Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Eight(MODS: Please lock, Thread Nine is up)

Status
Not open for further replies.
IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

Banned
First off, let me welcome you all to the new guide thread. Second, I'd like to ask you all to please keep conversations not pertaining to guide drops or which ones you've grabbed to a minimum to avoid cluttering the thread. It's not that I don't enjoy the chit chat, but that it may stop others from locating information on the newest drops.

That being said, let me thank Cheapy for creating this site, without which I would've spent probably 10 times what I HAVE spent on games and guides. Moreover, let me thank each and every one of my fellow CAGs for continuing to contribute to making this site a great place to find out about sales and clearances of the items we as gamers use most. Without a great community, NONE of this would be possible.

Furthermore, I would like to thank our Wiki editors HeatDolphin and Rocko for updating the Wiki. Great job.

Now, with that out of the way(and before I get to rambling), let's get on to making this new thread.

Useful Information(and links):

Game Guide Trading Clearinghouse(old one, locked now):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102021

Game Guide Trade Thread(current one):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175548

PLEASE keep ALL trade requests in there or PM's. Thank you.

Reduced Price Guide Discussion Thread(please keep all conversation NOT related to guide drops HERE. Thanks.): http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

Guide Lists:

Master Drop List(by store, alphabetically):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28master_lists%29

Recent Guide Drops(by date):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28recent_drops%29

What is the purpose of this thread?

The purpose of this thread is to let our fellow CAGs know when a guide has dropped to a low price(it's NOT ALWAYS A PENNY), so they can go out and grab guides for themselves and for trading with other CAGs.

Anytime you have guide drops to report, post them here. Please specify at which store you found them and which guides you found and list them in alphabetical order. Thank you.

What are penny guides?

Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a full credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.

Prior Reduced price game guide threads:
Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50515&highlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142400

Finally, below is a list of website links, each of which goes to their respective guide page. Whenever possible, I will update the links with better ones(if available).

Amazon
B&N
BestBuy
Borders
BookPool
CircuitCity
Gamestop
Overstock
StrategyGuide.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, who did threads 3,4,5 and 6 and provided me with the links to them.

Thanks to Gwen for allowing me the honor of giving something back to CAG by doing this new guide thread. I hope you all enjoy it and it isn't TOO hard to read.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I just came home from BB and picked up (pennied):
-Uncharted
-Lego Star Wars: Complete

they also had on the counter away from the other guides both Sims guides
hope this helps!
 
Nothing at my BB. They've always been thorough about removing penny guides, so I guess last month when they missed Bioshock it was just a fluke.

On a happier note, I checked out my local Game Crazy for the first time and found a DQH: Rocket Slime that came up as $.00, so the guy just gave it to me.
 
[quote name='Visc']from today:

Hellgate London - 3
Uncharted - 1 (keeping)
Lego Star Wars - 3
Oblivion - 1
Sims 2 Bon Voyage - 1[/QUOTE]

Which oblivion? Is it the Game of the Year version?
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']I recommend reading the post that you're quoting before getting snippy.[/quote]

I recommend you read my reply that was posted before you updated your post.:argue:
 
[quote name='hellmutt']Which oblivion? Is it the Game of the Year version?[/quote]

I believe it is the tan version (so all tan versions should be .01 @ BB) I checked the black stickered on and it was 24.99 today.
 
I scanned pretty much every guide at a best buy today. I believe this is the complete list of new drops. I picked up all of these at a penny. The manager wanted to stop me from getting other penny guides, so he sent a guy to scan every guide and to pull any others. The guy checked the prices for me for about 20-25 guides.

PENNIED:
Hellgate London
The Sims 2 (PC)
The Sims 2: Bon Voyage (PC)
Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

NOT PENNIED:

Army of Two
Condemned 2
Fire Emblem
God of War: CoO
Lost Oddyssey
Orange Box
Zelda Twilight Wii
Pro Soccer 2008
Assasins Creed guide/artbook combo
Assasins Creed guide
FF XII
FF CC
FF war of the lions
Medal of Honor Airborne (with sticker)
Call of Duty 4
Dark Sector
Zelda blue hardcover
Pirates game
Crisis - i think that is what it was called
Oblivion- black with sticker
WOW - scanned like 4 different ones
Pokemon - litte pokepedia
Devil may cry 4
Rock Band 9.99

That is all I can remember...if you ask me about a specific book I will know if I scanned it or not.
 
[quote name='neocisco']What store so I don't waste my time/gas?[/QUOTE]

I assume Best buy like everyone else who already posted here said. that's where I found mine.
 
walked out of my BB with 1 Uncharted and 2 Hellgates. Only UC i saw, and they had a bunch of Hellgates.
No luck on the Legos though.

Did find it funny that someone else obviously prepared for a drop on other desirable console guides by trying to hide them in the pc game area though.
 
Picked up a couple Uncharted and Hellgates. No Lego SW to be found. Fire Emblem rings up at 9.99 so no luck there. It looks like the store cleared out all the pennied guides that were there when I picked up Bioshock and the Halo 2/3 guides last week. FYI - This is in Cranberry Twp, PA.

The reactions of the cashiers are funny. "Is that the correct price?" or "Hold on, I think that scanned wrong" Even better when they ask me for my reward zone card before scanning anything. I need those extra RZ points on my .04 cent transaction. :D
 
[quote name='GLOCKGLOCK']The reactions of the cashiers are funny. "Is that the correct price?" or "Hold on, I think that scanned wrong" Even better when they ask me for my reward zone card before scanning anything. I need those extra RZ points on my .04 cent transaction. :D[/QUOTE]

:D I'm paranoid they will tag me as a 'devil customer' so I never give them my rewardzone cert when I'm doing something like using a questionable coupon, buying penny guides, etc.
 
Wow, not a single guide at the southernmost BB, but the one by my school had a bunch of Hellgates (I took 3 of the 6), one Sims 2, and one Uncharted. Pretty bone dry.

Chronis, you're going to have to go really far east or west if you're looking for anything other than Hellgate, since these two along Nicholls had zip - one with zero penny guides and one with the extreme few that I managed to dig up.
 
When I got my guides today I had the Oblivion guide scanned in hopes it finally dropped here (which it did) and I was priced by a new person for once who became paranoid over it. She then proceded to call a higher up over when she saw me holding a stack of 8 other books under my arm. The person who came over, took one look at me, smiled, told the new girl that this is perfectly fine, and went back to what she was doing.

Now THAT is the kind of best buy you want to find.
 
I hate Best Buy. I went to two of the four around me and didn't get anything. What really gets me is that they still have Gears of War for the PC! Now, how have they missed that every single time, but they manage to do a wonderfully thorough job on all the new drops? They even got the Oblivion guide that has been sitting around forever. Bah! Both stores had Turok, but I don't ever plan on owning that game so I didn't bother having it scanned.

On a side note, I'd love a Hellgate London guide if anyone feels like hooking me up...
 
Damn . . . I got there this afternoon and found nothing.

I really, really need a Lego SW guide (my daughter loves the game) and could also use an Uncharted . . . a 2 for 2 would be great (see my huge list--I have some recent drops but also many older ones . . . I might do 2 for 3 if anyone wants some of my older guides)

guide list
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36138

"help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope"
 
I'm kinda pissed about the store I get guides at. They kinda disabled the only scanner in the store that was conveniently next to the guides section. I had to bring them to the counter to check the price on some of them today. I wouldn't have done it though if I didn't know it was a non-issue there.
 
[quote name='hellmutt']I assume Best buy like everyone else who already posted here said. that's where I found mine.[/quote]

We're both local, that's why I was asking.
 
[quote name='neocisco']We're both local, that's why I was asking.[/QUOTE]

:D thanks for the clarification. In light of that fact, I guess my response may look slightly snippy - although unintended, my apologies.
 
[quote name='hellmutt']:D thanks for the clarification. In light of that fact, I guess my response may look slightly snippy - although unintended, my apologies.[/quote]

No worries. You had no way of knowing.
 
I don't remember if this was posted, but both the LOTR Online: Shadows of Angmar Game Guide and the LOTR Online: Shadows of Angmar World Companion are pennied. I think I only saw the companion guide posted previously.
 
Went to the BB's in Fenton, MO, Crestwood, MO and South County, MO, none of the guides to be found anywhere. :wall:

They did leave the shelf tag for Uncharted at one BB as a tease. :bomb:
 
[quote name='shrike4242']Went to the BB's in Fenton, MO, Crestwood, MO and South County, MO, none of the guides to be found anywhere. :wall:

They did leave the shelf tag for Uncharted at one BB as a tease. :bomb:[/quote]

With the exception of uncharted, I'd be able to lend a hand with all the rest of them.
 
[quote name='neocisco']What store so I don't waste my time/gas?[/quote]
Sorry, Buckhead/Linbergh center BB. There was only one and I got it. NO other guides were there.
Kennesaw BB was a total bust.
 
[quote name='Antic']I got for a penny...

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Oblivion (with Knights of the Nine Content added)

I know this (Oblivion) has dropped already for others, but the one without a sticker didn't drop until today at my BB.[/quote]

Thanks. I didn't realize that Oblivion was pennied. I picked it up along with LSW: CS. :D

I found them at the 1st BB I checked (closest to work). I have 2 other BB closer to home that I have yet to check.
 
Went to the Ocala, Florida BB and found........



NOTHING!

What a shame, really looking forward to buying guides i'd actually use.
 
What do you expect? The last drop or so was too awesome! I mean 3 critically acclaimed DS games, AND Bioshock?! That was madness! I somehow knew it was going to balance out...
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']Chronis, you're going to have to go really far east or west if you're looking for anything other than Hellgate, since these two along Nicholls had zip - one with zero penny guides and one with the extreme few that I managed to dig up.[/quote]

Thanks for the update! I was heading out to Home Depot just now and had a feeling to check for a a BB drop and looks like my instincts were right! But if the store is empty, i probably won't even bother. Thanks Slim and whoever reported drops!
 
I wanted LSW:TCS but didn't find it at two different Best Buy's :whistle2:(

I did see Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition. Several actually, but figured it probably wasn't included. I would have checked, but they don't have price scanners and if you ask, you're sure to set off a red flag.
 
Nada, zip, zero, zilch at my first local BB and I won't be going to the other one till maybe this weekend and by then I'm sure they'll clear them off the shelves.

I think the BB employees have been trained to use the 'all the guides we have are out here, there are none in the back' line to dissuade people from asking for specific guides, which is how I used to get guides they had JUST pulled from their back stockrooms. Every time I've asked for a certain guide, I get told that those are the ONLY ones they have, that are on the shelf.
 
Hit 4 BBs total. Got at least 1 of each guide (LGSW is in bad shape!) about 20-25 guides total. 2 of the BBs had pulled their guides before opening. One 'manager' said " I already trashed them to keep people from putting them on ebay".
 
So they'd rather waste them by throwing them away then letting people sell them for a MINOR profit? What about the people who just want to buy one for themselves? Sucks for them I guess.

Sorry, that just makes me mad.
 
[quote name='slofton']So they'd rather waste them by throwing them away then letting people sell them for a MINOR profit? What about the people who just want to buy one for themselves? Sucks for them I guess.

Sorry, that just makes me mad.[/quote]The supposed story is that when they field-destroy them, the publisher is supposed to send them money back for the destroyed guide. The GS/EB angle is that they're supposed to remove the front cover and toss the guide into the trash. They'll send back the front cover to get this refund back.

As some CAGs have gone dumpster diving and recovered guides without covers, there may be some proof to that.

If they sell the guide for $0.01, they take a huge hit to the guide's cost they paid on it, as well as negative profit margin on the guide. So, they'd be reluctant to sell the guide at $0.01. It's supposed to be a reminder to the reps in-store that it needs to be field-destroyed.
 
apparently the manhunt 2 and club guides have pennied at Gamestop. I didn't check myself because I don't want either guide, but an employee told me that.
 
I was able to pick up Uncharted at my local Best Buy...I was really hoping for Hellgate. But 1 is better than none. Time to check out the trading thread.
 
[quote name='carlcarlson']apparently the manhunt 2 and club guides have pennied at Gamestop. I didn't check myself because I don't want either guide, but an employee told me that.[/quote]Going a few pages back in the thread, that was brought up on the 25th of last month.

Me, I've been trying to find said guides without any success, of course. :wall:
 
[quote name='shrike4242']The supposed story is that when they field-destroy them, the publisher is supposed to send them money back for the destroyed guide. The GS/EB angle is that they're supposed to remove the front cover and toss the guide into the trash. They'll send back the front cover to get this refund back.

As some CAGs have gone dumpster diving and recovered guides without covers, there may be some proof to that.

If they sell the guide for $0.01, they take a huge hit to the guide's cost they paid on it, as well as negative profit margin on the guide. So, they'd be reluctant to sell the guide at $0.01. It's supposed to be a reminder to the reps in-store that it needs to be field-destroyed.[/quote]

Here is what I don't get, since I started looking for the guides over the past few weeks I have found a TON of guides on the shelf at BB with a .01 price tag on them. Someone manually had to put that sticker on the guides, so why wouldn't the manager tell them to just pull all the guides at the same time? If they are stupid enough to put them on the shelf with that price tag then they should sell them at that price if someone tries to buy them. I know that they can basically do whatever they want, but if you are already having an employee re-sticker them, then why not just pull them ASAP. weird...
 
Is there more than one version of the Oblivion GOTY guide? My mom had 3 scanned at BB, and they all rang up $24.99.

Edit: I guess the GOTY is not pennied, based on previous posts.
 
[quote name='shieryda']Is there more than one version of the Oblivion GOTY guide? My mom had 3 scanned at BB, and they all rang up $24.99.[/quote]

The GOTY edition hasn't dropped yet.
 
[quote name='GLOCKGLOCK']Here is what I don't get, since I started looking for the guides over the past few weeks I have found a TON of guides on the shelf at BB with a .01 price tag on them. Someone manually had to put that sticker on the guides, so why wouldn't the manager tell them to just pull all the guides at the same time? If they are stupid enough to put them on the shelf with that price tag then they should sell them at that price if someone tries to buy them. I know that they can basically do whatever they want, but if you are already having an employee re-sticker them, then why not just pull them ASAP. weird...[/quote]

I have had the same experience. I have several guides that are stickered a penny. I also found 2 bioshock guides with a printed shelf label of ".01 Bioshock"
 
[quote name='GLOCKGLOCK']Here is what I don't get, since I started looking for the guides over the past few weeks I have found a TON of guides on the shelf at BB with a .01 price tag on them. Someone manually had to put that sticker on the guides, so why wouldn't the manager tell them to just pull all the guides at the same time? If they are stupid enough to put them on the shelf with that price tag then they should sell them at that price if someone tries to buy them. I know that they can basically do whatever they want, but if you are already having an employee re-sticker them, then why not just pull them ASAP. weird...[/quote]Therein is the problem.

BB corporate policy is that they're supposed to pull and field-destroy or pull and return-to-depot anything with a $0.01 price on it.

That doesn't always happen as it's supposed to, as I've seen guides at BB with $0.01 stickers on them, or shelf tags with $0.01 on them. It truly depends on the media department, as last month's drops, I hit a home run and picked up multiples of, and this month, nothing at all.

If a store's media dept. reps are on top of the game all the time, you'll never find guides. If they're not, then you will find them.

GS/EB, same situation, though as they're a smaller store size, it's easier for them to clean up after the penny guides. In the same vein, it's also easier to get chatty and friendly with reps, and maybe score yourself some guides.
 
My guide at Gamestop keep the guides in a seperate pile and give them out with pre orders or if someones buying that game.

Well the ones that are left after I go through them.
My strategy with them is I pre order one game and pay it off over 3-4 months.
Stop in, no guides, leave.
Stop in, new guides, "Oh yeah hey I need to put another $10 down, oh look news guides"

Edit: Oh and to be on topic, I grabbed 3 Uncharted's yesterday. Was only gonna get two but figured someone would trade for Lego Star Wars.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
bread's done
Back
Top