The Last Days of the Hastings / GoHastings Universe - Check the latest posts!

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BEFORE YOU ASK A QUESTION IN THIS THREAD, READ THE FAQ BELOW!

GoHastings.Com Promotional Deals and Codes

AMARILLO, Texas - Texas-based Hastings Entertainment Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Company officials say the reorganization filing includes its parent company, Draw Another Circle, and sister brands Movie Stop and SPImages.

A statement posted Monday on the Hastings website says the Chapter 11 process will help prepare the business for an intended sale, while providing protections and financing to continue operations. Further financial details weren’t released.

Hastings will no longer accept or honor deposits for movie purchases and will no longer rent games. Hastings gift cards expire July 13, 2016. The company’s buyback program has been suspended.
Full List Of Online Coupon Codes

In-Store Sales / Discounts / Liquidation will vary from Online Sale / Coupon offerings

Check latest posts in thread for more specific updates

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Please read me before posting a question!

Click the "Show Spoiler" button below to see the FAQ
General
Question: What is Hastings / GoHastings.Com?
Answer:
Founded in 1968, Hastings Entertainment, Inc. is a leading multimedia entertainment retailer that combines the sale of new and used books, videos, video games and CDs, and trends and consumer electronics merchandise, with the rental of videos and video games in a superstore format. Currently there are 146 superstores. Hastings also operates www.goHastings.com, an e-commerce Internet Web site that makes available to customers new and used entertainment products and unique, contemporary gifts and toys.

Question: Gee, this is a really long FAQ. Doesn't Hasting have their own FAQ for customers?
Answer:
Hastings does have their own FAQ. You can read Hastings' official FAQ by clicking here. However, this FAQ goes into many details that Hastings' own FAQ does not. So be sure to read through all of this before asking a question!

NEW!
Question: How can I filter and sort Used Video Games to remove the out of stock items?
Answer:
Find the "Stock" dropdown menu option when browsing the used game selection and choose "In Stock." Games that have been purchased in the past day and are now out of stock may still appear.

NEW!
Question: Where can I find clearance video games and other clearance items?
Answer:
Clearance Video Games are in New condition; Plus $2.28 shipping per game
Click Here For Overall Video Game Clearance Items > Sort by Platform on the drop down menu
Click Here For Overall Clearance Items

Game / Item Condition
Question: What is the difference between "used" and "previously viewed" items on GoHastings.Com?
Answer:
"Used" games and movies are items that have been traded in to a Hastings retail location by a customer. "Previously viewed" games and movies are items that Hastings has rented out to customers at their retail locations but are now selling to the public.

When it comes to video games, most CAGs report no real difference between the two other than some ancillary stickers, but both "used" and "previously viewed" games are subject to being scratched, abused, or incomplete depending how well it was previously taken care of.

When it comes to movies, the "Previously Viewed" rental versions often lack features from the full retail versions and may come in different boxes, have different UPCs, have white barcode stickers around the center ring of the disc, etc.

You may encounter a situation where a customer has purchased a "previously used" item from Hastings, then traded it back into Hastings, thus making it a "used" item. This practiced is frowned upon by most customers, but Hastings has shown next to no incentive to change it. It mostly happens with movies.

Question: Do used and previously viewed video games come complete with the original case and manual?
Answer:
GoHastings.Com states as follows:

Due to the nature of used products; booklet inserts, digital movie downloads and manuals are not guaranteed in our used video games, movies and CDs.
However, the vast majority of CAGs have reported that a large majority of their games do arrive complete. Incomplete games are more of an exception rather than the rule.

Question: Are used collector's editions and limited editions of games guaranteed to come with extras like bonus discs, statutes, and other items?
Answer:
No. Hopefully the used CE and LE games would at least come with all of the discs, but this is not guaranteed. And there is absolutely no guarantee other physical items or "swag" will be included for these used copies. However, CAGs have reported that they have purchased used CE and LE games and received all of the extras. If you order a used CE or LE and it does not come with the extras, just contact customer service and ask about a return/refund.

Question: What condition do "used" and "previously viewed" discs come in?
Answer:
Mosts CAGs seem to get games in good, playable condition if not better. However, there have been cases of receiving a game so scratched up that it would not load/play. These games can be returned to GoHastings.Com at no cost to the customer for a full refund.

NEW!
Question: Are New condition games factory sealed or gutted and re-sealed?
Answer:
As of mid-2013, Hastings retail stores have adopted a policy of gutting games then storing the game discs, manuals and DLC papers separately. This is so they do not have to lock up games or put security cases on games yet still allow the customer to physically handle the boxes in-store. When a new game is sold, Hasting will either re-seal the game or they will place the game in a bag that cannot be opened if you want to return the game as new.

Shipping
Question: Why are my items shipping individually? Why does GoHastings.Com include a shipping charge for each individual item ordered?
Answer:
Hastings does not have warehouses for fulfilling internet orders. All items are shipped from individual brick and mortar retail stores. If your order contains multiple items, your order may ship from multiple locations at different times if one location does not have all of the items you ordered. Because items could ship from more than one location, GoHastings.Com charges a per item shipping fee. Yes this can be frustrating, so its best to either get over it if you intend to shop at GoHastings.Com, or if you can't get over it, shop elsewhere. Like all "deals," include the shipping price per item into consideration for the total cost of the game being purchased.

UPDATED!
Question: How much is shipping per item?
Answer:
Video Games and PC software ship for $2.28 per item.

CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays ship for $1.29 per item.

Books have a per-order charge of $3.00 plus $0.99 shipping per book ordered.

Game Hardware, Electronics and Trends have a per-order charge of $1.99 plus $0.10 shipping per ounce for each item ordered.

Full shipping information, including expedited shipping prices, can be found HERE.

Occasionally, GoHastings.Com offers free or reduced shipping promotions.

Please note, books used to ship for $0.96 per order with no per item charge but Hastings discontinued that pricing scheme as of January 10, 2014. CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays used to ship for $0.96 per item, but Hastings raised that price to the current cost as of approximately May 25, 2014.

Question: How long does it take GoHastings.Com to ship my order?
Answer:
Standard Shipping:
Order processed within 48 Hours
Shipping time is 3-10 Days

Priority / Expedited Mail:
Order processed within 48 Hours
Shipping time is 2 - 3 Days

Question: What service does GoHastings.Com use to ship items?
Answer:
GoHastings.Com primarily ships items using the United States Postal Service (USPS). Video games ship via USPS First Class Mail. Books, movies and music ship via USPS Media Mail. Larger orders may ship via UPS.

Question: Will GoHastings.Com give me a tracking number for each shipment?
Answer:
Every shipment usually has a tracking number associated with it. If you did not see a tracking number in the shipping confirmation email, check your order history on GoHastings.Com.

Question: What will GoHastings.Com ship my items in?
Answer:
It will vary. Hastings might use a yellow paper mailer with bubble padding on the inside. They might use a white plastic envelope with bubble padding on the inside. They might use a stiffer paper/lighter cardboard envelope with no padding. Hastings will try to jam as many items into any of the above envelope options as possible, resulting in frequently damaged books, broken game/movie/CD cases, etc. On rare occasions, someone at Hastings will have the common sense to put larger or heavier items into a box for safer shipping, but even then they will neglect to use padding. Hastings used to ship items in a white plastic poly-bag with absolutely no padding or protection, but after numerous complaints, the company claims these are supposed to be phased out and no longer in use. They still pop up from time to time.

Order Cancellations / Out Of Stock Items
Question: Why was an item cancelled out of my order? Why is that item back in stock right now?
Answer:
GoHastings.Com fills their stock from their Hastings brick and mortar retail locations. Additionally, GoHastings.Com sells items on Amazon and eBay. Their online inventory system is antiquated and does not update stock instantaneously across physical store locations, GoHastings.Com, Amazon, and eBay. Therefore if someone bought the same item first in store/on Amazon/on eBay, their order will be fulfilled first and your item will be cancelled if there is not enough inventory to go around, even though you thought the item was in stock. Yes this sucks, but now you know about it so you can simply choose not to shop at GoHastings in the future if you can't deal with it. No need to endlessly complain about it in posts. Consider writing a letter to the president of Hastings, whose contact info can be found below this FAQ.

Because Hastings' physical store locations accept trade-ins for the used items that they sell, an item that was out of stock may quickly come back into stock if someone trades in the same item, or if someone returns the same item. However, as stated above, GoHastings.Com has an antiquated online system, and they will not be able to fulfill any items on your order once they have been canceled. You will have to re-order the item, at which time the promotion you initially ordered under may have expired. You can try to contact customer service to see if they will create a new order for you with the price point your originally ordered under.

Question: I just ordered something and now it shows as out of stock, either on my order history page or on the item's page. Will my order be canceled?
Answer:
Probably not, but it is still possible. GoHastings.Com updates its inventory count immediately when sales from the website are made. Therefore if they had one item, and you ordered it, it will now show up as out of stock on GoHastings.Com. However, if someone ordered it off Hastings' eBay or Amazon Marketplace listings first, they may fulfill that order first and cancel your order. Also, if someone walks into the store and purchases the item before it is pulled to ship to you, your order will be canceled. Additionally, store employees may not be able to locate the item and thus cancel your order for that reason. Hastings also has a problem on their website where items in your order history show as out of stock, sometimes regardless of the actual stock. Your best bet is to take a deep breath and not worry about it.

Sale Pricing
NEW!
Question: How can I tell if one promotion or discount is better than a different commonly offered promotion or discount?
Answer:
The following guides are only for video games since they take into consideration the $2.28 per game shipping price. You will have to do your own math for music/movies, books, trends/electronics and other shipping sales.

Remember, stock and prices fluctuate constantly and may not be the same by the next sale.

The math in the Buy 2 Get 1 For $1 deal assumes you choose three equally priced games to maximize your potential savings.

Free Shipping:
Vs. 96¢ Per Item Shipping: Use free shipping, obviously
Vs. 20% Off: Use free shipping with items $11.40 and less
Vs. 25% Off: Use free shipping with items $9.12 and less
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: Use free shipping with items $7.84 and less
Vs. 30% Off: Use free shipping with items $7.60 and less
Vs. 33% Off: Use free shipping with items $6.91 and less
Vs. 40% Off: Use free shipping with items $5.70 and less

96 Cent Shipping:
Vs. Free Shipping: Wait for Free Shipping, obviously
Vs. 20% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $6.60 and less
Vs. 25% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $5.28 and less
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.96 and less
Vs. 30% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.40 and less
Vs. 33% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.00 and less
Vs. 40% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $3.30 and less

20% Off:
Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $11.40, use 20% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $6.60, use 20% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $2.50, use 20% Off

25% Off:
Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $9.12, use 25% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $5.28, use 20% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $4.00, use 25% Off

30% Off:
Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $7.60, use 30% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $4.40, use 30% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $10, use 30% Off

Buy 2 Get 1 For $1:
Vs. Free Shipping: Use free shipping with items $7.84 and less
Vs. $0.96 Shipping: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.96 and less

33% Off:
Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $6.91, use 33% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $4.00, use 33% Off

40% Off:
Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $5.70, use 40% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $3.30, use 40% Off

Question: GoHastings.Com totally raised their prices prior to the sale! OMGWTFBBQSauce! Should I call the police / attorney general / president of the United States?
Answer:
GoHastings.Com claims to not raise their prices prior to sales. Their pricing is based on algorithms that consider things like supply, demand, competitor pricing, market rates, etc. If a game was $10 before the sale and $15 24 hours into the sale, chances are there were only a couple of copies of the game and someone bought one when the sale started, thus affecting the supply and demand. You are not the only one monitoring a Wish List on GoHastings.Com. However, there have been some clearly documented instances of raising prices right before a sale, especially with books rather than games.

Promotional Deal Codes
Question: Why is the promotional code not applying to my order?
Answer:
Certain M-rated games carry the disclaimer that "This item is only available for purchase by customers age 17 and older." If you have such a game in your cart, be sure to check the box by the "Check Out" button that says "I am at least 17 years of age" before clicking the "Apply Promotion Code" button to apply the promotional code.

Additionally, some promotional codes only apply to select qualifying titles. Be sure that your order only contains such titles. Occasionally the GoHastings.Com programmers miss something and games that are supposed to qualify do not work with the promotional code. If this is the case, please contact GoHastings.Com. Contact information can be found below this FAQ.

Question: Can I use more than one promotional code at the same time? Can I stack promotional codes?
Answer:
No, you can only apply one promotional code per order. This prevents code stacking. If there are two promotional codes valid at the same time that you would like to use, you must place two or more separate orders.

Question: What time do promotions normally begin / end?
Answer:
GoHastings.Com operates based on the Central Time Zone. Weekly promotions usually start on Sunday and usually last the whole week. Various other promotions may have different start times and durations. Promotions usually begin at midnight Central time. However, sometimes the new promotions take a while to go "live" on the website, so always double check your order that the correct discounted price is shown.

Order Problems and Contacting Customer Service
(Including Returns/Replacements for Wrong Item or Damaged/Defective Item)

Question: I am trying to place an order and have entered my correct shipping address, billing address and credit card info. The check out page says there is a problem with my information and I need to correct it, but nothing is incorrect. What is going on?!
Answer:
This is a random error that seems to affect some people and not others. There is no known cause for it. People have reported it occurring with different credit card companies (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, etc.). Some people think it has to do with what web browser you use, so perhaps try a different one. Some people have reported they can't place orders from computers or IP numbers located out of the state where their billing or shipping address is located. The bottom line is there is no fix for this problem from the customer's end. Your only attempt to get it resolved will be to CALL Customer Service. Contact details for Customer Service can be found below this FAQ.

Question: GoHastings.Com sent me a defective game or the wrong game. How do I return it? Can they send me a replacement/correct item?
Answer:
Contact customer service to initiate the return process. Customer service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ. GoHastings.Com will not charge you to ship the game back, and they will give you a full refund, including what you paid initially for shipping. In some instances, they will simply refund the cost of the item and let you keep the defective or wrong item for free. GoHastings.Com will not normally send you a replacement item if you received a defective or incorrect item. They will usually tell you that you must place a new order, at which time the promotion you initially ordered under may have expired. You can try to contact customer service to see if they will create a new order for you with the price point you originally ordered under.

Question: Something went wrong with my order. How do I contact customer service?
Answer:
Customer service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ.

Question: Should I call or email customer service?
Answer:
CAGs have reported mixed experiences with both calling and emailing Hastings Customer Service. It is up to your preference. If you are contacting them regarding credit card issues, it may be best to call rather than put highly sensitive information in an email. If you call during business hours, your issue may be resolved right then over the phone. You might also have to wait on hold for a long period of time during peak hours. If you email, you may have to wait up to 48 hours to get a response, especially if you email over the weekend. Often the email replies fail to understand your entire issue with your order. Customer Service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ.

Question: What is GoHastings.Com return policy?
Answer:
The GoHastings.Com website states their return policy is as follows:

All items purchased through gohastings.com may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price, if they meet the following criteria:

  • All new items are in original unopened packaging.
  • Return of product is within 30 days of shipping date.
  • Returned product(s) must be in the original packaging and include any manuals, cabling and accessories in saleable condition.
  • Video Game Systems that are found defective within the 30 day window must make a return using the manufacturer's warranty.
Shipping and handling charges are not refundable.
Note: Products purchased through goHastings.com may not be returned to a physical store location for refund.
However, this can be confusing considering used items, such as games, come in opened packaging. Normally GoHastings has no problem with returns for defective or incorrect used game shipments that are promptly requested. At the very least, if a game item was found to be defective within 30 days of the shipping date, you would have a good argument toward customer service that you should be able to return the game item. Abusing the return policy to replace your own broken items with items from GoHastings inventory wouldn't be a good idea.

Miscellaneous
Question: Does GoHastings.Com collect sales tax?
Answer:
According to GoHastings.Com:

Currently goHastings.com only charges sales tax in states where we have a physical presence. Sales taxes are calculated during the ordering process and will show tax charged for the delivery destination, based on current tax rates. Shipping charges may also be subject to tax in certain states.
Currently sales tax is automatically applied in the following states:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming

Question: Where are Hastings brick and mortar retail stores located?
Answer:
Question: Are the online prices the same in store? Are the online specials valid in store?
Answer:
Generally speaking, no. For used items and for some new items, GoHastings.Com uses algorithms where prices can change multiple times in one day. Hastings retail locations have their own set prices. See your local store for more information. Additionally, online special sales and promotions are not valid in store. Sometimes Hastings runs the same pricing online and in store for certain items.

Question: Are the brick and mortar retail location advertisements valid online?
Answer:
Generally the prices in the retail location advertisements are not valid on GoHastings.Com. Sometimes Hastings runs the same pricing online and in store for certain items.



Customer Service Contact Information
Customer Service Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 9 am through 9 pm CST
Toll Free Phone Number: (877)-HASTINGS (427-8464)
Fax: (806) 467-8330

Email: service[at]gohastings.com
PM the GoHastings Representative on CAG: gohastings (John) [Not active since October 2013]

Regular Mail:
Hastings Internet, Inc.
3601 Plains Blvd.
Amarillo, TX 79102

Comments to the President:
John Marmaduke, President & CEO RIP In Peace

Alan Van Ongevalle, President & COO
Hastings Entertainment, Inc.
PO Box 35350
Amarillo, TX 79120-5350



GoHastings.Com / Hastings Entertainment Online Information
Website: http://www.gohastings.com
Retail Store Weekly Ad: http://www.gohastings.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=StoreAd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gohastings?sk=wall
Twitter: @gohastings
Google+: https://plus.google.com/107834874893127887270/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/gohastings/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gohastings
Is the GoHastings.Com server down for everyone or just me?: Click here to check

 
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Damn, I found some games I wanted then the final price came up being only a roughly $10~ discount cause of the shipping so I ended up passing so no rush to play games. 

 
not a bad sale at all. Picked up

Arkham Origins ($26)

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razors Edge ($11)

Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron ($10)

and Bejeweled ($2.50)

for $60+ shipped. Averages out to a little over $16 per game. Noice.

 
Had a bunch of things in my cart. But I couldn't bite the bullet, so it eventually went down to the bare 4. Would've been nice if it had Buy 5 and get 50% Off. But oh well. :lol:

 
First post updated.


Does the community here get anything out of having this centralized post? Or should this be discontinued and have any deals be a free for all of who posts it first?
I typically see this before I get the email from Hastings so yes it is appreciated.
 
not sure if coupons stack, but Persona 4 Arena is 9.99 clearance and there is a free shipping coupon for orders over 15 bucks

edit- its for PS3

 
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[quote name="MasaTFC" post="11475144" timestamp="1390771131"]not sure if coupons stack, but Persona 4 Arena is 9.99 clearance and there is a free shipping coupon for orders over 15 bucks

edit- its for PS3[/quote] unfortunately, I think you can onlY use 1 coupon per order
 
unfortunately, I think you can onlY use 1 coupon per order
still, the game itself is worth the price. I would buy it, but I have it for 360 and PS3 :drool:

didn't find anything I wanted to dump money on game wise, but I did find out that Nocturno Culto from Darkthrone had released a solo side project album last year that I completely missed, so with the "metalmonth" code it was totally worth the price!

 
Decided to finally try the Fire Emblem Awakening demo and was immediately bitten by the bug that every other CAG seems to have for the game.  10 minutes is all it took to sign me up for 100 hours.

Grabbed the last one for $25 shipped with a few $1 movies ($2 shipped) and a $6 LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean 3DS for my son.

That's a shame about the book shipping abolishing all future interest; they'll either have to reinstate it or get out of the bookselling business.

 
Pfff that's beyond stupid, might as well just buy from Amazon from now then. Thanks man.
Ain't that the truth, I had noticed they jacked up the shipping price for books during a past sale. Thank God for local book stores and thrift stores that sell books. It'll definitely be local book and thrift shops, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble from now on for me.

 
That was weird. I ordered 11 DVD sets and instead of getting 12 shipping emails, I just got one big one saying everything shipped. Makes me curious if everything came from one place and will ship in one big box...

Never mind. I did get that big e-mail, but now I got a bunch of the single e-mails overnight.

 
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Anyone recieve any Book orders since they changed the shipping for them? The books im looking at are still the cheapest I can find even including the new shipping, but if they're still using bubble mailers for multiple items then fuck that noise.

Also their search page LIES to you now. One book was showing ~$5.xx on the search page, but clicking on the item summary shows ~$17 (same condition/binding)! WTF?

 
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I ordered a game on Ebay from gohastings and they canceled it on me, the jerks. It was KOF 12 (PS3) brand new for $5.48 shipped. Looking at their feedback, they seem to do that a lot.

 
I ordered a game on Ebay from gohastings and they canceled it on me, the jerks. It was KOF 12 (PS3) brand new for $5.48 shipped. Looking at their feedback, they seem to do that a lot.
that's why I only order from them on amazon since It's basically a guarantee to get it and usually its in much better condition than it's graded. plus on rare occasions they price their stuff lower like that 4$ pokemon pearl I got ln this month. now all I need is another ds to chain all the games together.

 
I ordered a game on Ebay from gohastings and they canceled it on me, the jerks. It was KOF 12 (PS3) brand new for $5.48 shipped. Looking at their feedback, they seem to do that a lot.
Somebody probably got it first on either Amazon or their website. Happened to me before.
 
Anyone recieve any Book orders since they changed the shipping for them? The books im looking at are still the cheapest I can find even including the new shipping, but if they're still using bubble mailers for multiple items then fuck that noise.

Also their search page LIES to you now. One book was showing ~$5.xx on the search page, but clicking on the item summary shows ~$17 (same condition/binding)! WTF?
Yes. I got 5 books from the first 5 For $25 after the increased shipping. They all shipped from the same location and they shipped them in a giant bubble mailer that tore and all of the books were damaged because one bubble mailer lining doesn't protect 8+ lbs of books slamming around. I wrote their customer service guy Billy May on Facebook a long rant explaining how absurd that was and included pictures.

I think Hastings as a corporate entity just doesn't give a fuck. They have no standard box shipping protocol which is amazing considering they sell glassware and other large items online. It seems like it is up to the employee's discretion to go find a used box that they previously received merch in and repurpose it. If an employee doesn't feel like doing that, your shit is being shoved in a giant bubble mailer and that is that.

As for the "lies," the search page is just lagging on updating to the current price, which the product page or preview shows. It's a matter of slow / bad coding.

I ordered a game on Ebay from gohastings and they canceled it on me, the jerks. It was KOF 12 (PS3) brand new for $5.48 shipped. Looking at their feedback, they seem to do that a lot.
You're dealing with four separate marketplaces: Stores, GoHastings.Com, eBay and Amazon Marketplace.

Hastings puts their items on eBay and Amazon the day before they get updated onto GoHastings.Com. I don't know how soon the stock goes onto their shelves in the stores, but it's probably close to immediately.

If someone finds the item in store and snags it before the employee can get the item to fill your order, then you're SOL. Assuming the 3 online marketplaces have equal standing and they don't prioritize orders from one place over another, then it would be likely be first come first serve with lag time before the other two venues update their listings. You may have bought it on eBay but someone else might have bought it before you on Amazon an hour earlier, so they got the game instead of you.

 
Changing the shipping prices on their already overpriced used books seems like a sure-fire way for them to go bankrupt. Instead of making a return on shipping prices, people just won't buy as much. Total sales will go way down, and they aren't exactly a leading eBook retailer.

I'm done with Hastings. Bad business moves have turned what was once a great used media reseller into a bloated online sore.
 
I can understand if I was someone who wanted a lot of books (or just about any books actually) or graphic novels or video games since 2012 or so...but it's still an enormous asset for CDs, DVDs, and anime and I've had much better luck with getting GREAT condition items even though the prices went up since I started using it.

Also, for those who want it, 2014 calendars are on sale from 2.99 each.  I already have my day-to-day calendar, but getting a swimsuit calendar works just fine for me!

 
I checked one of my orders for my Spending Tab (almost $1,500 this month, over half from Hastings) and I found something amusing/aggrivating. My one set was marked down from $23 to $28. That is not a typo. Granted, it was much higher when I first bought it.
 
This was last year but I remember when I ordered some giant video game bundles last Christmas and when I got home my mom asked if I ordered barbie remote control cars lol and I was like huh? Opened up both the Mattel barbie car brown boxes and inside were my video game bundles lol so I guess they recycle boxes to save on money ha
 
Recycling boxes is fine, the problem is when you buy 5-6 DVD box sets and they shove it in an envelope that should only hold 1-2 regular sized DVDs.

I think everyone here is a bit of a drama queen.  Their book shipping was just silly last time, 96 cents for pounds and pounds of books?  Now it makes some sense if you like it or not.

I don't get why games are $2.28 to ship, they all get treated the same.

 
I can understand if I was someone who wanted a lot of books (or just about any books actually) or graphic novels or video games since 2012 or so...but it's still an enormous asset for CDs, DVDs, and anime and I've had much better luck with getting GREAT condition items even though the prices went up since I started using it.

Also, for those who want it, 2014 calendars are on sale from 2.99 each. I already have my day-to-day calendar, but getting a swimsuit calendar works just fine for me!
$2.99 but they fall under book shipping prices. So $2.99 plus $3.99 for one calendar, which means they're more or less the same price as they were back when they were 50% off before the shipping price hike. I guess if you have a need for multiple calendars, buying multiples will defray the overall shipping cost.

 
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Recycling boxes is fine, the problem is when you buy 5-6 DVD box sets and they shove it in an envelope that should only hold 1-2 regular sized DVDs.

I think everyone here is a bit of a drama queen. Their book shipping was just silly last time, 96 cents for pounds and pounds of books? Now it makes some sense if you like it or not.

I don't get why games are $2.28 to ship, they all get treated the same.
Hastings is playing games with their shipping. Before $0.96 shipping they offered free shipping on books all the time. I can't recall what the price was before it was free - maybe $2.28 per item like games? Even with the new shipping prices, they will still "lose money" on shipping anything over two books separately for the most part. I say "lose money" because this is all a game - they obviously are offsetting shipping costs by making up for the "loses" from any profits derived from the actual products sold.

Hastings should charge something like $3.50 per book in shipping and then lower prices across the board on their books for their own website. But they'd have to reconfigure their algorithm which somewhat foolishly prices in line with Amazon Marketplace.

I think Hastings shot themselves in the foot by conditioning customers to expect free shipping then $0.96 per order shipping on books. Those were utterly unsustainable models and it's unbelievable they lasted as long as they did.

When shipping is free or $0.96, you're likely paying very little overall for the product. So if they lazily package something and the book arrives a little damaged, you likely let it slide. From a customer service standpoint they should strive to package everything as efficiently and securely as possible while trying to meet their cost reduction goals, no matter how much they actually charge for shipping. In reality, they just look for the thinnest, cheapest packing materials and don't care how their employees package and ship things out so long as the company still makes more in profit than they lose on returns.

Now that they're charging almost what it costs to actually ship the books, from a standpoint of general customer care and from a standpoint of what the customer has actually paid for, they need to package their items better. If it's a light hardcover, sticking it in a bubble mailer is usually fine, though not great. (A double layer of bubble protection would be better.) If it's like my situation and it is 8+ lbs of books where I paid more than it actually cost them to ship it, they sure as shit better stick in in a well protected box. But of course they'll never do that no matter how many times I rant to Billy May. It doesn't seem like he gives a shit anymore based on his response to me, and I'm certain the employee making minimum wage and getting their hours cut doesn't give a shit. That company is rotting from the inside out.

What about $2.28 shipping for games don't you understand? Again, $2.28 is roughly what it costs to send an average single game through the mail (though I'm not sure how close it is since postage rates went up yesterday). Most run of the mill video games survive just fine in a simple bubble mailer. Obviously if it's multiple items in the same package, or some kind of special box set or some kind of oversized case, then it needs more than the simple bubble mailer.

 
Hastings could always do a reward program also and set up a yearly spending threshold to recieve free shipping once that threshold is reach a reward program would actually be good for them and more business depending what other benefits was added to such a reward program
 
I don't get games much, but the ones I got from them were in great condition. Most DVDs and Blu-rays I get from them are also in good condition. Sometimes I get broken cases, but usually the broken cases are the 3-disc Blu-ray cases, which break if you look at it funny.
 
Hastings could always do a reward program also and set up a yearly spending threshold to recieve free shipping once that threshold is reach a reward program would actually be good for them and more business depending what other benefits was added to such a reward program
I think certain customers would probably hit that target too easily and Hastings would start losing money on those customers because shipping costs would start to match or be more expensive than the items they'd probably load up on.

It seems like most reward programs just give you back maybe 10% max after a while. But Hastings doesn't have the technological prowess to implement that system online. It seems like they barely have the money to fix the most fundamentally basic problems with their website.

Hastings should just find that magical number that covers most of their actual shipping costs, charge that, provide actual decent shipping service, and stop playing games with things like free/$0.96/$3-plus-$0.99 shipping. It's asinine. The other alternative would be to just build that magic number into the price of the item and offer free shipping all the time. But I imagine Hastings doesn't want to do that because then that would make their Amazon Marketplace algorithm more difficult to implement since they don't hire talented coders. Plus that would make new items seem overpriced if they were charging MSRP or close to MSRP.

 
$2.99 but they fall under book shipping prices. So $2.99 plus $3.99 for one calendar, which means they're more or less the same price as they were back when they were 50% off before the shipping price hike. I guess if you have a need for multiple calendars, buying multiples will defray the overall shipping cost.
I had 96 cent shipping on my one calendar when I ordered.

I just tried to order one for my friend and it's still the same (for me at least). :)

EDIT: It's a calendar, not a copy.

 
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I had 96 cent shipping on my one calendar when I ordered.

I just tried to order one for my friend and it's still the same (for me at least). :)

EDIT: It's a calendar, not a copy.
Ah, you are correct. It wasn't that way when I looked at them a couple of weeks ago after the shipping hike. That's actually a good deal if you're still looking for a calendar a month into 2014.

 
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So, I ordered Queen's Blade Rebellion DVD during the last sale. Open the package up and it's...Queen's Blade Season 2 Volume 3. *face palm*
 
My $25 Fire Emblem: Awakening came in today.  Not only is it complete and in perfect condition, but the Club Nintendo code was unused :)

 
First post updated. Promotion runs through Thursday so they'll likely have another weekend sale this Friday & Saturday. It might be better than 30% off, it might not.

 
Stop being slidecage and it works.

Here are the amazing deals this week:

Xbox 360

Resident Evil 5 - $4.77 shipped

FEAR 3 - $5.42 shipped

Crysis 2 - $5.19 shipped

Left 4 Dead - $5.12 shipped

Batman: Arkham City - $5.72 shipped

Shadows of the Damned - $7.53 shipped

 
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Stop being slidecage and it works.

Here are the amazing deals this week:

Xbox 360

Resident Evil 5 - $4.77 shipped

FEAR 3 - $5.42 shipped

Crysis 2 - $5.19 shipped

Left 4 Dead - $5.12 shipped

Batman: Arkham City - $5.72 shipped

Shadows of the Damned - $7.53 shipped
WWE: Survivor Series Anthology, Vol. 1 - 1987-1991

Used - DVD

Discount: One for $13.12

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours.
$18.74
$13.12
1

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$13.12


WWE: Summerslam - The Complete Anthology, Vol. 3

Used - DVD

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours.
$17.36
1

Edit Item
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$17.36


WWE: Summerslam - The Complete Anthology, Vol. 4

Used - DVD

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours.
$16.01
1

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$16.01


WWE: Summerslam Anthology, Vol 1 - 193-1997

Used - DVD

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours.
$15.44
1

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$15.44


WWE: Smackdown - The 2010 Season

John Cena

Used - DVD

Discount: One for $1.31

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours.
$1.86
$1.31
1

Edit Item
Remove Item
$1.31

right there shows it does not work on the items SO fuck you

 
First post updated. Promotion runs through Thursday so they'll likely have another weekend sale this Friday & Saturday. It might be better than 30% off, it might not.
If that's the case, I may end up sitting this deal out. Though there a couple of rather cheap DVD's or Blu-Rays that I could scoop up and avoid further adding to my backlog of games for the time being. Thanks, kodave.

 
In case this information helps anyone: the store that ships out of BOZEMAN, MT 59718 (probably Hastings store 9803-Bozeman) has taken up the habit of sticking security stickers in the back of books that you can't really remove without damaging the book. (I haven't tried the hair dryer method for removal, but that's next.) They also package their books like a bunch of assholes. Concerned about theft, not concerned about how they get the product to their customers. That's the Hastings Quality Assurance Guarantee!

 
50% off used games Fri and Sat, in store only.  Pretty sweet deal if you are lucky enough to have a local store.  You never know what kind of treasures you can find there.

 
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