it is not that expensive (not that is was all that expensive), but we paid a little more due to the fact that we got newer movies. I have never had a problem with The Exchange and will most likely come back in the near future to see what else they have. Also, I love the $ 1 and $ 2.50 movies!

I think people can get a bad taste in their mouths for places like this, especially if they bring in stuff to trade/​exchange and get a handful of trade-​in value or cash…
My experience however was really great. Super friendly and accommodating staff and fair trade-​in value for my DVDs and games. Their selection is clearly enormous and I loved that I could pick a relatively new/​obscure album and the staff helped me find it. Some of their vinyl prices are a bit steep but it’s nice to know I can find a harder to find record if I want it.
In the end I’m sad it took me so long to go here but I will be going back as long as I’m in Pittsburgh.

This is always a great place to go to just to browse and look through some old DVDs that you might want in your collection. Their selection is extensive, and the staff is always helpful and very willing to look up anything that you’re specifically looking for– even whether or not they have it (plus prices) at other branches. The prices here are SUPER cheap for DVDs, video games, and I’ve even found some old vinyl records here before. I mean, who can say no to $ 2.50 or $ 5 DVDs? And the quality of the movies and records I’ve bought here have always been great– I’ve never had a problem with any of the products. I definitely recommend stopping by here sometime!

Love the exchange in general! I find something every time I visit! Old movies that I loved and forgot about at great prices.

This location of the exchange is the one that I frequent the most, even though they never have the movie that I wanted… I always end up leaving with some other cheap movie that I decided to settle for.
This place is usually picked clean by all the local college kids so if you want to get something either ask them to request a movie that you want or go in everyday hoping that they have it in stock.

We al know what they sell but I have found the staff at the exchange to be really helpful in getting obscure old movies for us. They ussually have it somewhere and can get it in for me in a few days.
I am always grateful for this chain and their seemingly huge catalogue of old dvd’s.

As my freshly updated profile says, I love to play old video games. During my four years at CMU, I think I started going to The Exchange only my junior year. I had received an NES as a gift for my 21^st birthday, and I had happened to be walking by the store after dinner at Squirrel Hill (probably at Rose Tea). Little did I know, I had found a gem of a store.
Old video games, new video games, old movies, new movies, music, etc. That list could go on. They also have collectable trinkets and other things too, such as (back then, I don’t know their stock now) original black label Final Fantasy VII for Playstation. Indeed. I used to pick up some dirt cheap, yet amazing condition, NES games here. 97 cents for Golf? That game sure sucked ass, but what a steal! Original Final Fantasy? Please.
Recently, I visited Pittsburgh and had to make a trip here. I ended up leaving with an Explosions in the Sky cd. Did I buy a game. Maybe not. Not important. Either way, you can find some rare gems here and relive those nostalgic days. I know I did.
By the way, you can sell your old stuff here too. I unfortunately am not familiar with the process and the pricing, but I’m sure it’s pretty easy to do (bring it in, get appraised, get paid).

MAN, I LOVE THE EXCHANGE!!! Seriously, why doesn’t every city in the country have a place like The Exchange? It’s like a revivification of the «dirty old used record store» of 30 years ago, but better organized and more fairly priced. Staffed exclusively by kids with crazy hair and those disgustipating earrings that leave inch-​diameter holes in the ear. But the thing is, these kids are super cheerful and helpful. When you’re holding 10 cd’s and trying to look for more, some staffer comes up and takes them off your hands to the front. The selection is absurdly grand — this week, I went to three different Exchanges (Southside, Squirrel Hill and downtown) and bought at least 15 CDs and 5 DVDs at each. I couldn’t care less about video games, but there, too, the selection seems admirable. Love this place — a pillar of why Pittsburgh is such a great shopping town.

I used to go to this Exchange at least once a week. It had pretty good prices, and a good selection. However, I’ve had a few experiences over the last few months that have totally turned me off from this place. First, I had DVDs and video games stolen from me, I knew who did it and that they would be going there, and so I called and let them know, seeing as you have to present ID to sell anything there. Not only did the person on the phone treat me like I was crazy, but they took the stolen things anyway. Grant it, I should have gotten the police involved, but still, a little sympathy from the staff would have been nice. Plus, I had to buy back some of my own stuff (some of my DVD box sets had marks on them, I knew they were mine).
The next problem I had was that I wanted to purchase a headset from them, but I was unsure if the cord was the right length for my living room. Once again, when I asked if the headset could be returned if the cord was not long enough, I got treated like I just asked if anyone had seen a Martian walking around. I was told that I could not return the product because it would be «used» and they don’t buy used headsets. Then they wouldn’t let me open the box to see the length of the cord. My suggestion, if you’re going to have a product that is entirely boxed up and not accept returns on it, then you should have a display copy. Also, there is no need to be rude.
Overall, I’d say that they’re good for a cheap DVD or game, if you don’t care where it may have come from. The customer service could use a little work though. I certainly won’t be returning.

Love this place!
The Exchange buys and sells used CDs, DVDs, and video games. They also have some vinyl (for you hipster nerds who, like me, just can’t bear to listen to Supertramp on CD), and some video game systems (got my old SNES here for like $ 12!).
But, what I love most is the dedication to awesomeness from the staff. Here’s a recent story to prove my point.
My husband and I love bad/​lame/​goofy/​embarrassing movie marathons. One night, it was a Jean Claude van Damme marathon. And one night, we watched three Hulk Hogan movies in a row. Well, the current marathon in the queue is the three Mad Max movies. And we can only get two of them On Demand.
So, I popped into the Exchange to see if they had Beyond Thunderdome. Not only did dude not burst into laughter at my ridiculous question, he found me a copy of it and THEN said, «Wait a minute. We might have a budget version of this. You don’t want to pay $ 7.50 if you don’t have to.» Found me a copy for $ 5. Just like that.
Then I had to ring this purchase up at the register, which *should* have garnered a round of giggles or at least gentle teasing. But the guy at the register said, «I’ve seen this one before, it’s okay.» And when I asked if it was any good, he said, «Well, it was early in the morning, I woke up on my friend’s couch while he was watching this, and he told me it was a documentary about Western Pennsylvania. It made sense for the first half hour, and then I knew something was up.»
The Exchange: treating you like one of their own without a second thought.
Selection is great, and they work with the other locations of the Exchange to swap items around for you so you don’t have to drive way out to the South Hills n’at to get that old David Bowie album. And they’ve always got something playing on the speakers that makes me dance in the aisles (and never, ever have they given me crap about it, either).

I love being able to do some spring cleaning and get paid for it.
Cleared out a majority of the dusty DVDs and some of my games for my old GameCube and the Wii. When I say a majority I mean one of those cardboard file boxes, two large plastic totes and a slender plastic tote. All was gone through and decent amount was given to me for nicely taken care of DVD/​game collection I no longer wanted.
Staff was friendly and accomodating. Always seem to have a smile on their face.
Note: if you do decide to sell items here and don’t want the cash, you can get I believe 30% more if you opt for the store credit.

I am too old to start with this blueray nonesense or to buy brand new PS3 games. Thank goodness for the exchange. 9 ouf 10 times, they have what you want. They have no afilliation to any single genre of entertainment (who cares if this PS3 game is the most popular out right now? We’ve got ten used copies, we’re making cheap!). I have build building my DVD collection recently and bought, at least 50 from them. They always have $ 1 sales and I have found some great stuff! They have it all. What’s the point of buying anything brand new these days? Want a ipod touch? If they don’t have it now, it will be there soon. The staff is courtious and, unfortunatly, you can only brose for about 30 seconds before the hound you. Need a staff person, then they are always busy. They still offer great trade in and good cash for almost anything (inluding CDs). You’ll never leave feeling ripped of.
A little of the bad… The employee average age looks to be around 10 years old (although I’m sure they are all working-​age). Ask for anything pre-​Justin Bieber or the original playstation and you will be met with a blank stare and a «uhhhh? I ask upfront» once they go ask the manager (who looks younger than the clerk) the answer is usually found. But this is not a record store or comicbook shop.
Decent staff and GREAT product.-

Ah the i-​pod and the MP3 player! You can take hundreds of songs with you everywhere! And they’re so convenient too! Never again will you be bored by the drudgery of
–Listening to a WHOLE album’s worth of music.
–Having to go to a record store alone or with your friends.
–Discovering an artist you never heard of.
–Being overjoyed at finding that old, rare, obscure album or hard-​to-​find import.
–Having something you can call yours and actually hold in your hands.
–Building up a music collection that you can proudly display.
–Finding out about an in-​store performance or autograph signing.
Me, I’ll take the inconvenience any day. I guess I’m old school and proud of it. I was here this past weekend and found a copy of Poi Dog Pondering’s «Pomegranate».

I have found a great many bargains at the Exchange in Squirrel Hill. I used to think that the staff were scary in a very hip/​fashionable way, however I have found that when you ask them a question about the music, either they know the answer, or someone in the store who does. They don’t fake the answer, either, and often they are knowledgeable about many different genres, and about music that existed before they were born! They have also been helpful in guiding me to a store that may have the CD I am looking for. Also, at first I did not understand the pricing, but then realized that if they have a lot of copies of a particular CD, they are often willing to sell it for less.

Though the store is a little small, the staff is SUPER-​friendly (really, no pretentious jerks here — music & game lovers — yes), the selection is very good, prices are more than fair, and the exchange rates for trading are also excellent!
That being said, I loved going here because it really did remind me of when I worked at NRM back in the day. It’s really nostalgic to go and look through rows of CDs and vinyls and see something that sparks a memory from your childhood. They play great music in the store, and the staff loves when you have a music question for them.
If you’re an old-​fashioned music junkie who still has «High Fidelity» on your Top 5s, this music store will suit your fancy. Get lost in rummaging through fantastic music memories!
My Top 5 Bands of All Time (just for the hell of it):
1. The Beatles
2. Weezer
3. Queen
4. Reel Big Fish
5. Led Zepplin
Ok…off my music horse. Lol

The Squirrel Hill location of the Exchange is the best of all! There is an incredible selection of cheap, used CDs, DVDs, video games, and even electronics like game consoles and headphones. This store in particular is indie rock heaven, and I always find the most obscure bands that I didn’t think anyone had ever heard of. There’s a lot of inventory, but if you have time on your hands, it’s definitely worth browsing — you’ll find a lot of things you never realized you needed! The staff is super-​knowledgeable, and in terms of actually exchanging used media for cash/​store credit, the rate is very fair.

Good selection, ok prices (generally $ 5-​$ 8 used). Bought a good number of CDs here, but I’ve stopped myself from going because a used cd purchase doesn’t go toward supporting the artist and they probably ripped off some kid for his/​her cd’s. :(
Also, they indiscriminately slap their price sticker on cd cases, even the nice cardboard ones. These are impossible to remove without tearing off a layer of paper, and even then, they leave sticky residue behind. It seems they’d be more careful about this, considering their customers are still buying physical items and presumably might care about this.
By the way, they sell tickets for Mr Small’s and maybe other venues here. Get tix from Wicked Discs or Paul’s cd’s instead. Their service charge is lower and they could really use your business more.

Awesome little shop, you can find just about anything you need here. Very helpful staff that aren’t breathing down your neck obviously watching you from the corner hoping to catch you steal sorts. Go when you have time to spare, you’ll lose yourself in there.