Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Seven and a Half.

Status
Not open for further replies.
[quote name='shieryda']Man, you guys who find guides at EB/Gamestop are so lucky! The stores around here are really diligent about dumping them once they drop.[/QUOTE]
I only have 50/50 chance of getting any guide from gamestop, and usually had to go to at least 6 or 7 stores.
 
Thanks! Unfortunately, one of my friends is probably going to play it first, since I have practically no time for games right now...and a backlog bigger than most people's collections. =(
 
LOL Only time I had luck 'stashing' a guide, it was an original Oblivion guide and I put it on the usually empty bottom shelf in the PC game section. And, do you know, it sat there and sat there and sat there and sat there till it finally dropped.

I guess NO ONE, not even LP, looks THAT low down on the shelves for misplaced product. OR, if one version of a guide is about to drop and newer versions are already out and on the shelf, stash a copy or copies of the guide you want in with them.

That's how I found 5-6 more copies of the original Oblivion guide up in NY about a month or so ago, because they were dispersed between the other newer version copies.

As for my luck, back when I was going to Atlantic City regularly with my one ex gf for either day trips or an overnight, I would routinely stop at ONE prime location off of the PA Turnpike/Blue Route and that ONE store would regularly yield massive hauls for me.

Also, when we would hit a certain diner in NY state(Alexis Diner, or Alexi's, however it's spelled), I would make sure to hit another certain gold mine store up along Route 84, where I routinely would pull about 30-40 guides PER drop from on an average basis.

Both of these sources have become DRIER than the Mohave as of late though, one due to the presence of another CAG(who I won't mention, but have hung out with from time to time) and the other is either the store employees due dilligence or the work of yet another CAG.

As for my own LOCAL stores, I was told by my usual 'source' for confirmation of drops(even if they're already pulled), there is either a FWer, CAG or SDer who comes in whenever they have sales or guide drops and looks for anything and everything. SO, one of my own local stores is OUT, that's for sure, but the other one regularly surprises me with a missed or restocked guide here or there, but not as much as they once did.

I think, much like many others, that penny guides are coming to an end. Either that or the crackdown will eventually relax and stores will become lax again, but that's NOT looking like a good option right now.
Click to expand...
 
I used to be able to score guides at GS/EB like it was a normal thing for them to sell them for a penny. However, in the last 8-12 months or so, things have definitely dried up for me. My only source for penny guides is currently best buy with a 5% chance of being able to get 1 or 2 guides at one of my GS's.
 
I know they are old, but I noticed the wiki doesn't have Digmon World 4 and 007: From Russia With Love listed as pennied at GS/EB. I dunno if they should be added for completion sake but... yeah.
 
[quote name='Chronis']I know they are old, but I noticed the wiki doesn't have Digmon World 4 and 007: From Russia With Love listed as pennied at GS/EB. I dunno if they should be added for completion sake but... yeah.[/quote]

I think I nabbed a DM 4 a while ago there and I could swear that it was mentioned. But, maybe the wiki was never updated?
 
Does anyone who picked up the VP2 guide from EB/GS have the SKU handy (from the receipt or price sticker)? Got the game today, figure I'll take a shot at grabbing the guide if the store locator shows it in stock anywhere.
 
[quote name='62t']i posted it way back but it is 831968[/quote]Thank you very much... looks like there's one about a half hour away, I'll see about fitting that into a trip this weekend.
 
[quote name='botticus']Does anyone who picked up the VP2 guide from EB/GS have the SKU handy (from the receipt or price sticker)? Got the game today, figure I'll take a shot at grabbing the guide if the store locator shows it in stock anywhere.[/quote]

how do you check that?
 
[quote name='ZerotypeX']how do you check that?[/quote] gamestop.com/productavail.asp?miles=100&sku=831968&zip=XXXXX&product_name=Monopoly%2FBoggle%2FYahtzee%2FBattleship+Compilation+%2D+Used&platforms=DS&sbox=919108a%2Ejpg&status=BO&bn=False

Just drop your zip in place of the XXXXX
 
Most of the time I find that stores will erase all of the guides from their stock numbers within the first few days of the new drops, they just might or might not physically pull them. But I guess some areas might do it differently, so you never know.
 
Damn, every time I stop reading this thread because it seems penny guides are no more (GS doesn't count since they never give them to me) Best Buy decides to add more.

I read through the last few pages and I'm a little confused by the multiple references. Could someone list the newest Best Buy drops (anything in August)? Gwen? Wiki? :mrgreen:

(It seems to be more than just the list in the memo a few posts back, or is it just God of War II with the shrinkwrap removed?)

I hope to head out to one tomorrow.
 
Here is the most recent list:

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced warfighter 2 (8288729)
Shadowrun (8380815)
Shadowrun (8367787)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (8030043)
Rogue Galaxy (8258477)
Codes & Cheats 2007 (8246962)
Stalker Shadow of Chernobyl (8297489)
Click to expand...

I stopped seeing Rogue Galaxy forever ago and am glad I paid $5 after coupon when it first hit $10.

And the $9.99 ones...
Pokemon Ranger:Road to diamond & pearl (8144821)
Elder Scrolls IV: Shimmering Isles (8313684)
Viva Pinata (8313728)
Super Paper Mario (8327385)
Click to expand...
 
So I read this thread last night before going to bed. I then proceeded to have a penny guide dream. I was at BB, and I found this gigantic cabinet that was just sitting next the guide rack. I opened it up and it had a gigantic stack of old penny guides in it, and every shelf was marked "CHEAPASSGAMER". The BB people said I could take them if I didn't tell anybody.

...:lol:
 
LOL @ Rocko's dream.

I got 2 Wind Waker guides at GameCrazy last night, but they were $3.99 instead of $0.01. Still a good price, but I wonder why they weren't pennied.
 
Sad thing is, I've had almost the exact same dream.

Implanted memories? CheapyD = Dr. Suchong confirmed.

^----Warning: If you haven't played through Bioshock, DO NOT READ!
 
[quote name='botticus']gamestop.com/productavail.asp?miles=100&sku=831968&zip=XXXXX&product_name=Monopoly%2FBoggle%2FYahtzee%2FBattleship+Compilation+%2D+Used&platforms=DS&sbox=919108a%2Ejpg&status=BO&bn=False

Just drop your zip in place of the XXXXX[/quote]

If this is accurate, there is a vp2 guide nearby me. Do I call to see if they have it or just go in and look for it/ask about it
 
[quote name='ZerotypeX']If this is accurate, there is a vp2 guide nearby me. Do I call to see if they have it or just go in and look for it/ask about it[/quote]Going would be more beneficial, but either way it depends on the person working as usual.

I still don't know if they actually had a copy or not (it's possible it may have been given away, so not rung out at some point) - the clerk had a muted discussion with the other guy working (maybe manager) about if they had any/if he could sell it (after looking it up and probably seeing it's a penny). He said they couldn't sell it, I asked if they could just "hand it to me." The second guy walked into the back room to look for it, and said he couldn't find it. I'm thinking he was legit, since he went to the trouble of actually looking, but either way I left empty-handed.
 
[quote name='Rocko']So I read this thread last night before going to bed. I then proceeded to have a penny guide dream. I was at BB, and I found this gigantic cabinet that was just sitting next the guide rack. I opened it up and it had a gigantic stack of old penny guides in it, and every shelf was marked "CHEAPASSGAMER". The BB people said I could take them if I didn't tell anybody.

...:lol:[/quote]

You know, with how fervent I was when I first started grabbing guides, I'm shocked I never had a dream like that. Mind you, I have been told to 'keep the guides on the hush hush' back when my local stores still gave them to me, but of course, when you grab 60 guides in one fell swoop and there's 2 people working, one is bound to be a snitch and will rat out their co worker for brownie points with the GM or DM.

Now, if only our local BB/GS stores actually believed in putting out the guides and marking them FREE, like some here claim to have seen done in their local stores, I would be first in line the day of a drop at their doorstep, with a handtruck waiting to carry off all the good guides. :lol:

That's one thing I've noticed about my guide grabbing habits anymore, is that I don't just indiscriminately grab every penny guide I see anymore. I guess being stuck with 200+ common guides is enough of a wake up call, huh?
 
Forgive me for my newbish question, but is there some way to check online for when a guide has been pennied? Like, if it's no longer on the website, does that usually mean it's on field destroy?
 
[quote name='KABUKISTAR']Forgive me for my newbish question, but is there some way to check online for when a guide has been pennied? Like, if it's no longer on the website, does that usually mean it's on field destroy?[/quote]Depends on the vendor.

CC has such a crappy selection of guides online, it's a moot point.

GC doesn't have an online site, so it doesn't matters.

EB/GS have recently been dropping prices on some guides before they go penny, though it's been only the occasional guide that goes to a reduced price before it disappears from the website. Guides can be gone from the website for months before they penny out.

BB normally drops a guide down to $9.99 when it's been around for a while, and sometimes, it'll be at that price for months, other times, it can be a month at $9.99 and then pennied out. Some guides go directly from full price to penny without notice. When BB has guides down at $9.99, it's worth thinking about picking up, especially due to the fact that they're seeming more aggressive about tossing them when they're supposed to. This is more attractive with the GamePro coupons, which would knock a $9.99 guide down to $4.99, though they haven't been valid coupons (even though they continue to work for some CAGs) since July.
 
Just to confirm...the Prima Star Wars Lego II guide is $4.99 at Gamestop brick n mortar stores. I picked a few up locally; it's in the computer at that price so it's probably national.
 
I can't stand to see this thread on the second page. It's one of my fave reads on this site. So I guess I'l contribute some more.

I snagged:

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Shining Force EXA
Pirates of the Carribean: At Worlds End
and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PS2 version)

All a penny each.

Also saw but did not get Call of Duty 3 and a few others I can't remember right now. They were also a penny.


Edit. It was at EB. That's where I get all my guides. It helps to be really in with the employees.
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']Brother, you forgot the most important detail -- where?! GS?[/quote]If I had to guess, either there or GC.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']BB normally drops a guide down to $9.99 when it's been around for a while, and sometimes, it'll be at that price for months, other times, it can be a month at $9.99 and then pennied out. Some guides go directly from full price to penny without notice. When BB has guides down at $9.99, it's worth thinking about picking up, especially due to the fact that they're seeming more aggressive about tossing them when they're supposed to.[/QUOTE]


I've said it before, but I agree completely. In fact I wish stores made a regular practice of dropping the price of guides a little before penning them out, or tossing them or whatever. Because to be honest even if you aren't a cag, 20ish dollars for a game guide is just way too much. 9.99 however I would gladly pay for almost any guide.

I don't know why stores don't do it more often really. I mean tecnically the product is counted as a book/magazine, and I'm sure profits are calculated differently, but it's not like they're stocking an issue of People magazine or anything, that's going to be on the rack for a week and then tossed. Guides sit on shelves for at least six months it seems, and some for a year or more! Wouldn't it make sense to drop the price after any initial interest in the guide (and the game) fades? Surely making a little less profit off the guide would be better than making none.

Perhaps someone who knows more about the subject than I can explain why this isn't common practice.
 
Thanks Ziv! I'm going to attack as many as I can before work tomorrow.

Did this drop happen today?

Were any other guides included this week?
 
Yeah 9/5/07. My crack team informs me whenever there's anything going to be field destroyed and holds me the best stuff.
 
Thanks for the pointer, Ziv. Since I'm going out of town Friday morning, I'm not likely to make it to EB tomorrow to try and save any guides. Guess I'll have to put my hope in the luckiness of other CAGs. :pray:
 
Might check these out...I do have a store by me that'll give me the guides if I find them, but they tend to get pissed when I show up on day 1 trying to get like 7 of 'em :)
 
Went by 3 GSes so far and only have 2 GTA:LCS guides to show for it. 1st one had already tossed them all, 2nd had a full stack on the floor tagged $0.01...but wouldn't sell any to me when I brought some to the register, and the 3rd tossed most of them but missed the 2 GTA:LCS guides on the shelf.

I've got one more to hit on the way home.

Too bad we didn't get the news earlier. I was really only after the C:poR guide. (Anyone find one they're not keeping?...CML please...)

Anyway, 2 more guides to add to my tradelist...
 
[quote name='Rocko']Could anyone post the PoR UPC so I can look it up on the GS website (if I remember how)?[/QUOTE]
they explain it about 2 pages back

other on the list
Hour of Victory
fantastic four and silver surfer
 
Also I got my biggest score today: World of Warcraft atrbook! It was mistag with a World of Warcraft Atlas price sticker, which was likely the only reason I could find it. This one I am keeping.
 
[quote name='62t']Also I got my biggest score today: World of Warcraft atrbook! It was mistag with a World of Warcraft Atlas price sticker, which was likely the only reason I could find it. This one I am keeping.[/quote]

Glad to see at least one other CAG got this from the drop. Although, didn't they also penny the WOW Atlas with bookmarks? I ask because I've seen both versions(w/ and w/o the bookmarks) at numerous GS's here.

I'm headed up to the area where we have 2-3 GS's later on tonight to meet a friend n get back my Silent Hill 3 game n guide that she borrowed, so maybe I'll dive n see if I can find any of the dropped guides.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Glad to see at least one other CAG got this from the drop. Although, didn't they also penny the WOW Atlas with bookmarks? I ask because I've seen both versions(w/ and w/o the bookmarks) at numerous GS's here.

I'm headed up to the area where we have 2-3 GS's later on tonight to meet a friend n get back my Silent Hill 3 game n guide that she borrowed, so maybe I'll dive n see if I can find any of the dropped guides.[/quote]

If you see any PoR, could you grab the UPC for me? I'd appreciate it. :)
 
[quote name='62t']they explain it about 2 pages back

other on the list
Hour of Victory
fantastic four and silver surfer[/quote]
Hour of Victory guide dropped already? didn't that game just come out a while ago?
 
[quote name='eugaet']Went by 3 GSes so far...I've got one more to hit on the way home.[/quote]Bah, hit two more on the way home and struck out. 2 guides out of 5 stores. I really need to get a local insider...
 
Well since no one else posted a list, here's what I know of for sure that pennied out at EB/GS:

831977 Call OF Duty 3
832044 Castlevania Portrait Of Ruin
832082 Fantastic Four Rise Of Silver Surfer
831939 Final Fantasy VII Dirge Of Cerebrus
832007 Gears Of War LE
832074 GTA Vice City Stories (PS2 version only, PSP did NOT penny)
832112 Hour Of Victory
832091 Pirates Of Carribean At Worlds End
832064 Shining Force EXA
832052 Virtua Fighter 5
 
All of my formerly 'favorite' stores here are crap anymore, so I guess unless I end up going outta town for work or a road trip(which my one friend agrees to go on often, but not often enough for me anymore), I'm sol around here.

Not much I would've wanted from the last couple drops anyway.

[quote name='shiningslade']Well since no one else posted a list, here's what I know of for sure that pennied out at EB/GS:

831977 Call OF Duty 3
832044 Castlevania Portrait Of Ruin
832082 Fantastic Four Rise Of Silver Surfer
831939 Final Fantasy VII Dirge Of Cerebrus
832007 Gears Of War LE
832074 GTA Vice City Stories (PS2 version only, PSP did NOT penny)
832112 Hour Of Victory
832091 Pirates Of Carribean At Worlds End
832064 Shining Force EXA
832052 Virtua Fighter 5[/quote]

That's kinda weird though, that the PS2 version of VCS pennied first and didn't Hour Of Victory just come out not that long ago?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
bread's done
Back
Top