Here's why the Best Buy games are YMMV.
At one of my local Best Buy stores, they put a little circle sticker on any title that applies to the current discount. It used to be 25%, but now it's 50%.
Any game that gets the sticker gets the discount. Not all stores use the stickers, but it's easier for them, because it tells the cashier that the discount applies. Then they do it manually.
Last night I wanted to know if there were games that should be stickered (and hence receive the discount) but perhaps hadn't been.
So, I asked - how do they determine what games are eligible for the discount?
It's a three part process.
1. There is a master list that comes out (possibly weekly or monthly, that I don't know.) On this list are items that are considered "at risk." If it's on the list, it's up to the store to determine whether to discount it or not. These items receive a "C" on the title dividers in the video game section.
2. Look at the dividers in the video game section. If beneath the price for a particular title, there is a little, bolded "C", then the game has been marked for discontinuation. Once the stock is gone, it's gone. If you see a "C" there, then it is possible that the title can be discounted, but is up to the store whether or not to do so.
3. Usually, the determining factor of whether a "C" titled game gets discounted or not is the number in stock. The manager told me that even if it's on the list, it may not get discounted. If he has two or three copies, it probably won't. However, if he had a lot of copies, and thus the risk to them is great, then that title would get discounted (and at this location, a circle sticker.)
Just because a game is discounted once, doesn't mean it will again. For example, this location had 10 Metal Slug Anthology (Wii) and stickered it for discount. Now they have 2 in stock, and it's no longer discounted.
Since video game pricing is so competative, and they have limited shelf lives, it's in the best interest for the store to keep a reasonable amount in stock (ie - enough to serve the customers, but not to cost them money.) The more titles sit without purchase, the more the store is at risk for a loss.
So - that's the story. For the record, here are some of the titles on the list, confirmed last night. The YMMV part is whether your Best Buy can actually offer it to you at a discount or not. My store had none of these on discount:
Wii
Heatseaker
Prince of Persia: Two Thrones
Super Swing Golf
TMNT
360
Bullet Witch
Def Jam ICON
DOA Xtreme 2
NBA Street Homecourt
Spiderman 3
WWE vs Smackdown 2007
PS3
Genji
Ridge Racer 7
There were others, but that's all I can remember for sure.
On a side note, I got the Splinter Cell: Double Agent Limited Edition (360) for $19.99 because it was still around from a previous clearance and still had the sticker.
