Dumpster Diving Fun

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Well, I know this is probably a popular topic, so I figured I'd start a thread about it and start out with my find today.

I usually check dumpsters of places I like. You can find some good stuff. I usually check Blockbuster because every once in a while you find a movie or a poster or something. Today, was the JACKPOT. I look in the dumpster, and what do I see? A box of DVDs. So I'm thinking, "Just cases, right?" Nope. They have movies in them. They're all locked but they have DVDs inside because I can hear them. The box was marked "Wrong Store, Throw Away".

So, I grab the box, only to find about 6 more boxes. One was full of books and was heavier than shit. So I finally get them home, and it turns out we have about 500 DVD movies. I also found about 10 Blu-Rays and about 25 PS2, 360 and PS3 games. I traded in a few games and got $118, which I bought new PS3 games with. Overall, awesome find. Here's some pictures.

http://imageshack.us

http://imageshack.us

http://imageshack.us

http://imageshack.us

http://imageshack.us

Also, I've found plenty of movies before, but usually they've been stamped with this machine that puts hundreds of little dots on the back that make the DVDs unreadable. It looks like some employees got lazy this time. :)
 
[quote name='JUDOHAWK']That's incredible. You said they're locked, I assume you forced some of them open to check the discs right?[/QUOTE]

I found a way to use 2 very strong magnets that I have to get the locks out. I'm still working on getting them all out... :/
 
HOLY SHIT dude nice find seriously. Where was this cuz i'm half tempted to this as well as a few of the mom n pop stores here in ohio are goin outta business!
 
Man that's a really great find, can't say I share your enthusiasm in dumpster diving though... at least it serves as a reminder to myself why I shelled out for a paper shredder.
 
I used to go to wizkids and get in their dumpster on wednesday nights since their trash pickup was friday morning. I dont know how many heroclix and figures I pulled out of there. Right after they went out of business I pulled like 9 cthulhu statues out of their, I kept one for me and sold others on ebay for like 75 bucks each.
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']I found a way to use 2 very strong magnets that I have to get the locks out. I'm still working on getting them all out... :/[/QUOTE]

One time, I bought a video game from Best Buy and for some reason, it had one of those crazy security locks. And of course, they didn't unlock it. Luckily, my dad is the manager of a magnet factory, so I was eventually able to get something to open it with.
 
If I lived in an area with electronics stores/movie stores, I would consider checking the dumpsters.

There was a manager at EB many years ago that really liked me. She would always pile up a bunch of the gaming swag (posters, standees, etc.) and wait for a day that I would come in. She'd then "take it to the dumpster". I'd then pull my car around back, and we'd put the stuff in my trunk.

It was a sad day when she got transferred to stores out of my area.
 
[quote name='gargus']I used to go to wizkids and get in their dumpster on wednesday nights since their trash pickup was friday morning. I dont know how many heroclix and figures I pulled out of there. Right after they went out of business I pulled like 9 cthulhu statues out of their, I kept one for me and sold others on ebay for like 75 bucks each.[/QUOTE]

...Bastard. I still don't have a Horrorclix Cthulhu... I need to get one but I haven't been to a game convention in a long time. >_>
 
Great find and nice thread. I used to work @ blockbuster and yes, we'd do this on purpose for the way we were treated and all. Looks like you got yourself a great deal and hey, maybe you can give some of that stuff to family/friends as gifts or whatever...or maybe put a game up on here for a contest.
 
[quote name='ninja dog']post what games were in there[/QUOTE]

PS3
God of War III
Madden 10
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Midnight Club Los Angeles

360
Red Faction: Guerrilla
Left 4 Dead 2
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged

PS2
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Cabella's Big Game Hunter 2008
Tiger Woods 2007
Shellshock: Nam '67
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects

PSP
Sonic Rivals 2
 
Congrats, great finds.

On another note, is it at all surprising to see that Blockbuster is in the shitter when they do something like this, i.e. just throw out hundreds of dollars of merchandise? Did nobody at any point say "Hold on, aren't God of war 3 and Left 4 dead 2 both newly released games that might be worth trying to sell for $30 or so, rather than just throwing them away?"

Even if they have no use for multiple copies of ex-rental movies, why not, say, send them to bases in Iraq or donate to orphanages and build up some public goodwill? Maybe I just don't understand how a big business works and what's cost effective, but it seems to me that anything is better than simply just throwing this stuff away.
 
[quote name='dinovelvet']
On another note, is it at all surprising to see that Blockbuster is in the shitter when they do something like this, i.e. just throw out hundreds of dollars of merchandise? Did nobody at any point say "Hold on, aren't God of war 3 and Left 4 dead 2 both newly released games that might be worth trying to sell for $30 or so, rather than just throwing them away?"

[/QUOTE]


It's stupid, but it has to do with items being taxable and paperwork, etc. I've worked at some retail places that threw things out and had to verify by three higher ups that the items were thrown away instead of given to employees or something, because of some complication with laws and paperwork. We of course got them out of the dumpster later that day, but still. :)
 
If I went dumpster diving all I'd find would be some broken glass with some hep-c on it waiting to poke me.
 
I would bet that one of the employees dumped those items in the dumpster in order to take them home without paying. You just got there sooner then he was able to go retrieve them. ;)
 
I once went to an estate sale where they were like "We don't have any games" other than a few overpriced wrestling titles. So I look over in one of those plastic trash containers with the wheels and in plain sight they have some game magazines (and it looks fairly clean) so I start digging. I think I fished out some ps1 memory cards, a DBZ game, a PS2 king kong game--I left the full-size playstation console with the top broken off. All the time I was saying, "What is this, what's going on here?"

It's was just funny because it was one of those sales filled with crap and where they refuse to haggle, but I probably snagged $5-10 from the contents of their trash (scrap wire too). Lol, and some black dude was walking in while I was digging, and it's like, shit, there's better deals in the trash than inside.
 
[quote name='ryanflucas']I would bet that one of the employees dumped those items in the dumpster in order to take them home without paying. You just got there sooner then he was able to go retrieve them. ;)[/QUOTE]Exactly what I thought when I saw OP's pictures.
 
[quote name='ryanflucas']I would bet that one of the employees dumped those items in the dumpster in order to take them home without paying. You just got there sooner then he was able to go retrieve them. ;)[/QUOTE]
Back when I was in high school, I knew a guy who's brother or cousin or whatever worked at GameStop and would take PC games out with the trash and then sell them. I managed to buy a few on the cheap before he got caught. It was fun while it lasted.
 
I haven't gone in a while but I did find a bunch of strategy guides at a Gamestop. Not all of them were penny guides either so I think I intercepted an employee theft. There were a lot of guides in the dumpster and the best ones in a box behind it.
 
[quote name='Dunvane']It's stupid, but it has to do with items being taxable and paperwork, etc. I've worked at some retail places that threw things out and had to verify by three higher ups that the items were thrown away instead of given to employees or something, because of some complication with laws and paperwork. We of course got them out of the dumpster later that day, but still. :)[/QUOTE]

Why not donate the stuff to charity? It would be tax deductible and good pr.
 
[quote name='david12795']I dumpster dive in a restaurant's garbage. No games.[/QUOTE]

Funny story actually. :lol: When we first moved here, we realized that there was a bread storage warehouse down the street. They would bake bread elsewhere and ship it there same day, then distribute it to local stores. Well one day we noticed that the garbage was full of bread. Hmmm. So we took a look, and it was all good. It wouldn't expire for like 6 or 7 days until after, and it wasn't torn open. (We eventually found out that they threw out the overstock, even if it was perfectly good.) So for about a year, we had all the free bread we wanted. (Plus whatever other treats/baked goods Bimbo makes.) Then, one day, the guy came out and told us that we didn't have to dig through the garbage anymore, we could go right in the warehouse and grab the bread in the 'about to be tossed' pile. :hot: We had free bread for years until eventually a law was passed where we couldn't take it anymore and they had to lock the dumpster. :bomb:
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']Funny story actually. :lol: When we first moved here, we realized that there was a bread storage warehouse down the street. They would bake bread elsewhere and ship it there same day, then distribute it to local stores. Well one day we noticed that the garbage was full of bread. Hmmm. So we took a look, and it was all good. It wouldn't expire for like 6 or 7 days until after, and it wasn't torn open. (We eventually found out that they threw out the overstock, even if it was perfectly good.) So for about a year, we had all the free bread we wanted. (Plus whatever other treats/baked goods Bimbo makes.) Then, one day, the guy came out and told us that we didn't have to dig through the garbage anymore, we could go right in the warehouse and grab the bread in the 'about to be tossed' pile. :hot: We had free bread for years until eventually a law was passed where we couldn't take it anymore and they had to lock the dumpster. :bomb:[/QUOTE]



Oh wow haha. Was the bread good?

Too bad they locked it, i dont see why they have to lock garbage up if its garbage.
 
There are several big websites devoted to dumpster diving. It is incredible what stores throw away. It is supposed to be standard practice to destroy the merchandise but most places do not bother. Hom de pot is one of the places that throws out a ridiculous amount of stuff. Unfortunately their dumpsters are normally locked and not accessible. Some notable places that often don't destroy the merchandise are $taple$, blockbu$ter, be$t buy, game$top. If you figure out their inventory schedule and trash pickup days your golden.
 
[quote name='lmz00']Wa$ the whole dollar $ign thing really nece$$ary?[/QUOTE]

No but that is what they do on dumpster diving boards. They have people from major retailers scouring forums looking for activities such as dumpster diving. I don't see how it is effective but they never type the actual name of a store. Instead replacing s's with $'s etc.
 
I see. That kinda makes sense. They should probably get more creative, though. Perhaps replace them with images like CAG does with fuck.
 
[quote name='SLeeK719']I just checked my local blockbuster, no luck all I found 3 abandoned babies and some drug needles.[/QUOTE]


Hey - stay away from our Florida stores!!!
 
A word of warning for anyone wanting to try dd'ing retail store dumpsters. It is illegal in some states/cities to dumpster dive and you could be fined/arrested for it.

As for me, I've only ever done anything like this on trash day in the various neighborhoods around my city. People used to leave all sorts of bigger/better items out in the open where people could see them and pick them up. Some folks even put big 'FREE' signs on stuff they just want some curb crawler to pick up.

The best haul I ever had has to be the one year when all of the university kids were going home for the summer. They used to leave piles of stuff and people would be digging through those piles from sunrise till sunset every day till trash day. I scored somewhere around 100-150 Atari 2600 carts and a working Sears Atari knockoff system the one year.

Unfortunately, the university mandated that all of the off campus housing units now rent a big dumpster and all of the students use that.:cry:
 
I find all kinds of cool shit in the GameStop dumpster. They started shredding guides, but you still find lots of displays, posters, promos, and preorder bonuses.
 
Oh, wow, I'm glad we're stuffing landfills with this shit.

Mmmaaaassssss ccccoooonnnnnsssummmeeeerrriiiissssmmm iiissss aaaawwweeesssooommmeeee
 
I just checked out the dumpster diving forums, and wow, people are finding good stuff. If I can manage to find all the food they find I could sell a lot of it at the swap meet.
 
[quote name='Dunvane']It's stupid, but it has to do with items being taxable and paperwork, etc. I've worked at some retail places that threw things out and had to verify by three higher ups that the items were thrown away instead of given to employees or something, because of some complication with laws and paperwork. We of course got them out of the dumpster later that day, but still. :)[/QUOTE]

It doesn't have anything to do with them being taxable. From what I was told most companies are reimbursed "x" (not sure how much) of what they paid if they "destroy" the item (a lot just throw them away or give them away and say the destroyed them). I have never been a dumpster diver and don't really plan on it, but that is what my old bosses from Gamestop and TRU told me was the reason for "destroying" them.
 
[quote name='darkslime']I just checked out the dumpster diving forums, and wow, people are finding good stuff. If I can manage to find all the food they find I could sell a lot of it at the swap meet.[/QUOTE]
The one guy on the one forum I used to go to alot decided to dd Chucky Cheese's dumpster and found bagloads of tickets that were able to be redeemed again for prizes.

I think he ended up getting a 360 or whatever the top prize was at that store for essentially 10 minutes of 'work' in their dumpster.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']The one guy on the one forum I used to go to alot decided to dd Chucky Cheese's dumpster and found bagloads of tickets that were able to be redeemed again for prizes.

I think he ended up getting a 360 or whatever the top prize was at that store for essentially 10 minutes of 'work' in their dumpster.[/QUOTE] That's a good idea. There's a Chuck E Cheese right next to Bookman's so next time I go there I'll check the dumpster.
 
Wow! Great stuff.. I have a friend who's parents have pretty good money.. Big house in the hills, ect.. They are retired but he tells me how they go every weekend to check dumpsters.. Some of the crazy furniture and goodies in their house were all dumpster finds.. This taught me that diving is not only for people who have less, but just for the adventure of it all I guess.. I think I'm gonna have to check out my local gamestops, blockbusters, ect.. ect.. sounds like it could be interesting and lucrative if you get lucky one day!!
 
I have learned that if you are going to get a game from Access_Denied...you might want to have some alcohol wipes on hand when they arrive. ;)
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']A word of warning for anyone wanting to try dd'ing retail store dumpsters. It is illegal in some states/cities to dumpster dive and you could be fined/arrested for it.

As for me, I've only ever done anything like this on trash day in the various neighborhoods around my city. People used to leave all sorts of bigger/better items out in the open where people could see them and pick them up. Some folks even put big 'FREE' signs on stuff they just want some curb crawler to pick up.

The best haul I ever had has to be the one year when all of the university kids were going home for the summer. They used to leave piles of stuff and people would be digging through those piles from sunrise till sunset every day till trash day. I scored somewhere around 100-150 Atari 2600 carts and a working Sears Atari knockoff system the one year.

Unfortunately, the university mandated that all of the off campus housing units now rent a big dumpster and all of the students use that.:cry:[/QUOTE]

I helped my friend move out of university housing. I got a big brita water filter, and a brand new sleeping bag still in the box with the wrapping. We were gonna take a 40'+ tv but it weighed a ton and wouldnt fit in my tiny car. Earlier today I went dumpster diving in my apartment. Found a box for a macbook pro, but no macbook ):.
 
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