How to Score Steelbooks before they sell out

How to Score Steelbooks Before They Sell Out (Without Bots)

If you're a steelbook collector, you’ve likely felt the sting of missing out on a drop — watching that beautiful limited edition sell out in minutes, only to pop up on eBay hours later for double the price.

But fear not: there are legit ways to beat the rush — even without bots or insider hookups. Here’s how.

1. Set Up Stock Alerts Early

Don’t rely on your memory. Use:

• Zavvi Notify (Zavvi lets you sign up for back-in-stock alerts)

• Blu-ray.com Forums — collector threads often break news early

• Use a stock alert extension like Distill.io or HotStock (for Best Buy & Amazon)

2. Know the Drop Patterns

Each retailer has a pattern. For example:

• Best Buy usually drops early mornings, often Tuesday/Thursday around 9–10 AM EST

• Zavvi UK often drops new steelbooks on weekends

• Amazon is unpredictable — bookmark and refresh closer to release

• Pro tip: Keep a spreadsheet of release dates and retailers for preorders.

3. Create Accounts Ahead of Time

Set up and stay logged in to:

• Best Buy

• Zavvi

• FNAC

• Amazon (with Prime)

• Walmart

Also, save your shipping and payment info so you can check out in seconds.

4. Use Multiple Devices or Tabs

When a drop goes live:

• Open the product page on phone, tablet, and desktop

• Use multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

• If one freezes, the other may get through

Yes, it sounds chaotic, but seconds matter with steelbooks!

5. Join Collectors Communities

Other collectors are your best lifeline. Join:

• Reddit’s r/Steelbooks

• Blu-ray.com’s steelbook threads

• Discord groups or Facebook collector groups

You’ll often get early drop news or restock alerts that aren’t widely shared.

6. Set Release Day Reminders

Use Google Calendar, Todoist, or just your phone alarm.
Label it something serious like:

“🧨 SPIDER-MAN STEELBOOK DROP — DO NOT IGNORE”

Why Bots Aren’t Worth It (for Most of Us)

Yes, some resellers use bots — but they’re expensive, complicated, and get blocked more often now.
For legit collectors, your best weapon is preparation, not automation.

Recap: Your Steelbook Survival Kit

Tool Purpose ✅ Stock alerts Get notified instantly ✅ Account login Check out fast ✅ Release calendar Never miss a drop ✅ Community Insider news ✅ Multi-device setup Better chance to beat traffic

Your Turn

How do you score rare steelbooks?
Leave a comment and share your tactics — or your biggest "sold out heartbreak."