Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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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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Not sure if this is the same with shipping guides or if certain sized items just cost a lot less, but when I go to the post office, I can save about 50 when shipping a single game in a bubble mailer over Paypal.
 
Went to BB in Brentwood, CA yesterday and they brought some of the guides back out which were pulled last week. Was able to pick up:

Brutal Legend
Call Of Duty:Modern Warfare Reflex Edition(Wii)

Champions Online
Far Cry 2
Final Fantasy Dissidia
GTA: Chinatown Wars(PSP)
GTA IV: Episodes From Liberty City(360)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Prince Of Persia(softcover)
Prototype
Ratchet & Clank: Crack In Time
Saw
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
Tekken 6
Warhammer Online
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010

No price stickers, but they had them spread out on the bottom shelf below the regularly priced guides and all rang up at .01.
 
I went to GameCrazy yesterday and got them to print off a list of what guides they had and their prices. Here's a few to get ya started:

Lost Odyssey - $9.99
Mass Effect Collector's Edition (guide + art book) - $17.99
Metal Gear Solid 4 LE - $14.99


Considering their respective ebay prices, I was quite happy!
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']I went to GameCrazy yesterday and got them to print off a list of what guides they had and their prices. Here's a few to get ya started:

Lost Odyssey - $9.99
Mass Effect Collector's Edition (guide + art book) - $17.99
Metal Gear Solid 4 LE - $14.99


Considering their respective ebay prices, I was quite happy![/QUOTE]
Yeah, Lost Odyssey just dropped, but the other two have been that price for a couple months. I posted LO earlier, but it was probably deleted when the thread was cleaned up. Even better if you are spending store credit. Also watch for these at closing Hollywood Videos. The storewide discount applies to these guides too.
 
[quote name='nuahs77']Went to BB in Brentwood, CA yesterday and they brought some of the guides back out which were pulled last week. Was able to pick up:

Brutal Legend
Call Of Duty:Modern Warfare Reflex Edition(Wii)

Champions Online
Far Cry 2
Final Fantasy Dissidia
GTA: Chinatown Wars(PSP)
GTA IV: Episodes From Liberty City(360)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Prince Of Persia(softcover)
Prototype
Ratchet & Clank: Crack In Time
Saw
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
Tekken 6
Warhammer Online
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010

No price stickers, but they had them spread out on the bottom shelf below the regularly priced guides and all rang up at .01.[/QUOTE]

Wow, they bring back guides?!?! Maybe their trash bin was full.
 
[quote name='jjmai']Wow, they bring back guides?!?! Maybe their trash bin was full.[/QUOTE]

I actually went tonight to see if i'd get lucky with them putting back the pulls - but they hadn't. BUT for some reason there was a FF : War of the Lions that was seemingly put back there or just lost somewhere for a while.
I snatched that up - definitely worth the trip for that penny guide alone.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']I actually went tonight to see if i'd get lucky with them putting back the pulls - but they hadn't. BUT for some reason there was a FF : War of the Lions that was seemingly put back there or just lost somewhere for a while.
I snatched that up - definitely worth the trip for that penny guide alone.[/QUOTE]


Ive been looking for that guide forever. Congrats, Pooky
 
Funny thing: I was out yesterday at the Canton, OH BB preordering the FFXIII faceplates at the instore kiosk, and they had put back out a fossil fighter guide from the november drop. That's the 3rd time I have seen them put a guide back out from that drop.(Previously I had snatched up Wolfenstein and Metroid Prime guides)
 
I don't know how far behind my store was, but when I went in to Gamecrazy today, to see if they had a Lost Odyssey guide, the store cashier was telling me how he had to destroy loads of guides just a couple weeks prior (after I casually asked about a couple of older guides that were past 'expiration').

I don't know whether this means they just had a recent drop, or whether they were ... finally ... catching up on older guides, but it seems like we're past due for a GC drop!
 
Well went through an extra long song and dance today at BB, Asked for a price check on 3 guides: GTA IV, SW:TFU, and MUA 2. Pennied out on GTA and MUA, but SW:TFU rang up at $9.99. Decided since all the penny guides I get at this BB I'd go ahead and just pay for SW. Cashier, as usual, freaks about the guides for .01. After all these times I'd figure I'd have one cashier that would be cool about it. Girls goes to every team leader and manager in the store trying to figure it out. She comes up to me and says sir these are not in inventory. Just so happens a team leader she didnt talk to was up there talking to me asking me where the cashier was. He tells her, yeah theyre supposed to be pulled thats why they're a penny, so the price is right. All that walking and the dude was right there. I wish I had the cashier I had when I bought Fairytale fights, now she was cool: "OMG Sir, these are all free, good shopping!"
Long story short if youre in Montgomery AL and need some guides they usually always have something pennied out there. Im the only one who usually gets em.
Thank you guys for the updates I almost got MUA2 guide at Target for 4.98, since I found the game on sale there too, yall once again saved me over $4! Keep it up and thanks again!
 
Thanks IATCG! I scored my first penny guide today...Fable 2! The look on the cashier's face was priceless. If anyone wants to trade for Fable 2 strategy guide, send me a PM.
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']I went to GameCrazy yesterday and got them to print off a list of what guides they had and their prices. Here's a few to get ya started:

Lost Odyssey - $9.99
Mass Effect Collector's Edition (guide + art book) - $17.99
Metal Gear Solid 4 LE - $14.99


Considering their respective ebay prices, I was quite happy![/QUOTE]

Yeah, my closest store has MGS4 LE & RE LE hardback strategy guides. Oh yeah they also have the hardback version of the Super Mario Galaxy one. When I was there a week or 2 ago they were $14.99 each! My new job which starts tomorrow is in the same town, so if some money I'm expecting hits my bank account, I might go by & pick those up...the MGS4 & RE5 one anyways.
 
I went back to Davenport today to pick up what I left last week and I picked up 5 more guides:

WoW: Burning Crusade
Prototype
Mirror's Edge (hard cover)
Terminator: Salvation
F.E.A.R. 2

I hadn't realized there was so many guides that have dropped. I made my own list and took it into the store. The manager just laughed and even gave me WoW: Burning Crusade for free. I love that store. I've already picked up 17 strategy guides for a penny since I started it, which was in November last year.
 
I have been following this thread for a few months now, and have heard about it longer than that. Today was my first score with this! Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 x3! I felt stupid that I didn't have 3 cents... and had to break a dollar >.
 
[quote name='flameofdoom666']I have been following this thread for a few months now, and have heard about it longer than that. Today was my first score with this! Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 x3! I felt stupid that I didn't have 3 cents... and had to break a dollar >.
 
[quote name='TheWooz']I keep 3 dimes and a nickel in my pocket all the time in case I have a chance tohit a bb or gs.:D[/QUOTE]

Great idea! :whistle2:D
 
Okay, I've got a good story from this morning.

I almost never buy duplicates, nor do I buy guides for games I'm not interested in. So, I don't maintain a trade list. But there were a couple of guides I really wanted and just couldn't find, so I looked at some lists and compared that to what I could find locally.

I set up a trade, but I needed a Chinatown Wars. I found some yesterday and bought one, so I went back to buy a second. The one cashier, a cute, friendly girl, actually remembered me and my penny guide from yesterday. Uh-oh! Turns out she was really cool about it. As she scanned it, she got all excited and said, "Will this one woooooork?.....YES!! Hooray!" and she clapped her hands. LOL. She was genuinely happy about it.

So I get in the car and realize....it's the DS version. Apparently, the covers are identical. Damn. So I have to go back in and dig out a PSP copy. Head back up to the same cashier. I expect the hairy eyeball this time, so I immediately explain my mistake. She offers to do an exchange and digs the receipt out of the trash. LOL. I said it was okay, and I'd just buy another one. She rings me up, smiling the whole time, and closes the drawer before I can pay. I try to hand her the penny, and she winks and says, "This one's on me!"

:D
 
Found my first ever penny guides today - thanks to all!!! Picked up COD Reflex, Prototype and Fossil Fighters.

Can't believe Fossil Fighters was there with a stickered price of .01!.

2010-03-03_181252.jpg
 
[quote name='Zippon']Okay, I've got a good story from this morning.

I almost never buy duplicates, nor do I buy guides for games I'm not interested in. So, I don't maintain a trade list. But there were a couple of guides I really wanted and just couldn't find, so I looked at some lists and compared that to what I could find locally.

I set up a trade, but I needed a Chinatown Wars. I found some yesterday and bought one, so I went back to buy a second. The one cashier, a cute, friendly girl, actually remembered me and my penny guide from yesterday. Uh-oh! Turns out she was really cool about it. As she scanned it, she got all excited and said, "Will this one woooooork?.....YES!! Hooray!" and she clapped her hands. LOL. She was genuinely happy about it.

So I get in the car and realize....it's the DS version. Apparently, the covers are identical. Damn. So I have to go back in and dig out a PSP copy. Head back up to the same cashier. I expect the hairy eyeball this time, so I immediately explain my mistake. She offers to do an exchange and digs the receipt out of the trash. LOL. I said it was okay, and I'd just buy another one. She rings me up, smiling the whole time, and closes the drawer before I can pay. I try to hand her the penny, and she winks and says, "This one's on me!"

:D[/QUOTE]

LOL I almost never get a cashier like that anymore. I think the cashiers have been told to watch out for penny items and to not sell them. But with the turnover rate at BB and GS, it's kind of easy to just slide by sometimes. Although the one further off BB that I found the Endwar bundle for PS3 at is a pain in the ass, as the only 'register' open usually is up at the service desk.

Those girls up there remember from the first and only major score I had there to not sell them under any circumstances(unless I wanna pay MSRP each:roll:), so every time I go there I hope the normal registers are open with one of the other cashiers.

I've tried getting checked out in the tv/electronics department before, but the cashiers there look really funny at you coming over with a bunch of guides unless you're planning on buying a tv.:cry:
 
[quote name='Zippon']Okay, I've got a good story from this morning.

I almost never buy duplicates, nor do I buy guides for games I'm not interested in. So, I don't maintain a trade list. But there were a couple of guides I really wanted and just couldn't find, so I looked at some lists and compared that to what I could find locally.

I set up a trade, but I needed a Chinatown Wars. I found some yesterday and bought one, so I went back to buy a second. The one cashier, a cute, friendly girl, actually remembered me and my penny guide from yesterday. Uh-oh! Turns out she was really cool about it. As she scanned it, she got all excited and said, "Will this one woooooork?.....YES!! Hooray!" and she clapped her hands. LOL. She was genuinely happy about it.

So I get in the car and realize....it's the DS version. Apparently, the covers are identical. Damn. So I have to go back in and dig out a PSP copy. Head back up to the same cashier. I expect the hairy eyeball this time, so I immediately explain my mistake. She offers to do an exchange and digs the receipt out of the trash. LOL. I said it was okay, and I'd just buy another one. She rings me up, smiling the whole time, and closes the drawer before I can pay. I try to hand her the penny, and she winks and says, "This one's on me!"

:D[/QUOTE]

sounds like you coulda got as many guides as you want and maybe a date while your at it ;)
 
[quote name='biggreenmold']sounds like you coulda got as many guides as you want and maybe a date while your at it ;)[/QUOTE]Agreed. I'd pay full price for a guide just to get that kind of attention. You know, if I wasn't married.
 
[quote name='TheWooz']I keep 3 dimes and a nickel in my pocket all the time in case I have a chance tohit a bb or gs.:D[/QUOTE]

Yep. Whenever I might stop at a BB, I keep my pocket full of hope and change. :p
 
[quote name='momouchi']Sigh, my local Best Buy has been pulling early. There was no sign of any penny guides anywhere.[/QUOTE]

Where exactly in Eastern PA are you cuz depending on which part of the eastern side of the state you're in I may be the cause of you not finding guides.;)
 
[quote name='biggreenmold']sounds like you coulda got as many guides as you want and maybe a date while your at it ;)[/QUOTE]

I didn't want to say that, but yeah, she was kinda hinting. But I feel I'm a very average-looking guy, so I never assume that.

Plus, my wife'd kill me! LOL

I did mention the story to her...and now I'm banned from going back to that BB. :whistle2:\"
 
[quote name='Zippon']I didn't want to say that, but yeah, she was kinda hinting. But I feel I'm a very average-looking guy, so I never assume that.

Plus, my wife'd kill me! LOL

I did mention the story to her...and now I'm banned from going back to that BB. :whistle2:\"[/QUOTE]

LOL!!! That's why I don't share my penny guid-ing adventures with my gf... every time I forget to put change in my pocket and get a few penny guides with a cute female cashier, they always take care of me. I'd rather not have her be upset and try to stop me from getting guides. In fact, I keep my penny guide ways secret from her
 
[quote name='Gbear09']every time I forget to put change in my pocket and get a few penny guides with a cute female cashier, they always take care of me.[/QUOTE]

You guys are making me queasy. Next time the cashier dude at GameStop fishes a penny out of the plate to pay for my guide, I'll blurt out "I GOT IT!", throw some change on the counter, and leave without making eye contact.

[quote name='Zippon']I expect the hairy eyeball this time... She rings me up, smiling the whole time, and closes the drawer before I can pay. I try to hand her the penny, and she winks and says, "This one's on me!"[/QUOTE]

She sounds perfect. If only she had that hairy eyeball... maybe even your wife would be into her.
 
The young girls are always helpful and surprised you're getting such a good deal. The old ladies act like you personally changed the prices yourself and are trying to rip the store off.
 
[quote name='n00bie']The young girls are always helpful and surprised you're getting such a good deal. The old ladies act like you personally changed the prices yourself and are trying to rip the store off.[/QUOTE]


Haha so true. I even had one old lady call security on me and then they wanted to know how I knew the price would come up $0.01. I just walked out after telling her I didn't have to put up with her BS. Ridiculous...
 
[quote name='Armstrong x360a']Haha so true. I even had one old lady call security on me and then they wanted to know how I knew the price would come up $0.01. I just walked out after telling her I didn't have to put up with her BS. Ridiculous...[/QUOTE]

I always say my little cousin/ bro wanted it and he's not every good at video games. That disarms the old ladies, since they apparently love kids. The cute girls never give me trouble at all, half the time if I'm only buying one they pay for it and wish me a good day. Once I had a price check take a while with one cashier so security walked over and saw the price and just say hey, if it rings up taht much sell it. It's our bad for having it out there.
 
[quote name='Armstrong x360a']Haha so true. I even had one old lady call security on me and then they wanted to know how I knew the price would come up $0.01. I just walked out after telling her I didn't have to put up with her BS. Ridiculous...[/QUOTE]

It might help to know that scammers have been changing barcodes for years. One of the many pitfalls of the internet and advanced printers/photoshop. People fake the UPC barcode, print it on a sticker, and cover the old price. It can look almost seamless.

One guy did this with Lego sets and defrauded retailers out of like $100k. So cashiers have some reason to be suspicious.

You could always claim that if they were trained properly, they would know about penny guides and not be suspicious. But if that were the case, they would simply refuse to sell them, since that's what the $.01 price means ("pull and destroy"). :cool: So we are counting on some incompetence here, otherwise we'd never get these great deals from BB. LOL
 
I just picked up my first Penny Guide today at BB.
I picked up Pikmin(Wii Edition) to see if it works, and to the cashier surprise, it works.
Haha, the look on her face was priceless. At first she thought it was free, "This is...FREE?!"
 
I stopped at a Best Buy near my work today that I never hit and hit the old guide jackpot... Terminator: Salvation x2, Wolverine, MK vs DC x2 and KillZone 2. They had a couple more of the Terminators and the MK vs DC but I figured what am I going to do with more than 2??? (or 1 for that matter, but hey.) The best part was, every single guide was actually stickered at 1 cent. The cashier looked at the 1 cent tags a little funny, and then finally asked me after it rang up as $.06 "Do you have a Rewards Zone card you want to use for the huuuuuuuge purchase you're making?"

BTW - What part of Eastern PA are you from IATCG - I'm near-ish Philly.
 
[quote name='Zippon']
But if that were the case, they would simply refuse to sell them, since that's what the $.01 price means ("pull and destroy"). :cool: So we are counting on some incompetence here, otherwise we'd never get these great deals from BB. LOL[/QUOTE]

Yeah this is the response I got in my try to get some penny guides. Manager stated that the $.01 was a signal from corporate to remove the guides, not to sell them.
 
[quote name='gxer2002']are the guides listed with 0.01 on them?
new to the thread. =)[/QUOTE]

Went to GS today and noticed a few boxes of guides opened up with everything marked .01 on them. Talked to the guy, he wouldn't give any to me, but told me to check bookstores cause they do the same thing to books, tear the cover off and toss em. Then he looked at me and told me he was feeling lazy and that he was tossing out the books tonight. Definitely felt like dumpster diving but never did it before.
 
[quote name='shadou']Yeah this is the response I got in my try to get some penny guides. Manager stated that the $.01 was a signal from corporate to remove the guides, not to sell them.[/QUOTE]

Yup, he's telling the truth. I wonder if all CAGs know this? Some get really angry when they are denied the sale, acting as if this is a legitimate clearance price. It's not. The price is just a placeholder and isn't supposed to be honored. Ever.

Years back, I got the humongous Quantum Rex Megazord (a $90 remote control toy) from TRU for a penny. It had been recalled, so corporate put it down to a penny. Some clerks still sold it. :applause:
 
[quote name='Zippon']Yup, he's telling the truth. I wonder if all CAGs know this? Some get really angry when they are denied the sale, acting as if this is a legitimate clearance price. It's not. The price is just a placeholder and isn't supposed to be honored. Ever.[/QUOTE]

Then why put 1 cent stickers on the guides? On the shelves? Why not just remove the SKU from the POS?
 
[quote name='dabamus']Yep. Whenever I might stop at a BB, I keep my pocket full of hope and change. :p[/QUOTE]

:applause: Epic slogan...sig-worthy!
 
[quote name='austenwithane']I stopped at a Best Buy near my work today that I never hit and hit the old guide jackpot... Terminator: Salvation x2, Wolverine, MK vs DC x2 and KillZone 2. They had a couple more of the Terminators and the MK vs DC but I figured what am I going to do with more than 2??? (or 1 for that matter, but hey.) The best part was, every single guide was actually stickered at 1 cent. The cashier looked at the 1 cent tags a little funny, and then finally asked me after it rang up as $.06 "Do you have a Rewards Zone card you want to use for the huuuuuuuge purchase you're making?"

BTW - What part of Eastern PA are you from IATCG - I'm near-ish Philly.[/QUOTE]
I'm about 40 minutes from Binghamton in the northeast corner, up around Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. There's at least 2 closer BB stores for me to check every time a drop happens. One is usually decent for me to get guides from, while the other is 50/50 that I'll be denied. Although I used to hit Springfield's Best Buy for a while whenever my family was headed to Atlantic City to gamble. But with the slot casinos right near here now we haven't gone down that way lately.:cry:
[quote name='gxer2002']are the guides listed with 0.01 on them?
new to the thread. =)[/QUOTE]
READ THE FIRST POST!!! Lots of useful info there. But the short version of it is that the guides are rarely(around here anyway) marked with penny stickers.
[quote name='gantt']Then why put 1 cent stickers on the guides? On the shelves? Why not just remove the SKU from the POS?[/QUOTE]
That's what I asked of the GS employees around here REPEATEDLY and they have no clue as to why they have to mark them with penny stickers, even if their next destination is being chucked in the dumpster.:roll:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']That's what I asked of the GS employees around here REPEATEDLY and they have no clue as to why they have to mark them with penny stickers, even if their next destination is being chucked in the dumpster.:roll:[/QUOTE]

Well, it's retail, and who am I to question how retail works? Penny sticker away, I say. At least there's a chance for us to save them from the dumpster. It pains me to think they do that. It's like burying all those E.T. games in the desert. OK, it's much worse, because many guides are actually well written, attractively designed and slickly printed, while those E.T. games were crap, but still, what a waste of resources.
 
[quote name='gantt']Then why put 1 cent stickers on the guides? On the shelves? Why not just remove the SKU from the POS?[/QUOTE]
This question has come up before. The pulls are not always stickered with 1 cent prices before being destroyed. My guess is retail employees do price changes and labeling routinely and these .01 prices come up in the system and print with all the others and if s/he is not properly trained or concerned, the employee just prices the items along with all the rest.

EDIT: Another reason to actually sticker the guides might be to ensure all inventory matches what is actually on the system. I'm not in retail, so I'm just guessing, but it seems reasonable.
 
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[quote name='PapaSmerf']My guess is retail employees do price changes and labeling routinely and these .01 prices come up in the system and print with all the others and if s/he is not properly trained or concerned, the employee just prices the items along with all the rest.[/QUOTE]

I've seen the same employee pull guides and then later working right in front of other guides with very recent and very obvious 1 cent shelf labels. Either he was completely oblivious, or it's not that simple.
 
[quote name='gantt']Then why put 1 cent stickers on the guides? On the shelves? Why not just remove the SKU from the POS?[/QUOTE]

As others have said, that's just a cluster-fornication. And I believe it's pretty rare. Only a few CAGs have reported penny stickers or shelf tags.

As for why not just remove the SKU, I imagine it's because employees would simply fill in the cover price. Think about it. Every store I've ever shopped at (from groceries to music) has had items not in the system. In each case, the employee simply made up a dummy price. If a guide didn't have a SKU, they'd manually key in the cover price.
 
[quote name='Dahk']or $9999999999[/QUOTE]

that wouldn't be allowed would it? cause it'd be stickered 19.95 and ring up 99999999 and then Chris fucking Hansen would show up and do a story.
 
[quote name='Zippon']As for why not just remove the SKU, I imagine it's because employees would simply fill in the cover price. Think about it. Every store I've ever shopped at (from groceries to music) has had items not in the system. In each case, the employee simply made up a dummy price. If a guide didn't have a SKU, they'd manually key in the cover price.[/QUOTE]

I only recall the not-in-system case at Target (at least among major retailers), and whenever it happens the cashier escalates, which presumably would lead to a supervisor doing whatever the policy dictates.

In any case, what's the problem with keying in the cover price? Supposedly the guides are ordered pennied because the publisher has given up on them selling through at anywhere near the cover price. Seems to me they (and possibly Best Buy, depending on their profit vs. what they supposedly get from the publisher for scrapping a guide) would be happy if they can sell it at full retail rather than destroy it. If the customer walks away, somebody has to restock it, and at that point the fact that it's not the system can be the signal not to do that.

Anyway, I'm sure Best Buy can figure it out better than we can. Or not.
 
[quote name='Dahk']or $9999999999[/QUOTE]

Nah, that'll severely skew and improperly over-value the inventory in that store, when it comes to accounting. If BB is removing the guide, then .01 is a reasonable flag that the item should be removed while not altering the total value of all merchandise much (.01 is close to zero). But as we all know, it's still possible to get these guides from some clerks!
 
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