Reduced Price Guides-Discussion Thread

How do you guys check for new penny drops? Ask the guy to scan the 20 guides you brought over?

I ask cause at BB, I brought 4 guides up to check , and they told me they were the labeled price, rather then scan them. I insisted and he scanned them... All full price and was like "see". Same with GS, do I just ask "hey, you guys got any penny guides?" or is that like... A big no no. I must know, how do we go about finding new drops!!!!
 
[quote name='reicaden']How do you guys check for new penny drops? Ask the guy to scan the 20 guides you brought over?...do I just ask "hey, you guys got any penny guides?"[/quote]
Hah, I wrote a FAQ for this which was put in the main thread - but since this is discussion it is definitely fine to ask here :D But I'll just quote a few things from the FAQ:

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: 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: 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).
Click to expand...
The first post of the other thread has some pretty good info in it, so I suggest you read through that if you haven't already read it. I think this answers the questions you had though.
 
viewtiful joe 2 g
final fantasy 1 and 2 gb
prince of persia warrior within p x g
mortal kombat deception p x g
transformers p
yu gi oh gb
super mario 3 gb
wwe day of reckoning g
mario party 5 g
LOTR return of the king p x g
nfl street p x g
fable x
star wars jedi knight:jedi academy x
splinter cell pandora tomorrow x
star wars battlefront 2 p x
pokemon red blue yellow regular gameboy
max payne 2 p x
manhunt p
killzone p
full spectrum warrior x
star wars battlefront p x
metal gear solid twin snakes g
XIII p x g
ace combat 5 p
LOTR third age p x g
call of duty united offensive pc
dragonball z budokai 2 p
devil may cry 3 p
metal gear solid 3 p
twisted metal black p
hitman contracts p x
tekken 5 p
def jam fight for ny p x g
yu gi oh capsule monster colliseum p
goldeneye rogue agent p x g


All those guides for 13. Worth it, or a waste of money?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='perdition(troy']viewtiful joe 2 g
final fantasy 1 and 2 gb
prince of persia warrior within p x g
mortal kombat deception p x g
transformers p
yu gi oh gb
super mario 3 gb
wwe day of reckoning g
mario party 5 g
LOTR return of the king p x g
nfl street p x g
fable x
star wars jedi knight:jedi academy x
splinter cell pandora tomorrow x
star wars battlefront 2 p x
pokemon red blue yellow regular gameboy
max payne 2 p x
manhunt p
killzone p
full spectrum warrior x
star wars battlefront p x
metal gear solid twin snakes g
XIII p x g
ace combat 5 p
LOTR third age p x g
call of duty united offensive pc
dragonball z budokai 2 p
devil may cry 3 p
metal gear solid 3 p
twisted metal black p
hitman contracts p x
tekken 5 p
def jam fight for ny p x g
yu gi oh capsule monster colliseum p
goldeneye rogue agent p x g


All those guides for 13. Worth it, or a waste of money?[/quote]

Oh seen your other post of this but it didn't have a price. For $13 I would buy it.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']viewtiful joe 2 g
final fantasy 1 and 2 gb
prince of persia warrior within p x g
mortal kombat deception p x g
transformers p
yu gi oh gb
super mario 3 gb
wwe day of reckoning g
mario party 5 g
LOTR return of the king p x g
nfl street p x g
fable x
star wars jedi knight:jedi academy x
splinter cell pandora tomorrow x
star wars battlefront 2 p x
pokemon red blue yellow regular gameboy
max payne 2 p x
manhunt p
killzone p
full spectrum warrior x
star wars battlefront p x
metal gear solid twin snakes g
XIII p x g
ace combat 5 p
LOTR third age p x g
call of duty united offensive pc
dragonball z budokai 2 p
devil may cry 3 p
metal gear solid 3 p
twisted metal black p
hitman contracts p x
tekken 5 p
def jam fight for ny p x g
yu gi oh capsule monster colliseum p
goldeneye rogue agent p x g


All those guides for 13. Worth it, or a waste of money?[/QUOTE]

Probably worth it. I imagine the Twin Snakes guide may be the best one in that lot.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']viewtiful joe 2 g
final fantasy 1 and 2 gb
prince of persia warrior within p x g
mortal kombat deception p x g
transformers p
yu gi oh gb
super mario 3 gb
wwe day of reckoning g
mario party 5 g
LOTR return of the king p x g
nfl street p x g
fable x
star wars jedi knight:jedi academy x
splinter cell pandora tomorrow x
star wars battlefront 2 p x
pokemon red blue yellow regular gameboy
max payne 2 p x
manhunt p
killzone p
full spectrum warrior x
star wars battlefront p x
metal gear solid twin snakes g
XIII p x g
ace combat 5 p
LOTR third age p x g
call of duty united offensive pc
dragonball z budokai 2 p
devil may cry 3 p
metal gear solid 3 p
twisted metal black p
hitman contracts p x
tekken 5 p
def jam fight for ny p x g
yu gi oh capsule monster colliseum p
goldeneye rogue agent p x g


All those guides for 13. Worth it, or a waste of money?[/quote]

Pokemon, Metal Gear (Twin Snakes + 3), and Final Fantasy should be enough to make you around $40.00. The rest are garbage, but you can always donate them to Goodwill for a $1.00-$5.00 per guide tax write off.
 
[quote name='Doomstink']Pokemon, Metal Gear (Twin Snakes + 3), and Final Fantasy should be enough to make you around $40.00. The rest are garbage, but you can always donate them to Goodwill for a $1.00-$5.00 per guide tax write off.[/quote]

Wait...the Snake Eater guide gets a decent $$ now? WTF!?!?!?! I had about 12 copies of that motherfucker too. I lugged out an oversized GS bag from a far off mall about 2-3 years ago when they pennied it.

I think I took like 15 copies.:lol:

That was back when I would majorly hoard, as if you couldn't tell.
 
I didn't know whether or not I should've posted this in the normal guide thread or here....but a heads up to those who might be shopping @ FYE anytime soon.

It seems that EVERY guide(cept for the normal version of the Spore guide) was marked down to $9.99 in at least one of my local FYE stores.

I'm not sure if it's YMMV or not and I know $10 isn't the best price, but by the time you do postage, cost and a bit extra on CAG a guide can sometimes end up costing $10 a pop.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I didn't know whether or not I should've posted this in the normal guide thread or here....but a heads up to those who might be shopping @ FYE anytime soon.

It seems that EVERY guide(cept for the normal version of the Spore guide) was marked down to $9.99 in at least one of my local FYE stores.

I'm not sure if it's YMMV or not and I know $10 isn't the best price, but by the time you do postage, cost and a bit extra on CAG a guide can sometimes end up costing $10 a pop.[/QUOTE]

IATCG, did they scan for $9.99 or was it one of those manual markdown deals?
 
Honestly, I have no idea, since I only saw the price stickers on each guide and noted that only Spore was still marked $19.99 while the rest were ALL(for some reason) marked $9.99.

Like I said, I don't know if it's a YMMV thing or not, since the next closest FYE to the one I saw them at is in my hometown and the mall it's in would've been closed by the time I could've double checked.

But if anyone can verify this sale/clearance of guides, let me know and I'll add it to the main guide thread.

At least one of the guides I remember from the stacks of them there was Resistance: Fall Of Man(original one not the sequel).
 
Question:
I recently got the Metal Gear Solid IV hardcover from an excellent cag who was willing to sell to me at cost.
The shrinkwrap is partially torn. Would leaving it mostly intact preserve any kind of "sealed" value, or as it is torn would that not really matter?
If the seal is blown anyway, I may just open the thing up an thumb through it. But if it would retain more value with even a partial shrinkwrap, I could leave it be.
 
Since this thread is somewhat slow, I thought it would be interesting to discuss valued guides. So, what guide do you have that has most value to you?

Mine is Fallout 3 CE, because it's hardcover and that game is much easier to navigate with it.
 
The guide I used to have that I valued the most was the Versus Books Final Fantasy VII guide... not only because it skyrocketed in market value, but I also used it after multiple playthroughs of the game. It was actually fun to read, too.

Currently, I'm not really sure. I suppose my Devil May Cry 3 guide for sentimental reasons? Or maybe my Capcom vs. SNK 2 guide.
 
My "rare" guides are Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, Super Metroid, Xenogears, Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1, Black Label), and FFX-2 LE?

I remember picking up an extra Earthbound guide at a CD/Game Exchange for only a quarter! Too bad I sold it for $50 later. I'm sure I could get a little more now.
 
I'd say the most valuable guide to me in my collection is the original Silent Hill guide from Prima. It let me know how to get the 'weird' ending to the game. If none of you have managed to get that one yet, I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say you need to use the channeling stone you pick up early on in a second go through in certain spots to get it.

As for the rest of my collection of guides(which encompasses a 2-3 foot high stack right now), I'd have to say the second most valuable was the San Andreas one. Finding all of those friggin' tags/horseshoes/oysters without the use of a guide was nigh impossible.
 
Mine would have to be the Versus Pokemon guides, R/B/Y in particular. Complete Pokedex, percentage ratios of wild pokemon, lists of all the trainers and their pokemon, maps, glitches (Missingno FTW), and just a fun guide to read.

And possibly the greatest team for use in battle:
Magikarp, Ditto, Abra, Metapod, Chansey, and Kakuna
 
Hmm, I'd say my most valuable guide (price-wise) is probably that Lego Star Wars guide, if it's still fetching $70+. I've also got Persona 3, Vagrant Story, Xenogears, Final Fantasy Anthology, and Final Fantasy Chronicles. I've only acquired all of these recently (last 4 months), so I haven't used any of them. In fact, the only guide I've used since Pokemon Gold is Dragon Quest IV. Eventually I'll get around to playing these games....
 
[quote name='Rave Child']Hmm, I'd say my most valuable guide (price-wise) is probably that Lego Star Wars guide, if it's still fetching $70+. I've also got Persona 3, Vagrant Story, Xenogears, Final Fantasy Anthology, and Final Fantasy Chronicles. I've only acquired all of these recently (last 4 months), so I haven't used any of them. In fact, the only guide I've used since Pokemon Gold is Dragon Quest IV. Eventually I'll get around to playing these games....[/quote]

Final Fantasy Anthology is worth something? :bomb: I straight up traded that to someone on CAG a while ago. I distinctly remember that deal because it took the guide 2 weeks to get there and it only had to go from PA to VA, but the fuckin' thing bounced down to North Carolina prior to getting to VA. WTF!?!?!
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Final Fantasy Anthology is worth something? :bomb: I straight up traded that to someone on CAG a while ago. I distinctly remember that deal because it took the guide 2 weeks to get there and it only had to go from PA to VA, but the fuckin' thing bounced down to North Carolina prior to getting to VA. WTF!?!?![/quote]

The prices are a little inconsistent, but it's definitely worth $30+. Here's one for $42.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I've got a Valkyrie Profile guide, too. Yet again, I got that one here on CAG.
 
I had a Final Fantasy Tactics guide, but the binding fell apart.
Later on a Breath of Fire III guide fell apart the same way.

Stopped buying Prima Guides for about ten years. :roll:
 
[quote name='Rave Child']The prices are a little inconsistent, but it's definitely worth $30+. Here's one for $42.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I've got a Valkyrie Profile guide, too. Yet again, I got that one here on CAG.[/quote]

LOL WTF!!?!?! That guide was listed in some weird classification on Ebay, something dealing with packing materials or something, yet it STILL sold.

All I can say is that I did get the guide(s) I wanted in exchange for the FFA guide and I think I only paid $2 from a Goodwill store for it, so it wasn't a huge loss to me at the time.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']LOL WTF!!?!?! That guide was listed in some weird classification on Ebay, something dealing with packing materials or something, yet it STILL sold.

All I can say is that I did get the guide(s) I wanted in exchange for the FFA guide and I think I only paid $2 from a Goodwill store for it, so it wasn't a huge loss to me at the time.[/quote]

Don't feel too bad about it, here's a totally failed auction for it that was guide plus complete black label game for $21.51 shipped. That's such a steal, I would have bought it for that price, even though I already own both of those...
 
[quote name='SuperPhillip']I had a Final Fantasy Tactics guide, but the binding fell apart.
Later on a Breath of Fire III guide fell apart the same way.

Stopped buying Prima Guides for about ten years. :roll:[/quote]

Same thing happened to my FFT guide. About 2 years ago, I was at Border's and I saw a copy of the GH FFT guide for $9.99. I was in a hurry so I left. When I went back it was gone.


I have many older PS1 guides in my collection but the one I value the most is my FF7 Versus guide. One of the best guides ever made (IMO). Some of the other guides in my collection:

Ogre Battle: MotBQ
Tactics Ogre
Vandal Hearts
Star Ocean: 2nd Story
Xenogears
Disgaea: HoD
Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem: SS
 
I went into GS to buy some games from the Game Days sale and I picked up:

Okami x2
Incredible Hulk x2

This is the first time I have ever picked up multiple copies at GS. I bought the first ones and the clerk just glanced at the manager and he charged me the .02. I immediately went back and got the other two and after glancing at his manager again, he sold me those as well.


Damn... it's so lonely in here.
Apologies to PapaSmerf for stealing his shtick.
 
Sometimes I picked up guide at full price, depending on what it is. Most notably was the guide for Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne from fry's for $14.99, which I still have in new condition, that gets at least $50 on eBay. Good thing I also have a sealed LE original with it, as well as a used LE copy. The guide and new copy could go for $150+.

I'm probably gonna pay $10.90 for the MGS:portable Ops guide, since they only have 2 copies left and most people won't give them up for cheap. I need it for my collection.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']i just want another drop to happen at BB. i just like the rush of trying to beat a couple of hoarders that live around me.[/quote]

Seeing as how I've all but worn out my welcome at all three local Best Buy stores and the Gamestop stores were dead zones LONG before them, I'm thinking my days of grabbing guides may be over soon.

Mind you, I brought it on myself, but that's what happens when you go to the well one too many times I suppose.

Oh and ninja dog, you think the LO guide is gaining value, check the value on Half Life: Raising The Bar.

It's a hardcover artbook that pennied a long while back from Gamestop/EB. I had 3-4 copies at one point, but stupidly traded them on here instead of holding onto them. I still have ONE buried somewhere in my massive stacks of guides.

The last time I checked, they were going for $90-100 BEFORE shipping costs EACH. Not a bad return on a penny guide, huh?

If I find it, I'll post the UPC so those of you who may wanna hunt it down at full price($30) at Borders for reselling purposes can find a few copies to make some quick $$$ on.
 
I have been to about 10-15 Gamestops in the Chicago, IL area and have not seen any reduced priced guides.

My questions are:

At Gamestop: Are the sale guides located in a special area? Do I have to ask the store workers? The employees are usually not to helpful.

At Best Buy: Same thing. Are the guides located in a seperate area? How do the I know which ones are on sale?

Any help is apreciated.
 
[quote name='ferris182']I have been to about 10-15 Gamestops in the Chicago, IL area and have not seen any reduced priced guides.

My questions are:

At Gamestop: Are the sale guides located in a special area? Do I have to ask the store workers? The employees are usually not to helpful.

At Best Buy: Same thing. Are the guides located in a seperate area? How do the I know which ones are on sale?

Any help is apreciated.[/quote]
Your best bet is the Official Guide Thread; post 2 has info on drops. Any other questions can most likely be answered by the first post there (and the FAQ near the bottom).
 
Is anyone more experienced noticing a trend on here where people trading seem to want eBay prices/worth for their guides?

As discussed the Lost Odyssey guide is going up in value, I've made countless offers to people even offering to trade 2-3 guides for it. All of them but one has said something to the affect of "I can sell the Lost Odyssey guide for $40 no problem on eBay, but buying all the guides you're offering would only cost me $30 so you'll have to kick in $15 in addition to get it for the convenience of dealing away from eBay."

Is that seriously the ideology behind trading on here? To get eBay prices without dealing with eBay? Because if I'm going to pay the same value I would on eBay for it, I'd use eBay simply because there's more protection than a forum and it's simpler. I'm hoping it's just a case of the few people that I PM'd trying to get it only still have it because of that thought process.

And just so I don't offend the one person who was being fair with that guide, even though I haven't heard back from them, if I offered to buy a full price guide in exchange for it I'm not complaining about you.
 
Current market value is one way to measure a trade. There are certainly other factors. Is a trader a collector or player? Do they want the guide sooner rather than later? Are they planning on reselling or matching with a game to sell or trade?

Personally, I find the eBay completed listing prices to be a general guide. Often a guide I am trading has not been pennied yet and I have real money in my guide. Market value plays a greater role in a trade involving that guide.

I would certainly expect a lower price here than on eBay and if you get that line, feel free to say "Go sell it on eBay then" (especially on a trade).

By the way, $40 no problem on eBay is a crock for LO.
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']Current market value... ...eBay is a crock for LO.[/quote]

Yea, I can totally understand not wanting to trade say a Soul Calibur IV guide for a Tales of Vesperia guide. Sure each person bought them for 0.01 (presumably), but one is considerably more valuable and harder to come by. I typically do search completed listing prices both for what I'm offering and trying to get to make sure I'm not ripping myself off or ripping them off before PMing a prospective trade.

One said person (the one who wanted 3 guides + $15 for their shelf-worn LO guide) had it listed as a 3-1 trade, choosing 3 guides from his wants that I had to offer, to which he asked for $15 in addition to. Felt like a bait and switch of whatever you call it, like what people do on Craigslist advertising something cheap and then jacking the price up once you email them.

I normally tell them I'm looking for it both to add to my collection and to use to play with them game, so it's ok if it's a little knicked up. I certainly wasn't offering junk guides for it (most averaged $10-$15 on eBay), I guess some people just think with stuff like this they've struck gold. And actually I just remembered there was another person who had it who was nice and apologetic saying they marked it wrong and it was for reference only, not for trade just so I don't offend them.


EDIT: What do you know, you have the Lost Odyssey guide and I don't think I ever PM'd you about it. I may tomorrow if you're interested in letting it go for less than the most it's ever sold for on eBay.

EDITEDIT: Fixed Spelling errors. Must stop drinking and CAGing.
 
I have no trouble trading a guide. The trouble usually is finding something I want. Unfortunately, I view my want list as a challenge and end up finding the guides for a buck or two, but leaves little to trade for.
 
You would be extremely lucky. You can always buy a pennied copy off the shelf and return your full price guide with receipt, but most likely not be able to buy back your guide for a penny.
 
[quote name='SuperPhillip']heh I've been looking for Vesperia everywhere.[/quote]

I had an extra ToV guide, but I gave it to a friend of mine who is a HUGE Tales fanataic.

...still can't find that damned Fallout 3 CE guide anywhere! Guess I'll put it up for wants on the TL.
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']I have no trouble trading a guide. The trouble usually is finding something I want. Unfortunately, I view my want list as a challenge and end up finding the guides for a buck or two, but leaves little to trade for.[/quote]

I'm the same way. When I first started here, I was trading up a storm getting tons of guides I was interested in. After 3-4 months, though, I've gotten pretty much every guide that people have to trade that I'm interested in, except for a few cases. Now, I find myself buying and selling guides on eBay, since that way I can "trade" a ton a crappier guides for something no one on CAG has.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']Gonna sound weird, but do you think BB would pricematch a guide if you bought it at full price and it pennied out a week later?[/QUOTE]

No. You may be able to return it but they won't let you buy it back (and they may even destroy it in front of you if they're not having a good day).
 
[quote name='ferant316']Is anyone more experienced noticing a trend on here where people trading seem to want eBay prices/worth for their guides?

As discussed the Lost Odyssey guide is going up in value, I've made countless offers to people even offering to trade 2-3 guides for it. All of them but one has said something to the affect of "I can sell the Lost Odyssey guide for $40 no problem on eBay, but buying all the guides you're offering would only cost me $30 so you'll have to kick in $15 in addition to get it for the convenience of dealing away from eBay."

Is that seriously the ideology behind trading on here? To get eBay prices without dealing with eBay? Because if I'm going to pay the same value I would on eBay for it, I'd use eBay simply because there's more protection than a forum and it's simpler. I'm hoping it's just a case of the few people that I PM'd trying to get it only still have it because of that thought process.

And just so I don't offend the one person who was being fair with that guide, even though I haven't heard back from them, if I offered to buy a full price guide in exchange for it I'm not complaining about you.[/quote]

Your best bet for trying to get the LO guide before it spiked in supposed value would've been RIGHT after it pennied when all of the people who grabbed them shoved them up on EBay. With the market flooded like that, you were bound to get some auctions that would've stayed at 1-2 bids the whole time.

Unfortunately, I've been in the midst of a trade deal with a long time friend and fellow CAG and we've been stuck on what to do regarding Ebay value on one of the two games I've been wanting from them.

Thing is, I want the games to PLAY and they view nearly everything by Ebay value, so we're having a hard time meeting in the middle on what is worth what.

They've suggested some of my harder to get guides(ICO, etc)for the two games, yet I refuse to give away such high trade fodder guides for a game or two I could just as easily buy used from Gamestop.

So, unfortunately, we've reached an impasse and I don't think the deal is EVER going to be completed.

Now, if I were just a few moments quicker when they came around my way and found the copy of the one game at my closest Kmart, I would've easily bought it for the $3-5 or whatever it was it cost them and this would be a non issue.

But I already had a copy of it back then that I had from the CC clearance a few years ago, so I didn't need it.

Oh well....

Anyway, the point of my story was that people value things differently and either you have to wait and find an opening to get what you want or break down and pay asking price eventually.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Your best bet...and pay asking price eventually.[/quote]

Yea, I quickly learned that their value is lowest right when they drop. I figured it drops and everyone that didn't get it at their store rushes out to buy it before it disappears and drives the price up, so if I waited it out it would drop down.

Anyways, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's had trouble making deals because of eBay values. And you give a good viewpoint for me into why they wouldn't be interested in trading even if based off eBay prices it was an equal trade.

Side point, anyone else notice Best Buy Outlet on eBay sells penny guides now?
 
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