Reduced price game guides, all stores. Thread 6

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floormat

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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.
 
The last manager I talked to at FYE, about 6 months ago, told me that they do in fact have penny guides but field destroy them and are only pennied out after they are pulled. Liker Warner1281 was saying.

So if you find a guide at FYE that was pennied out and on the shelf it was missed when they pulled them. I've never found one there so I don't know how hard it is to even get them to sell it to you if by chance you find one.
 
I found an Oblivion guide that was marked .01 on their label and on the shelf and was flat out refused the sale at an FYE in Raleigh, NC about 6 months ago.
 
Anyone know if BB is dropping the guides today? If so, then I might have a reason to go for the Clearance Sale. If not, I'll sit this one out. Already have all the last gen games I wanted...now I need the guides to supplement it. :bouncy: Thanks!
 
[quote name='Number83']Anyone know if BB is dropping the guides today? If so, then I might have a reason to go for the Clearance Sale. If not, I'll sit this one out. Already have all the last gen games I wanted...now I need the guides to supplement it. :bouncy: Thanks![/quote]

I'm heading into work in about a half hour, so I will post if there is a guide drop, but I'm pretty sure it won't be until next week, but you never know, I'll keep you posted.
 
[quote name='vahn401']I'm heading into work in about a half hour, so I will post if there is a guide drop, but I'm pretty sure it won't be until next week, but you never know, I'll keep you posted.[/quote]

Thanks Vahn!
 
No BB guide drop this week, so like said, it will most likely be next week and as soon as I can find out, i'll be sure to post the details.
 
[quote name='vahn401']I'm heading into work in about a half hour, so I will post if there is a guide drop, but I'm pretty sure it won't be until next week, but you never know, I'll keep you posted.[/quote]

u da man brother, we love you Vahn!!!!! Vahn for CAG of the Year!!!!
 
[quote name='vahn401']No BB guide drop this week, so like said, it will most likely be next week and as soon as I can find out, i'll be sure to post the details.[/quote]

Thanks. Now, I have no reason to get there at all.
 
[quote name='sacreddoctor']u da man brother, we love you Vahn!!!!! Vahn for CAG of the Year!!!![/quote]

Would of definately have been a shoe-in if i was able to get that huge clearence drop, but the other guy beat me to it by a half hour.
 
[quote name='vahn401']Would of definately have been a shoe-in if i was able to get that huge clearence drop, but the other guy beat me to it by a half hour.[/QUOTE]


Still, we appreciate the help!! I'm sure you'll be the first to post in here when guides do drop, so your help is definitely appreciated! I'm waiting for Saint's Row and R6: Vegas.
 
I just picked up the following from BB TODAY for a penny apiece
NBA Live 07
FFVII DOC
GTA Vice City PSP
Suoerman Returns
Socom 2 PSP
didnt check New SMB, Kingdom Hearts 2 and a couple others because I didnt want to hold up the line I was in, I only picked up guides which were marked .01
 
[quote name='zman73']I just picked up the following from BB TODAY for a penny apiece
NBA Live 07
FFVII DOC
GTA Vice City PSP
Suoerman Returns
Socom 2 PSP
didnt check New SMB, Kingdom Hearts 2 and a couple others because I didnt want to hold up the line I was in, I only picked up guides which were marked .01[/QUOTE]

NSMB and KH2 are still full price.
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']NSMB and KH2 are still full price.[/QUOTE]

Thats why I didnt check... no sticker stating .01, thanks for the update
 
[quote name='zman73']Thats why I didnt check... no sticker stating .01, thanks for the update[/QUOTE]

No problem. My experience is that most stores won't post the price as .01, so you have to rely on this thread to know for sure. Of course, that's YMMV, but it's typically not priced as such.
 
I picked up the following from BB on Sunday.. all for a penny each

Half-Life 2/ Episode 1
LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth 2
Quake 4
Star Wars: Empire at War/Forces of Corruption
Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
 
[quote name='vahn401']Would of definately have been a shoe-in if i was able to get that huge clearence drop, but the other guy beat me to it by a half hour.[/quote]

That other guy only posted one deal, you post deal after deal after deal and plus you verify if these deals like the other guy post are legit or not so you've got my vote for CAG of the Year!!!!!!!!! And if you don't win i'll be getting together with some others to send you a second place prize or something!
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']No problem. My experience is that most stores won't post the price as .01, so you have to rely on this thread to know for sure. Of course, that's YMMV, but it's typically not priced as such.[/quote]

MOST stores won't, but if you hit up the ones in NJ, especially out in Seacaucus or Paramus area, there are a few who DO mark the guides as .01.

I know this from my time as a guide hoarder. :lol:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']MOST stores won't, but if you hit up the ones in NJ, especially out in Seacaucus or Paramus area, there are a few who DO mark the guides as .01.

I know this from my time as a guide hoarder. :lol:[/quote]


from your time as a guide hoarder, rofl, you can be honest, we all know you are still the master of hoarding and some of us including me don't care because we are still closet hoarders ourselves!!! At least you came out my man!!! You rock brother and are an asset to CAG with all your info and tips my friend, keep it up!!!!
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']MOST stores won't, but if you hit up the ones in NJ, especially out in Seacaucus or Paramus area, there are a few who DO mark the guides as .01.

I know this from my time as a guide hoarder. :lol:[/quote]
You were a guide hoarder!? We had no idea!:roll:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']MOST stores won't, but if you hit up the ones in NJ, especially out in Seacaucus or Paramus area, there are a few who DO mark the guides as .01.

I know this from my time as a guide hoarder. :lol:[/QUOTE]

Dude, you are absolutely insane (and not in a good way :)). Don't you live near Scranton, PA? What the HELL are you doing driving all the way into NE NJ to get penny guides? You're crazy.
 
I used to pick up 1-2 extra copies for potential trading purposes but then I realized that they start taking up space pretty quick so I don't do it unless I've arranged a trade in advance or it's an RPG guide. 10 copies of a single guide in my opinion is a little crazy :) .
 
when I first started doing this I walked into a EB just as they were throwing away approx 33 copies of enter the matrix. Eventually managed to get rid of them all besides one but it was a pile.
 
[quote name='floormat']when I first started doing this I walked into a EB just as they were throwing away approx 33 copies of enter the matrix. Eventually managed to get rid of them all besides one but it was a pile.[/QUOTE]
wow how did you get rid of that one? I think i got people that actually want that guide. The rest i throw in the recycle bin
 
[quote name='rarebucky']Dude, you are absolutely insane (and not in a good way :)). Don't you live near Scranton, PA? What the HELL are you doing driving all the way into NE NJ to get penny guides? You're crazy.[/quote]

Mainly because it wasn't my gas or car, as I convinced my one ex gf to go in with me to try and Ebay some of these guides. Of course, I later on learned that those trips were for naught, as the guide values on Ebay stay strong for maybe a week after a drop, then plummet.

I still do grab some guides when I'm out of town, but I don't go overboard anymore and usually she won't agree to too many trips anymore.

But, I will say that it took about 6-8 hours to get to Atlantic City the last time we went together because I stopped in Philly area(Norristown and Springfield, PA) to check out the Best Buy and other stores there for clearance/penny items.

Those trips were a LONG time ago though, probably over a year since we went on an all day guide hunting trip. I had learned my lesson about grabbing buttloads of guides, until the last drop @ TRU where I cleaned out the Wilkes-Barre store of all their pennied guides. :roll:

I wonder if CheapyD would pay for Guide Hoarders Anonymous for me, cause I swear sometimes I think I need it.:whistle2:#

[quote name='neocisco']You were a guide hoarder!? We had no idea!:roll:[/quote]

Really? My guide trade list wasn't a giveaway? LOL Seriously though, most of my hoarding tendencies have gone the way of the dodo, except for that haul from TRU during their last drop. Though, I did get my ex gf to go towards Syracuse just recently and I have to admit, I left quite a few guides in quite a few stores. So, I'm getting better @ not taking EVERY guide I find.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']

I wonder if CheapyD would pay for Guide Hoarders Anonymous for me, cause I swear sometimes I think I need it.:whistle2:#

[/quote]


rofl!!!!!!!! You have a problem and you admit to it...that's the first step on the road to recovery!!! I'm there for ya my man!!!
 
[quote name='floormat']shipped 32 lbs 3 oz of guides today. boy do my arms hurt = P[/quote]

You can fit that many guides in a flat-rate priority box??

Or multiple packages? If it was a single drop, that's one hell of a sale/trade!
 
[quote name='Caliburn']You can fit that many guides in a flat-rate priority box??

Or multiple packages? If it was a single drop, that's one hell of a sale/trade![/QUOTE]


flat-rate priority box?? err uhh it was a brown box I had. they ended up fitting just perfectly. I was suprised.
 
[quote name='floormat']flat-rate priority box?? err uhh it was a brown box I had. they ended up fitting just perfectly. I was suprised.[/quote]

It can't always be helped, but it pays to ship priority in a flat rate box if the weight is over...6 lbs, I think. BUt they can only hold so many guides...I've never stuffed one myself, but I imagine they can hold 10+ guides for a flat rate of $8.10
 
[quote name='Caliburn']It can't always be helped, but it pays to ship priority in a flat rate box if the weight is over...6 lbs, I think. BUt they can only hold so many guides...I've never stuffed one myself, but I imagine they can hold 10+ guides for a flat rate of $8.10[/quote]

With media mail, you can get up to 18 lbs or something before its the same price as flat rate priority.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']With media mail, you can get up to 18 lbs or something before its the same price as flat rate priority.[/QUOTE]



??? all i know is that all the prices that showed up on his scanner were 30-75 dollars except media mail which was 13 and change
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']With media mail, you can get up to 18 lbs or something before its the same price as flat rate priority.[/quote]

Yeah, you're right. 17-18 is the magical number.

But sometimes shipping priority for just a buck or two more is pretty spiffy for someone who purchases a guide lot.
 
I've been able to put in 10-14 guides in one flat rate box, though most of them were thin guides to begin with. However, the one guide lot I sold a while back was in there so tight, I'm sure the box had to be cut open to get the guides out.

If for nothing, I'm a very frugal CAG who believes in making the most of the space provided by the packaging. Hell, I can usually cram 3-5 normal sized guides into a standard bubble mailer(standard for me is 10.5 inches by 15 inches, which allows for alot of breath room). AND, that's WITH cardboard on either side to prevent bending.

Again, I am a very frugal(read: cheap/thrifty) CAG who doesn't believe in wasting space one bit.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
Again, I am a very frugal(read: cheap/thrifty) CAG who doesn't believe in wasting space one bit.[/quote]

Gas is another story, right? :D
 
LOL Pook, but that's the funny part. When I was majorly guide hoarding, it was my one ex gf's car n gas we were wasting. She and I agreed to go in 'halves' to buy up all these guides and split any profit. Of course, I bought the guides(for a penny each or free if given them) and she bought the gas for the car.

So, it wasn't truly 50/50, but shhhh, don't tell her that. LOL

Now, my recent guide grabs(like the 50-60 from TRU locally) are at my expense fully. But, I'll still 'cut her in' for whatever I have left after the shipping and what not. LOL

So, if you kept wondering WHY I wasn't worrying over gas prices, that's why. LOL
 
BEST BUY ALERT!

The following guides have been removed from the Best Buy website:

Call Of Duty 3
Final Fantasy V
Guitar Hero 2
Red Steel
Resistance: Fall Of Man
The Sims 2: Pets
SOCOM: Combined Assault
Yoshi's Island 2 (both)

Expect price drop soon, if not now.
 
DAMNIT I GOT GOT BACK FROM BEST BUY!

[quote name='loxthefox']BEST BUY ALERT!

The following guides have been removed from the Best Buy website:

Call Of Duty 3
Final Fantasy V
Guitar Hero 2
Red Steel
Resistance: Fall Of Man
The Sims 2: Pets
SOCOM: Combined Assault
Yoshi's Island 2 (both)

Expect price drop soon, if not now.[/quote]
 
Lets NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO THE BEST BUY VIDEO GAME CLEARANCE THREAD and draw alot of attention to it okay? Only post if a drop happens or price is same, peace out!!!
 
This thread/ .01 guide deal has been going on for at least 3 years, so I think it has all the attention it's ever going to muster. Certain guide drops though may increase it from time to time.
 
This thread is all about posting penny guide drops or possible drops. We've been able to fly under the radar (for the most part) for a long time now. FW/SD will post one of our monthly lists every now and then, but it's never turned out to be a big deal. Besides, it's better to know ahead of time, that way you can stash a copy of each of the guides in your favorite hiding spot (washing machine, oven, behind TV's, etc.) and just pick them up the day of the drop. No frantic searches, no price adjusting/returning, no hoarders to deal with, yadda yadda yadda. Just don't make a big deal about it and post things like "NO ONE LOOK AT THIS THREAD, NOTHING TO SEE HERE!" and we'll be okay.
 
I will be the first in line Monday morning if those penny drops are confirmed :) hope my good luck buying penny guides at Best Buy has not run out.
 
Yes if those BB ones aren't a penny this week they should definitly be monday :)

EDIT:

brian9824 just confirmed these are not 1 penny yet, so I guess we'll know by Monday morning.....
 
Yep. Not a penny yet. Only guide i really want from list is FFV ADvance. Although i'd take a copy of Call of Duty 3 and Resistance for collection.
 
[quote name='Brian9824']Yep. Not a penny yet. Only guide i really want from list is FFV ADvance. Although i'd take a copy of Call of Duty 3 and Resistance for collection.[/quote]
Brian, always appreciate you finding the during-the-day time to check guide prices. :D
 
It was cool. I realized today that i had seen a beatmania at store the other day and forgot to get it. So I got a $1.99 Beatmania combo out of my little trip. Fortunately i always check CAG before leaving work for things like this.
 
Oh my bad, didn't know posting something like that would bring more attention than say everyone posting a bunch of opinions and continually bumping the thread to the top. All good, all good fellow brother CAGs!!!! Hoping for next week drop cuz a couple on there i really need to add to my collection!!!!!!
 
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