[BudzMcGee]

Wow, new store was packed today.

The coupons (that were emailed yes) specifically say the 2 Lexington Stores only.

Note: they were also handing out printed out coupons at the door as well (Lex only as well).

Damn. Oh well. Thanks for getting back.

My local store has a copy of New Super Mario Brothers 2 for 3DS I'd much rather get for $10-$12 instead of $16...

[Gosha]

I got a $5 off $25 coupon instead of the 20% one http://hpb.com/coupo...213ED05/pf.html

[irishsoccermbw]

I got a $5 off $25 coupon instead of the 20% one http://hpb.com/coupo...213ED05/pf.html

I got the 5 off 25 as well, was really hoping for a 50% off Sunday oh well.

[Corgstradamus]

I love my local HPB, I have picked up some pretty awesome books but also picked a brand new sealed copy of Blazblue for the vita during the 50% OFF sale for $7.50 and a sealed Silent Hill PS1 Black Label with Y folds and hang tag on the back still for $29.99. I am usually surprised whenever I go there.

[midlifecrisisMkII]

5 off 25 here too. I guess it's better than nothing.

Will they let you stack coupons? YMMV depending on the clerk? I still have a couple 15% coupons from the free calendars they've been handing out.

[BudzMcGee]

Even if you got the $5 off of $25 one if your email you should be able to use the 20% one.

[bg2001]

I love my local HPB, I have picked up some pretty awesome books but also picked a brand new sealed copy of Blazblue for the vita during the 50% OFF sale for $7.50 and a sealed Silent Hill PS1 Black Label with Y folds and hang tag on the back still for $29.99. I am usually surprised whenever I go there.

Wow - that SH can go for $200 or more.

[midlifecrisisMkII]

Found a PS3 controller with an 8ft extension cable for $30, but the salesperson wouldn't let me stack coupons. She said it was company policy. So used the 20% coupon and picked it up for just under $26 with tax. I'm not complaining.

[Corgstradamus]

Wow - that SH can go for $200 or more.

I did a quick flip for $100.00. I could have gotten more but the guy that bought it was super enthusiastic and to be honest the money really helps right now. I actually wanted to keep it because I knew I would never come across one again, but my responsibilities take priority.

[vicktor]

I do not understand Half Price Books pricing. I bought New Super Mario Bros. DS for $9.99. Three weeks later, same HPB they have it without a manual for only...$34.99.

[BudzMcGee]

I do not understand Half Price Books pricing. I bought New Super Mario Bros. DS for $9.99. Three weeks later, same HPB they have it without a manual for only...$34.99.

Part of the problem is they use Amazon as a guide and as we all know, Amazon could run out temporarily of a product so when they go to look it up they only see the price from one complete lunatic trying to sell something way over priced on the Amazon marketplace.

The other problem is that while some stores have people working who know video games and will stop and say, no, that price doesn't make sense for this item, others don't. That's why you have a store with an incomplete New SMB DS for $34.99 and my store had New SMB 2 for 3DS complete for only $19.99. Which I got for about $17 after taxes and the 20% coupon yesterday. Also grabbed a few random clearance $1 PC games while I was at it for $0.80 each.

[Agent Hero]

Just another pricing rant. My local HPB has two non-BC PS3's for $200 each and an NES-style Gameboy Advance SP--the one style I would consider buying--for $70. Even with the coupon, none of that is worth a second thought.

[PapaSmerf]

Just another pricing rant. My local HPB has two non-BC PS3's for $200 each and an NES-style Gameboy Advance SP--the one style I would consider buying--for $70. Even with the coupon, none of that is worth a second thought.

You could ask to speak with someone about adjusting the price. I have experienced both + & - outcomes, but you don't get if you don't ask. Heck, I've even bargained at BB for a sweet discount.

I know I picked up the GBA SP (the model with brighter screen) from a pawn shop about two years ago for a little over $20. So that seems to be a much better starting price for that.

[Desousa93]

Thanks for the coupon. i went in found 66 dollars in GB/GBA games worth picking up told the guy that I left my 15% off coup at home. Wouldn't do shit for me. Put it on hold then saw this post with 20% off.

Found a copy of kirby dreamland 2 kirby star stacker super mario deluxe super mario advance 1 and 4 mario kart gba pkmn crystal pkmn yelow and a bunch of others.

[okwordyoda]

Let me clear up a few misconceptions about HPB pricing of video games.

I'm not sure where everyone is getting the we use Amazon as a guideline. That's not entirely true. We can use anything. Our pricing stations have the Internet and we can look up the going rate using just about any site we want.

The main thing we're trained to use is our system itself. The inventory of all 120+ stores are linked and that's where we get our data. So if one store sold the NES GBA for $70 then another store is definitely going to try it because there's proof that that price has worked in the past. Plus we have a fast paced marked down system for all electronics.

I can't explain a $35 NSMB. That seems like a user error for sure. Maybe someone in the company sold a sealed one at some point, and then someone followed suit with the same price not realizing. $20 bucks for NSMB2 makes perfect sense though. Since we're HALF price books, we should stick to half price for all things still in print. Since that games still lists for 40, that's what our price SHOULD be.

I can say as a gamer some of our prices are a bit on the high side BUT as someone who's worked in the store for a few years now I can also say all things video games sell. They just do. With few mark downs and rarely any clearance. It's not a big section of any of our stores, but it's a section that does well. The demand is high. Even the value of GBAs are going up, now that 3DS doesn't have GBA support and everyone is selling their DS Lites. N64 is a cash cow. The systems rarely last a week and the controllers sell themselves.

[BudzMcGee]

I would see your calm rational, thought out response and reasonable explanation of pricing and raise you some of the games I saw today, just for shits and giggles.

Three that I remember for sure include; Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition for $50 (I admit this is a somewhat rarer one now, but $50 still seems high), Bully: Scholarship Edition for $40, Max Payne 3 for $25 (this game has been $19.99 at some retailer for almost two months straight) along with many MSRP $19.99 games being sold used for $19.99 and I know there were a few other "WTF?" prices at the same store. Like I said, one store almost always has really reasonable prices, the other is more like what I described above, and with the exception of the Ultimate Alliance game which is a new arrival, the others (especially Max Payne 3 and Bully) have been on the shelf with no change in price for a month and a half to two months now that I can remember. I can't speak how long the N64 systems stay in store at my local ones, but they always seem to have one or two and a few of the same games every time I look.

[PapaSmerf]

@okwordyoda, I understand the internet is available to pricers, I personally just wish they would use it more effectively. As to why we assume Amazon is used prominently, while it may be anecdotal, we have been told by the pricers themselves that is what they used. As most CAGs know, the actual sold price on ebay is much more accurate than asking prices on amazon marketplace.

Overall, I am really not complaining too much. The same practices that result in a few high prices also produce a few gems and those are really what we all care about.

@BudzMcGee, to be fair on Bully Scholarship, if it was for the 360, a complete copy still consistently sells for close to $40 shipped on ebay (one certainly can pay less). If it was priced last year, demand was even higher. Before Christmas, they were pushing past $50. I just checked ebay for Marvel Ultimate Alliance Gold and $50+ selling prices are common.

[BudzMcGee]

@BudzMcGee, to be fair on Bully Scholarship, if it was for the 360, a complete copy still consistently sells for close to $40 shipped on ebay (one certainly can pay less). If it was priced last year, demand was even higher. Before Christmas, they were pushing past $50.

If that is true then I stand corrected, I also have to consider selling the complete copy I bought at a Blockbuster closing sale for $7...

[PapaSmerf]

I sold mine

[Friend of Sonic]

20% off entire purchase is nice for scooping up some of the smaller items. Thanks op!

[PapaSmerf]

Yesterday, I received a coupon card for 40-20-30-50 percent off starting 3/11 and ending 3/17. Watch for emails with a printable version!

[BossKey_Fox]

Yesterday, I received a coupon card for 40-20-30-50 percent off starting 3/11 and ending 3/17. Watch for emails with a printable version!

Awesome.

I usually just go in on Sunday to pick over the leftovers. Never spend it on anything too expensive, but still a nice cheap treat.

[midlifecrisisMkII]

Yesterday, I received a coupon card for 40-20-30-50 percent off starting 3/11 and ending 3/17. Watch for emails with a printable version!

Thanks for the heads up. There are some games and books I've been wanting, but are more than I'm willing to pry my wallet open for. This sale will solve that.

[BudzMcGee]

Yesterday, I received a coupon card for 40-20-30-50 percent off starting 3/11 and ending 3/17. Watch for emails with a printable version!

Good to know, though a sale ending on St. Patrick's Day means bargain shopping while shit faced...

[ChernobylCow]

Let me clear up a few misconceptions about HPB pricing of video games.

I'm not sure where everyone is getting the we use Amazon as a guideline. That's not entirely true. We can use anything. Our pricing stations have the Internet and we can look up the going rate using just about any site we want.

The main thing we're trained to use is our system itself. The inventory of all 120+ stores are linked and that's where we get our data. So if one store sold the NES GBA for $70 then another store is definitely going to try it because there's proof that that price has worked in the past. Plus we have a fast paced marked down system for all electronics.

I can't explain a $35 NSMB. That seems like a user error for sure. Maybe someone in the company sold a sealed one at some point, and then someone followed suit with the same price not realizing. $20 bucks for NSMB2 makes perfect sense though. Since we're HALF price books, we should stick to half price for all things still in print. Since that games still lists for 40, that's what our price SHOULD be.

I can say as a gamer some of our prices are a bit on the high side BUT as someone who's worked in the store for a few years now I can also say all things video games sell. They just do. With few mark downs and rarely any clearance. It's not a big section of any of our stores, but it's a section that does well. The demand is high. Even the value of GBAs are going up, now that 3DS doesn't have GBA support and everyone is selling their DS Lites. N64 is a cash cow. The systems rarely last a week and the controllers sell themselves.

Thanks for sharing. Just out of curiosity, what range of an offer do you think a HPB would make on a copy of [360] Borderlands 2?

I've taken in older games but games that aren't even 6 months old I tend to trade to amazon for the high amount of amazon bux.

[exileinoblivion]

HPB system is so varied because there isnt one. Trading in, pricing, its all pretty much up to the employee doing its discretion. Ive taken the same stack of stuff in 3 times till i finally got an offer i want. I will flirt like crazy if its a girl too, that usually helps.

I never find rare gaming stuff though. I find hpb best for single issue comics.

[Big Boss Mario]

If HPB had a coupon for an additional % on your trade in then that could convince me to go in but I have never seen this, the coupon are only on purchases.

[exileinoblivion]

If HPB had a coupon for an additional % on your trade in then that could convince me to go in but I have never seen this, the coupon are only on purchases.

I'm not sure that would make sense anyways since they just make up figures. They could just lowball you 10% of what they were thinking.

Unless you could present the coupon afterwards and be BAM! Add 10% to that SUCKA!

[midlifecrisisMkII]

Stopped by today and they had a copy of Xenobade Chronicles (CIB). Price? $100. "Crazy rare, out of print and hard to find." Out of my league.

Also, saw a few copies of Dragon Age 2 for the PC (XP/Vista/7) at $5 ea.

[kamakazi5]

Good to hear one of the nice coupon deals is coming up soon. I still hit up the stores around me about once a week but it's not nearly as good as it used to be. I can still find some deals on PS2 games every once in a while but most stuff is way overpriced now. I understand it for some of the more sought after titles like Mario and Final Fantasy since they are likely to sell but 95% of what I see doesn't sell and for good reason.