Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

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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 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.


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 Trade Thread(KEEP ALL TRADE REQUESTS HERE OR IN PM'S):

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(KEEP ALL DISCUSSION NOT RELATED TO GUIDE DROPS HERE!!!):

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

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. Please, whenever possible, use RED font to make the drop info stand out. Thanks again.

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 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/...ighlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/....php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ad.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=142400
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=167157
Guide Nine:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=187222
Guide Ten:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219547

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
Barnes&Noble
BestBuy
Gamestop
Overstock
Strategyguides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinaevere and anyone else who has created and maintained the guide thread before, as well as to all of those who find out either advance information on drops or provide a list of which ones dropped when we do have a drop.

The post below this one contains a list going back at LEAST six months of the more current guide drops, which stores they occured at and which ones dropped. Note that sometimes(Oblivion guide, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory)there are multiple versions of a guide, be it that there are Prima versions, Brady versions and the occasional Nintendo and Doublejump guides.

Please specify WHICH version has dropped when mentioning possible guide drops. Thank you.

Common Guide Drop Related Questions(FAQ):

FAQ - If you are new (or a vet with a few questions) look here SECOND! (After reading the above!)

Q: What Are Penny Guides?
A: 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.

Q: Do all guides from all stores drop at the same time?
A: No. While most chains have nationwide drops within their own store (as in every BB will have the same drops coast to coast), not every different chain drops at the same time (what drops at BB is NOT necessarily dropped at GS). When in doubt, check post TWO for drop info.

Q: I found a penny guide and a clerk denied me! I'ma report 'em!
A: Whoa, hold your horses there, pardner! First of all, not a question. Second, just because something is on the shelf, the clerk does NOT have to sell you that item. Most stores are PRIVATE property and as such can deny you just about anything they want - including a sale. The best advice is to not be rude, not be arrogant, and just try hard to get them to have pity on you.

Q: Why don't the clerks want to sell me their penny guides? Aren't they just throwing them away?
A: As stated above, the stores are ordered by the publisher to trash the guides, and are then given credit for those guides. If they don't do this, the publisher won't give them the credit - it's like losing a sale. On the employee level, selling a penny guide can sometimes get them in trouble (or even fired!) I know it seems silly, but this is their job we're talking about! Respect the man (or woman) behind the counter and you'll get a lot more guides than otherwise!

Q: Should I just ask if the store has penny guides then?
A: No, since that denotes that you have some insider information as to the runnings of these businesses.

Q: What if the clerk wants to know how I know so much about guide drops?
A: If asked where you got your info about guides that pennied, simply say either 'the internet' or 'a friend of mine told me they're on clearance'.

Q: But clerks will know what a penny guide is, right? I can talk to them like anyone else here...
A: Never use the word pennied to ANY store clerks unless you have built up a good rapport with them. Even then, it may seem a little fishy if you know more about their shop than they do.

Q: Are guides labeled as a penny on the shelf?
A: Sometimes. Most times, no. GS seems to label everything that gets a price drop, so often times guides will be stickered. But even so, they most likely won't sell them to you. A sticker does not mean 'have to sell'.

Q: I tried to buy a guide that this thread said was pennied and it didn't ring up as such! What gives?
A: Either 1) Our source was wrong (this rarely happens and is usually verified a FEW times within maybe an hour of posting), or 2) The clerk changed the price. It's usually number 2.

Q: What's the easiest way to get penny guides? This sounds like TONS of work!
A: Best Buy is probably the best place to get guides, followed by GameStop, GameCrazy, Toys R Us and then Blockbuster. From what I've seen though, probably 95% of guides that people get are snagged at BB - the rest come from the other stores. But it never hurts to try!

Q: Has there been a drop recently?
A: If you are asking this question you didn't fully understand the OP - go back and read it once more. When a drop happens, it will be posted, and then placed in the second post - trust us.

Q: How do you guys know so much about penny guides?
A: We sometimes have inside sources with the information from the stores themselves; other times, fellow CAGS just like you or me simply take suspected guides to the register and ask them to ring them up, to check their prices. Feel free to do this yourself, and help give back to the community by telling us what you find! However, DON'T ask "Has anyone checked XXX lately?", unless you are in the right thread (discussion area).

Thanks to GrilledWitOnions for creating the above FAQ, which should eliminate the need for such questions popping up in the thread from this point on out.
 
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Well at my local store, I hit an absolute gold mine. I managed to pick up DAO and Fallout CE copies. There was also a few DAO copies left for some lucky CAG that may want them. I also picked up The Saboteur, Army of Two: 40th Day and L4D2. There were more guides but I didn't want to be too greedy. I'll go back some time later and if they're still there, I may pick them up. There's also quite a few guides there from previous drops too so I'm confident I'll pick them back up.
 
[quote name='BriGuy27']What guides from the previous drops? Any guides for Wii games?[/QUOTE]
Post 2 on the first page has a list going back at least six months and details which stores dropped which guides. Post 3 on the first page has a compiled list of guides going back even further, which is just listed alphabetically by store and shows a decent sized list for each store.
 
[quote name='drawingboard']Anyone hoping to buy a guide at full price, return it after the drop and re-buy it for a penny, is just encouraging their stores to pull them more often. If you do buy a penny guide after the drop, at least the store makes a cent for every guide purchased that day. If you're gonna buy and return them, then that store now loses $20-$30 for every guide purchased for that day, which is gonna piss off management even more. I seriously doubt they'll let anyone do this. I believe their return policy has a rule against refunding differences towards clearance items in some way.[/QUOTE]


I don't think it works like that. buying at full $20-30 price and then returning at full price is the same transaction. But rebuying it for 1 cent is a separate transaction. There is no way for the system link an item that was purchased and returned to the same item that happen to be purchased again at a later time.
 
Finally today somewhat of a decent haul:
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Sky
Codes & Cheats Winter 2010
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers X 2
The Saboteur
This is the best I've done so far. Hoping to hit some more bestbuys this weekend.
 
Found 3 scribblenauts at the ford city chicago store. Just bought 1. So if you hurry, you might get the last 2. No other guides there.
 
My gf found a couple of Left 4 Dead 2 guides.

I've still got a WoW Wrath of the Lich King Atlas.

I will trade a L4D2 guide for a Mario/Luigi guide (already have a deal maybe in pms) but I also have another L4D2 guide for trade.

Also, I only have one WoW Wolk Atlas but I'd be willing to trade it for another hardcover guide like the Fallout 3 or Dragon Age LE. Also would be willing to chip in a few bucks to make this trade happen.
 
if anyone has any extras they would be fair with on the rpg guides i need all of em. i have an extra fallout 3 goty guide from gamestop ripped off covers but i have the covers.
 
[quote name='gauu']if anyone has any extras they would be fair with on the rpg guides i need all of em. i have an extra fallout 3 goty guide from gamestop ripped off covers but i have the covers.[/QUOTE]

If it happened in front of you or not, that must have hurt when you first saw it.
 
it was right in front of my face. she said she had to as per the new dm. i just dumpster dived after for it. its still worth a few cheap penny guides either way. used the books are like 40+. so im sure i could still get like 15-20 for this.
 
i honestly am hoping to get a some of the other pennied guides from best buy. i have a bunch of older gamestop rpg guide drops as well.
 
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I hit up the last 5 Bestbuys in CT today. Only 3 didn't pull everything got at least one of each from this drop except the fallout and doa CEs . Going to the cape on business next weeekend going to check out there. I did get denied today. One of the blue shirts followed me around the game area asking me what guides I had I told him different ones. Once I got up front to pay the cashier called him up and he denied the sale.
 
Hey all & IATCG, whats the best way to mail a fellow CAG a guide? i scored 3x on the Mario and Luigi Bowser's Story Guide and have been rather lucky with guides and other random drawings lately, so wanted to keep my good karma rolling and help a fellow guide seeker out. No luck on Fallout3 GOTY but got most of the others :) If anyone has an extra (fallout3 GotY) to trade for multiple other guides PM me... and thanks all !
 
[quote name='jmarano7836']Hey all & IATCG, whats the best way to mail a fellow CAG a guide? i scored 3x on the Mario and Luigi Bowser's Story Guide and have been rather lucky with guides and other random drawings lately, so wanted to keep my good karma rolling and help a fellow guide seeker out. No luck on Fallout3 GOTY but got most of the others :) If anyone has an extra (fallout3 GotY) to trade for multiple other guides PM me... and thanks all ![/QUOTE]
If it's a smaller guide and the buyer doesn't mind paying the premium I've shipped single slimmer guides Priority Mail flat rate envelope before. It's like $4.95 plus $.70 for DC or so. Those envelopes can typically fit 2 and possibly up to 3 slim sized guides with no issues.

But if you want the cheapest alternative, a bubble mailer that'll fit the guide and media mail is your best choice then. I always try to put a piece of cardboard on one or both sides of the guide when mailing in a bubble mailer and I put DO NOT BEND in ginormous letters on the mailer.

I've also been wrapping the guides in plastic bags to make them easier to slide in and out of the mailers/boxes as well usually. Any old Gamestop/Dollar Tree/etc plastic bag will do.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']If it's a smaller guide and the buyer doesn't mind paying the premium I've shipped single slimmer guides Priority Mail flat rate envelope before. It's like $4.95 plus $.70 for DC or so. Those envelopes can typically fit 2 and possibly up to 3 slim sized guides with no issues.

But if you want the cheapest alternative, a bubble mailer that'll fit the guide and media mail is your best choice then. I always try to put a piece of cardboard on one or both sides of the guide when mailing in a bubble mailer and I put DO NOT BEND in ginormous letters on the mailer.

I've also been wrapping the guides in plastic bags to make them easier to slide in and out of the mailers/boxes as well usually. Any old Gamestop/Dollar Tree/etc plastic bag will do.[/QUOTE]

IF a properly packaged guide (I'm in the cardboard both sides camp if shipped in bubble) weighs less than 13 oz TTL shipping First Class with DC is cheaper and much faster than Media Mail with DC (ALWAYS ship with DC ... it's only $.19 extra) ...rarely are guides that light but Bowser is possible...
 
[quote name='donut']IF a properly packaged guide (I'm in the cardboard both sides camp if shipped in bubble) weighs less than 13 oz TTL shipping First Class with DC is cheaper and much faster than Media Mail with DC (ALWAYS ship with DC ... it's only $.19 extra) ...rarely are guides that light but Bowser is possible...[/QUOTE]

actually it's around 60-70 cents extra...where did you come up with 19 cents?
 
As far as shipping guides go, I used to send in regular manilla envelope backed with cardboard. Now, i just buy boxes and ship in those - its a lot easier.. They are sized perfectly and could fit several if i need to. If you buy from somewhere like uline.com , boxes are very reasonably priced. (think 25 cents each.)

They also work for shipping other stuff (multiple games, etc) so even if you don't ship a ton of guides it's still worth it. The PO would have to work really hard to damage the contents.
 
[quote name='donut']IF a properly packaged guide (I'm in the cardboard both sides camp if shipped in bubble) weighs less than 13 oz TTL shipping First Class with DC is cheaper and much faster than Media Mail with DC (ALWAYS ship with DC ... it's only $.19 extra) ...rarely are guides that light but Bowser is possible...[/QUOTE]
I just signed up for Paypal, but I still don't(and won't) have a printer. Not with ink costing like it does once ya run out.:roll:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I just signed up for Paypal, but I still don't(and won't) have a printer. Not with ink costing like it does once ya run out.:roll:[/QUOTE]

I was just like that until last month - $50 newegg Brother Laser Printer. Prints black and white, STARTER cartridge that it comes with gets 1k-1.5k pages per user reviews, and a 2k+ replacement cartridge is only $35 (like half that price if you get a generic one). Prints labels and mapquest and receipts and coupons and UPCs for clearance scanning like a dream. Not linking it cause I'm not trying to specifically promote it or anything.

I was paying $60+ in ink for less than 100 pages before this, and I was mostly just doing labels and stuff. This has changed my life.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']I can guarantee you ink costs less than 60 cents a label[/QUOTE]

OK. Then I'll just admit that I'm a stubbon SOB(which many of you have known for a looooong time already:razz:)and I prefer to go to the post office as opposed to printing from home.;)
 
I don't remember who said it earlier, but it is always a good idea to ask an employee if they have the guide in the back. At least someone who's not Product Process. Just managed to score a Fallout 3 GOTY LE doing this. Of course, knowing which stores had it in the inventory system helps.
 
I've been trying to check inventory but can't find anything with the product numbers that were listed for the guides. Is there a trick or just nothing in stock by me?
 
[quote name='callmewoof']I was just like that until last month - $50 newegg Brother Laser Printer. Prints black and white, STARTER cartridge that it comes with gets 1k-1.5k pages per user reviews, and a 2k+ replacement cartridge is only $35 (like half that price if you get a generic one). Prints labels and mapquest and receipts and coupons and UPCs for clearance scanning like a dream. Not linking it cause I'm not trying to specifically promote it or anything.

I was paying $60+ in ink for less than 100 pages before this, and I was mostly just doing labels and stuff. This has changed my life.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I got a Samsung Laser Printer like 4 years ago and it has been great. I usually refill a cartridge myself until the print quality gets sketchy. The only bad thing is that it uses a lot of power to print. I have lived at a newer place and an older place, it made the lights dim a second or 2 when I print something. Does yours do that?
 
[quote name='gordojones88']Yes, I took everything at your store.[/QUOTE]

Damn you hoarder!!! Goddamn you all to hell!!!(pounds fist into sand) :rofl:
 
Looks like someone else hit the BB in my area. One of them was completely stripped of everything, the other had a few guides left which I got.

-Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days
-Final Fantasy Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
-Pokemon: Explorers of the Sky
 
Wow I feel dumb, my one locations still has a few M&L:BIS, Scribblenauts, and Kingdom Hearts plus a few others. I may have to go back for thirds lol.
 
I found another L4D2 guide, a Mario/Luigi Bowser's story guide, a Kingdom Hearts DS guide and a 100 top codes or whatever guide. Nice haul, wasn't expecting to find much this late.
 
[quote name='shoe478']I have lived at a newer place and an older place, it made the lights dim a second or 2 when I print something. Does yours do that?[/QUOTE]

LOL YES! It does for a brief moment, very strange. I get used to it and I figure for the .0001 cost of prints its not too bad of a tradeoff. My biggest complaint about my old ink printers was that the ink would dry up between the weeks that I wasn't printing and a brand new cartridge that only had 10 prints on it would suddenly be at 25% left.

But anyway, I went to 2 BB's today and found some penny guides, which is awesome since I hadn't expected to even TRY to find any, let alone succeed 2 weeks after they initially dropped. Walked away with a pokemon sky, kingdom hearts 358/2, bowser inside story, final fantasy crystal bearers, army of two, and a lfd2. Not a bad haul for expecting zilch. :)
 
On my way back from Cape Cod today I hit 3 bestbuys. Found nothing at North Darthmouth but score at wareham and Hyannis. Even found some guides from the last drop a few months ago. NO CE guides though.
 
Dartmouth always pulled them but I used to score in Hyannis all the time. Wareham was too new to have guides while I was still living there. Guess I won't really have to check them all when I go up in a few weeks. haha. :( awwwww.
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']Dartmouth always pulled them but I used to score in Hyannis all the time. Wareham was too new to have guides while I was still living there. Guess I won't really have to check them all when I go up in a few weeks. haha. :( awwwww.[/QUOTE]
There was some pokemon and animal crossing left in Hyannis.Can't remember what if any was left at Wareham.
 
I ended up hitting the store I usually hit and finished getting all the guides from this last drop (with the exception of Darksiders). I have an extra Saboteur and two extra DAOs.
 
[quote name='dominator']I ended up hitting the store I usually hit and finished getting all the guides from this last drop (with the exception of Darksiders). I have an extra Saboteur and two extra DAOs.[/QUOTE]

What do you want for DAO?
 
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