Real Bargains:

The after Christmas sales are a time of excessive hype and consumer spending. The media hypes it, as do the retailers and even the shoppers themselves. The consumer is out opening their wallets this time of year and the shop owners love it. This means that retailers rarely have genuine after Christmas sales. Most of the prices will you come across during the sales this year will be exactly the same as they were during the sales before Christmas.

There are still bargains to be found though, since this hype is a huge opportunity for retailers to shift unwanted stock. This is where the real savings are made, all year around, not just at Christmas.

Check for games which:

• Were discontinued within the last 12 months
• Are over 12 months old
• In excess supply (didn't sell well over Christmas)
• Have been superseded (recent sequel, last generation, better games available)
  

Check our discussion thread on this topic to share knowledge and hunches for the bargains to come.

The Wish List:

Once you have placed some thought into which games may be on clearance it is time to choose which ones you'll buy if you spot them.

With a list, begin to search Google for images of the front and side (spine) cover of each game. When delving through the numerous shelves and bargain bins knowing what primary colours are dominate on the spines or how much space the game title takes up will reduce your chance of overlooking the game. It will also speed up your searches considerably. If you cannot locate the spine online, simply remember to take a long hard look at it the next time you go out.

You should also check over Economical Gamer to see what prices those games are currently going for.

Opening Times:

Not all shopping complexes open on Boxing Day, so you will need to find out when the location(s) you plan to visit open. Most complexes outside metropolitan areas do not open until December 27th.

Note the opening times for each of the major department and game stores. Some open at 8:00am, some 8:30am and the rest between 9:00-10:00am. Certain stores have special trading hours for the day while others will open when they please.

Check the official websites of the retailers to find your local opening times:

• Big W
• David Jones 
• Dick Smith Electronics
  
• Domayne
  
• EB Games (open 9:00am)
  
• GAME (open 9:00am)
• Gametraders (ring the store)
• Harvey Norman
  
• Joyce Mayne (ring the store)
  
• Kmart
• Myer
  
• Target 
• Toys 'R' Us
  
• WOW Sight & Sound
  

Plan the First Two Hours:

Do not bother attempting a leisurely afternoon shop. Arrive well before any of the places open and wait outside one or get something to eat. Queuing may feel like being a dork but parking after 9 am can take over 30 minutes, long enough for the bargains to disappear.

Tell anyone in your group that you will be racing between all the game stores and not looking at anything but games for the first two hours. Don't meander and plan to meet up with anyone who refuses to shop this way later in the day.

Some sales are advertised on TV and posted through out the store weeks in advance. This invites huge hordes on the day who line outside and stampede in when the doors open. Typically these mobs do not pose a threat to the bargains because they are not located on the sale tables.

On the odd occasion though genuine bargains may be in such locations waiting to be devoured. If the actual advertisement itself mentions video games then you may have no choice but to visit the places with the lines first. Ask yourself if their good bargains can withstand the initial rush, because if so you could attend a much quieter opening to get first preference there instead.

During the first two hours you will see places opening when they please, demolishing some of your efforts to coordinate your shopping. When it begins to happen keep an eye on the bags other shoppers are carrying since it will inform you which places have opened.

Search Everywhere:

No matter where you go there will be prices that are not advertised, not on television nor on the sticker price. The single most important rule of bargain hunting is to scan the game and in this case, every game on your wish list. So utilise the customer service scanners when able.

Check each shelf and bargain bin no matter how discouraging. Also peer under the shelf itself. Reading the spines is the most efficient way to browse any properly stacked shelf. Stand side-on to the shelf and read them or pull the games out in large handfuls and turn them sideways. If you're familiar with the cover and spine you should only need to glance at them before moving on.

Do not attempt hiding games at the back of the shelf, under it or buried at the bottom of a pile. During this time of year it can be found almost immediately. In fact this is exactly why you yourself should be checking these places, plus any other place a game might be hidden or forgotten.

Final Tip:

Stickers are pure evil aren't they? They refuse to come off clean and tidy and during no other time in the year are they out in bigger force than Christmas. Do not forget to remove all the stickers from your games before leaving the complex. If there is no drastic change in temperature the sticker should be easy to remove.

Cast the net as wide as you can and search all the stores, each shelf, table and bargain bin and take the time to scan prices when there is an opportunity. If you have correctly prioritised the locations to search first and use the techniques and preparations to speed up the process, your chances for success are the best they can possibly be.