hiding treasures, goods do you usually do it?

I kinda think it's stealing.
But when I bought my Blue Dragon last night at Target for $15, I don't seem to mind.
I do feel guilty about doing it though.
Actually typing this out I think I have a problem.
5 games at Target
2 at Toys R Us
6 at Sears
I know it doesn't make it any less wrong but they're for me not ebay and such.

Also if the store could only find 19 of the 20 copies of a game, when all 19 were sold and they were even, wouldn't they be +1 when I bought #20?
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']
Also if the store could only find 19 of the 20 copies of a game, when all 19 were sold and they were even, wouldn't they be +1 when I bought #20?[/QUOTE]

From the store's point of view, that's bad too- it means someone who came in to find that game- and willing to pay full price- was told it was sold out, when there was really 1 copy left.

It also creates a false level of shrink- store will quit carrying things that are broken/stolen too often to turn a profit, so you could end up contributing to less/no games at that store.
 
[quote name='DuelLadyS']From the store's point of view, that's bad too- it means someone who came in to find that game- and willing to pay full price- was told it was sold out, when there was really 1 copy left.

It also creates a false level of shrink- store will quit carrying things that are broken/stolen too often to turn a profit, so you could end up contributing to less/no games at that store.[/QUOTE]

I highly doubt that the number of CAGs that are perhaps doing this on a store by store basis here will contribute so much that their local Target/Wal-Mart/Etc. store will stop carrying video games.

If anything they will just start locking up the games instead of leaving them out on an endcap.
 
One tip is to quite being a cheapass lol and waiting for the next drop just buy it and get it price adjusted later...

There are to many Hoarders/profit seekers these days to find anything once it hits rock bottom clearance.
 
[quote name='Derrick1979']One tip is to quite being a cheapass lol and waiting for the next drop just buy it and get it price adjusted later...

There are to many Hoarders/profit seekers these days to find anything once it hits rock bottom clearance.[/quote]

Most stores do not PM clearance items. I bought Ninja Gaiden today for $30 just to make sure I get one. You can only adjust the price if there is another copy to be purchased, since most stores do not allow return/rebuys anymore.
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']I kinda think it's stealing.
But when I bought my Blue Dragon last night at Target for $15, I don't seem to mind.
[/quote]

Is that a universal drop in ALL target stores? If so that is so sick!
 
The best is the night before the price drop, if you know when it is going to happen. I do this all the time for christmas/halloween sales at target. If you go an hour before closing, then pick it up the next morning, there is a very low probability of it being discovered and placed appropriately.

I try to find some kind of container, like coolers, or chests. I put the cooler in my cart, toss the stuff into the cooler, then replace the cooler.

If it is just one game, you could hide it inside a tennis racket

Man I feel ghetto confessing like this
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']I kinda think it's stealing.
But when I bought my Blue Dragon last night at Target for $15, I don't seem to mind.
I do feel guilty about doing it though.
Actually typing this out I think I have a problem.
5 games at Target
2 at Toys R Us
6 at Sears
I know it doesn't make it any less wrong but they're for me not ebay and such.

Also if the store could only find 19 of the 20 copies of a game, when all 19 were sold and they were even, wouldn't they be +1 when I bought #20?[/quote]

I felt guilty about doing it to some last gen stuff recently, but yet, I think of how long those games have sat on the shelf at full price. I look at it as 'if they haven't sold by now, they're not going to unless I buy them', but being the cheapass I am, I don't wanna pay more than $5-7 per if I don't have to.

Am I wrong for doing so? Probably, but it's better than the alternative of being junked out to God knows where, where NO ONE may get a chance to buy them.

Hell, earlier today I found a deal on a game which I thought was long since sold out everywhere(Legends Of Wrestling for XBox). I got it for $3 and there's 2 more copies where I found that one.

That's one thing I'll give the crew at Target, they're organized on a military like level, where no game that's on clearance goes unstickered, unlike my local Kmarts where stuff has languished for a LONG TIME unnoticed.

That's also the reason I still only shop @ Kmart for clearance games, since Target is such a crapshoot it isn't even worth it 90% of the time.
 
[quote name='Yo Mama']I try to find some kind of container, like coolers, or chests. I put the cooler in my cart, toss the stuff into the cooler, then replace the cooler.

If it is just one game, you could hide it inside a tennis racket

Man I feel ghetto confessing like this[/quote]


Whoa there buddy! I'm sitting here thinking that people take a 360 game and place it under a pile of $1 crap movies or something! not hiding them in coolers and tennis rackets and such!
 
[quote name='Yo Mama']

I try to find some kind of container, like coolers, or chests. I put the cooler in my cart, toss the stuff into the cooler, then replace the cooler.

[/quote]


That is a good way to get arrested for shoplifting. When I worked with the loss department, we would drag people doing that into the back office. Be careful with the cooler thing. If you put the item somewhere without it looking obvious, you can always say "I am too lazy to put it back, so I set it here". There isn't an excuse to hide something in a cooler. Just a caution for anyone who thinks about using the cooler idea.
 
[quote name='Nathan_Sama']i took a sticker off of a snes controller at goodwill because it was a bundle of two
so i got 2 for 1[/quote]

What does that have to do with this thread? confess to you pastor not us...:)
 
[quote name='xbox_mole']I highly doubt that the number of CAGs that are perhaps doing this on a store by store basis here will contribute so much that their local Target/Wal-Mart/Etc. store will stop carrying video games.

If anything they will just start locking up the games instead of leaving them out on an endcap.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I'm well aware of that... just pointing out the possibilites, basically. ;)
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']
Also if the store could only find 19 of the 20 copies of a game, when all 19 were sold and they were even, wouldn't they be +1 when I bought #20?[/quote]
i was referring the other way around. like if they had 20 and only had 19 in hand, not quantity sold. if they sold all 19 copies, they had their targeted goal for that particular item and they probably wont care if 1 went on sale. but if it showed up as 1 missing out of the 20, then its considered as a loss because its either stolen or misplaced, 50-50 chance that it could be both. either way its bad for the store since that only copy could have been their only profit if it was a game like silver surfer or ninjabread man.

also, if they sold 1 of the 20, it will not even show up in their inventory. it'll only show up 19 in stock.
 
morals police came out in full force on this one.

i've hidden a few items at target, but more often than not they are found and sold before i ever come back.

i live in a fairly affluent area where 15-30% off drives people crazy and they just can't stand to leave things on the shelf at that price.
 
[quote name='Nathan_Sama']i took a sticker off of a snes controller at goodwill because it was a bundle of two
so i got 2 for 1[/quote]

Wow, blatantly defrauding a charitable organization? Nice.
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']Wow, blatantly defrauding a charitable organization? Nice.[/quote]

"Charitable" organization? If Goodwill gouges at all on shit they get for free from people and cleans it as well as Salvation Army cleans the stuff they get from donations, then fuck em.

I've seen $40 SNES systems, with the usual 'no guarantees it works' crap sticker slapped on it. While I like being charitable and all, $40 is a lot of money to blow on something that may or may NOT work right.

Although, from what I remember of Goodwill stores I've seen in other areas, their prices are usually reasonable, unlike Ripoff Army.

That's all I'm gonna say on that really, since ANY amount they make on an item is PROFIT, since they get the shit for FREE from people.
 
I hid my first games today...basicly took good games and put them under the bargain bin, they are still sticking-out a bit where little kids can see them so i don't fell 100% bad.
 
[quote name='Sinnbox']I hid my first games today...basicly took good games and put them under the bargain bin, they are still sticking-out a bit where little kids can see them so i don't fell 100% bad.[/quote]
that reminds me of clearance bins at walmart. they have the worse bargain bins. you can barely get to the bottom. and i always think the good games are down there. 15 minutes later the only thing you can find are 007 games and spyro for the ps1.
 
[quote name='wubb']I believe this is technically shop lifting. Just FYI.[/quote]

It's most certainly something a loss prevention agent would take notice of. My fiancee is an LP manager in a department store, and they are constantly looking to get their numbers up, so anyone doing anything suspicious is going to be keyed in on. Something like hiding stuff certainly won't get you in much trouble, but they will probably make you sign an agreement that you'll never come in their store again, so that they can add another case for the month.
 
[quote name='phear3d']that reminds me of clearance bins at walmart. they have the worse bargain bins. you can barely get to the bottom. and i always think the good games are down there. 15 minutes later the only thing you can find are 007 games and spyro for the ps1.[/quote]

Lol...seriously though a sealed PS1 Spyro may be worth something!!
 
[quote name='Sinnbox']Lol...seriously though a sealed PS1 Spyro may be worth something!![/quote]
maybe.. but one walmart i went to even had a few copies of NFL FEVER, and MAD DASH RACING for the XBOX! they were beat up like hell but, you still have to pay $19.88 for it :lol: amazing.
 
Damn, I feel the same way about bins. I am constantly compelled to dig to the bottom, no matter how much utter crap is at the top and middle. I keep telling myself, "Yeah, there's gotta be something down there." Meanwhile, even though it's all my head, I can feel people just looking and wondering how desperate a man can be for cheap games.

Still, I actually have gotten lucky a few times. Most recently, I got found two copies of Metal Slug Anthology for the PS2 after they were put on clearance at TRU.
 
I hate those stupid dump bins for games. Especially when GBA games are thrown in and the boxes get crushed. Then you have to deal with searching through games people opened and took the disc or cartridge out of. Both my local Walmart and CC had them and neither have them anymore. Walmart just threw them all in a locked case and you can't see what they have, CC somewhat organized them on a clearance rack (with price stickers that haven't been updated in a year)
 
[quote name='phear3d']maybe.. but one walmart i went to even had a few copies of NFL FEVER, and MAD DASH RACING for the XBOX! they were beat up like hell but, you still have to pay $19.88 for it :lol: amazing.[/quote]

Ya, My walmart has copys of WW:Blue storm, and Katao Chojin for $49.99. I wish Wlamart had a clearance program like K-Mart, My walmart has stacks of old games....
 
Mine has Wave Race Blue Storm for that price as well. And tons of PS1 games (mostly old sports games) for $19.82. The only clearance game I have seen there in the past 6 months is Madden 2004 for XBox for $10.00. I don't think I'd pay even $0.25 for it (other than for using it as a spare case)
 
[quote name='YoshiFan1']I hate those stupid dump bins for games. Especially when GBA games are thrown in and the boxes get crushed. Then you have to deal with searching through games people opened and took the disc or cartridge out of. Both my local Walmart and CC had them and neither have them anymore. Walmart just threw them all in a locked case and you can't see what they have, CC somewhat organized them on a clearance rack (with price stickers that haven't been updated in a year)[/quote]

Ya, I used to see those everywhere, Babages used to be the king of them, especcialy when they were going out of Classic games, you could dig forever, and tehy actualy had good stuff in there. They were selling used Expansion packs for 64 for $24, but i found a 64 with a expansion pack, and 2 controllers for $19.99.
 
[quote name='phear3d']that reminds me of clearance bins at walmart. they have the worse bargain bins. you can barely get to the bottom. and i always think the good games are down there. 15 minutes later the only thing you can find are 007 games and spyro for the ps1.[/quote]


The one Wal*Mart here(old non Supercenter one, which JUST converted to being 24 hours about a year ago) had a dump bin with N64 and PS1 games in it about six months ago.

The last time I went though, NO SIGN OF IT ANYMORE, which kinda sucks since I REALLY wanted those umpteen year old copies of Dino Crisis 2 for PS1 and Tony Hawk 2 or 3 for N64. :lol:
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']they will probably make you sign an agreement that you'll never come in their store again[/quote]


HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! I'll be damned if I sign something like that having done nothing illegal.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! I'll be damned if I sign something like that having done nothing illegal.[/quote]

In that case, they'd probably call the police on you and weave a shoplifting case against you. And before you make the smart comment that loss prevention is a bunch of idiots and wouldn't be able to get you in trouble, you'd be making a massive assumption. A lot of the floor agents are morons, but the manager is often very good at what they good. Many of them have criminal justice degrees and often have experience in law enforcement. If you don't give them want they want, they will find a way to get what they want out of you, like it or not.

If you don't think any of this is possible, go hide some merchandise in a store and make it really obvious, so that you get caught. Come back and tell us what happened.
 
Big Daddy, loss prevention employees won't so much as confront you until you leave the store with merchandise that isn't paid for.

It's extremely doubtful they will do anything about hiding merchandise, unless you start tearing up shelving bottoms and dumping loads of crap in there. they could theoretically go after you for what, I don't know...vandalism, conspiracy to commit fraud? But I doubt they would do anything about taking stuff off shelves and say hiding it in the overhead bins at Toys R Us, inside appliances, whatever.
 
[quote name='karkyco']Big Daddy, loss prevention employees won't so much as confront you until you leave the store with merchandise that isn't paid for.

It's extremely doubtful they will do anything about hiding merchandise, unless you start tearing up shelving bottoms and dumping loads of crap in there. they could theoretically go after you for what, I don't know...vandalism, conspiracy to commit fraud? But I doubt they would do anything about taking stuff off shelves and say hiding it in the overhead bins at Toys R Us, inside appliances, whatever.[/quote]

Sorry, but as I said before, my fiancee is a loss prevention manager, so I know a little bit more about them. If it is a slow month, they will try to find anything to make a case out of. Believe me. They will do whatever it takes to get their numbers up, or else they get put through the ringer. Though this is not the clearcut definition of shoplifting, it will still lead to shrinkage, which is their territory, so they will bust you, especially like I said, if it is a slow month. As I said before, they will probably just bring you to the back and make you sign an agreement not to come into their particular store, anymore. If you refuse, they will find try to find a way to spin something out of the case.
 
fyi, stores can ban you for any reason. you don't have to do something that's technically illegal, just asshole/douchebag-ish. you don't have to sign anything, just be told. it's private property and coming back once they've told you not to is trespassing.
 
Shit, that sucks...But what if the games are behind glass cases? (I'm not sure if anyone's brought that up, already. I'm too lazy to read everything).

Edit: ^^ Alright then I guess you're fucked.* I don't really remember there being any games out for grabs that weren't behind sealed cases.

I never do this stuff, I just, I don't know; no effort I guess. But for the circumvention of getting caught in any particular store is to try it out once at that store. I don't think it'd be a good idea to continue doing it to just one store, because if it is just a sole incident, you would fly underneath the radar (not that it is okay to be careless in the first place), but if the department manager catches you sneaking around constantly in one particular area, they're going to think something is up. That's where the loss prevention team comes in. Believe me, they aren't watching everything you do, that shit is just ridiculous. As scrupulous as our loss prevention team is, they miss so many things.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']Sorry, but as I said before, my fiancee is a loss prevention manager, so I know a little bit more about them. If it is a slow month, they will try to find anything to make a case out of. Believe me. They will do whatever it takes to get their numbers up, or else they get put through the ringer. Though this is not the clearcut definition of shoplifting, it will still lead to shrinkage, which is their territory, so they will bust you, especially like I said, if it is a slow month. As I said before, they will probably just bring you to the back and make you sign an agreement not to come into their particular store, anymore. If you refuse, they will find try to find a way to spin something out of the case.[/quote]

I posted something simlar to this a few pages back. He is right. This is standard practice for retail stores.
 
This isn't stealing. That's like saying walking by a game and not buying it until it drops $10 three months later is stealing.

As we speak, I have a copy of Ninja Gaiden Sigma hiding behind a black tent in sporting goods, waiting for that magical $14.98. Hell, I remember working at Target and hiding Xbox Live kits under a gondola until I picked them up at $12.98. AP didn't give a shit, like Red vs. Blue said, they have bigger stuff to worry about.

In fact, I remember multiple occasions where all the good stuff was stored in the electronics lock-up. Before I started working at Target the Taiko Drum master packs were clearanced and gone before I could buy them, but after working there a few months I actually found them in lock-up. That shit will sit there too, I think it pops up on the final clearance rounds but at that point Target is doing the sitting for you.

If it bothers you so much, I'll just buy my clearance items, return them, then buy them all over again once they've dropped.
 
[quote name='TimPV3']
If it bothers you so much, I'll just buy my clearance items, return them, then buy them all over again once they've dropped.[/quote]

This is what I usually do, I never hide games in Target but I've found other people's stashes in the greatest hits sections, in the PC game section, and stuffed in the magazine racks.
 
[quote name='btcasa']This is what I usually do, I never hide games in Target but I've found other people's stashes in the greatest hits sections, in the PC game section, and stuffed in the magazine racks.[/quote]

That is what I used to do, but none of the Targets in my area allow return/rebuys anymore.
 
My local Targets will usually just re-sticker the game with the new price and put it directly back into the clearance section within 15 minutes and I'll just buy it again.
 
[quote name='karkyco']Big Daddy, loss prevention employees won't so much as confront you until you leave the store with merchandise that isn't paid for.

It's extremely doubtful they will do anything about hiding merchandise, unless you start tearing up shelving bottoms and dumping loads of crap in there. they could theoretically go after you for what, I don't know...vandalism, conspiracy to commit fraud? But I doubt they would do anything about taking stuff off shelves and say hiding it in the overhead bins at Toys R Us, inside appliances, whatever.[/quote]


I know someone who does that actually. This is my first time trying to 'stash' anything in a store in a LONG time. I called earlier today and unfortunately Marvel Ultimate Alliance for XBox is STILL $10. I just can't pull the trigger on it yet.
 
[quote name='btcasa']This is what I usually do, I never hide games in Target but I've found other people's stashes in the greatest hits sections, in the PC game section, and stuffed in the magazine racks.[/quote]

Hahaha, this is some funny shit. The lengths people will go to in an attempt to save a few bucks. I'm sure that 90%+ of the time, the little squirrels that hide their nuts come back to find they are long gone.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! I'll be damned if I sign something like that having done nothing illegal.[/quote]
bigdaddy is right on this though unfortunately. you have to understand that Loss Prevention's job is to keep criminals from stealing, and petty thieves from coming back. when they've done it, they'll do it again.

[quote name='slowdive21']none of the Targets in my area allow return/rebuys anymore.[/quote]
returning and rebuying has become one of the biggest loop holes in retail.

when i worked for a clothing store, we used to give people an unlimited amount of time to return their merchandise. while it worked for awhile and we gained plenty of clients, we also started to gain people who obviously would take advantage of this policy for the wrong reasons. reasons that will slide because of the fact that we treated customers equally. we would get returns from people who bought 2 or 3 pairs of the same shoe (around $80 a pair), wear it until its worn off, then return it. not only that but the shoes stink, and its falling apart. and thats not all.. to top it off, it was bought 1 1/2 ago.

if you're thinking, hey that was just one. believe me, that wasn't even the worse. every store has a sales goal for each day. when your returns are closing in 20 grand a day, it'll hurt your actual sales. the company is sure to take notice and mine did.
 
So where do all you treasure hiders squirrel away your loot?

I've heard of tossing them in appliances (great, until that floor model gets sold, even funnier if some old couple buys it and gets stopped for having items in it they're "trying to smuggle out/shoplift").

Also under of behind the shelves/removable floor racks, in the bins above some shelves, putting them in some crazy wrong section that no one checks...

I wouldn't be surprised if someone tries to hide stuff on top of ceiling tiles, that would be hilarious.
 
So you people actually think that a rent-a-cop for a store can MAKE me sign some bullshit piece of paper? I think not. I have a paralegal wife telling me otherwise.
 
nope, nobody is going to try to make you sign anything. you can walk your high and mighty self right out of the store. they can ban you from returning to the store without you agreeing to a thing regardless of you even listening or not.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']So you people actually think that a rent-a-cop for a store can MAKE me sign some bullshit piece of paper? I think not. I have a paralegal wife telling me otherwise.[/quote]

Make is not the correct word (I read bigdaddys post again i would not use the word make). I think strongly suggest is more accurate. If the person does not want to sign, Loss prevention advises the person not to come back or they will be arrested for tresspassing. It depends on company policy. Loss prevention are not rent a cops (like the guys at target), they are plain clothes people who usually walk around the store or monitor video.

Just like Sam's club can't legally make you show them your receipt on the way out...But have you ever tried to walk by without stopping?
 
[quote name='slowdive21']Loss prevention are not rent a cops (like the guys at target), they are plain clothes people who usually walk around the store or monitor video.[/quote]


Oh! They are undercover rent a cops! Thanks for the correction.
 
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