Reduced price game guides, all stores. Thread 6

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3-17-07 Here should be most of the information that anyone would need in acquiring guides. please read ALL the information below before asking questions. most question are answered below. Again thank you 6669 for all your contributions to this thread and web site.



My wifes web site - Nice jewelry good prices.

www.ladieslovejewelry.com



For hopefully the latestest most current up to date guide drops please refer to the

"CAG Strategy Guide WIKI page"

recent drop section

http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_(recent_drops)

master list section

http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_(master_lists)

they will be filetered from the thread posts to the WIKI page as often as possible. Thank you for your contribution.




Listed in the wiki is the most up to date compiled list of all known guide deals from the posts of this thread and similar threads. I will update the wikis lists as people post new guide deals. Everything listed in this thread “should” be the price listed or lower. These prices are typically company wide price reductions and not YMMV. But just because the prices are typically universal does not mean that they are guaranteed to be sold to you. Most stores have a destroy clause with the guide companies. So whether or not you get these guides depend on many many factors from how diligent a staff is to how reasonable or friendly one is. Good luck on any you may find and good luck on acquiring them. Please dont have a fit if a store wont let you have them just move on. Causing trouble rarely gets guides and most of the time stops others from getting guides in your area. If anything is incorrect or missing please post so corrections can be made.


Now you can just cut, paste, print, and GO!!!



What is a Penny Guide:

To answer this question fully, one first has to understand the longstanding legal agreemenat which [book] publishers have with book sellers such as Borders, Barnes & Noble and other chain and Mom & Pop shops, as well as other retailers who similarly sell their books.

For several decades, publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Random House, et cetera will send out X-number of a title to stores to be sold. After a time, when it is decided that those older titles have little chance of selling and the store shelf real-estate would be better used for newer publications, they issue a recall to the vendors to field destroy all remaining copies of titles A, B & C.

The stores then will pull those titles from their inventory to be field-destroyed, and in their systems mark the publications as 1¢. The 1¢ price is to indicate to the publisher that they are no-longer selling the pulled title, and it is also to serve as a Red Flag to any cashier who might ring up a title (on the chance that the titles were not pulled as legally they were required).

When the pull lists are sent out by the publishers, and the stores adjust the price in their inventory (and pull and field-destroy the books), the stores also are to report to the publisher the number of the books they pulled. (This is generally done at a corporate level.) The publisher then credits the stores full cost of the books.

So lets say, MegaChain orders 8000 copies of the Bread Baker strategy guide for their stores in North America for say, $4 a piece. They owe $32,000 to Publisher X. Bread Baker being a big seller and a hard game, then sells 6000 of those 8000 guides, leaving around 2000 guides on the shelves when Publisher X issues the pull demand. Publisher X then issues MegaChain an $8000 credit for the 2000 unsold copies of the guide.


According to IAmTheCheapestGamer, some retailers also have deals where each copy of pulled titles sent to their recognized Recycling Centers are additionally issued further credit for being environmentally responsible in the manner in which they field destroy each book.



How you can help: You can keep a printed copy of this list in your jacket, wallet, purse whatever and when you go to any store that carries guides look for guides for games that have been out typically around six months or more and ask for a price check or better yet use a store scanner if they are available. If they are anything less than cover price write it down for us. Also please when you post the info here if it looks like it’s a temporary sale, please post that as well otherwise it will be assumed to a be a permanent price reduction. If you scan a guide and it comes up a different price that what the master lists suggests please list the day and store that you had the guide scanned. Also please list if you physically saw a self-scanner’s price, physically saw a cash registers price or vocally heard a price from the store’s staff. This might sound like a lot and of course we will take what we can get but this will go a long way to having the best master list as well as ferreting out different store practices and policy’s. All help is appreciated and thank you.




Trading: I spoke with the post office and found out that the cheapest form of mailing to the 48 contiguous states would be to use “media mail” It will take a little longer but it will also allow the least amount of money per transaction when trying to acquire guides for your collection. For an average guide weight of about 9 oz its $1.42 cents. All you need to do is put it in an envelope and ship it media mail. He mentioned no one should have a problem if you use the same envelope several times to cut down on costs. He also mentioned that when shipping Media mail that you cannot have any personal correspondence in the envelope. Only books and an invoice are acceptable. If trading is in you interest you do whatever is most comfortable for you and your trading party this was merely a FYI and a good way to keep it cheap.



Helpful links to check for reduced priced guides or guides in general. You will likely never find one cent guides here but various discounted guides and possibly some that you have been searching for.


Best Buy

Best Buy guide search


Circuit City

Circuit City guide search


EB Games

EB Games guide search


Gamestop (babages,software etc,funcoland)

Gamestop guide search


Overstock

Overstock guide search


Toys R Us (uhh best link I could find)

Toys R Us guide search


strategy-guides.net (another large site of guides)

strategy-guides.net guide search


bookpool (guides typically 45% off or so )

Book pool guide search


Looking for assistance: I am looking for some staff from Best Buy’s, EB’s, Gamestop’s and stores of the like. When EB Games or Gamestop has a price reduction their shelves can be empty in a day or two to even as little as just a few hours. EB and Gamestop have daily price changes so all depending on the store’s staff they could be all gone almost immediately. If I could get some staff that can either post here first thing any day that they have a price reduction on guides or that might be able to text message me with such price reductions so that I might be able to inform CAG’ers ASAP. Whether or not us the end user would actually be able to get them from a particular stores staff is very much an YMMV but if there is anyone who can help this would greatly increase the chance’s of CAG’ers being able to pick up guides from these locations. If anyone is interested and able to help please e-mail me at [email protected]. Thank you all for your consideration.



Thank you all for making CAG what it is and for all your contributions.


Disclaimer: This list is intended to help all guide hunters. Please feel free to print yourself a copy and get what you can find. Please do not post this list on another site. {e-mail me please if for some reason you would want to. [email protected]} Please just link to this thread, add to this list and help it grow. Thank you





all guides are now listed in the wiki please go there. thank you.
 
I'm looking for any of these guides and will pay $5 paypal shipped for each one...

Onimusha: DoD
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Rocket Slime
Heroes of Might and Magic 5
Grandia 3

If anyone can hook me up, please PM me.
 
TL in clearance thread:

http://cheapassgamer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2594074&postcount=93

Well I got 10 more guides, but had a horrible experience at one store. I asked an employee if I could buy any penny guides I find and he says yes like it was no problem. So I picked through the guides, took them up, and at this point he says, "well I'll have to tear off the covers now," once I've done all his work. He pauses, probably expecting me to not want them anymore. At this point I'm seriously considering breaking the scrawny shit in two. The only satisfaction I could afford myself was making him rip off the covers off to ensure he couldn't keep anything either and then dumping the guides in the trash out in front of the store on the way to the car. Only managed to escape with some CoH/CoV binders intact. Lamest EBGS experience ever, but next time I will make sure to ask if the covers will be staying intact first as well.
 
[quote name='fairtrade']Lamest EBGS experience ever, but next time I will make sure to ask if the covers will be staying intact first as well.[/quote]

The thing is, we are lucky that we are getting these for a penny(or free). Ripping off the covers is what the policy is and has been forever for booksellers. That's why you see stuff like "If you bought this without a cover, report this to us because you paid for a book that the vendor reported as destroyed"
I don't know what Gamestops relationship is with Brady and Prima , but they might not get their credit back if they don't send back those covers.
I like a free cover intact guide just as much as the next guy, but you can't complain when they do their job.
I'm sure some CAGs would not have minded getting a coverless guide as well...
 
Enough cluttering the thread with "I found X, I want Y posts". If you have wants and haves, post them in the Guide Clearinghouse thread.
 
That wasn't really the point. The point was just that I got conned into sorting through their guides for them. Had the dude said they were going to remove the covers I wouldn't have done their work for them. He knew he conned me and then played dumb and it was just a lame thing to do.

[quote name='Pookymeister']The thing is, we are lucky that we are getting these for a penny(or free). Ripping off the covers is what the policy is and has been forever for booksellers. That's why you see stuff like "If you bought this without a cover, report this to us because you paid for a book that the vendor reported as destroyed"
I don't know what Gamestops relationship is with Brady and Prima , but they might not get their credit back if they don't send back those covers.
I like a free cover intact guide just as much as the next guy, but you can't complain when they do their job.
I'm sure some CAGs would not have minded getting a coverless guide as well...[/quote]
 
LOL Fairtrade, even worse is when they scan it, it comes up .01 and they try and do a quick over ride on the guide. I mean, that's why I'm glad when it comes up as .01 on that lil screen thing, since I then can say 'it just read .01 on that screen, why is it $xx.xx amount now?

If they give me the usual rigamarole about 'we can't sell these for .01, then I just leave since it's not really worth repeating the 'it came up a .01' line.

However, Toys R Us on their most recent drop with the Halo and Half Life 2 guides had signs up all over about stuff being 'on clearance. So to explain away the .01 price to the clerk, I said about the clearance sign. If only Gamestops people were that cool. Then again, I guess I am known as 'the guide guy' at one of my local EB's already. LOL
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']You mean like people have been doing on the Kmart Clearance thread for months, Shrike? And people wonder why that one is over 100 pages.[/quote]
Yes, like that one. And whenever someone decides to make a new thread, it'll be reminded to do the same thing. If I get the spare few hours to clean that thread out, I will.
 
Ok here's my FOR SURE METHOD of getting game guides from EB/GS. I just came up with this today and it worked like a charm. First off go into the store and do NOT announce to anyone that you are there for the guides cuz that'll get them ready with an excuse. Get the guides you want and don't be greedy, getting a couple or so of each is cool but don't try to walk up there with a stack of 20 of the same guide. Anyways so get the guides you want and then look around the store as if you want something else. Then go up to the counter and say,"I was at your other store up on the Northside and i got these on clearance and THEY SAID that they'ed be the same price at this store. Can you please price check these for me." This way when they see the penny price they are already expecting it cuz you told them on clearance and plus they are now more willing to sell them to you cuz they think you purchased these same guides at their other store. Anyways, i got about 12 guides from two different stores so not the best drop but at least there was a drop!!!
 
[quote name='zodemere2k']Ok here's my FOR SURE METHOD of getting game guides from EB/GS. I just came up with this today and it worked like a charm. First off go into the store and do NOT announce to anyone that you are there for the guides cuz that'll get them ready with an excuse. Get the guides you want and don't be greedy, getting a couple or so of each is cool but don't try to walk up there with a stack of 20 of the same guide. Anyways so get the guides you want and then look around the store as if you want something else. Then go up to the counter and say,"I was at your other store up on the Northside and i got these on clearance and THEY SAID that they'ed be the same price at this store. Can you please price check these for me." This way when they see the penny price they are already expecting it cuz you told them on clearance and plus they are now more willing to sell them to you cuz they think you purchased these same guides at their other store. Anyways, i got about 12 guides from two different stores so not the best drop but at least there was a drop!!![/quote]

Except for most people that won't work. Most employee's know about the penny guide thing and that they can't be sold. Also most gamestop's now keep all their guides in the back making it next to impossible to get the guides.
 
I was able to get a few, but pulled them before the store manager got there. When I went back to talk to him and picked up what they wouldn't sell me in the morning, I got most of the ones I pulled. Yet, three were missing including the only copy of Resident Evil Archives. I wanted that one. Oh well... will just have to try another store... though it's doubtful now.
 
[quote name='FRAUD_WHATS_THAT']Why was my post deleted?[/QUOTE]
IDK. Test to see if this gets deleted.
edit. So far, so good.
 
[quote name='FRAUD_WHATS_THAT']Why was my post deleted?[/quote]
This is probably why.

[quote name='shrike4242']Enough cluttering the thread with "I found X, I want Y posts". If you have wants and haves, post them in the Guide Clearinghouse thread.[/quote]
If you have guides to trade it's in your best interest to make a tradelist thread and put the link in your sig. Trust me, it works wonders. Look at my iTrader rating. Also, you can go into the User Control Panel and put another link to your thread under your avatar. The only catch for the second option, I think, is that you have to complete a trade and have someone leave you feedback. That will give you an iTrader rating and also an option to add that second link. I'm pretty sure thats how it works. Take a look at my sig and below my avatar for an example of what I'm talking about.
 
Oh, no, I had one of those, too. Straight up lied and said it was the price on the sticker. Asked if it really didn't ring up for a penny and he says he can't sell it for a penny and it must be destroyed.

Also went to a GS in a totally ghetto-ass part of town as well and some dude wanted to sell me the pulls for $5/apiece. Difference there is that guy likely just wanted to pocket the money. So lame, the guy was practically sleeping on the counter and when his employee tried to help me out and get him to give them away he just kind of moaned and said, "naw." Then he started griping about having to ring up the guides to remove them from inventory. Poor guy LOL.

And the part that was a mind boggler is when I found some old penny drops *tagged* at $0.01 and was refused.

[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']LOL Fairtrade, even worse is when they scan it, it comes up .01 and they try and do a quick over ride on the guide.[/quote]
 
[quote name='fairtrade']And the part that was a mind boggler is when I found some old penny drops *tagged* at $0.01 and was refused.[/quote]
Wow, now THAT'S not right... and their tags even have the title right on the sticker so they can't try and say it's the wrong one. I'm sure there's something not legal about pricing something like that then refusing to sell it... but what are you gonna do, drag out a lawyer over some penny guides?

Anyway, after several misses and one minor hit I finally got a big score on Friday while I was visiting a friend down in Costa Mesa so I've updated my TL.
 
[quote name='avatar94']Wow, now THAT'S not right... and their tags even have the title right on the sticker so they can't try and say it's the wrong one. I'm sure there's something not legal about pricing something like that then refusing to sell it... but what are you gonna do, drag out a lawyer over some penny guides?[/quote]

I know state law around here says that they must sell an item at its marked or advertised price, which only makes sense for protecting the consumer. *shrug* May as wellcheck, because if so, you can use that to your advantage. No need for awyers; most people will just back off when threatened and just want you to get out. ;)

BTW, I was wondering, any drops on a Test Drive Unlimtied guide, if there is such a one?
 
[quote name='neocisco']If you have guides to trade it's in your best interest to make a tradelist thread and put the link in your sig.[/quote]Actually some of us have all sigs turned off.

But that lovely little
tradelist.gif
works. Click up left on USER CP, click Edit Profile, scroll to bottom of page and enter in your trade thread url.
 
I'm about to scan through this thread and update the wiki. The master lists for each store are almost complete. They're only missing the most recent drops that haven't been wikified yet.

[quote name='jgamezcua']Anyone try any guides at Best Buy today?

The only guide I didn't see online anymore was Madden 07.[/QUOTE]
IDK. We might just have to wait until the first Monday of next month.
 
[quote name='mvick288']How do you get them? Will they sell them .01? IF they say no, is there some law i can bring in?[/quote]

Getting penny guides varies greatly and depends more on the employees than the store's policies. So just be nice to the employees and they might hook you up. Others have had luck buying the penny guides in conjunction with other regularly priced items (you could always bring the other items back).

If the guide is not marked I believe there are no laws that require the store to sell the item. However, some states do have laws that require stores to sell merchandise that is marked at that price. Not sure if the stores right to refuse service is a loop hole for that or not. Either way quoting laws usually doesn't accomplish much. Just be nice :D .
 
LOL I tried my luck at the usually tightass Gamestop down in our downtown mall and found ONE guide they missed: MegaMan ZX. However, since there were no newbies working and I know all the employees in that store have said no to prior penny guides being bought or given to me, I just jokingly handed the guide to the one clerk as he came back from break.

I said "You guys missed one, I did yer job for ya". LOL And, while the regular priced items thing MIGHT work sometimes, I've found that it works 0% of the time for me, especially in the hardass GS stores.

Of course, it doesn't help when I say 'I'll be right back in with this crap, once you gimme those guides for .01'. I just have WAY too many games n other various gaming stuff to be wasting money(even for 24 hours or so) on something to 'disguise' a penny guide purchase.

Plus, I am a total cheap ass, so I guess I live by an extreme version of the CAG mantra.
 
I would still like to get the following guides:

Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Yakuza

I was able to get most of the other guides that were dropped. I won't list them so I can avoid the wrath of Shrike;). If anyone has any of these 3 guides PM me and let me know which ones you're looking for and I'll let you know if I have them.

BTW, Perfect Dark Zero is $5 at GS if someone just has to have it.
 
We ever going to get some new BB drops? It's been like 2 months since they pennied anything. Even though it will probably just be the same guides that were free in December. :whistle2:?
 
[quote name='zodemere2k']HEY WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT POST THAT LISTED GOOGLE CACHE PAGES TO CHECK WHAT IS AVAILABLE AT GS/EB.....p.s., how do u do that?[/QUOTE]

That was my post it had afew guides I had and was looking for from this drop mentioned in it.

Here's an example you can follow

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q="Metal+Gear+Solid+3"+guide+site:gamestop.com

If you find the guide your looking for click on cashed link and you should be good to go. I found cashed pages for this and 6 other guides from this drop. I can't remember the name but another CAG posted this idea awhile ago he gets full credit for coming up with the idea :)
 
What is your strategy or reply's to cashiers when you get a "pennied" guide at BB when they go to scan it and a pop up box appears that the item is not in the system? I had one do that tonight, ie Godfather and luckily enough for me she was distracted by other things around her to not pay attention to the pop up box and immediately click ok. I have had times in past where a more knowledgeable team lead cashier had caught on and told me "no" they cant sell. I want to know what strategy do u use on these particular guides.

BTW there are several guides at my local BB location that are pennied, i just dont have balls enough to grab everyone or at least a copy of everyone
 
Grow some balls and grab what you see. What's the worst they can do but deny the sale? I've never been denied of penny guides anywhere except 1 EB where they went in the back to see if they had a specific guide I asked for and when it rang up a penny they would not sell it to me. Oh BTW, when it says "not in system" they probably scanned the wrong barcode. Have them scan the other one.
 
[quote name='swolgam']I want to know what strategy do u use on these particular guides.[/quote]

You should pick up a strategy guide on picking up strategy guides. XD
For this I usually say 'it's clearanced out' and they give it to me for a penny by manually entering the price.
 
Had a close call at a GS today. I brought up a stack of 9 guides (no duplicates) and told the guy I had heard they were on some sort of clearance. He checked the prices (all were pennied) and thought for a moment. He called up another store and asked how they had to deal with these. He knew the covers were supposed to be torn off, but he asked the other guy if he could leave the covers on if a customer brought them up off the floor. I guess the other guy said yes, 'cause I got 9 more guides to trade now ;)
 
[quote name='shiningslade']Grow some balls and grab what you see. What's the worst they can do but deny the sale? I've never been denied of penny guides anywhere except 1 EB where they went in the back to see if they had a specific guide I asked for and when it rang up a penny they would not sell it to me. Oh BTW, when it says "not in system" they probably scanned the wrong barcode. Have them scan the other one.[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the pep talk!!!

After checking out the guide, that's exactly what they did was scan the wrong one...oh well...im going to clean them out tomorrow however i must keep away from cust service manager! She denied me several guides when they were $10 off and rung up free. She goes "these aren't allowed to be sold. I have to take them and destroy them!" I even offered her .50 a piece for them but she denied. They were the oblivions, tomb raiders, enchanted arms, etc. After reading some post on here, i just chuckled because she just destroyed good product because the next day, they were nowhere to be found!
 
[quote name='FOnewearl']That was my post it had afew guides I had and was looking for from this drop mentioned in it.

Here's an example you can follow

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22Metal+Gear+Solid+3%22+guide+site%3Agamestop.com

If you find the guide your looking for click on cashed link and you should be good to go. I found cashed pages for this and 6 other guides from this drop. I can't remember the name but another CAG posted this idea awhile ago he gets full credit for coming up with the idea :)[/quote]

maybe i'm too tired/baked/etc but the post that has been deleted at had links to GS.com where u could put in your Zip Code and it'd tell you if the stores in your area had that in stock. Where did those links go? Clicking on the good link above brings up like 250 google pages so i'm totally lost here. Sorry.
 
[quote name='zodemere2k']maybe i'm too tired/baked/etc but the post that has been deleted at had links to GS.com where u could put in your Zip Code and it'd tell you if the stores in your area had that in stock. Where did those links go? Clicking on the good link above brings up like 250 google pages so i'm totally lost here. Sorry.[/QUOTE]

Company of Heroes - Dead

Dragon Quest : Rocket Slime - Dead

Mega Man ZX - http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cach...de+site:gamestop.com&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence - Dead

I had links to 3 other guides I found the other night (Company of Heroes, Mage Knight Apocalypse & Spy Hunter Nowhere to Run) I couldn't find them again doing a google search and when I went though my history to find the links they came up as dead.

Edit - took out 3 links leaving only the link for Mega Man ZX since it's the only one still working!
 
I had links to 3 other guides I found the other night (Company of Heroes, Mage Knight Apocalypse & Spy Hunter Nowhere to Run) I couldn't find them again doing a google search and when I went though my history to find the links they came up as dead.

Thanks for the re-post (wonder why it was deleted) and that's weird the other links now are no longer showing up, wonder why!! Too bad there's no rep system here otherwise i'd rep you because using those links showed me a couple stores i never went to before and turns out they don't pull the guides as quick as the other three stores in the area. Thanks so much man, laterz!!!!
 
Stopped back to the eb I snagged some penny guides from yesterday. As soon as I walked in they said they pulled a bunch more and asked if I wanted them all. Talk about customer service.

Tried a different one today and asked about RE:Archives and Zelda:Four Swords... the cashier there rang 'em up and handed them to me for nothing!!!

All in all, a great haul from two stores. Got all I wanted and more.
 
[quote name='AZPunisher']Employees shouldn't be able to pick through them like that. [/QUOTE]

This is what people on the inside refer to as a "job perk".
 
[quote name='zodemere2k']Thanks for the re-post (wonder why it was deleted) and that's weird the other links now are no longer showing up, wonder why!! Too bad there's no rep system here otherwise i'd rep you because using those links showed me a couple stores i never went to before and turns out they don't pull the guides as quick as the other three stores in the area. Thanks so much man, laterz!!!![/QUOTE]

NP, I though it was kind of strange that the cashed google pages didn't last to long I would have guessed that they would last longer then afew days which is how long I'm guessing they lasted past the pages going down on GameStop's site.
 
meh. My local GS employees were clever enough to penny out (i.e. field destroy) all the guides listed. Disappointing.

And the master Wiki is nice, but c'mon. It's a bitch to use. There isn't a gamestop in the nation that has a new copy of the Ape Escape 2 guide floating around. 80% of the stuff on there is just ancient, so it's usually better to just wade through this thread for up-to-the-date updates.
 
It has its uses. A bit over a year ago I found a gamestop in a mall that had guides over 2 years old that were clearanced. If it bugs you just copy and paste it into excel and edit it.
 
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