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 You know, 10 years ago a post like this would have been considered ridiculous. But then again 10 years ago no one was aggressive about game collecting. Not just the collectors, nostalgic gamers and bargain hunters, but resellers, pawn shop owners and other people who see game collecting as a business to exploit and abuse.
Everyone has their methods, be it honest or not, of getting games at thrift stores and other places. Some are considerably more successful at it than others. Also new collectors to the scene may find it a bit overwhelming when they read these "find" threads and wonder how the hell they do it. And with it being a highly competitive hobby, let me share with you the 5 best tips for scoring great finds for used games:
- Find out the best times of day/week to go hunting. Every store has a routine or schedule as to how they display their items. Chances are your fellow collectors know it as well, so it's always a matter of first come first serve.
- Memorize paths and locations. Some people may find this a bit crazy, but knowing the quickest way to the games in each store makes all the difference. That extra 10-15 seconds you save gives you extra time to pick things out. If you have really competitive collectors in your area, they park outside the store 10 minutes before closing, so it's a rush to get in first, especially on weekends.
- Grab everything you can whether you want it or not. Don't look at prices, check for manuals or anything, just grab everything you may be interested in and walk away. Chances are someone may follow you in a inconspicuous way to see if you put anything back. The bonus of grabbing everything is that you can examine it as you walk around the store. Better that than picking one off the shelf while someone grabs something else you didn't get to look at yet.
- Check other areas of the store. You wouldn't believe the games you can sometimes find in the music CD, VHS or DVD movie section. The same can be said for strategy guides in the magazine/book sections. Not every employee can/will/cares about the difference between "Craft lover" and "Game Informer".
- Pretend you know nothing about games. This may be the most important one of all. Unless someone knows for sure your a collector/gamer, you should always hide the fact. Some sellers in flea markets/thrift stores get edgy when you know more than they do and they'll feel threatened. Sometimes they may refuse to sell something to you or budge on the listed price. Pretending to be naive also makes other customers let their guard down, they may put a game back on the shelf while they think about buying it because they don't see you as a threat. You also may find store owners wil knock a bit off the price you may have haggled over just because they think they can sell you on something and take advantage of your lack of expertise. Never underestimate the usefulness of this tactic.
So you may read this and think I skirt the edges of proper decorum and manners, well your absolutely right. Joe Collector who picks up a R8 2600 game from the Salvation Army sure isn't going to feel bad about getting it before you did. With sites like eBay negatively affecting the collecting market, as collectors we need every advantage and dollar saved we can get.
Oh and one more thing, besides your want lists/check lists and wallet, bring a few batteries as well. You might want to check a handheld before you buy it regardless of it's condition. Feel free to add more tips in the comment section, those down on their luck and those new to the "sport" will appreciate it.
Happy Hunting 
I was just reading an article on Joystiq where they mentioned that Gamestop has a managerial convention in Las Vegas last week. Apparently they've realized that they have a bad image and wish to do something about it. Among these possible rumored changes is look, logos and a new slogan. I didn't even realize they had a slogan.
On another related/un-related topic, both EB's in my area have changed their used game policies. Instead of playing "let's see what kind of dirty crap they give you", whatever game case you bring them is the one you'll be buying. Which means when I pick out the cleanest best case and manuals for a game I can rest assured I won't get shafted with something else. Yay, no more dog chewed, hand cheesed, hair stuck to adhesive, Block Buster rentals.
I really hope this is that start of better things to come, EB for many smaller towns and cities is literally the only decent place to buy used games. Before the merger with Gamestop they had a much better reputation and I hope they are trying to come around to that again.
http://www.joystiq.com/20...der-to-10-changing-image/
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