Reduced Price Guides-Discussion Thread

IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

Banned
Admittedly, I've been guilty of making superfluous posts in the past(aka RAMBLING, as I've called it). So, to cut down on such further posts in the main Reduced Price Guide thread, I've created THIS thread(which I will link to in the first post of the guide thread).

Please keep ALL discussions not related to actual guide drops(which guides are worth more than a penny, which ones are worth crap, etc) HERE.

But also, please continue to list dropped guides, which store they dropped at and when they dropped in the main thread.

Thanks in advance and I hope we can keep the clutter to a minimum from here on out.
 
You guys will like this. I go to my local GC tonight and ask about the guides. The guy says "oh, some guy came in yesterday and took almost the entire box, but I have these left" and hands me a stack of about 8-10 guides, but in that guide stack were MINT guides of Suikoden V and Tales of the Abyss! LOL! What the hell did that guy take then? I thought that was hilarious!
 
[quote name='rarebucky']LOL! What the hell did that guy take then? I thought that was hilarious![/quote]He probably took all the copies of Resident Evil Archives. ;)
 
Pretty sure it's YMMV. I got lucky and found that mine still had some of the guides from previous drops. Well, they used to have them. Before I showed up.
 
[quote name='eugaet']He probably took all the copies of Resident Evil Archives. ;)[/QUOTE]

Nah, I asked about that and this GC hasn't had that book for years. Maybe he took all of their copies of POTC...
 
went to my bestbuy yesterday and they now have free stickers in fron of some guides. the guides were gone however, they have super paper mario and some 2007 codes book. They had some gears of war, but it wasnt labeled and i was not aware it was pennied out. I might have to go back in today.
 
I found an EB with several copies of FFX and a few other $.01 guides, but they had new UPC stickers covering the original ones and rang up at full price. Has anyone else ever encountered that?
 
[quote name='onikage']I found an EB with several copies of FFX and a few other $.01 guides, but they had new UPC stickers covering the original ones and rang up at full price. Has anyone else ever encountered that?[/QUOTE]

I haven't encountered that yet. Did the UPC's indicate the actual product name or were they a generic guide UPC?
 
[quote name='Josef']I haven't encountered that yet. Did the UPC's indicate the actual product name or were they a generic guide UPC?[/quote]

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure that the FFX sticker UPC was different from the UPC on the guide.
 
[quote name='onikage']I found an EB with several copies of FFX and a few other $.01 guides, but they had new UPC stickers covering the original ones and rang up at full price. Has anyone else ever encountered that?[/quote]

I've encountered that before. Usually at the same stores that also override the 0.01 price to regular price if a penny guide is brought up.

The first time I encountered this I took the guide up to scan and it came up with the correct product name at regular price. The guy told me they usual spiel of not being allowed to sell 0.01 guides and how they had repriced/relabeled several others a few nights earlier. I assumed he meant the new UPC sticker codes when he said "relabeled".
 
[quote name='Josef']I haven't encountered that yet. Did the UPC's indicate the actual product name or were they a generic guide UPC?[/quote]I've seen generic guide UPC's before, though not in a long while. They're also SKU's that never get pennied out, so they're always some measure of full price.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']I've seen generic guide UPC's before, though not in a long while. They're also SKU's that never get pennied out, so they're always some measure of full price.[/QUOTE]

I think when GS first converted over EB's inventory they used some generic guide UPC's for guides that GS no longer carried (but I could be wrong about that).
 
I seen some stores have genetic upc for pennied out guides. Of course all thats left are crappy sport guides.
 
[quote name='Visc']weird thing yesterday - I went and found 2 RE4 Wii guides at a gamestop I frequent, and they were marked at $5 in the system, should I still grab them?[/QUOTE]


See, if they would do this BEFORE PENNYING/DESTROYING THEM I'd actually pick up a guide now and then. As many have said, the 15-20 (if not MORE for the LE guides) is just utter bullshit for most of them. I mean, c'mon, who paid 15 bucks for the Guitar Hero 2 guide?
 
[quote name='heatdolphins45']I'm hoping for a huge BB drop tomorrow. as the guide section is packed to the brim. the guides are overflowing.[/quote]

That WOULD be quite nice, as there's a ton of current guides they have that I would love to pick up.
 
[quote name='heatdolphins45']I'm hoping for a huge BB drop tomorrow. as the guide section is packed to the brim. the guides are overflowing.[/quote]

Truth. I always straighten it up since, hey, they'll be mine eventually.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
I could tell they lied, since both clerks looked at one another and agreed(after a 2-3 second lapse) that both were full price still. Plus, they stashed the guides behind the counter, instead of asking me to put them back on the shelf if they're still full price. [/quote]

I haven't had any incidents where GS/EB clerks lied about prices recently but if I know for sure I'm being lied to, and there isn't a visible price-output terminal for credit card usage confirming the price, I'd take up on their offer and buy it for full price. They'd have to go through some handy overriding to charge you full price since the system says its .01. Of course, nothing says you can't return it right on-spot if they do override the price.
 
[quote name='Caliburn']I haven't had any incidents where GS/EB clerks lied about prices recently but if I know for sure I'm being lied to, and there isn't a visible price-output terminal for credit card usage confirming the price, I'd take up on their offer and buy it for full price. They'd have to go through some handy overriding to charge you full price since the system says its .01. Of course, nothing says you can't return it right on-spot if they do override the price.[/QUOTE]

You can return strategy guides? I would have to think that there is something in their policies that would prohibit that. Otherwise, people would buy a guide, use it to beat the game and then return it. But if there's no policy that's cool.

If they did override the price, I just wouldn't buy it in the first place, so a return is moot.
 
[quote name='Caliburn']I haven't had any incidents where GS/EB clerks lied about prices recently but if I know for sure I'm being lied to, and there isn't a visible price-output terminal for credit card usage confirming the price, I'd take up on their offer and buy it for full price. They'd have to go through some handy overriding to charge you full price since the system says its .01. Of course, nothing says you can't return it right on-spot if they do override the price.[/quote]

Yeah, you could always buy them and then return them on the spot, but I'm just too cheap to even be bothered to do that anymore. They had those credit card terminals, but they must have the price output shut off, since this isn't the first time I've tried this at that store and I tend to immediately say 'wow that's a great price', when it comes up .01 and demand it for that price if/when it shows up as such.

Most of the ones closer to me will just bluntly say 'this is a penny, we can't sell it to you, you know that', since those are the ones I've worn out my welcome at.

It's just a shame that they don't just keep these guides once they penny off to the side and give them with the game when people buy them. It's a waste to dumpster them, in more ways than one. Although, the guides at the store I tried getting Warhawk and Jericho from were mostly trashed anyway.

The rest of the guides were in various states of crap, from a copy of the Bioshock guide which had a LONG tear up the middle of the front cover to the other copies of Warhawk's guide which were victim to numerous bends and tears and folds. The guides at MANY of the local GS stores seem to be in deplorable condition by the time they penny them that it's almost a sin to even take them in such trashed condition.
 
Just got back from best buy and picked up pokemon mystery dungeon for free! The shelf that the guides where on had it marked for free and the guy at the counter scanned it it rang up 14.99 but he walked back there looked at the tag came back and adjusted the price.
Its a little beat up but free is free.
 
[quote name='Zmonkay']See, if they would do this BEFORE PENNYING/DESTROYING THEM I'd actually pick up a guide now and then. [/quote]It happens at GS every once in a while. Probably at other stores too, but I only recall it at GS.

[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Oh and FYI, I've seen copies of the Gears Of War guide for 360 marked @ both $4.99 and $19.99. Just in case any of you can't grab a copy and want one, they SHOULD ring up the $4.99 price.[/quote]Just make sure it's the 360 version, as you say. The new PC version was released more recently and is full price.

Sorry to hear about them lying to you, Iam. Hate when they do that.

[quote name='Rocko']Truth. I always straighten it up since, hey, they'll be mine eventually.[/quote]:lol:
 
Waiting for BB drop. I hid a Mass Effect LE Super Mario Galazy LE and two hardcover zelda guides behind some guitar hero guitars. Hoping they'll still be there.
 
[quote name='freshzen']I was going to second Animal Crossing not being a penny at Game Crazy.

Its 14.99.

Has anyone else been having a lot of problems getting penny guides from Game Crazy all of a sudden? I've been rejected on large piles of guides 3 times now, and the rest of the stores I've been too have only had a few guides out, or already cleaned house.[/QUOTE]
my problem is the whole $0.0 thing. Before they had no problem with pennied out guide.
 
[quote name='yuy104']GrimmTrixX - I wish you worked at the GC near me! I stopped by there again afterwork, and the store manager was the only one there. I asked him about the Resident Evil Archives book, he told me it was destroyed a few days ago. When 3,4 hours prior my bf saw the guide behind the counter, along with Devil Summoner, Wild Arms 5, Atlier Iris 2 that he wouldn't sell to us unless we get them at full price or 20% off if we buy them with the games.[/quote]

Then he was being a jerk because first of all we CAN'T sell them at full price cuz we take them out of inventory. SO say we had 3 guides of Tales of the Abyss, and I pull all 3 and we scan them out of the system, they're $0.00 and 0 qty. Therefore a price mark UP would be flagged through the company as a big no no. What WE do is if there's a pull and say someone buys that particular game, I just give them the guide since otherwise it goes in the trash anyway. After employees take their pick, we keep them for a day or 2 (maybe for an added incentive to join our MVP program, but only if we're all having a bad day for those since we get commission on them) but otherwise if people ask i just give them, we're just trying to get rid of them.

As far as the RE archives book, we've only ever had 3 in our entire store and they were all bought like by the month the book came out. I bought one last xmas as a matter of fact, well "santa" did. the other 2 were just eventually sold and we've been out since, so i wouldn't have been able to help. That and I snag all the RPG guides. lol But hey, the perks of being in the business of game retail.
 
Also, to the person who asked if all GCs throw them out or whatever, it's definitely YMMV. See at my store I always pull them the day they drop (unless its on a day im not working but i work weekends and they tend to drop on sat or sun). SO I pull them, but we always keep them for maybe 3-4 days to give to people who buy those games, or help to sell MVPs, or give them to people who come in an ask. Oddly enough my store must be nowhere near fellow CAGers because no one EVER comes in, at leats when Im working, to ask if we have any guides that got pennied/dropped to $0. Its true we dont ring them in the system if its 0, but we take it right out of inventory, so its as if its not there at all. Then after like 3-4 days we just toss them cuz the pile sits there and gets in the way otherwise.

I am a wicked video gaming nerd and some of my fellow employees, while they are gaming nerds, aren't as nerdy as me. I collect video games and video game strat guides. I have some rare ones like the first Marvel vs. capcom 2 strategy guide, the guide for ShinMegami Tensei: Nocturne, the original Resident Evil 2 guide, etc...etc... needless to say, with 1700+ video games (i kid you not, i have them all catalogued) and 126 stratetgy guides (and 5 art books) I know my stuff. lol But yea it's totally YMMV as to which GCs keep the guides around, cuz policy is to defect them out and toss them in the same day, but my store at least lets them hang around for a few days, cuz to me it just seems like a waste.

In the SAME token they dont wanna put a box out saying "free guides" cuz then u get people saying "oh is this one free? which ones are free? how come this one isnt free? why does that guide get to be free but not this one?" and all that crap. So it doesn't hurt to ask, but ask the DAY the guides drop, cuz i assume most GCs dont have nerds like me who keep stuff around for a while, and as a collector of games and game related items, its tough for me to let things go like guides, especially if RPG guides are involved cuz personally THOSE are the only games that truly need strategy guides. I'll tell you right now, I have NEVER sold an NCAA football or a need for speed guide, EVER....yet they exist.
 
I've tried that 'scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' thing with my local GS stores, but they're a stubborn lot who won't budge, even under the guise of being given an Edge card for their numbers. I think it'd practically take me buying 10 games at full price to get ONE guide from them anymore, so for me, it's definitely NOT worth it unless that guide were to resell for quadruple cover price and I got about 10 copies of it.
 
Hmm, does the P3 guide have alot of artwork in it (I understand that the game comes with an artbook, but just curious if it differs much from it).
 
[quote name='erehwon']I dropped by this one GS today and noticed that the Persona 3 guide got dropped to $10 with a lot of those other ones. I picked this up since it was the last copy.[/quote]

No kidding? I'd buy that @ $10 before it disappears! Time to hit up the stores...
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I've tried that 'scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' thing with my local GS stores, but they're a stubborn lot who won't budge, even under the guise of being given an Edge card for their numbers. I think it'd practically take me buying 10 games at full price to get ONE guide from them anymore, so for me, it's definitely NOT worth it unless that guide were to resell for quadruple cover price and I got about 10 copies of it.[/quote]Oh, I would never try the 'scratching backs' thing at GS. Never work. This was at a GC, I went ahead and gave him the MVP subscription after he helped me for 2+ hours over the course of a couple days and I ended up with 50+ guides from that location. Every time I've come in since, he asks if I have a list and gets ready to type 'em in at the terminal. Seems a little sad when I don't. Guess I give him something to do.
 
[quote name='eugaet']Oh, I would never try the 'scratching backs' thing at GS. Never work. This was at a GC, I went ahead and gave him the MVP subscription after he helped me for 2+ hours over the course of a couple days and I ended up with 50+ guides from that location. Every time I've come in since, he asks if I have a list and gets ready to type 'em in at the terminal. Seems a little sad when I don't. Guess I give him something to do.[/quote]
i had a gc in sptg i would do that, i got 2 mvp cards but got every guide i wanted, then the damn store want out of buisness, but i ended making good friends with the guy so it paid of as he held alot for me till it it 90% off so was worth it. heck he even let me go threw the drawers of games and found some gems hidden
 
[quote name='Kain Vincent']Hmm, does the P3 guide have alot of artwork in it (I understand that the game comes with an artbook, but just curious if it differs much from it).[/quote]

The guide doesn't have a lot of artwork. Most of it are character arts that are found in the artbook. But there are a few demon pics that aren't in the artbook. But for the most part, it's just text, text, text.
 
Went to a local gstop today to see if I could get the b1g1 for the xbox, but I couldn't find two good condition games at the same store.
On my way out I saw two penny guides on the shelf, and decided to try once more for old times.
This time I got the following line: 'Oh, the reason that the price is different is because all guides are $10.00 until sometime in February.' Another co-worker chimes in 'Yeah, it was in some mail we got'.
The whole time they were smirking and not even trying to sound like they were telling the truth. I just walked out.
The last two times I've tried, I've gotten the immediate override to $10.00 per guide. Will not bother anymore.
Oh well...
 
Picked up the Persona 3 guide for $10 less the 10% off coupon - the clerk stared at the coupon for a LONG time as if I handed him Martian money - ended up like $9.60 something after tax, so I'm happy. It was stickered $9.99 as well.
 
[quote name='dragonjud']Went to a local gstop today to see if I could get the b1g1 for the xbox, but I couldn't find two good condition games at the same store.
On my way out I saw two penny guides on the shelf, and decided to try once more for old times.
This time I got the following line: 'Oh, the reason that the price is different is because all guides are $10.00 until sometime in February.' Another co-worker chimes in 'Yeah, it was in some mail we got'.
The whole time they were smirking and not even trying to sound like they were telling the truth. I just walked out.
The last two times I've tried, I've gotten the immediate override to $10.00 per guide. Will not bother anymore.
Oh well...[/quote]

Next time do this:

[Pay attention to the employees names.]

Say, "Paul"
[just using that name as an example because Paul sounds like a name a typical Gamestop D-bag employee might have.]

"did you just do an over-ride on this items clearance price?"
[Wait for BS response. Then address employee 2 if not he's occupied dis-informing unsuspecting naive consumers.]

"Casey,"
[again another hypothetical d-bag name used for arguments sake, it's not intentionally androgynous or meant to imply that he smokes the pole or anything; As one might assume a Gamestop employee would could might.]
[Note: Be firm but not an ass.]

I believe this title is on the Gamestop master clearance list for $.01 -

[Before he can respond add.]
Would you mind re-ringing that item up again for me?
[Show no sign of insecurity or surprise, act as if you thought they might have done what just transpired. You might get lucky here and get your item at its set inventory price, so the d-bags don't buy it for themselves to eBay later.]

[However, if you get shot down reply thusly:]
"Thanks Paul, Casey see you guys again later."
[Exit store, and at least let them know you are paying attention and they might have thought you are a secret shopper.]
 
[quote name='h3llbring3r']Next time do this:

[Pay attention to the employees names.]

Say, "Paul"
[just using that name as an example because Paul sounds like a name a typical Gamestop D-bag employee might have.]

"did you just do an over-ride on this items clearance price?"
[Wait for BS response. Then address employee 2 if not he's occupied dis-informing unsuspecting naive consumers.]

"Casey,"
[again another hypothetical d-bag name used for arguments sake, it's not intentionally androgynous or meant to imply that he smokes the pole or anything; As one might assume a Gamestop employee would could might.]
[Note: Be firm but not an ass.]

I believe this title is on the Gamestop master clearance list for $.01 -

[Before he can respond add.]
Would you mind re-ringing that item up again for me?
[Show no sign of insecurity or surprise, act as if you thought they might have done what just transpired. You might get lucky here and get your item at its set inventory price, so the d-bags don't buy it for themselves to eBay later.]

[However, if you get shot down reply thusly:]
"Thanks Paul, Casey see you guys again later."
[Exit store, and at least let them know you are paying attention and they might have thought you are a secret shopper.][/quote]
I tried something similar a few weeks ago, and while it was funny to see their expression, they still refused the sale. Made me feel better, but no guide at the end. :lol:

With these guys last night, I heard the level of conversation between them before going to the counter. It was at some 'middle school, 35 year old living in his mom's basement'. The guys whose shift had ended stayed at the store 'hanging out', and talking to the guys on the new shift because they had nothing better to do. In this case, I knew if they felt threatened by my intelligence they would just get upset and refuse the sale. Plus I didn't have any glitter.:D
 
[quote name='h3llbring3r']Next time do this:

[Pay attention to the employees names.]

Say, "Paul"
[just using that name as an example because Paul sounds like a name a typical Gamestop D-bag employee might have.]

"did you just do an over-ride on this items clearance price?"
[Wait for BS response. Then address employee 2 if not he's occupied dis-informing unsuspecting naive consumers.]

"Casey,"
[again another hypothetical d-bag name used for arguments sake, it's not intentionally androgynous or meant to imply that he smokes the pole or anything; As one might assume a Gamestop employee would could might.]
[Note: Be firm but not an ass.]

I believe this title is on the Gamestop master clearance list for $.01 -

[Before he can respond add.]
Would you mind re-ringing that item up again for me?
[Show no sign of insecurity or surprise, act as if you thought they might have done what just transpired. You might get lucky here and get your item at its set inventory price, so the d-bags don't buy it for themselves to eBay later.]

[However, if you get shot down reply thusly:]
"Thanks Paul, Casey see you guys again later."
[Exit store, and at least let them know you are paying attention and they might have thought you are a secret shopper.][/quote]

What should we say if they ask us how we know about the "Gamestop master clearance list"?
 
[quote name='shieryda']What should we say if they ask us how we know about the "Gamestop master clearance list"?[/quote]

Some suggestions:

1. Heard about it in a G.I. Joe Cartoon. Knowing is half the battle.
2. Casey told me. He also said something about Paul's mother, but I'm too polite to repeat it.
3. When I bought my 360 and $500 worth of games at the other GS, they told me about it and threw in a few penny guides. I guess I'll just have to keep spending my money there (try to downplay the fact that you are just buying 4 Xbox games for $6 total).
4. Good question. How come you two don't know about it.
5. I used to work at a GS before I got a real job.
6. Every retail store has a clearance list, duh. That guide has (those guides have) been out for x years. I really want to know how to beat the final boss in Pong, dammit.
7. I read about it on the interweb. Thanks Al Gore.
8. I'm psychic. I also know that you two don't have girlfriends. Impressive, no?
9. I'm an uber-hacker. I'm hacking you right now. Hack, hack.
10. I just know.
 
[quote name='guessed']Some suggestions:

1. Heard about it in a G.I. Joe Cartoon. Knowing is half the battle.
2. Casey told me. He also said something about Paul's mother, but I'm too polite to repeat it.
3. When I bought my 360 and $500 worth of games at the other GS, they told me about it and threw in a few penny guides. I guess I'll just have to keep spending my money there (try to downplay the fact that you are just buying 4 Xbox games for $6 total).
4. Good question. How come you two don't know about it.
5. I used to work at a GS before I got a real job.
6. Every retail store has a clearance list, duh. That guide has (those guides have) been out for x years. I really want to know how to beat the final boss in Pong, dammit.
7. I read about it on the interweb. Thanks Al Gore.
8. I'm psychic. I also know that you two don't have girlfriends. Impressive, no?
9. I'm an uber-hacker. I'm hacking you right now. Hack, hack.
10. I just know.[/quote]

:applause: :rofl:
 
[quote name='guessed']Some suggestions:

1. Heard about it in a G.I. Joe Cartoon. Knowing is half the battle.
2. Casey told me. He also said something about Paul's mother, but I'm too polite to repeat it.
3. When I bought my 360 and $500 worth of games at the other GS, they told me about it and threw in a few penny guides. I guess I'll just have to keep spending my money there (try to downplay the fact that you are just buying 4 Xbox games for $6 total).
4. Good question. How come you two don't know about it.
5. I used to work at a GS before I got a real job.
6. Every retail store has a clearance list, duh. That guide has (those guides have) been out for x years. I really want to know how to beat the final boss in Pong, dammit.
7. I read about it on the interweb. Thanks Al Gore.
8. I'm psychic. I also know that you two don't have girlfriends. Impressive, no?
9. I'm an uber-hacker. I'm hacking you right now. Hack, hack.
10. I just know.[/quote]

Post of the year.
 
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