Gamestop and eb preorders info for ps 3 and wii for Hawaii only-test run

[8th lutz]

This appears to only takes effect in Hawaii.

 

 

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=10098. A poster confirmed this for Hawaii only.

 

GameStop will start accepting pre-orders for the PS3/Wii on MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18. This will last for ONE WEEK only. Any store can and will stop taking pre-orders at any time (most likely when their limit is reached). I have been advised (and I advise you) to go to the store on Monday and get your pre-order in.

 

GameStop is NOT ACCEPTING cash, or store credit for your down payment on a pre-order. You HAVE to trade in games or accessories when you pre-order. It must total $50 or more, and it will all go towards your system pre-order. Any money you put down after $50 can be credit, cash, or whatever else GameStop/EB accepts. This applies for both the Wii and the PS3.

 

Any promotions on game trade-ins active during your pre-order transaction can be used toward this pre-order stuff. That means that you can take advantage of the "trade 3 games and get $10 extra" offer currently being held at GameStop/EB.

 

You are GUARANTEED to get a Wii, but the date you get it IS NOT GUARANTEED (he specifically told me that you are not guaranteed to get your system on launch or anytime during the Christmas season).

 

Stores are going to give out launch systems based on chronological pre-order order. That means if you are the first one to pre-order/reserve your Wii, you will be the first one to get a Wii on launch day.

 

Reservations are limited to 1 per household.

 

If you want to know what exactly the text says at the bottom of the flyer, here it is: "Cash or Store Credit will not be accepted. Reservations of the PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii are limited to one (1) reservation/purchase per household."

 

And the text near the GameStop logo at the bottom: "All trades must be in working condition and are subject to manager approval. As GameStop cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer, the reservation deposit will only gurantee a spot in line when the PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii becomes available. The reservation deposit does not guarantee reciept of a system available to purchase by Christmas."

 

MaxConsole.net get this from: http://s93408648.onlinehome.us/uploads/gam...s3_preorder.jpg

 

If this this true: you got to be kidding me! I am happy, I don't preorder game consoles with me not worrying about this crap and not living in Hawaii for preordering game consoles.

 

I hope this test run flops and this madness stops in Hawaii. This the proof it is a test run: http://www.gamersreports.com/news/3872/

 

You may want to check if this is bs by calling:

GameStop #3518

Kapolei S/C

91-590 Farrington Highway

Kapolei HI, 96707 US

(808)674-1158

 

The only people who know it are people who are in corp. higher ups, not managers outside of Hawaii.

Edited September 17, 2006 by 8th lutz

[Lemmi]

You are GUARANTEED to get a Wii, but the date you get it IS NOT GUARANTEED (he specifically told me that you are not guaranteed to get your system on launch or anytime during the Christmas season).

 

Stores are going to give out launch systems based on chronological pre-order order. That means if you are the first one to pre-order/reserve your Wii, you will be the first one to get a Wii on launch day.

 

Hawaii is crazy

[Gabriel]

This says an entirely different story to me.

 

First off, it tells me that this store wants more of the current generation games as stock. This reinforces even further (and it's pretty much rock solid at this point) that this new generation of consoles is still a full year too early.

 

Next, it tells me that they're fairly certain the Wii will not be a big seller. By guanteeing that a customer will get one, they're basically stating that they know there will be more than enough of the system to go around. By not guaranteeing getting it by Christmas, they're just covering their asses.

 

Notice that they DON'T Guarantee a PS3. So, they can easily skip your reservations and sell the PS3s to other people, most notably to those who pay all in cash and buy bundles.

[JB]

This says an entirely different story to me.

 

First off, it tells me that this store wants more of the current generation games as stock. This reinforces even further (and it's pretty much rock solid at this point) that this new generation of consoles is still a full year too early.

Of course they want current-gen games.

 

They're going to be rushed by everybody in the area trying to get the hot new system for Christmas.

And when they find out they're backordered for months, they're going to be looking to get a game they can play on their current system for Christmas.

 

Next, it tells me that they're fairly certain the Wii will not be a big seller. By guanteeing that a customer will get one, they're basically stating that they know there will be more than enough of the system to go around. By not guaranteeing getting it by Christmas, they're just covering their asses.

That's a rather liberal reading to me.

What it tells me is that "If you preorder, you WILL get a Wii... eventually." They make no guarantee that you will get one at any specific point in time, ensuring they can hold your cash and laugh as long as they want.

 

That sentence is as applicable to the PS3 as the Wii.

Just as it was applicable to certain stores that ignored 360 preorders and called non-preorder customers to ask if they wanted to buy a 360. The preorders were guaranteed a 360... eventually.

 

 

And it's not even GameStop's official stance. It's the statement of a guy on the "NeoGAF" Forums that was quoted on MaxConsole. Who seems more interested in the Wii, since he mentions it a heck of a lot more.

 

GameStop's official stance is

"If you want to know what exactly the text says at the bottom of the flyer, here it is: "Cash or Store Credit will not be accepted. Reservations of the PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii are limited to one (1) reservation/purchase per household."

 

And the text near the GameStop logo at the bottom: "All trades must be in working condition and are subject to manager approval. As GameStop cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer, the reservation deposit will only gurantee a spot in line when the PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii becomes available. The reservation deposit does not guarantee reciept of a system available to purchase by Christmas."

 

They restrict preorders of both systems, and refuse to guarantee anything more than "a spot in line" when both systems hit.

 

Notice that they DON'T Guarantee a PS3. So, they can easily skip your reservations and sell the PS3s to other people, most notably to those who pay all in cash and buy bundles.

Sure they do. No way in hell they'll take your preorder and not honor it. They'd get sued all over the place.

Your preorder will guarantee you a PS3... eventually.

[King_Salamon]

Just so you know... this isn't for Hawaii only. It's a test run there next week but it will be happening at all EB/Gamestop stores.

[Gabriel]

 

And it's not even GameStop's official stance. It's the statement of a guy on the "NeoGAF" Forums that was quoted on MaxConsole. Who seems more interested in the Wii, since he mentions it a heck of a lot more.

 

I was under the impression it was a repeating of the official stance, and the lack of "PS3" in the guarantee seemed notable to me. So, my mistake.

 

It doesn't change my stance that there will probably be a lot of unsold Wii's clogging store shelves this Christmas while every PS3 very easily sells.

 

Sure they do. No way in hell they'll take your preorder and not honor it. They'd get sued all over the place.

Your preorder will guarantee you a PS3... eventually.

 

Sure they will. Just like so many Gamestops honored pre-orders for the 360, by selling them to people who bought the top priced bundles rather than to the people who paid the pre-order fee.

 

They know those hyper enough to pre-order will simply get tired of waiting and will eventually buy the system elsewhere. Sometimes they'll even forget their deposit.

[JB]

Sure they do. No way in hell they'll take your preorder and not honor it. They'd get sued all over the place.

Your preorder will guarantee you a PS3... eventually.

 

Sure they will. Just like so many Gamestops honored pre-orders for the 360, by selling them to people who bought the top priced bundles rather than to the people who paid the pre-order fee.

 

They know those hyper enough to pre-order will simply get tired of waiting and will eventually buy the system elsewhere. Sometimes they'll even forget their deposit.

The 360 preorders WERE honored. They got a system... eventually.

 

To the best of my knowledge, Gamestop never promised that preorders would be honored before launch-day orders. Just that you could pay them before they actually had systems to sell.

It was IMPLIED you'd get your system before they started selling non-preoders, but never actually PROMISED.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I think it was extremely dishonest and abusive.

But they honored all their pre-orders, technically.

[MCHufnagel]

This says an entirely different story to me.

 

First off, it tells me that this store wants more of the current generation games as stock. This reinforces even further (and it's pretty much rock solid at this point) that this new generation of consoles is still a full year too early.

 

Next, it tells me that they're fairly certain the Wii will not be a big seller. By guanteeing that a customer will get one, they're basically stating that they know there will be more than enough of the system to go around. By not guaranteeing getting it by Christmas, they're just covering their asses.

 

Notice that they DON'T Guarantee a PS3. So, they can easily skip your reservations and sell the PS3s to other people, most notably to those who pay all in cash and buy bundles.

I think that the next gen is being rushed also. Just look at some of the games coming out for the current gen and say otherwise. With the exception of HD output, none of the XBox 360 games I've seen couldn't be done on the Xbox. Sure you might be able to have more on the screen, but the enemy AI's aren't much better (if at all).

 

The reason why they mentioned the Wii and not the PS3 is that Nintendo will have a lot more systems available this year. Like JB said, you will get a PS3 eventually. And I too think that the bundle pre-orders will get priority.

 

This tactic of only allowing pre-orders by trade-ins just adds to the list I have of not buying into the hype of launchs. Just wait a year or two, you'll save money and have more games to choose from. Oh and don't trade in to Game Stop/EB Games, sell on Ebay or even Craig's List.

[Phineasfool]

Sure they do. No way in hell they'll take your preorder and not honor it. They'd get sued all over the place.

Your preorder will guarantee you a PS3... eventually.

 

Sure they will. Just like so many Gamestops honored pre-orders for the 360, by selling them to people who bought the top priced bundles rather than to the people who paid the pre-order fee.

 

They know those hyper enough to pre-order will simply get tired of waiting and will eventually buy the system elsewhere. Sometimes they'll even forget their deposit.

The 360 preorders WERE honored. They got a system... eventually.

 

To the best of my knowledge, Gamestop never promised that preorders would be honored before launch-day orders. Just that you could pay them before they actually had systems to sell.

It was IMPLIED you'd get your system before they started selling non-preoders, but never actually PROMISED.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I think it was extremely dishonest and abusive.

But they honored all their pre-orders, technically.

 

Any Gamestop store that was selling to non preorders before preorders was doing wrong and could get in trouble for it if someone called on it. At the store I worked at we went down our preorder list as we got systems in and only sold the cores to non preorders after preorder people were offered them first. Which of course almost no one took. Basically MS lied/overestimated or whatever on how many 360s would be available. We only took preorders for as long as MS said we could.

 

Just so you know... this isn't for Hawaii only. It's a test run there next week but it will be happening at all EB/Gamestop stores.

 

It is not happening at all GS/EB stores. I've heard Canada is doing something similar, but the rest of the US outside Hawaii isn't. Honestly it's a stupid deal and hopefully won't do that well.

[King_Salamon]

Sure they do. No way in hell they'll take your preorder and not honor it. They'd get sued all over the place.

Your preorder will guarantee you a PS3... eventually.

 

Sure they will. Just like so many Gamestops honored pre-orders for the 360, by selling them to people who bought the top priced bundles rather than to the people who paid the pre-order fee.

 

They know those hyper enough to pre-order will simply get tired of waiting and will eventually buy the system elsewhere. Sometimes they'll even forget their deposit.

The 360 preorders WERE honored. They got a system... eventually.

 

To the best of my knowledge, Gamestop never promised that preorders would be honored before launch-day orders. Just that you could pay them before they actually had systems to sell.

It was IMPLIED you'd get your system before they started selling non-preoders, but never actually PROMISED.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I think it was extremely dishonest and abusive.

But they honored all their pre-orders, technically.

 

Any Gamestop store that was selling to non preorders before preorders was doing wrong and could get in trouble for it if someone called on it. At the store I worked at we went down our preorder list as we got systems in and only sold the cores to non preorders after preorder people were offered them first. Which of course almost no one took. Basically MS lied/overestimated or whatever on how many 360s would be available. We only took preorders for as long as MS said we could.

 

Just so you know... this isn't for Hawaii only. It's a test run there next week but it will be happening at all EB/Gamestop stores.

 

It is not happening at all GS/EB stores. I've heard Canada is doing something similar, but the rest of the US outside Hawaii isn't. Honestly it's a stupid deal and hopefully won't do that well.

 

All I know of is the Canadian EB Games deal that is the same... but it isn't taking place until October sometime... customers are being told to stay tuned on this one.

 

Perhaps this trade in requirement is an effort to stop Ebay sellers from scalping these units. And for that... I am happy to see this.

[JB]

Perhaps this trade in requirement is an effort to stop Ebay sellers from scalping these units. And for that... I am happy to see this.

Bah. If they want to stop scalpers, they need to find a way that doesn't punish everybody.

 

 

Personally, I think they should just mark the systems up.

The launch frenzy combined with grossly inadequate supply makes them worth a couple grand for the first month or 2, so why NOT sell them for a couple grand?

[+remowilliams]

Perhaps this trade in requirement is an effort to stop Ebay sellers from scalping these units. And for that... I am happy to see this.

It's not an attempt to stop ebay scalping. It's an attempt to force people into supplying easily resalable merchandise for a minuscule amount that they (GS/EB) can resell for a huge profit.

 

I can't even express just how far they can stick this up their f*ing ass.

 

99% of the time if I purchase a game/system/etc it will remain in my collection forever. Failing that, I'd rather give it away to someone than 'trade it in' for an insulting pittance

Edited September 18, 2006 by remowilliams

[King_Salamon]

Perhaps this trade in requirement is an effort to stop Ebay sellers from scalping these units. And for that... I am happy to see this.

Bah. If they want to stop scalpers, they need to find a way that doesn't punish everybody.

 

 

Personally, I think they should just mark the systems up.

The launch frenzy combined with grossly inadequate supply makes them worth a couple grand for the first month or 2, so why NOT sell them for a couple grand?

 

Not that I am in agreement with this move but I don't see it as punishment to everybody. It's more of an incentive to customers who wish to trade in some games (and don't mind getting ripped off - but that's another story) in order to pre-order a system.

 

They could mark up the systems but then there would have to be an agreed amount and once the companies realize they can sell their system for $2000 for the first month or two, they will. Then the real whining would start... especially when the price drop hits and the system goes from $2000 to $1500 and so on. Doesn't work.

 

Perhaps this trade in requirement is an effort to stop Ebay sellers from scalping these units. And for that... I am happy to see this.

It's not an attempt to stop ebay scalping. It's an attempt to force people into supplying easily resalable merchandise for a minuscule amount that they (GS/EB) can resell for a huge profit.

 

I can't even express just how far they can stick this up their f*ing ass.

 

99% of the time if I purchase a game/system/etc it will remain in my collection forever. Failing that, I'd rather give it away to someone than 'trade it in' for an insulting pittance

 

Again.. I'll play devil's advocate and say that you don't like the deal but there are others who'll do it. Last year with the 360 there were insane bundles out there ($3000+) and I suppose there were some people who took advantage of them but they probably didn't sell many systems as the bundles aren't being hawked (yet!). Maybe they want to make money on something (the trade-ins) as the consoles will not yield much profit.

 

You don't like it... go stand in line at WalMart or wherever they won't be taking pre-orders and get one there.

 

Nobody asked you to trade in stuff... they told you how they were doing it. You can say no and shop elsewhere. Quite simple really.

 

Don't flame me for trying to explain the company's possible thoughts on this. After all, the companies are still in business as they have to turn a profit. They are always looking for new ways to increase sales/profit. Like I said, just playing a bit of the Devil's Advocate on this one. That's all.

[Atarifever]

 

Next, it tells me that they're fairly certain the Wii will not be a big seller. By guanteeing that a customer will get one, they're basically stating that they know there will be more than enough of the system to go around. By not guaranteeing getting it by Christmas, they're just covering their asses.

 

Notice that they DON'T Guarantee a PS3. So, they can easily skip your reservations and sell the PS3s to other people, most notably to those who pay all in cash and buy bundles.

Aren't there supposed to be less than a million PS3s released in all of 2006, while Nintendo said something about 4 million Wiis? I'd certainly be more likely to say I would honour the Wii preorder, given that the Wii will physically exist this year, than to say I'd honour a pre-order on a system that might as well not exist at this point.

 

No next gen systems will be clogging up store shelves until well after Christmas anyway. Even the Gamecube moved fast during its North American launch.

Edited September 18, 2006 by Atarifever

[Gabriel]

 

Aren't there supposed to be less than a million PS3s released in all of 2006, while Nintendo said something about 4 million Wiis? I'd certainly be more likely to say I would honour the Wii preorder, given that the Wii will physically exist this year, than to say I'd honour a pre-order on a system that might as well not exist at this point.

 

No next gen systems will be clogging up store shelves until well after Christmas anyway. Even the Gamecube moved fast during its North American launch.

 

Well, Nintendo's whole admitted strategy regarding the Wii is to sell it to people who don't know anything about videogames, and to otherwise have it sitting on shelves as an alternative so that people will "settle" for it when one of the other systems is sold out or too expensive for the customer.

 

The Wii is apparrently going to have roughly the same number of launch units as the GameCube did*, and there were more than enough of those to go around Christmas of 2001.

 

* Edit: Actually, my mistake. I mistook a quote of 450,000 GameCubes for 4,500,000 GameCubes. From other stories I'm reading, the Wii launch seems to have even more units available to start than the GameCube did. Most articles I'm finding say that Nintendo was planning on having 4 million GameCubes on the market worldwide by March 2002. Someone can correct me, but isn't the target to have 4 million Wii's in stores in the US alone by the end of the calendar year?

Edited September 18, 2006 by Gabriel

[Atarifever]

 

Well, Nintendo's whole admitted strategy regarding the Wii is to sell it to people who don't know anything about videogames, and to otherwise have it sitting on shelves as an alternative so that people will "settle" for it when one of the other systems is sold out or too expensive for the customer.

 

The Wii is apparrently going to have roughly the same number of launch units as the GameCube did, and there were more than enough of those to go around Christmas of 2001.

They admitted to the part about wanting them to be sitting around waiting for people to settle? That doesn't sound like them.

 

Doesn't matter to me anyway; this just highlights to me more why I'm upset that the Gamecube has gotten so little attention of late. I'm not the kind of guy who camps out or places pre-orders, so my guess is I'll be at least a little while getting a Wii. Thus, I'm going to be quite awhile without any new console gaming unless I spring for a 360.

[Atarifever]

 

 

* Edit: Actually, my mistake. I mistook a quote of 450,000 GameCubes for 4,500,000 GameCubes. From other stories I'm reading, the Wii launch seems to have even more units available to start than the GameCube did. Most articles I'm finding say that Nintendo was planning on having 4 million GameCubes on the market worldwide by March 2002. Someone can correct me, but isn't the target to have 4 million Wii's in stores in the US alone by the end of the calendar year?

Yeah, I think that's what I saw too. That is a lot of systems isn't it. How many did the 360 launch with?

 

EDIT: Wikipedia puts the 360 at 900,000 by the end of 2005, so you may be right about some Wiis sitting around. Over 4 times the number of 360s might be too many to sell, even at Christmas. Of course, like you said, that might be what they're aiming for.

Edited September 18, 2006 by Atarifever

[+remowilliams]

Don't flame me for trying to explain the company's possible thoughts on this.

Definitely not directed at you. Unless of course you're the owner of GS/EB and haven't told me. I don't shoot the messenger

 

GS/EB has been getting more fecal every year. Between the endless rows of used crap and the tiny 'new' sections haphazardly jammed into them, the increasingly irritating sales personel, their ridiculous endless pitches for warranties and trade ins, the near elimination of a PC gaming presence, their abusive system preorder 'bundles' and policies, the fact that if you don't preorder games that they can't be bothered to stock any, and on and on...

 

They can stick their whole franchise up their ass.

 

I always made it a point to shop at smaller boutiques that cater to gaming, over larger stores. Not any more. Except for the truly independent small guys, like say DP

[sega saturn x]

people will "settle" for it when one of the other systems is sold out or too expensive for the customer.

Ha ha, yeah because god forbid anyone might actually WANT a wii.

[King_Salamon]

Don't flame me for trying to explain the company's possible thoughts on this.

Definitely not directed at you. Unless of course you're the owner of GS/EB and haven't told me. I don't shoot the messenger

 

GS/EB has been getting more fecal every year. Between the endless rows of used crap and the tiny 'new' sections haphazardly jammed into them, the increasingly irritating sales personel, their ridiculous endless pitches for warranties and trade ins, the near elimination of a PC gaming presence, their abusive system preorder 'bundles' and policies, the fact that if you don't preorder games that they can't be bothered to stock any, and on and on...

 

They can stick their whole franchise up their ass.

 

I always made it a point to shop at smaller boutiques that cater to gaming, over larger stores. Not any more. Except for the truly independent small guys, like say DP

 

Nope, not associated with EB/GS at all.

 

As for their practices... it's sad that they are so desperate to make sales and I understand why they want to as that's what keeps them in business. I don't know the state of the video game retail industry but it could be slowly coming to a bust. WAY TOO MANY stores (nearest EB to me has one inside the mall and one across the street in a strip mall... 500 feet between the two!?) and the turnover of staff is crazy... all the new staff only want to play games or are corporate machines who want to force a sale.

 

I've been tempted to open up a small business buying and selling used games. I think it would be a lot of fun but with the apparent desire to cut out distribution lines by selling online (MS Live Arcade and Nintendo's Virtual Console) it may only be a matter of time when we buy a new console and download all the games for it.

 

I'll gladly shop at WalMart/ToysRUs over EB as they have a better price, the same selection and for the most part, better staff. (I can live without the 'Elite Gamers' at EB)

 

I'm just glad I know I will be able to get my Wii on come this November. If the final product is sub-standard (and it won't take long for the press to let us know) and we have another Virtual Boy on our hands, I'll grab a 360.

[JB]

They admitted to the part about wanting them to be sitting around waiting for people to settle? That doesn't sound like them.

They've been saying for some time that they don't want to compete with MS and Sony for top billing, and that they'd rather be second choice for both PS3 and 360 owners.

 

 

Of course, we all know they'd happily take the #1 spot in a heartbeat if it was available.