Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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 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.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Upvote 0 Downvote
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']You forgot step 4a) Steal underpants and step 6a) PROFIT!.;)[/QUOTE]

Damn it, I always forget the underpants step.
34.gif
That must be why I was turned down again today.
 
[quote name='skaterboi15']Don't bash on me, but how do I get them to honor the 1Cent guides at BestBuy. [/QUOTE]

You don't. It's a glitch. If someone with half a brain catches you, you are denied. Period.

About the only way you could "get them to honor" this particular mistake is if they are dopey enough to put a $.01 price sticker on the guides or on the shelf tag. Some states (not all) have laws that prevent them from charging you a different price than what's advertised.

Other than that, they can deny you the guide outright, charge you a penny, or adjust it up to full price. At their discretion.
 
[quote name='Zippon']You don't. It's a glitch. If someone with half a brain catches you, you are denied. Period.

About the only way you could "get them to honor" this particular mistake is if they are dopey enough to put a $.01 price sticker on the guides or on the shelf tag. Some states (not all) have laws that prevent them from charging you a different price than what's advertised.

Other than that, they can deny you the guide outright, charge you a penny, or adjust it up to full price. At their discretion.[/QUOTE]

Zippon its not a glitch.....

It's been clearanced out and will ring up at that price. They aren't supposed to sell it so if they deny you there isn't much you can do aside from be nice and try asking for 1 of them for your trouble.
 
I got over 50 guides myself and about 1/2 were CE guides, plus another 30+ guides at my parents house waiting for me and 1/2 of those were CE guides. I will be checking 2 more bestbuys on saturday but considering my haul i'm in no hurry.

So overall about 50 CE guides, and there were more left on the shelves of my store.

The issue with penny guides is either they stay on the shelf forevor or as soon as you buy a batch someone gets notified and the store pulls everything. So with good drops like these I grab a large chunk.
 
Hauled in 54 at my closest BB. 1/3 were CE. What I found so interesting was that this was the first time I ever went to a BB and ALL the guides I picked up were marked $.01 on the shelves! I couldn't believe it! It was almost like the employees were too lazy to pull them and instead chose to mark the shelves with the $.01 price.

Questions: Kind of new to trading - are guides ever traded for games from fellow CAGers? I only want to keep a handful of them and help out others where I can...
 
[quote name='jester55']Hauled in 54 at my closest BB. 1/3 were CE. What I found so interesting was that this was the first time I ever went to a BB and ALL the guides I picked up were marked $.01 on the shelves! I couldn't believe it! It was almost like the employees were too lazy to pull them and instead chose to mark the shelves with the $.01 price.

Questions: Kind of new to trading - are guides ever traded for games from fellow CAGers? I only want to keep a handful of them and help out others where I can...[/QUOTE]

Trading guides for games would require you to send quite a few of them, and probably only the LE or CE ones. Just about everyone on this board knows what has and has not been pennied. So, I'd imagine you would get offers for older games or some Clearanced stuff in exchange for your guides.
I don't think anybody would trade you a new released game for a few guides.
 
[quote name='Readthepost']Tell the cashier the SKU numbers 9738326 and 9645477 respectively and he can ring you up if he/she is nice.[/QUOTE]

Nice, thanks for that. I'll give it a shot!
 
[quote name='Brian9824']Zippon its not a glitch.....[/QUOTE]

I've had this debate with Zippon before. He's not listening. Let the wookie have his glitch.

[quote name='Brian9824']I got over 50 guides myself ... plus another 30+ guides at my parents house...

The issue with penny guides is either they stay on the shelf forevor or as soon as you buy a batch someone gets notified and the store pulls everything. So with good drops like these I grab a large chunk.[/QUOTE]

Enough with the lame justifications for hoarding. I've never seen anybody notified to pull when buying a few guides. The only thing that might make your statement valid is "buy a batch." When someone like you buys guides in ridiculous quantities, it's much more likely to draw attention from someone (usually NOT the cashier) who directs the staff to pull the guides - not necessarily because that's the process they're supposed to follow, but simply to prevent someone from abusing the situation.

I have plenty of examples, including the previous drop at BB, where I've bought a few guides I wanted, come back days later, and a few guides from that drop were still on the shelf. I don't doubt there is a store somewhere that would deny even a single guide purchase and then pull them, but a blanket statement is wrong.
 
I think it's funny how this drop brought out all the "OMGZ it's hoarding" Seems like the first time this year. I guess it's b/c of the initial quantity of individual guides dropped. I have no problem taking these, especially if I go back or see guides from previous drops, obviously no CAG has laid a 'claim' to that store, so it's open season. It's only a matter of time before they're gone by someone else, or the store throwing them away. I'm fighting the urge to hit more stores b/c out of 4 now, I've walked away with about 20 guides, always leaving some behind. The bane comes in when you go to ship to fellow CAGs and it's like $30 (just happened to me :lol:) to ship the packages. This has been one epic drop that has also been really exciting, at least for me.

Last night I was walking out of a store when somebody noticed, chuckled and asked how he could get in on that. I just asked if he had e-mail on his phone and forwarded him the list. He wrote me later thanking me and inquiring about CAG. Made me feel pretty good, just glad it wasn't in my neck of the woods or I would have told him to get lost :D
 
[quote name='gantt']
Enough with the lame justifications for hoarding. I've never seen anybody notified to pull when buying a few guides. The only thing that might make your statement valid is "buy a batch." When someone like you buys guides in ridiculous quantities, it's much more likely to draw attention from someone (usually NOT the cashier) who directs the staff to pull the guides - not necessarily because that's the process they're supposed to follow, but simply to prevent someone from abusing the situation.
[/QUOTE]

All the hoarders use this as their justification for hoarding. They never can understand or refuse to accept that lugging 20 guides to the cashier row raises eyebrows.

A = buying tons of guides
B = best buy staff pulls them right afterward.

Instead of A leading to B, they use B as an excuse to commit A. It's really ass backward but what can you do. I'm just glad there's no dumb hoarder near me to kill the golden guide goose.
 
I admit I've gone a bit overboard this time, but partly because I am still finding stuff from the last drop. If I go back to a store, say within a month, where I scored big and find that the penny guides are just gone completely, then I'll know I played a part in that. Lesson learned, and so forth. But thus far, none of the cashiers have cared at all, and mostly are like "wow, good deal!"
 
[quote name='radioactivez0r']I admit I've gone a bit overboard this time, but partly because I am still finding stuff from the last drop. If I go back to a store, say within a month, where I scored big and find that the penny guides are just gone completely, then I'll know I played a part in that. Lesson learned, and so forth. But thus far, none of the cashiers have cared at all, and mostly are like "wow, good deal!"[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I always leave a couple guides for others instead of grabbing all of them. I don't need 10 copies of a guide.

AS for the cashier, I've found the younger the better. But if they are a trainee - avoid at all costs.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Yeah, I always leave a couple guides for others instead of grabbing all of them. I don't need 10 copies of a guide.

AS for the cashier, I've found the younger the better. But if they are a trainee - avoid at all costs.[/QUOTE]

Trainees and trannies... Avoid them all.
 
I grabbed 6 guides today from a BB that I've never had success with before. All for games in my backlog. Thanks Lox. I may go back later and grab a few for CAG trading but who knows if they will still be there.
 
[quote name='confoosious']All the hoarders use this as their justification for hoarding. They never can understand or refuse to accept that lugging 20 guides to the cashier row raises eyebrows.

A = buying tons of guides
B = best buy staff pulls them right afterward.

Instead of A leading to B, they use B as an excuse to commit A. It's really ass backward but what can you do. I'm just glad there's no dumb hoarder near me to kill the golden guide goose.[/QUOTE]

As a long time Cagger I dont agree. Hoarding is too commonplace these days with Ebay and Amazon.

I remember 3-4 years ago, nobody really talked about el hoardo or ebay. But now it seems like everybody and their mother does it.

But just like any other smart person in here, I grabbed 60 guides from one of my BB. Making sure I grabbed every one from the penny list. Hoarding? Perhaps. But reason B is PLENTY reason enough to do Reason A. I really dont care if you agree with me or the rest of us, but if they are about pull guides and throw them out, you would be dumb to leave them. I dont care how it looks.

And me and probably other Caggers are usually willing to simply trade guides to those who want them. Its better you grab them all and trade with people who want them than let BB pull and trash them. Im not going to leave 3 LE guides in hopes that some other CAG will find them. Cause the truth is, BB is likely going to trash that guide. I understand in bigger cities where 10-15 caggers exist this can be frustrating, but when I know if I dont grab that guide, there is 0.1% chance someone else will, then its just plain dumb not to grab it.
 
i'm not gonna change your mind. You can justify it however you want. But have you ever considered that perhaps the sheer number of guides you're buying leads to them pulling when they were probably just gonna let them sit there? (maybe for other CAGs to pick up?)

Also, you've got 8 trades. (I think I was one of them) How many guides are you really reserving for other CAGs here?

You're not in my area so your hoarding doesn't affect my chances. But maybe someone else near you could use a guide or two.
 
[quote name='Brian9824']Zippon its not a glitch.....

It's been clearanced out and will ring up at that price. They aren't supposed to sell it [/QUOTE]

:roll::applause:

"It's not a glitch"
"They're not supposed to sell it"

You guys who argue semantics while missing the point are what make people ask "how can I get them to honor this?". The point is "YOU CAN'T". Because the sale isn't supposed to happen. Which is why I call it a glitch. The glitch is the sale, not the $.01 price. That price is a marker to pull the guide. We get into trouble when uninformed CAGs think that's an actual clearance price and cause a commotion in their store, demanding it be sold. We don't need ticked-off managers complaining to corporate about this system. Because if they someday upgrade their computers and change that "$.01" to "Do Not Sell", penny guides are gone. For good.

Clear enough for ya, Brian and gantt?
 
I went to one BB (lakewood I think) where I only picked up 3 different guides.
The cashier called the Manager over and when the Manager found out about them still being on the shelf, he yelled at some guy saying they were supposed to be pulled & shipped back .
He then ordered someone to go pull the rest of the guides.

Out of the many BB stores I visit, none of them have denied me them yet :)
Gamestop on the other hand...thats all they do :(
 
[quote name='Zippon']:roll::applause:

"It's not a glitch"
"They're not supposed to sell it"

You guys who argue semantics while missing the point are what make people ask "how can I get them to honor this?". The point is "YOU CAN'T". Because the sale isn't supposed to happen. Which is why I call it a glitch. The glitch is the sale, not the $.01 price. That price is a marker to pull the guide. We get into trouble when uninformed CAGs think that's an actual clearance price and cause a commotion in their store, demanding it be sold. We don't need ticked-off managers complaining to corporate about this system. Because if they someday upgrade their computers and change that "$.01" to "Do Not Sell", penny guides are gone. For good.

Clear enough for ya, Brian and gantt?[/QUOTE]
You're STILL on this rant?:roll: The price drops to a penny, people sometimes get to buy them and sometimes not. People call it a glitch(usually it's the managers in the stores calling it this, as I call it 'clearance';)) and if that's wrong SO fuckIN' WHAT. Give it up already.

Either way the whole system has not been shut down as of yet and that is what I am most happy about.
 
[quote name='Zippon']The glitch is the sale, not the $.01 price. That price is a marker to pull the guide. We get into trouble when uninformed CAGs think that's an actual clearance price and cause a commotion in their store, demanding it be sold. We don't need ticked-off managers complaining to corporate about this system. Because if they someday upgrade their computers and change that "$.01" to "Do Not Sell", penny guides are gone. For good.[/QUOTE]

OMG, he's come to his senses. I find myself agreeing with Zippon's post. Somewhere down below, Beelzebub is putting on a parka. I need a moment...
 
Glitch smitch. It's just semantics. But if you do insist a manager sell you something at a penny because you've done it before, I think we can all agree you are a fool.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']You're STILL on this rant?:roll: The price drops to a penny, people sometimes get to buy them and sometimes not. People call it a glitch(usually it's the managers in the stores calling it this, as I call it 'clearance';)) and if that's wrong SO fuckIN' WHAT. Give it up already.[/QUOTE]

I'm "on this rant" because of this post:

[quote name='skaterboi15']Don't bash on me, but how do I get them to honor the 1Cent guides at BestBuy. [/QUOTE]

Since everybody else posted "humorous" responses, I tried to educate skaterboi since he didn't seem to understand how this works.

But thanks for the jerktacular response, IATCG. Carry on. :wave:
 
Hit a store yesterday that had pulled all guides first thing on Monday and lo and behold a few guides from the drop earlier in the month had found their way out to the floor. Guess that was my cookie for being persistent. Tried to talk the media guy into looking in the back for any of the other guides that were pulled. He came back and said they had all been sent back. Who knows for sure though, figured it was worth a shot after some others had posted about befriending managers/media people.

Tried another store at lunch today and all guides pulled, but as always I went to the pawn shop and Half Priced Books across the road from the store. Of course there were a bunch of LE/CE guides there all unwrapped and marked up to $13+. A bunch of other guides from this month's drops were there as well. There were a few odd ones though like a FFXIII CE that I do not believe has dropped anywhere. This copy was mint so I'm guessing someone lifted it from the BB and brought it right there. :hot:
 
[quote name='Zippon']
Since everybody else posted "humorous" responses, I tried to educate skaterboi since he didn't seem to understand how this works.

But thanks for the jerktacular response, IATCG. Carry on. :wave:[/QUOTE]
If for nothing I like to be consistent and keep my responses somewhere between jerk and asshole. How'd I do?;):booty:
[quote name='GLOCKGLOCK']Hit a store yesterday that had pulled all guides first thing on Monday and lo and behold a few guides from the drop earlier in the month had found their way out to the floor. Guess that was my cookie for being persistent. Tried to talk the media guy into looking in the back for any of the other guides that were pulled. He came back and said they had all been sent back. Who knows for sure though, figured it was worth a shot after some others had posted about befriending managers/media people.

Tried another store at lunch today and all guides pulled, but as always I went to the pawn shop and Half Priced Books across the road from the store. Of course there were a bunch of LE/CE guides there all unwrapped and marked up to $13+. A bunch of other guides from this month's drops were there as well. There were a few odd ones though like a FFXIII CE that I do not believe has dropped anywhere. This copy was mint so I'm guessing someone lifted it from the BB and brought it right there. :hot:[/QUOTE]
Speaking of befriending BB/GS employees and such I learned yesterday from the guy who knows me to see me from the coupon glitches and penny guide drops that my friend Kristi from the closest BB went 'away to school' and left BB already.:cry:

So much for having someone on the inside to hold stuff to the side for me for when it drops.:cry:
 
I picked up like 25 guides in two delegate trips to best buy on monday. In doing so i also left behind several guides to be nice. Well it turns out that was probably a mistake because another CAG went in there to buy some guides and by reading his post he got the manager and customer service involved. This is a store that up until this week always pulled the guides so now im pretty sure the other CAG ruined it for future drops. So this is a case where i should have bought them all to aviod it getting noticed. People should just learn if it works take it but if it doesn't then just leave it alone.
 
[quote name='noone13']I picked up like 25 guides in two delegate trips to best buy on monday. In doing so i also left behind several guides to be nice. Well it turns out that was probably a mistake because another CAG went in there to buy some guides and by reading his post he got the manager and customer service involved. This is a store that up until this week always pulled the guides so now im pretty sure the other CAG ruined it for future drops. So this is a case where i should have bought them all to aviod it getting noticed. People should just learn if it works take it but if it doesn't then just leave it alone.[/QUOTE]
That's why if I leave some I only let those local CAG's I know will just try for them and not get huffy if they don't get them know if I leave any from a drop.

Mind you, I used to get a bit annoyed when a manager would come over and deny them(still do when they tell me it's a 'glitch' when I possibly know more about them than they do;)), but it's not worth causing a scene when there's so many stores in the chain and usually more than one in an area.:D
 
Manage to get some guides today from Best Buy, first time too. Cannot say I raise any red flags or not, but I bought something along with the guides, so hopefully the just shrug it.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Noone- priceless. Who was the guy?[/QUOTE]

I probably shouldn't say but its the same guy that I am 99% sure is ruining my K-Mart for me too. He is, again only 99% sure, buying games and returning them to keep the coupons at K-Mart. Classy dude I can tell.
 
[quote name='kiribee']I went to one BB (lakewood I think) where I only picked up 3 different guides.
The cashier called the Manager over and when the Manager found out about them still being on the shelf, he yelled at some guy saying they were supposed to be pulled & shipped back .
He then ordered someone to go pull the rest of the guides[/QUOTE]

Which state? I always try to avoid problem stores or ones that NEVER have the guides. I have, luckily, never been denied a penny guide at BB, yet.

[quote name='noone13']I probably shouldn't say but its the same guy that I am 99% sure is ruining my K-Mart for me too. He is, again only 99% sure, buying games and returning them to keep the coupons at K-Mart. Classy dude I can tell.[/QUOTE]

That absolutely stinks! I think I read on the KMart thread that you're the one they treated like crud and 'threw out of the store'? I would have been peeved if that was me!
 
Just an update for the NorCal Sacramento CAGs:

I got to Birdcage BB at opening (back on Monday morning), and the Folsom and Roseville BB's within an hour of opening, and they only had a handful of guides out -
it looked like they had dutifully pulled most of them but just done an incomplete job about it (especially the tiny digest-sized guides).

Only managed to pick up:

NCAA Football 11 x 3
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker x 3
Iron Man 2
Bakugan
Uncharted 2
God of War Collection x 2
God of War III
Batman : Arkham Asylum
CoD 4 : MW 2
UFC Undisputed 2010 x 2
Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks CE x 2

Better than nothing, but not the haul I coulda got if the employees hadn't pre-pulled most of the guides.
 
Hello Everyone, I'm a long time reader of this thread(Six Months), but first time poster. I just have to say, it is as though my local best buy's are gold mines for Penny Guides. There is still guides from the drops 3 months ago. I do my best not to hoarde but its kinda hard when i go back weeks later and the same guides are still there. At the drop on mon there was like 20 Zelda guides, 15 ME2LE guides and Prob 10 AC2LE guides. Anyways just wanted to say thanks to all the people who contrib to this thread and keep it going and supply the inside info. Without you all I wouldnt have anyting to read in the bathroom. Thanks

Sinc
One of the few 907 CAG's
 
For those of you "hoarding" to help out fellow CAGs by buying every peny guide "so they dont throw them out"...If you buy all the penny guides in a location, who will you have to trade with? If everyone who got to a BB or GS first bought all the guides, you would have a big stack of kindling and nothing more. Unless your willing to sell the guides for cost (1 cent + shipping). Now thats helping out fellow CAGs.

Yes, I am jealous that there are no guide drops in Tampa anymore it seems...
 
[quote name='wrencrest']For those of you "hoarding" to help out fellow CAGs by buying every peny guide "so they dont throw them out"...If you buy all the penny guides in a location, who will you have to trade with? If everyone who got to a BB or GS first bought all the guides, you would have a big stack of kindling and nothing more. Unless your willing to sell the guides for cost (1 cent + shipping). Now thats helping out fellow CAGs.

Yes, I am jealous that there are no guide drops in Tampa anymore it seems...[/QUOTE]

Don't forget paypal fees (7%), bubble mailer envelope ($1.00 - $1.50) & tracking number ($.80 cent) on top of that. Also, I'm not even counting the trip to the Post Office, Gas Money, etc.

Some foo here wanted me to ship him a Alan Wake bundle (weighs about 3 lbs) for $4 paypal. I told him $7, and told me I'm trying to rip him off.

It costs me .01 (AW bundle guide) + $1.20 (large bubble mailers at target) + .41 (paypal fees) + 4.10 (USPS media mail w/ tracking number).
 
Mentor actually put the guides they pulled last time back out, and then of course refused to sell me more than a single guide. :(

Although I did find two Scribblenauts at a GS today.
 
[quote name='postaboy']Don't forget paypal fees (7%), bubble mailer envelope ($1.00 - $1.50) & tracking number ($.80 cent) on top of that. Also, I'm not even counting the trip to the Post Office, Gas Money, etc.

Some foo here wanted me to ship him a Alan Wake bundle (weighs about 3 lbs) for $4 paypal. I told him $7, and told me I'm trying to rip him off.

It costs me .01 (AW bundle guide) + $1.20 (large bubble mailers at target) + .41 (paypal fees) + 4.10 (USPS media mail w/ tracking number).[/QUOTE]

I've sent plenty of guides for around $4 apiece, but that involves having my own envelope and no delivery confirmation. I think a lot of people here underestimate how fast that stuff adds up, $7 shipped for a penny guide is not unreasonable. If I were trading one for one, I would spend at least $5 and that would include one of the envelopes I have around here. Once those run out, my shipping costs will increase.

Honestly it's kind of insulting because providing you have any sort of job, you're not really 'making out' by getting $7 for that penny guide. Even if it were pure profit. When you consider at most it's $1 pure profit (not including your time and gas like you said) it's more like you're doing him a favor.

Sorry to get OT, going to hit a couple of BBs tonight in hopes of finding some straggling guides.
 
[quote name='postaboy']Don't forget paypal fees (7%), bubble mailer envelope ($1.00 - $1.50) & tracking number ($.80 cent) on top of that. Also, I'm not even counting the trip to the Post Office, Gas Money, etc.

Some foo here wanted me to ship him a Alan Wake bundle (weighs about 3 lbs) for $4 paypal. I told him $7, and told me I'm trying to rip him off.

It costs me .01 (AW bundle guide) + $1.20 (large bubble mailers at target) + .41 (paypal fees) + 4.10 (USPS media mail w/ tracking number).[/QUOTE]

I'm with you but a few hints to save you in the future.
IF you have a personal PPal account and someone sends you funds from a Funded account (no credit card) the transaction is free up to (I think) $500 per month.

Large mailers go on sale at Walgreens 3/$1 every month or two (here it was last week). I usually buy $3 worth just in case...multiple guides can just ship in a recycled box. I always watch for boxes when shopping.

IF you have a Paypal account use the link in the stickied thread "Hot" Shipping in the Other Deals area. You can print postage at home (DC is only 19 cents) and no trip to the Post Office. Some have reported your mail carrier is not allowed to pick up Media Mail packages, but I have never had an issue for at least a couple years since finding that super great thread...
 
[quote name='donut']
Large mailers go on sale at Walgreens 3/$1 every month or two (here it was last week). [/QUOTE]

Or if you send guides or something similar on a regular basis - it's even cheaper just to buy boxes 25 or 50 at a time. I get mine from uline.com and it winds up being like 40 cents a box - and no worries about damaged guides.
 
[quote name='wrencrest']For those of you "hoarding" to help out fellow CAGs by buying every peny guide "so they dont throw them out"...If you buy all the penny guides in a location, who will you have to trade with? If everyone who got to a BB or GS first bought all the guides, you would have a big stack of kindling and nothing more. Unless your willing to sell the guides for cost (1 cent + shipping). Now thats helping out fellow CAGs.

Yes, I am jealous that there are no guide drops in Tampa anymore it seems...[/QUOTE]

I think thats thinking too much into it.

For example if I grab every guide, that includes Madden 10 guide or NCAA Football guide. Sure I may never be able to trade one of those but its a penny. I actually grabbed a Madden 07 guide at FYE for penny last year. A guide that may very well only be kindling lol but its a damn penny :)

As other Cags point out, there are costs in shipping guides. But personally I like to extend an invitation to local cags on craigslist. Usually meet up with 1-2 cags each drops and give out some guides i have extras of.

Again though I live in a smaller city. If you live in NYC or LA, I assume you are fighting 20 caggers, 20 slickdealers, 20 fatwalleters, and like 30 others.
 
Actually you guys are now reading too far into my post. I was just exaggerating. Again, out of jealousy. And I would figure shipping costs to include the packaging and some other misc. things. $7 for a guide that cost $20 MSRP is still a good deal in my opinion and definately within your actual cost I would think. I was referring more to those that want you to pay close to MSRP and act like your being done a favor to save $2.
 
[quote name='donut']I'm with you but a few hints to save you in the future.
IF you have a personal PPal account and someone sends you funds from a Funded account (no credit card) the transaction is free up to (I think) $500 per month.

Large mailers go on sale at Walgreens 3/$1 every month or two (here it was last week). I usually buy $3 worth just in case...multiple guides can just ship in a recycled box. I always watch for boxes when shopping.

IF you have a Paypal account use the link in the stickied thread "Hot" Shipping in the Other Deals area. You can print postage at home (DC is only 19 cents) and no trip to the Post Office. Some have reported your mail carrier is not allowed to pick up Media Mail packages, but I have never had an issue for at least a couple years since finding that super great thread...[/QUOTE]
Find me a $5 printer and $.50-1 ink cartridges and I'll start printing my postage from home through Paypal. Moreover make Paypal free to use and not have me having to tell people to either 'gift' me the money or add X amount for fees and I'll gladly use that than going to the post office to cash a USPS money order or use cash people mail me.

Otherwise I prefer the social aspect of going to the post office to do all my mailing, even if it means I'm paying $.80 for Delivery Confirmation as opposed to $.16. Speaking of which, that reminds me I have to PM someone about a payment they were supposed to send me for a deal they wanted to do that they refused the DC on due to the added 60 some cents.:roll:

[quote name='Pookymeister']Or if you send guides or something similar on a regular basis - it's even cheaper just to buy boxes 25 or 50 at a time. I get mine from uline.com and it winds up being like 40 cents a box - and no worries about damaged guides.[/QUOTE]
That's all fine and well if you have a constant stream of deals going on at once, but for me I make maybe 10 deals a year unless I get a rare spurt where a ton of people want stuff I have.

In that case I hope that some of them sending me the payments snail mail send me them inside a case inside a bubble mailer so I can re-use that one with another deal. Otherwise I just run out to the dollar store for a two pack when I need to mail something out. I hate having a ton of mailers lying around if I'm not using them. That's wasted money sitting there to me, regardless of how much per mailer it comes out to.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']Or if you send guides or something similar on a regular basis - it's even cheaper just to buy boxes 25 or 50 at a time. I get mine from uline.com and it winds up being like 40 cents a box - and no worries about damaged guides.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info.
If I use a bubble mailer, I put sturdy cardboard on both sides of the guide...

Cheapass...
and (lol) while I am not aware of a $5 printer (I have actually given one away on craigs...), I'm luvin my somewhat new brother $49 HL-2140 laser... just bought my first replacement cartridge off Amazon for $20 shipped fast and should get over 2000 pages!

I'm a cautious Ppal user and have both a personal and premier account. Sold some old golf clubs on the bay and actually paid for Southwest tickets with Paypal...so for me, paying for shipping and now airline tickets works

Just tried to offer some ideas to encourage trading etc. and not only save $ but time.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']Or if you send guides or something similar on a regular basis - it's even cheaper just to buy boxes 25 or 50 at a time. I get mine from uline.com and it winds up being like 40 cents a box - and no worries about damaged guides.[/QUOTE]

Looking at uline now. What size do you buy?
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']

That's all fine and well if you have a constant stream of deals going on at once[/QUOTE]

Which is what I said, but i suppose every post is game for a personal anecdote from IATCG. :D


[quote name='dabamus']Looking at uline now. What size do you buy?[/QUOTE]

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...-Test/11-1-4-x-8-3-4-x-2-3-4-Corrugated-Boxes

Good enough for a couple guides. You can increase the height as you see fit.
My last order was 50 of those, and 50 9x6x4 boxes for $45 shipped.
The 9x6x4 are good for trades with multiple games/dvds.
 
[quote name='donut']Thanks for the info.
If I use a bubble mailer, I put sturdy cardboard on both sides of the guide...

Cheapass...
and (lol) while I am not aware of a $5 printer (I have actually given one away on craigs...), I'm luvin my somewhat new brother $49 HL-2140 laser... just bought my first replacement cartridge off Amazon for $20 shipped fast and should get over 2000 pages!

I'm a cautious Ppal user and have both a personal and premier account. Sold some old golf clubs on the bay and actually paid for Southwest tickets with Paypal...

Just tried to offer some ideas to encourage trading etc. and not only save $ but time.[/QUOTE]
Only things I'd need to print would be postage for deals and the very occasional Best Buy RZ certificate, but I can use their kiosk in store to print those up. There hasn't been a single thing I've needed to print in over a year, so again....wasted money sitting there collecting dust.

Now if I sold stuff on Fleabay and Amazon and shit and needed it and could possibly write off the ink costs as a biz expense at year's end, then maybe I'd grab one. But above $5 would be a waste for me.:razz:

As for Paypal I only signed up for it when DealTree was offering cash for mailed trades and I ended up asking for it too late as they issued me checks(yes multiple checks for each individual game:bomb:)already.
[quote name='Pookymeister']Which is what I said, but i suppose every post is game for a personal anecdote from IATCG. :D[/QUOTE]
Every chance I get.;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
bread's done
Back
Top