When hunting/shopping for games, do you carry a list?

[SNKnicotine]

Personally I carry a binder divided by consoles with print outs of the game title and listed prices found on popular sites. If they're at GS or other retailers i print out the multiple locations it's at with phone numbers to call ahead and place it on hold. It might be old school or space taking but it's a system that works for me.

What system do you guy's use and what hints, tips, and tricks do you have for those who are just starting or trying to better their technique?

[prfsnl_gmr]

I keep an updated "Want List" in my inbox that I can access through my telephone. My "Want List" is very thorough, and if a game does not appear on it, then there is a good chance that I already have it in my collection. Accordingly - while it also curbs my instinct to buy every inexpensive game I encounter during one of my hunts - its main purpose is to keep me from buying games that I already own.

[DSKrek]

I use the Collectorz companion app, and bring either my Nexus 7 or my iPad. Yeah, I bought the app twice (once for Android, once for iOS).

[Hobie-wan]

I finally put a list of things I own on my phone the other day because I bought some manuals I already had the other weekend. I can generally remember games I already have and the ones on my want list that I'm likely to come across in the wild, but manuals are a little trickier as those don't stick in the mind as much. I definitely had a printed list when I visited Japan though. Needed to be able to ID non English titles for certain or show a clerk what I was looking for.

[Luke]

In my best Dish impersonation:

No.

[SpoonyBard]

People price checking in store has always bothered me. I feel like when you're asking a local store to compete directly with the internet, you're telling them that you don't value the convenience or service they offer. Nothing wrong with a bit of haggling, but handing them print-outs or showing them websites I find to be insulting. That may just be me though.

I have a Dreamcast checklist right now so I don't end up with doubles. If I had a smart phone, i'd probably use the RFGeneration app instead. But that's about it. I spend a lot of time in stores, on forums, and eBay/amazon and I feel that I have a general idea of what most of the things i'm after cost. If I find something weird or cool, I try to determine how much I would be willing to pay for it and gauge that against the price tag. If it seems steep - I don't buy it.

Sometimes I get some great deals, sometimes I end up paying a little bit too much. But if a local shop can't afford (or doesn't want) something, they usually call me up and tell me about it. I just picked up a boxed TG-16 with games a couple weeks ago from this, and my local gamestop sends every customer with retro stuff over to me. Another shop told me about a local video store that's going out of business and I picked up a couple hundred dollars worth of new PS3 games for only $40 last night. So in the end, a little bit of overpaying works out.

When you're in a store with amazon price lists and constantly asking to match online prices, how many of those extra deals do you think they're going to throw over to you?

[Hazerd]

No, i just buy what i see at the right price, i know what im looking for usually and what price is good.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I mix up Atari 2600 games really easily, so when I shop for them I bring a "Atari games I already own" list.

Other than that, no I don't bring a list. I know the stuff I like/want.

[fastbilly1]

No, i just buy what i see at the right price, i know what im looking for usually and what price is good.

Same. But sometimes I goof up and buy multiples several times over.

[Ack]

If necessary, I have used my smartphone to access my RFGeneration account, but generally I do not. Then again, there are few places around here that I can buy games, so more often I end up picking up things online.