When does GameStop charge for preorders?
By Britton Jewell · Last updated
Short answer: it depends on how you preorder. Online preorders shipped to your home are charged about a week before the release date. Online preorders you pick up in store are charged in full at checkout. In-store preorders take a deposit, usually $10, and you pay the rest at pickup. Refunds for pickup and in-store preorders go back to your card only up to 30 days after release.
Who wrote this: Britton Jewell, a collectibles reseller who runs BuyHoldCollect. Everything below comes from GameStop's own help center, which we link at each point (checked ). Your order confirmation is the final word for your order. More about us.
Three ways to preorder, three charge times
| How you preorder | When you pay | How to cancel |
|---|---|---|
| Online, shipped to you | About 1 week before release. A temporary authorization at checkout. | In your account, until final processing |
| Online, pick up in store | In full at checkout | Customer service or the pickup store |
| In a GameStop store | A deposit now ($10 minimum on most items), the rest at pickup | Only through the store |
Sources: GameStop's preorders page says online preorders are charged "about 1 week before the release date," which "allows time to fix payment issues before release." Its buy online, pick up in store preorders page says "You will be charged at checkout!" One inconsistency: GameStop's charged twice page says that for online orders it "does not collect funds until shipment." We go with the preorder page, which is specific to preorders, and suggest planning for the earlier date.
Online preorders shipped to you
At checkout you may see a temporary authorization, which "is not a charge." The charge comes about a week before release. If you also bought in-stock items, each shipment can trigger its own authorization, so one order can look like several charges for a while. GameStop says these drop off on their own and to contact them only if you see two completed charges after the order is delivered (charged twice page).
Online preorders can't be split across payment methods; GameStop lists PayPal Pay in 4 as the only way to split one. Coupons and rewards can't be used on any preorder, online or in store (preorders page).
Delivery isn't guaranteed on release day. GameStop says "pre-ordering online does NOT guarantee delivery on release day," and arriving 1 to 3 days after release "is considered normal in some cases" (late preorder page).
Buy online, pick up in store
This is the option that charges you the most up front: the full price at checkout. Zip Pay and PayPal Pay can split the payment. To cancel, contact customer service or go to the store you picked; you can't move the order to a different store. If cancellation is still possible, requests "before the product's release date or within 30 days after" are refunded to your original payment method. After 30 days, the refund is a digital gift card (buy online, pick up in store preorders page).
Preordering in a GameStop store
You put down a deposit: $10 minimum for most games and collectibles, $100 for larger items like systems and collector's editions. You can add money over time, use more than one payment type, apply trade-in credit, or pay it off early. The balance is due at pickup.
- Pick up within 48 hours of release. After that, the reserved copy may be sold to another customer, and your deposit stays on your GameStop account.
- Refunds of a deposit go to your original payment method or cash up to 30 days after release, and become store credit after that.
- In-store preorders can only be changed or cancelled at the store where you placed them.
Source: GameStop's preorders page and store pickup preorders page.
Cancelling an online preorder
If you ordered while signed in, cancel it yourself in your account, "only while the order hasn't entered final processing." Guest orders need help: GameStop says to email care@gamestop.com. Close to release, an order may already be too far along, and then it "can't be cancelled, even by Customer Service." Your option at that point is to return it once it arrives, under the normal return policy (cancel an online preorder page). For why stores cut preorders on their end, see why was my preorder cancelled?
Preorder bonuses and exclusives
Preorder bonuses are "while supplies last." If they run out, your order still stands, but the bonus isn't guaranteed or replaced (preorders page). GameStop also sells its own exclusive figures; for what that label means, see what "exclusive" means. Once you have the item, it follows GameStop's regular return policy; for damaged boxes, see my toy arrived with a damaged box.
Quick answers
When does GameStop charge for an online preorder?
For an online preorder shipped to your home, GameStop says you're charged about one week before the release date, with a temporary authorization at checkout. If you chose pickup in store when ordering online, you're charged in full at checkout.
How much is a GameStop in-store preorder deposit?
GameStop asks for a $10 minimum deposit on most games and collectibles and $100 on larger items such as systems and collector's editions. You can add money before release, pay it off early, or pay the rest when you pick it up.
Can I cancel a GameStop preorder?
Online preorders placed while signed in can be cancelled in your account until they enter final processing. Store-pickup and in-store preorders are cancelled through customer service or the store; refunds go to your card up to 30 days after release and become store credit or a digital gift card after that.
What if I miss my GameStop in-store preorder pickup?
You have 48 hours after release to pick it up. After that, the reserved copy may be sold to someone else, and your deposit stays on your GameStop account.
Can I use a coupon on a GameStop preorder?
No. GameStop says coupons and rewards of any kind can't be used on preorders, online or in store.
New to terms like preorder, MSRP or exclusive? See our collector and reseller glossary.
Related: When do preorders get charged? Store-by-store · When does Target charge for preorders? · When does Walmart charge for preorders? · Why was my preorder cancelled?
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Store policies change. This page is general information, not financial advice, and BuyHoldCollect isn't affiliated with GameStop. Quotes are from GameStop's help center as of October 20, 2026.