Initially came to this thread when it just featured the New 3DS XL for $100 out of general curiosity and interest; I already have a New 3DS XL, Limited Edition Majora's Mask one, but then became predominately interested in the PS4, which I notice the thread has been updated and re-titled accordingly
Went to Toys'R'Us within their first hour of opening this morning
They were out of PS4's, both The Last of Us and Batman Arkham Knight ones, and of course no standalone consoles either. They had plenty of New 3DS XL's though. Nobody was over in gaming, it looked like there was only one person on register too from what I can tell in their checkout aisles, they seemed a little oddly busy for a barely a half hour into opening, albeit on a Saturday morning. I don't if they had a call of or were just understaffed or what, but the single open register was backed up a few 4 or 5 people, I couldn't really tell what was happening, if anything at "guest services" by the front entrance of the store, I know there were two girls over there when I came in, one of whom would go on to help me later.
Anyways, I sent out an assistance page in gaming via one of their price checkers which has the option through the appropriate button, though the device itself was actually little ways off where actual signage hanging from above informing of this ability dictated. I still ended up waiting probably a good 10 minutes to get acknowledged, the page went over the loud speaker, and would repeat every few minutes, adding an additional dinging noise each time before it actually announced the "customer needs assistance in gaming." I was quickly being reminded why I never go to Toys'R'Us, in addition to some of their ridiculous mark-ups and lackluster rewards and sales, be on video games for me or when I go for toys or trading cards for my nieces or nephews.
But alas! A girl came over, acknowledged me and asked if I needed help in gaming, to which I politely replied "Yes, please." She cheerily told me she would be right with me just as soon as she took care of another gentleman, who had followed her over to the register from the guest services desk. After she rang up his transaction or whatever on the POS lickity split, she came over to me, I told I just wanted a New 3DS XL, in black, (per the Kmart ad), she double checked to make sure she had a black one and everything when she pulled it, and just doubled checked I asked for the 3DS and not the 2DS as she did too before we went to the register. (Some less gamer-inclined or just unattentive or apathetic associates might not pick up on the difference between the 3DS XL and "New" 3DS XL, not that she was the latter of these by any means; she was awesome. They didn't have any regular 3DS XL's in stock any how from what I can tell, but its just good advice to have for personal visits, thought I'm sure I don't have to say that for anybody here).
Followed her over to the gaming desk, she asked about some protection plan which I politely declined, then told her I would like to price match Kmart. She said no problem, showed her proof of price on my phone with the link, she said no problem, just need a supervisor to approve it. She called for a manager, who came over pretty quickly, with the associate thanking for my patience, her being cheery and polite in the meantime while we waited. I showed the manager price on my phone, they talked it for a sec for themselves, the associate saying "I knew I'd need the approval anyway, and when I saw the price I knew I'd definitely need it. (Don't know what the hell that means, you either need the actual approval or you don't.) The manager asked to see my phone, scrolled up and down the page, and said, albeit mildly, mildly agitated and defeated (which she had an exasperated look on her face when she came over, so could've been from a prior issue. She was a little older probably early thirties or maybe even older, and was pregnant, probably in her second trimester, so I'm sure its not fun running around like chicken with your head cut off in a retail environment full time under those circumstances, so it could've just been from that too.) "yeah, the price is there." and did the override. Swiped my card and signed and was out the door while thanking the associate for being awesome.
Overall, probably took about 20 minutes. Longer than it should have, maybe, but the sweetness of the deal offsets it.
After that, I decided I would next check Walmart for PS4s of any kind. We have two Walmarts where I live within 20 minutes of each other. One is in the main "city" (I put in quotations because how city like and bustling it is vs. some "towns, suburbs, or boroughs" is questionable) and one is in a "suburb" a little bit off the interstate. The "city" one is bigger, but has a notorious reputation for being ghetto as hell, both employees and customers alike, while the other is smaller, and has a smaller selection on most things, with the exception of maybe groceries, (which I think they actually might have more of (I know they have a different selection and some things the other one doesn't carry.) less checkouts, no self-checkout, etc. but it is in a better neighborhood, and the employees there are usually more helpful, intelligent, and sane. So I went to the ghetto one with hopes that the employees would be just dumb enough to not check or realize the difference from the Batman Bundle to the stand alone PS4 displayed on the site but not stupid or batshit crazy enough to just spew out nonsensical bullshit that I've seen in this thread like "the website is fake, the m.kmart isn't real Kmart."
Went to Walmart, darted back to electronics. two associates were with customers, one was finishing up. They were pretty busy in the front end of the store (checkouts mainly, customer service wasn't really backed up or anything) for it not even being 11 AM but electronics was pretty tame.
Older gentleman associate (who had "Rev" in front of his name. Don't know if it was for Reverend, or if it was part of his first name. This is Walmart so there usually are no rules on anything at all. Kill someone? Go to Walmart. Anything goes) he came over to me and asked if I needed help. I asked if I could get a PS4. Pulled it, went over to the register where he finished up a transaction with some else who was waiting in line (I think he knew him, he called him "Father something" I didn't quite catch the name, the Reverend was an African American gentleman, had the sort of stereotype Reverend vibe.) After he finished the transaction, I was next, he started scanning the console and then I told him I'd like to do a price match to Kmart. He got snippy with me, I shit you not, and told me "Next time tell me before hand because now I gotta start all over." (No idea what "starting over" constitutes or what Walmart POS is like, but it literally took him all of 10 seconds to be ready to check the proof of price on my phone for a price match. I showed him, he scrolled through it, showed him it was for our ZIP code and everything, and he asked if was the Batman Bundle, and I tried to be as confident sounding as could and lied through my teeth and said yes, which he then said that they would have to "check on this" and to come with him to the front of the store, with junior detective wording like that having me think that I'm gonna get arrested and thrown in walmart jail or condemned to hell by the reverend or something.
We went to the front of the store, him talking about how this could be a "heck of a deal" if its the Batman Bundle with a more excited good for you thats a good sale voice then the junior detective tone earlier and he spoke with what I assume to be the Customer Service Manager or Lead or whatever, who was near the registers checking on change and explained the situation to her, and she was just like "yeah, we'll have to check for that." in a sort of agitated tone the smelled more of "I trust the customer but we have to jump through this corporate set hoops because people (like myself) are dishonest and one bad egg spoils the whole bunch." kind of tone. She brings out her smartphone and starts searching on kmart, cursing at associates over her radio (and in front of me) and swearing under her breath (loudly as if in conversation and in front of me). she said we could go over to customer service where she got behind a register there and kept searching, swearing at her phone, getting agitated with it saying the usual "come on you stupid thing. why can't they ever work right when you need them to?" kind of small talk with me. Then she just finally asked to check my phone. She scrolled through it and said she couldn't do it because it isn't the Batman Bundle. I thought about fighting it, but I didn't know what angle to take, I thought about saying something about the "trauma" I endure with her cursing (I'm fine with it and understand 100% with what she was probably dealing with but it is unprofessional and I usually josh around with a customer and get a read with them before I even dare think of using a profanity in front of them or in conversation with them, usually if they curse talking with you its a safe sign) but I'm not good at being a colossal asshole; trying to price match what is really to different skus and not really the same item was dick-ish enough for me and I didn't want getting "arrested" or "banned" from Walmart land or maybe murder because again there are no rules at Walmart. I asked if the regular one was available she said she wouldn't know and it would be more the other gentleman's turf (They only had Batman ones in electronics), so defeated, I politely thanked her and left the store.
To be fair, she's right. I'm trying to price match an apple with an orange. Congratulations to anybody that got a price match on the Playstation, even more so than the price you have understand the push back because they are to different packages and it is kind of shifty, just like if you got pushback on a trying to pm on a red New 3DS XL when the Kmart ad says its for the black. Definitely shouldn't get that pushback on a New 3DS XL though regardless because they are just the same, just different colors, no bundles or "Limited Edition" or anything. They are the same items in this case.
Didn't try any Best Buys. I have two within about 35 or so minutes of each other. My local one that is only 15 minutes away from home is usually good about checking these things; they haven't been one of the top 20 stores in the company for the best several months for nothing. I don't think I'd get the PS4 through there, manager override needed or not, but I think I can manage another New 3DS XL as long as its the black one. I could try the one that's farther away, there's usually less foot traffic there and the whole store is just....feels like its dying and the floor lay out is awkward (gaming is literally dead center in the store, there's no middle aisle or walkway, there's just gaming that you have to go through or walk around.) and the associates usually seem to care less, they might do the PS4. Time will tell when have time to drive up there either Sunday or Monday.
TL;DR: Yay Toys'R'Us. Booo Walmart. Didn't try Best Buy. Good luck trying to price match what is really to separate items and congratulations to those that do.