Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XII(Stock locator trick FAQ added to OP)

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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!

To expand on this, if you come off as DEMANDING, then you'll likely be barred from the store and possibly banned from ALL of their stores entirely. Moreover, you may be charged with trespassing if you continue to press this, as retail stores are PRIVATE PROPERTY.

The penny price is NOT an actual price that the stores HAVE to sell the merchandise for, it is a 'marker' in their system to the employees to pull/destroy those items. The fact that we as CAG's get ANY of these means that employees are not doing their jobs correctly and we are very lucky to even get them in the first place.

So don't press your luck and ruin it for everyone by being an asshole to a manager/cashier who just wants to keep their job by doing what they're supposed to.

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 or 3) There are multiple versions of the guide and the one you grabbed is a newer version that has NOT pennied as of yet. Some examples of this are: The Godfather and Oblivion.

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).

Best Buy Stock Locator FAQ to find stock for deleted SKU's(works for games and guides):

Here's a good little trick that some of you may already know. If you want to find out if your local Best Buy has stock of an item, but the page(and SKU) for it has been deleted you can STILL find/create a stock locator page for it.

Here's how to do it:

Google the item you're looking for the SKU for. Once you find it, take that SKU and copy/paste it into the URL for another item's stock locator page on BestBuy.com after where it says skuID=(example: blahblahblahblahskuID=2085453), then hit enter to reload the page with the new SKU in place of the old one and search away.:D

Unfortunately no such method exists for Gamestop at this time.

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.

PLEASE USE THE THREAD TOOLS DROP DOWN MENU TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW THREAD, RATHER THAN WASTING A POST TO POST 'TAGGED'. THANKS!!
 
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[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I am IAmTheCheapestGamer and I approve this message.:lol: But ya know, that wouldn't be a bad idea.;)[/QUOTE]

I smell corruption
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']It's not that I actually want to give it up, but perhaps I am too reactionary for my own good. I should just let the posts by those trying to figure this out by asking questions stand and if someone else in the thread wants to actually answer every question they have(that could likely be answered by the OP and checking out the second/third posts) then so be it. But it kind of makes the first through third posts sort of useless if folks keep coming in asking why X guide didn't ring up at a penny, when they could've seen it didn't drop by looking at the second or third post.[/QUOTE]

That's not exclusive to this thread, it happens in pretty much any thread that has a list in it's OP. Back when I did the Circuit City price drops and clearance lists some people would frequently ask questions whose answers were in the OP. I quickly learned not to be irritated by them otherwise they were going to drive me nuts. It's always happened, it's always going to happen. You just have to accept that and let it go.
 
Well, neocisco, if IATTCG promises to stop yelling at people, can the regulars here promise to stop answering questions that are answered in the OP?

Rewarding lazy dumbasses by answering them isn't helping matters.

Let them ask till they're blue in the face. Clearly the current approach of yelling at them and answering them isn't working.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Well, neocisco, if IATTCG promises to stop yelling at people, can the regulars here promise to stop answering questions that are answered in the OP?

Rewarding lazy dumbasses by answering them isn't helping matters.

Let them ask till they're blue in the face. Clearly the current approach of yelling at them and answering them isn't working.[/QUOTE]


Similarly, I had mentioned to IATCG that I felt as though I had a damn obligation to read the op/first few posts and most recent pages of a thread before asking a question because people are being generous enough to let me know that I may be able to get something of value to me for a penny at GS or best buy. I can certainly understand how people would be incredibly annoyed if I couldn't be bothered to read a few pages.

How can you be interested in getting numerous 200+ page guides (presumably to read) but you can't read a few paragraphs in order to get them? That's pretty ironic.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Well, neocisco, if IATTCG promises to stop yelling at people, can the regulars here promise to stop answering questions that are answered in the OP?

Rewarding lazy dumbasses by answering them isn't helping matters.

Let them ask till they're blue in the face. Clearly the current approach of yelling at them and answering them isn't working.[/QUOTE]

I didn't say anything about answering them. IMO, they should be summarily ignored.
 
[quote name='confoosious']
Rewarding lazy dumbasses by answering them isn't helping matters.

Let them ask till they're blue in the face. Clearly the current approach of yelling at them and answering them isn't working.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you there. I'll have to ignore those type of messages from now on.

Back on topic; I had not used the BB stock locator until today and it was a success. I was able to find 3 x ME 2 CE way behind some guides at a store about 20-30 mins. from me. Thank you very much for that :applause:
 
i think you should just delete the op then all those post wont be wasted saying check the op and everyone can just answer questions and help bump there number of post !
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']Most stores didn't know the difference and probably pulled all Mass Effect 2 guides without looking at the SKU's. The DLC one didn't drop.[/QUOTE]
still when he went to pay it would stuill show up as the regular price, not a penny, no
?
 
[quote name='Havok83']still when he went to pay it would stuill show up as the regular price, not a penny, no
?[/QUOTE]

Some people got guides already pulled and were in the back to be tossed already, got the guide from an employee, and the employee's just didn't check to see if the guides were different.
 
are there multiple versions of alan wake? i took the survival guide hardcover version and was told it came to 38.XX
 
[quote name='htown01']I agree with you there. I'll have to ignore those type of messages from now on.

Back on topic; I had not used the BB stock locator until today and it was a success. I was able to find 3 x ME 2 CE way behind some guides at a store about 20-30 mins. from me. Thank you very much for that :applause:[/QUOTE]

Can you post a SKU/Link for those? I want it
 
[quote name='51jack']are there multiple versions of alan wake? i took the survival guide hardcover version and was told it came to 38.XX[/QUOTE]

You must have grabbed the collectors edition bundle. The collectors edition bundle is in a box and has the guide and an art book in it, the guide that pennied is the softcover one.

[quote name='BmBoWnZ']Can you post a SKU/Link for those? I want it[/QUOTE]

Check Post 5, it has the SKU's for bestbuy for a couple guides and tells how to use them.
 
hey any know if the Dragon Age Origins paperback guide is worth alot?
12.94 TIV @ amazon and its being priced at 50 dollars in the market.

Is it out of print or something, just got 2 sealed and 1 opened today.
 
[quote name='nixmahn']hey any know if the Dragon Age Origins paperback guide is worth alot?
12.94 TIV @ amazon and its being priced at 50 dollars in the market.

Is it out of print or something, just got 2 sealed and 1 opened today.[/QUOTE]

it's only worth as much as someone is willing to pay, to get a real estimate if it's really worth that check ebay completed listings and see what people are paying for it. I personally would like to get one, but have a feeling I may be able to find one when it pennies out at bestbuy so I can wait.
 
Does anyone look for pennied items in the Tennessee area because I just got flak from a GameStop in Oak Ridge about people always coming in asking for them when they are unable to give them out due to be under surveillance and it was my first time in that store. Jeez, those employees need to calm down.
 
[quote name='BmBoWnZ']Can you post a SKU/Link for those? I want it[/QUOTE]

[quote name='dabamus']sku is 9738326 I believe.[/QUOTE]

What dabamus said :D
 
[quote name='exileinoblivion']where are you guys finding your sku's at? I'm having trouble getting any good results by google searching for them.[/QUOTE]

I saved a bunch of them in a text file when the drop happened, when they drop off the site you can usually go through google cache searching for the guides and get the information, but after a couple weeks that doesn't work anymore.
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']Also, can anyone confirm Assassins Creed II dropping? I could have grabbed that from one location over the weekend, probably too late now if true.[/QUOTE]

I can verify I found one that was a penny as well, yesterday.

which is funny because i know that they were 2.99 for the holidays and when i checked it a couple weeks back it was at full price.
 
[quote name='Achilles00']So Gamestop just has these 1 cent guides sitting on their shelves? Crazy.[/QUOTE]

Yes and no. They aren't clearance priced at a penny. They use the $.01 as a marker so employees know to pull and destroy those quides (toy stores like Kay Bee and ToysRUs used to do the same thing for certain recalled toys). Luckily for us, not all area managers enforce the "destroy" part of the rule, though their numbers seem to be shrinking.

The bottom line is that they have the option to deny selling them for a penny since it's not the "real" price. Which is why you should be smoooooth. :cool:
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']I saved a bunch of them in a text file when the drop happened, when they drop off the site you can usually go through google cache searching for the guides and get the information, but after a couple weeks that doesn't work anymore.[/QUOTE]



That explains why it was so hard for me to find the sku for forza 3 ultimate edition (not a guide) recently. Googling the sku was unsuccesful and I couldn't find a cached bestbuy.com page for it either.

Thanks for the useful information, I think I'll start compiling a spreadsheet with sku's for some guides that are yet to drop.
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']You must have grabbed the collectors edition bundle. The collectors edition bundle is in a box and has the guide and an art book in it, the guide that pennied is the softcover one.


[/QUOTE]

Of course - TO ORIGINAL POSTER - the Bundle did penny out at BB last year. I managed to find one copy buried behind a rack.

NOTE: I AM NOT IN ANY WAY SUGGESTING THAT SOMETHING PENNIED AT BEST BUY IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
 
As best I can tell there are currently 84 guides (including some yet to be released guides) on best buy's website. I compiled a word doc via copying and pasting. When, if ever, there is another drop I will give IATCG the skus for the guides if necessary so that everyone can use the store locator function.

And as radioactivez0r said:

NOTE: I AM NOT IN ANY WAY SUGGESTING THAT SOMETHING PENNIED AT BEST BUY IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
 
[quote name='Zippon']Yes and no. They aren't clearance priced at a penny. They use the $.01 as a marker so employees know to pull and destroy those quides (toy stores like Kay Bee and ToysRUs used to do the same thing for certain recalled toys). Luckily for us, not all area managers enforce the "destroy" part of the rule, though their numbers seem to be shrinking.

The bottom line is that they have the option to deny selling them for a penny since it's not the "real" price. Which is why you should be smoooooth. :cool:[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. I was smooth enough, and the cashier was friendly enough, but nothing rang up at a discounted price. I tried the Mario Galaxy and Spirit Tracks guides. Oh, well.
 
[quote name='bgame2']As best I can tell there are currently 84 guides (including some yet to be released guides) on best buy's website. I compiled a word doc via copying and pasting. When, if ever, there is another drop I will give IATCG the skus for the guides if necessary so that everyone can use the store locator function.

And as radioactivez0r said:

NOTE: I AM NOT IN ANY WAY SUGGESTING THAT SOMETHING PENNIED AT BEST BUY IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.[/QUOTE]

you could just save the page as an html file on the strategy guide page. It's a lot easier.

Sidenote: just got my work hours next week and I'll be working from 10AM-3PM on monday. Hope there isn't a pull if theres a drop.
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']you could just save the page as an html file on the strategy guide page. It's a lot easier.

Sidenote: just got my work hours next week and I'll be working from 10AM-3PM on monday. Hope there isn't a pull if theres a drop.[/QUOTE]

No worries I have 3 good BB that are helpful on penny guides. I will get what I can if there is a drop. The last drop one store sold me 7 AC II CE guides. Then ask me if I had a rewards zone card? I thought it was too funny.
 
[quote name='Bumslie']No worries I have 3 good BB that are helpful on penny guides. I will get what I can if there is a drop. The last drop one store sold me 7 AC II CE guides. Then ask me if I had a rewards zone card? I thought it was too funny.[/QUOTE]

I really hope they penny online before being taken offline like they have before, that would make my day. lol
 
[quote name='Achilles00']Thanks for the info. I was smooth enough, and the cashier was friendly enough, but nothing rang up at a discounted price. I tried the Mario Galaxy and Spirit Tracks guides. Oh, well.[/QUOTE]
For the record....AGAIN....if a guide says CE/LE/SE after it, it is almost always a HARDCOVER guide. This is detailed in the THIRD post.


Again, CE/SE/LE guide=HARDCOVER.
 
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Does anyone know if guides penny out at book stores like Barnes and Noble and Books A Million? I only recently noticed they carry guides, and the ones near me have some pretty old guides in stock (we're talking last gen old). It'd be pretty sweet to pick them up if they're pennied out.
 
[quote name='elrobo8']Does anyone know if guides penny out at book stores like Barnes and Noble and Books A Million? I only recently noticed they carry guides, and the ones near me have some pretty old guides in stock (we're talking last gen old). It'd be pretty sweet to pick them up if they're pennied out.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure but probably not.

I found a Barnes and Noble last year that had the guide for Final Fantasy 8 (PS1). I bought one and it still rang up as regular price ($15).
 
[quote name='elrobo8']Does anyone know if guides penny out at book stores like Barnes and Noble and Books A Million? I only recently noticed they carry guides, and the ones near me have some pretty old guides in stock (we're talking last gen old). It'd be pretty sweet to pick them up if they're pennied out.[/QUOTE]

Generally not. They use a different system to identify their discontinued merchandise. And once it's identified, it's pulled pretty quickly (based on my experience working in a book store ages ago). Remember, none of these are clearance prices. "Penny" guides are simply marked that way so they can be destroyed. :whistle2:$
 
i found some guides today dr 2 ce, metal gear 4 and lost planet 2 The guy who rang me out was the manager and he said it looks like he needs to fire some one lol
 
i took two guides to the counter and told the guy i heard they are "on sale".
he offered me 21.xx for both and i said no thanks and left.
 
[quote name='Zippon']Generally not. They use a different system to identify their discontinued merchandise. And once it's identified, it's pulled pretty quickly (based on my experience working in a book store ages ago). Remember, none of these are clearance prices. "Penny" guides are simply marked that way so they can be destroyed. :whistle2:$[/QUOTE]

I guessed that would be the answer, but my sister-in-law mentioned that book stores often trash their older books and rip off the covers in the process, which sounded strikingly similar to what Gamestop does (or is supposed to do, at least). The pattern seemed to fit, so I figured I'd ask anyway. Thanks for the response.
 
Big thanks to everyone who keeps this thread going and in good shape. There is a lot of great info here.

I always check the last page and then I check the first 2 or 3 post of the thread to see if anything has been added to the drop list. I really can't understand why people don't just read the first couple of post to see if there has been a new drop?
 
[quote name='51jack']i took two guides to the counter and told the guy i heard they are "on sale".
he offered me 21.xx for both and i said no thanks and left.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you went to the wrong store and/or picked up the wrong guides.
 
[quote name='Saix_XIII']Sounds like you went to the wrong store and/or picked up the wrong guides.[/QUOTE]

no he offered me 21.xx for both as in combined and he kept re-scanning them, then as i was leaving he put them under the counter.
 
[quote name='elrobo8']I guessed that would be the answer, but my sister-in-law mentioned that book stores often trash their older books and rip off the covers in the process, which sounded strikingly similar to what Gamestop does (or is supposed to do, at least). The pattern seemed to fit, so I figured I'd ask anyway. Thanks for the response.[/QUOTE]

She's right. We would either slash covers with a box cutter, put a magic marker strike across the cover, or rip the cover off. The latter was usually done so we could send the covers back to the publisher and get a credit back for each unsold book.

It's generally a sign of a primitive accounting system that GS and BB don't have a notation for their discontinued items. Instead they put a price on it that should indicate to anyone with half a brain that the item is not to be sold. Luckily, some managers just don't care and quite a few employees aren't trained properly. Bonus for us.

Went into a GS today and was surprised to see a Dead Rising 2 CE, AC Brotherhood CE, and several others. Tried to get the two CE's and was told they'd gladly sell them for full price. When I said "No, thanks," they dumped them in the trash behind the counter. *sigh*
 
[quote name='51jack']no he offered me 21.xx for both as in combined and he kept re-scanning them, then as i was leaving he put them under the counter.[/QUOTE]

When I tried the. I heard they were on sale thing the clerk did the same thing to me so this time I just brought up the guides took out my credit card and acted surprised when they rang up a penny this worked well
 
[quote name='bredbu']When I tried the. I heard they were on sale thing the clerk did the same thing to me so this time I just brought up the guides took out my credit card and acted surprised when they rang up a penny this worked well[/QUOTE]^This; that should be rule #1 (or at the very least, one of the most important rules) when getting penny guides: ALWAYS act surprised. Employees are more likely to be sympathetic if they think you stumbled upon a genuinely awesome deal or deals (and if employees are unsure, you can always say "But I've been looking for that guide..." or "those guides" and they might let you have it/them).

If the employee asks you how you knew the guide(s) was/were priced a penny (if your feigned surprise isn't quite convincing, this might happen), only say something like "I heard they were on sale" if you can sound surprised while doing so, as if you didn't expect the sale price to be that low. It's worked for me thus far. ;)
 
[quote name='Vigilante']^This; that should be rule #1 (or at the very least, one of the most important rules) when getting penny guides: ALWAYS act surprised. Employees are more likely to be sympathetic if they think you stumbled upon a genuinely awesome deal or deals (and if employees are unsure, you can always say "But I've been looking for that guide..." or "those guides" and they might let you have it/them).

If the employee asks you how you knew the guide(s) was/were priced a penny (if your feigned surprise isn't quite convincing, this might happen), only say something like "I heard they were on sale" if you can sound surprised while doing so, as if you didn't expect the sale price to be that low. It's worked for me thus far. ;)[/QUOTE]

Got lucky tonight and found a Fallout 3 GOTY and a FFXIII CE. In addition I purchased a cheap game so they wouldn't question me about the penny guides. Followed this tactic and was holding my Powerup card while I waited in line.

When it was my turn I asked about any bonuses for Killzone 3 prepays while he rung me up. The guy didn't look up and kept punching into his computer, shook his head and went go get my game. When he returned he muttered "I wish I knew they had pennied, I still need to finish FFXIII". It looked like someone had peed in his Wheaties, I felt kinda bad. I have been wanting this guide for awhile so I wasn't giving it up. I might stop by another GS tomorrow, if I can score another I will take him one.
 
I'm done with guides at Lamestop. I even hit one in Delaware this week & found the Lunar guide, took it up & it scanned a penny. Both workers a girl & a guy said they had to check to see if they could sell it & proceeded to call another store which told them they could not sell the guide for a penny. Gamestop has indeed cracked down on .01 guides & everytime I've checked recently at multiple locations I've been shot down. Even at the store where they were cool with giving them to me...Best Buy is my only source now...
 
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