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Microsoft Plans Deliberate Xbox 360 Shortage
An anonymous reader writes "To ensure an immediate "sellout" of the Xbox 360 on launch day (therefore getting lots of media buzz about their new console), Microsoft will simply restrict the supply down to a trickle. My favorite part of the article: "In addition to limiting the per-store stock of consoles and having the retailers prepare to prominently note the unit's "sold out" status, Microsoft has allegedly asked Norwegian retailers to sign an agreement that they'll sell out of the consoles on the launch date."
Looks like it's not a rumour.
I don't own an Xbox but I am super pleased that they are coming out with the new version because it then means that the regular Xbox games and console will be coming way down in price. That means I'll be able to finally afford a console that plays games pretty darn well... probably under the current $150 going price for a new unit, and games will be relatively cheap either new or used.
:-)
Of course, I have missed out on a couple of years of playing the console but it'll still be fun for me. After all, Halo is brand new to me and I'll get the same enjoyment and playability out of it that you all did a while back.
p.s. I am the guy that buys all the games in the $5 and $10 bin, including the triple packs you can sometimes buy at Marshalls and TJMaxx.
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Auctions would reduce problems with insiders who buy multiple copies of the product at retail and sell scarce goods on eBay. It would also avoid mob scenes in which desperate parents storm the doors of stores known to have the much-sought product. Finally, winning bidders would have some assurance that they will be able to get the scarce item.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
It's the media/customers that are kinda stupid for falling for these schemes...
You can't blame the customer in situations like this. All they are are consumers who want a product. One metric of a good product is how well it initially sells, and all that's happening here is Microsoft falsifying that metric. It's just your every day corprate dishonesty. You could blame the media for not reporting on anything but the sellout, but it wouldn't suprise me if they just didn't bother digging any deeper to find that side of the story.
I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.
This is actually quite a good idea from Microsoft.
Hold on, let me explain, put the pitchfork down.
Most consoles have huge date one allocations and sell out. There is then a huge gap while the manufacturer re-supplies, eventually things settle down to normal sales figures and supply can match demand.
If MS limit the number of sales on day one, they can keep units flowing into stores instead of having a slump. You'll keep people coming back and retailers won't have dry periods when they've sold out and are waiting for more stock.
It's a crazy plan, but it might just work.
-- I like the cut of your thinking, young man. - me.
Why is this any different to Apple's launch of the iPod, Sony's launch of the PS2 or Nintendo's launch of the Gameboy Advance? All of these "sold out" on the day of their launches.
I have no love for Microsoft whatsoever but they're just a big corporation marketing a product that they just want to sell lots of.
And if they leech money from the countless sheeple who just *have* to have something before anyone else in their street, then I say good luck to them!
Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
sold out the first day (or two) & there weren't any more units for another month (like the PS2)
Except that's not what happened with the PS2. The PS2 had a largish initial supply that sold out in pre-orders, then a steady trickle of consoles about the size (if not larger) than what Microsoft is planning. The K-B Toys in my local mall, for example, had over 60 they sold as pre-orders, and then had about 10 a day from then on. Those additional 10 all sold out within an hour of when UPS arrived every day. There was no period where there were no units for a month.