Official Sears Clearance Thread II - post Sears finds/deals here

I think I've walked into Sears twice in the past 6 months, and I live less than a mile from one. Not that I buy anything else there, because everything always cost 20% or more than pretty much any other store. They wanted like $50 for a bathroom trashcan, and this was on sale. Really?
 
So while video game clearance continues to rot, I got a LEGO Atlantis set for my nephew half off for 7.50, and signed up for the stupid loyalty program.

WHY SEARS WHY
 
I remember the good old days where I would go on the first Friday of the month and scan away at the games, many times finding good markdowns. That's all just a distant memory now.

I have to wonder though what's going to happen when they start running out of display space for all the older games that aren't selling because they're so much cheaper everywhere else.
 
[quote name='Josef']I remember the good old days where I would go on the first Friday of the month and scan away at the games, many times finding good markdowns. That's all just a distant memory now.

I have to wonder though what's going to happen when they start running out of display space for all the older games that aren't selling because they're so much cheaper everywhere else.[/QUOTE]
I won't stay in long as I don't want to mess with the integrity of the thread at all, but I just wanted to say that clearance drops will occur again next month. Thanks.
 
[quote name='SHC-Gamer']I won't stay in long as I don't want to mess with the integrity of the thread at all, but I just wanted to say that clearance drops will occur again next month. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

How much will they drop? For all systems?
 
[quote name='typical guy']How much will they drop? For all systems?[/QUOTE]
Hasn't been determined yet, but the budget opens up again in Feb.
 
[quote name='SHC-Gamer']I won't stay in long as I don't want to mess with the integrity of the thread at all, but I just wanted to say that clearance drops will occur again next month. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

I believe you mentioned the KMart drops in the KMart thread. Are the Sears drops going to be the same titles for the same prices? Or should we expect something different from Sears?
 
It had been since August '10 that I had not been to Sears but about a week and a half ago I went to a couple of stores to see if I can find something.

The games I found in the clearance bin in August were still there. The majority of the games were still marked $19.99 but took about 6 or so games to the scanner to see if they have dropped.

:shock: They were still $19.99. It didn't drop 1¢ :lol:

[quote name='SHC Gamer']I won't stay in long as I don't want to mess with the integrity of the thread at all, but I just wanted to say that clearance drops will occur again next month. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

That's good to know :D
 
[quote name='Josef']I believe you mentioned the KMart drops in the KMart thread. Are the Sears drops going to be the same titles for the same prices? Or should we expect something different from Sears?[/QUOTE]
There will be similarities but also some variability depending upon weeks of supply etc.

Talk to you all later, I remember it not going to well when I was in the Kmart clearance thread so I'll definitely not make a splash here.

If any of you have any questions ever feel free to shoot me an email. Info can be located in the Kmartgamer thread OP.
 
[quote name='SHC-Gamer']There will be similarities but also some variability depending upon weeks of supply etc.

Talk to you all later, I remember it not going to well when I was in the Kmart clearance thread so I'll definitely not make a splash here.

If any of you have any questions ever feel free to shoot me an email. Info can be located in the Kmartgamer thread OP.[/QUOTE]

No worries, and thanks for the info! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what you have in store in the next month :) May actually make me walk into a Sears again for the first time in a LONG time.
 
[quote name='SHC-Gamer']I won't stay in long as I don't want to mess with the integrity of the thread at all, but I just wanted to say that clearance drops will occur again next month. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

My local Sears sure could use it. They've had the same "clearance" games out on the floor forever now and in the few times I've gone there they've always been the same because they're at such high prices.
 
[quote name='irishsoccermbw']fuck sears man...ever since Sears Holding people started posting clearance has died at Kmart/Sears.[/QUOTE]

Yup. And the big problem is that a lot of people don't care and drool over getting mediocre deals from reps. This is quickly turning into moderatelyfrugalgamer.com
 
[quote name='spedmunki']Yup. And the big problem is that a lot of people don't care and drool over getting mediocre deals from reps. This is quickly turning into moderatelyfrugalgamer.com[/QUOTE]

I can't help but think that most of the games that people buy at clearance prices are impulse purchases, and not things that they'd truly be interested in playing. I buy Sears clearance when it's cheap- but if i thought about it i'd realize most of those games are things I passed on for a reason (Folklore, Lair, Wet, etc).

It sucks that the clearance has cleaned up, but I would rather know that I can get 30% off a game while a title is still relevant and new, than wait an unspecified amount of time for the posability that the game may or may not drop in price (at which point i still need luck if some soccer mom beats me to the store).
 
[quote name='spedmunki']Yup. And the big problem is that a lot of people don't care and drool over getting mediocre deals from reps. This is quickly turning into moderatelyfrugalgamer.com[/QUOTE]

I'm not convinced that the presence of the Sears reps on CAG had anything directly to do with clearance drying up. More than likely, when Sears got this new team handling games for the Sears and K-Mart stores, the change in clearance policies would have happened one way or the other, whether they were here on this site or not. Their appearance here is just one more sign of them being proactive about their jobs, not a cause for their actions.

I mean, that being said, it's obviously still valid to blame them for the change in clearance policies. But there's no point in the hostility toward the deals that they do post.
 
don't bother arcane. there's a certain segment of CAG that's so angry they can't find more games like Beijing Olympics at $5 that they'll hate SHC crew forever.
 
[quote name='confoosious']don't bother arcane. there's a certain segment of CAG that's so angry they can't find more games like Beijing Olympics at $5 that they'll hate SHC crew forever.[/QUOTE]
WHOA Bro. Beijing is like the best $5 game evar!
 
[quote name='arcane93']I'm not convinced that the presence of the Sears reps on CAG had anything directly to do with clearance drying up. More than likely, when Sears got this new team handling games for the Sears and K-Mart stores, the change in clearance policies would have happened one way or the other, whether they were here on this site or not. Their appearance here is just one more sign of them being proactive about their jobs, not a cause for their actions.

I mean, that being said, it's obviously still valid to blame them for the change in clearance policies. But there's no point in the hostility toward the deals that they do post.[/QUOTE]
Sure there is. With the 'deals' the reps have been posting you have to pay MSRP on most of them to start the deal, then get a coupon or points on some account that's LOCKED to Sears/Kmart. Then those coupons or points are set to expire within a certain timeframe, which means you either use them or lose them.

Maybe you're ok with paying MSRP to start the chain or train or whatever, but I'd rather have 30 games for $60(at $2 each) than two games at $60+.

Besides which, unless I had a ton of cheap credit from a place like Gamestop or Blockbuster I RARELY paid full MSRP for ANY game. The only exception I can think of to that rule is GTA IV Special Edition.

Patience is a virtue if you want an exceptional deal on a game. To me though it doesn't matter one bit if the game is still 'relevant' or newer, since I signed up here to get CHEAP deals on games. Again I say that paying MSRP or close is NOT cheap enough for me and many like me.

That's why I am hoping that TRU and Target don't get the same overzealous overhaul of their clearance schedule like happened with Sears/Kmart since they're still halfway decent(though I rarely find anything at Target due to stupid soccer moms buying shit at 15% off:roll:).
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer'] Again I say that paying MSRP or close is NOT cheap enough for me and many like me.[/QUOTE]

Then don't buy it. Nobody said you had to shop at kmart or sears.

But stop bellyaching about the SHC reps and stop going into the kmart thread to find out how to exploit their coupons.

There are no more $5 clearance games. Crying like a girl about it for a year isn't bringing them back.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Maybe you're ok with paying MSRP to start the chain or train or whatever, but I'd rather have 30 games for $60(at $2 each) than two games at $60+.[/QUOTE]

The thing is, that's not happening (at least not at Sears) anymore. Bitching about it isn't going to get you anywhere. The moment you say you only shop there for the bottom of the barrel clearance games, they stop caring what you think.

You want to make a statement? Stop shopping there at all. They're only making this change because they calculate that it will be better for business (which, let's face it, they're interested in their business, not in your cheap games). If it turns out that it's not better, then they'll have to do something else -- which may (or may not) be a return to your cheap games.

Honestly, the $2 clearance games weren't really sustainable, and I'm surprised they went on as long as they did. They were definitely taking a huge loss on those just to get them out of the inventory. Too much of that, and after a point it's not even worthwhile for them to continue to sell games at all. At least they're trying a different marketing strategy rather than just eliminating games entirely, which is honestly what I expected them to do.

And as for being ok with paying MSRP . . . Generally not, though it of course depends what game we're talking about. I'm not going to wait forever for a game that I really want to play to drop, and I'm not going to waste my time on a crap game just because it was cheap. Since the clearance has dried up, I haven't shopped at Sears at all (my vote with my wallet), and I've never shopped regularly at K-Mart because it's been such a clusterfuck every time I've tried.
 
The problem with some CAGs is they think they're actually a desirable market segment when they're the least desirable. It's fun to get the greatest deals and get stuff much cheaper than everyone else. It's a rush and I fully get it. But don't expect that the marketers and retailers are out to appeal to you. They don't teach you in business school to market towards the people who buy things at a loss for you.

There's nothing wrong with being uber-cheap. But you gotta understand what that means to the seller. It's like going to a party unshaven, unshowered, and smelling of piss and getting mad at the girls for ignoring you.
 
Confoosious speaks the harsh truth.

I think people are just disappointed that CAG has been overrun by corporate reps and kiddies from GameFAQs lately when it used to just be a small community of gamers giving each other a heads up on what they can pick up cheap.

The thrill of the hunt is gone and now K-Mart, Hastings, etc. are here to use CAG as a giant Sunday ad flier. Now that the cat is out of the bag, there is no moving to an alternate forum either as you can't just "erase" company awareness.

So, it was fun while it lasted, but people need to face the truth that CAG is now limited to corporate-controlled $10 gaming coupons, the occasional Amazon/Newegg promo, and praying that the item you order from Hastings is actually in stock.

On the bright side, CAGs still end up getting enough year-round deals that Black Friday ends up looking like one of the worst days for deals.
 
[quote name='confoosious']But stop bellyaching about the SHC reps and stop going into the kmart thread to find out how to exploit their coupons.[/QUOTE]
Who's exploiting their coupons? Not me.8-[:evil::D
 
[quote name='confoosious']Baaah Baaah Baaah[/QUOTE]

I have always believed as a consumer you are allowed to bitch about anything and everything as you please.

They can come in here, and post their "deals" and do away with clearance....but we don;t have to like it. It's pretty sickening to read the Kmart thread and see a million "ZOMG THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS AWESOME DEAL" gush posts. The man is selling you something, not donating you organs or saving orphans from a burning building.

I will not like it, and I will never stop complaining.
 
I don't really miss the clearance games. It was nice getting Metroid Prime Trilogy for $4, sure, but the practice is pretty crappy on reflection. IMO the clearances tend to bring out the worst in CAG... you get people like Mr. 30-games-for-$60 up there who wait until a game becomes worthless to the people that supply it to them (such as the store, and to an extent the publishers and developers), which is a bit of a short-sighted strategy... then you have to deal with all the scuffles and paranoia over the limited stock, plus an abundance of flippers/resellers and people who just generally buy shit they don't need simply because its teh cheapz. I don't have to go back very far on this thread to see a bunch of CAGs going nuts over, of all games, Rock Revolution, or IATCG talking about all the stuff he flips. It all doesn't really shine a very sympathetic light on the clearance buyer.

I also just tend to approve of anything that puts IATCG on tilt. He whiney.

I will not like it, and I will never stop complaining.

http://img262.imageshack.us/i/inspirationg.jpg/
 
[quote name='Ilikecoldbeverages']I don't really miss the clearance games. It was nice getting Metroid Prime Trilogy for $4, sure, but the practice is pretty crappy on reflection. IMO the clearances tend to bring out the worst in CAG... you get people like Mr. 30-games-for-$60 up there who wait until a game becomes worthless to the people that supply it to them (such as the store, and to an extent the publishers and developers), which is a bit of a short-sighted strategy... then you have to deal with all the scuffles and paranoia over the limited stock, plus an abundance of flippers/resellers and people who just generally buy shit they don't need simply because its teh cheapz. I don't have to go back very far on this thread to see a bunch of CAGs going nuts over, of all games, Rock Revolution, or IATCG talking about all the stuff he flips. It all doesn't really shine a very sympathetic light on the clearance buyer.

I also just tend to approve of anything that puts IATCG on tilt. He whiney.[/QUOTE]
So if you don't like getting games uber cheap, then I have to ask what the fuck you're doing on CAG!?!?!?! After getting games for between $2-5 for many years(even BEFORE I joined CAG) you get accustomed to playing the waiting game, knowing that those games other people are paying MSRP for now will be super cheap at some point in time.

Does that sound entitled? Maybe it is a tad, but I don't see why both clearance and these 'deals' couldn't have coincided. But maybe once corporate sees tons of old crap that hasn't moved in six months stacking up in the back rooms and cases then they'll restart real clearance pricing.

Till then, I'll have a chuckle every month by going to Sears to scan the only game left from the last clearance round:)ps3:RSV 2)and seeing it STILL ringing up $12.97, when it would've been $4.97 or cheaper by now just a year ago.
 
Damn you Sears! The store closest to me finally decided to get organized and they did away with the bins of clearance games in the middle of the electronics section. They're now in captivity, locked up in a glass case right next to the new releases.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']So if you don't like getting games uber cheap, then I have to ask what the fuck you're doing on CAG!?!?!?! After getting games for between $2-5 for many years(even BEFORE I joined CAG) you get accustomed to playing the waiting game, knowing that those games other people are paying MSRP for now will be super cheap at some point in time.

Does that sound entitled? Maybe it is a tad, but I don't see why both clearance and these 'deals' couldn't have coincided. But maybe once corporate sees tons of old crap that hasn't moved in six months stacking up in the back rooms and cases then they'll restart real clearance pricing.

Till then, I'll have a chuckle every month by going to Sears to scan the only game left from the last clearance round:)ps3:RSV 2)and seeing it STILL ringing up $12.97, when it would've been $4.97 or cheaper by now just a year ago.[/QUOTE]

Well there is no minimum price for a game to be a cheap deal. I think if a game that costs 40 bucks is a good deal I think it's Not one for you. To me the CAG of yesterday is dying.Gone are the days of flipping and hoarding.Clearences about everywhere have dried up not only Sears and Kmart. The CAG of tommorow is getting new releases for as cheap as possible. I'm sort of reminded of RDR. The old west is dying and we only have two options adapt or get left behind.
 
[quote name='Lyricsborn']Well there is no minimum price for a game to be a cheap deal. I think if a game that costs 40 bucks is a good deal I think it's Not one for you. To me the CAG of yesterday is dying.Gone are the days of flipping and hoarding.Clearences about everywhere have dried up not only Sears and Kmart. The CAG of tommorow is getting new releases for as cheap as possible. I'm sort of reminded of RDR. The old west is dying and we only have two options adapt or get left behind.[/QUOTE]

Promise?

You act like that's a bad thing. Unfortunately you are wrong.

All I see is people flipping and hoarding. I caught the tail end of CAG when people would grab extra copies and help each other out. (I can only imagine what it was like the year before that.) Now, everyone is running over their mother to grab extra copies to flip to amazon, gazelle, best buy, gamestop, and ebay.

Hey, why help out other CAGs when there's money to be made, right?

(Cue IATTCG telling his sob stories about how people want him to lose money to send them stuff. )
 
[quote name='confoosious']

(Cue IATTCG telling his sob stories about how people want him to lose money to send them stuff. )[/QUOTE]

Is it storytime yet mommy? :p
 
[quote name='confoosious']Promise?

You act like that's a bad thing. Unfortunately you are wrong.

All I see is people flipping and hoarding. I caught the tail end of CAG when people would grab extra copies and help each other out. (I can only imagine what it was like the year before that.) Now, everyone is running over their mother to grab extra copies to flip to amazon, gazelle, best buy, gamestop, and ebay.

Hey, why help out other CAGs when there's money to be made, right?

(Cue IATTCG telling his sob stories about how people want him to lose money to send them stuff. )[/QUOTE]
Actually I WAS more altruistic than some of ya's give me credit for a few years ago. I used to pick up some extras of Kmart clearance games(you know, the $5 or under ones) and send them out for cost+shipping(which might've included a buck for a mailer).

So it'd end up like $10 per game for games that others couldn't find near them for $5 or under. Still a great deal for them and I got to help out. But then a new bunch of CAG's signed up and they felt as if shipping was to be at my expense. Yes. You call it a 'sob story', but let's see you eat $3 per game for 20+ games and still call it that.:booty:
 
What about Target? Target should a role model. Sears/Kmart can be aggressive like that. If games isn't selling dump it fast. Don't let it sit there for years. Yeah the clearance price may start higher, but really how many do you find a below $10 game at Target? A lot.
 
Yeah dude, people are DICKS on this place when you pick up extra copies. It didn't used to be that way, but it's more so now than ever. The Family Dollar Rock band track packs are a prime example. I have people sending me PMs, asking me to get them metal packs. They were $5.35 with tax here. I told them it would be $5.50 via paypal. And I had people telling me they would only pay $3, cause Amazon gives $2 for the disc, or they would only pay $5 and the tax was my problem. And that's just one example. The old target and kmart threads were stupid like that too...and it's a 50-50 shot that people are fair and nice. I've traded with several CAG's in situations where the store near them had the game I wanted and the one near me had the one they wanted, and that has always been awesome.

So yeah, I sold the codes on ebay, and flipped the discs. Because people are dicks. I don't need to make money or some shit like that...it's general principle. It's that the amount of people willing to be fair, friendly, and not be assholes is decreasing daily...
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Actually I WAS more altruistic than some of ya's give me credit for a few years ago. I used to pick up some extras of Kmart clearance games(you know, the $5 or under ones) and send them out for cost+shipping(which might've included a buck for a mailer).

So it'd end up like $10 per game for games that others couldn't find near them for $5 or under. Still a great deal for them and I got to help out. But then a new bunch of CAG's signed up and they felt as if shipping was to be at my expense. Yes. You call it a 'sob story', but let's see you eat $3 per game for 20+ games and still call it that.:booty:[/QUOTE]

I remember that. Clearances were awesome because if you didn't find something you could bank on someone else picking up an extra for cost plus shipping. We used to have fights in the threads that $5 shipping was too much (it's still my opinion that shipping should include the cost for the mailer). I built most of my feedback simply buying clearance and shipping to other CAGs that wanted the games.

And then somewhere around 2008 folks just got plain greedy.
 
Obviously people who expect you to lose money doing them a favor are assholes. I didn't mean to imply that they weren't. I just didn't want to hear IATTCG's sob story for the 10000th time.
 
Damn. I remember browsing CAG before I joined CAG years ago and thinking it was full of crazy Slickdealish people. I think I finally broke down and joined when I got tired of the prompts to join from lurking. And I didn't start posting until late last summer because that's when I resumed playing video games in full force. I took a hiatus from playing non-handheld consoles in about 2007/8. Damn.
 
[quote name='WeaponX2099']What about Target? Target should a role model. Sears/Kmart can be aggressive like that. If games isn't selling dump it fast. Don't let it sit there for years. Yeah the clearance price may start higher, but really how many do you find a below $10 game at Target? A lot.[/QUOTE]

Target is a horrible role model and the most YMMV (no chance in hell) clearance ever. Sears would consistently have almost every title posted here for the same price posted here, without even having to play hide-and-go-seek like the Target titles, and I'm talking multiple store locations across multiple states too.

Yet, I still follow the thread and still check stores from time to time, only to be disappointed again.

It's a vicious cycle of being a cheap ass.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Obviously people who expect you to lose money doing them a favor are assholes. I didn't mean to imply that they weren't. I just didn't want to hear IATTCG's sob story for the 10000th time.[/QUOTE]

IATTCG is just a shell of the poster he once was. ;)
 
[quote name='thelonepig']IATTCG is just a shell of the poster he once was. ;)[/QUOTE]
It's like, ten years from now, the standard of next-generation CAGs declines to point of rampant thievery. People are like, "I can't believe I used to look up to you and your old cheap ass ways!" Of course, those CAGs get arrested or worse, and somehow IATCG gets the last laugh and proves again why he is indeed known as the cheapest gamer. (plays Ryu's ending theme from Street Fighter II and sees a lone, shadowy figure walk off slowly into the distance, never to be seen or heard from again) j/k
 
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[quote name='confoosious']Promise?

You act like that's a bad thing. Unfortunately you are wrong.

All I see is people flipping and hoarding. I caught the tail end of CAG when people would grab extra copies and help each other out. (I can only imagine what it was like the year before that.) Now, everyone is running over their mother to grab extra copies to flip to amazon, gazelle, best buy, gamestop, and ebay.

Hey, why help out other CAGs when there's money to be made, right?

(Cue IATTCG telling his sob stories about how people want him to lose money to send them stuff. )[/QUOTE]

I never said it was a good or a bad thing, you're the one thats wrong. I was implying that there seems to be 2 types of CAGS. Ones that complain how clearence isn't how it used to be and complain about people getting a new release for less than MSRP. And others saying hey i would rather get a new release for cheap instead of getting a crap game for 5 bucks. Now i'm not saying i'm never complained about either. I'm mean sure its nice getting a new release for cheap but it is kinda sad when a game drops to 20 bucks and just plateus.
 
Truth of the matter is the SHC people figured out that far too many employees were gaming the system internally with clearance. I myself identified a number of stores locally that were doing this and reported them to Josh in the early days and saw instant results. When I would talk to other stores about it they made it well known that those stores were stashing the clearance so it would hit the bottom price and then they would buy it and sell it or trade it somewhere. I'm not saying that is the sole reason for the change, but I am certain that it had some impact because Josh's tone changed very much regarding clearance after uncovering this.

It was a loss prevention issue, but it really exposed the loophole that they allowed those games to reach those prices automatically without anyone really paying attention.
 
[quote name='PhoenixAZ']Truth of the matter is the SHC people figured out that far too many employees were gaming the system internally with clearance. I myself identified a number of stores locally that were doing this and reported them to Josh in the early days and saw instant results. When I would talk to other stores about it they made it well known that those stores were stashing the clearance so it would hit the bottom price and then they would buy it and sell it or trade it somewhere. I'm not saying that is the sole reason for the change, but I am certain that it had some impact because Josh's tone changed very much regarding clearance after uncovering this.

It was a loss prevention issue, but it really exposed the loophole that they allowed those games to reach those prices automatically without anyone really paying attention.[/QUOTE]
So instead of bringing it to the attention of a STORE MANAGER, you go and report it to someone at corporate level, who likely up until that point had largely ignored how low of a price some of these clearance games had been dropping to?

:applause::applause:Brilliant. Just brilliant. Someone grab the torches and pitchforks.
 
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