Xbox 360 Preorder Information Reliable?

[netcraazzy]

Ben Kuchera over at Ars Technica wrote about his experience (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2005/8/2/859) pre-ordering an Xbox 360 and the prices that retailers give. From the article:
When I went through this process I was sure to ask how much the system was going to cost. I was told everything from US$299.99 to US$499.99, and each of these prices apparently came out of the computer. Where do these prices come from?

You would think that places should be held liable if they are telling their customers something is going to cost so much and then it ends up being more.

[Cyotik]

I work at EB and our price in the computer is like five or six hundred dollars (Canadian) but the price is just a place-holder and we've been instructed to tell our customers that there is no set price yet. I just tell customers that the new sytstems are going to be a lot more expensive than ones that are out right now.

[Evil Avatar]

Nothing against Ben, but I think you have to be pretty stupid to be trying to pre-order an Xbox 360 before the "official" pre-order date. In a week or so, you will be able to jump right onto Ebgames.com or Gamestop.com and order one of the "bundle" deals once the launch titles and official price are announced.

Before that, you are just wasting your time and you might end up with nothing in the end if the store you are pre-ordering from doesn't get enough systems alloted to them to cover the pre-orders.

[XxSATANxX]

I would like to once again for the millionth time put in my guess as $499.99

[Phades]

$499.99 just isn't going to happen. The absolute most I can see it being is $399.99 and even then I don't think so. The probably launch price will be $299.99

[mister_slim]

$303.60 would very geek clever.

[NACIONAL]

I would like to once again for the millionth time put in my guess as $499.99

$499 ?????... that is just crazy... few people could afford that kind of price at lauch.... and god knows that microsoft don't need few xboxes sold at launch.

I think the price will be around 350...... probably less..

[Zanzibar]

Absolute most they will charge for the X360 is $349. But I really don't think so, especially with the analysts saying that it'll cost $375 to make. The amount of money MS will recoup from gaining a greater market share will offset a measly $50 per console. Hell, they'd GIVE it away if they could torpedo Sony and not get sued in the process.

Predictions:
11/15/05 : X360 US launch date, price $299

11/14/06 : PS3 US launch date, price $399
X360 price drops to $199
Halo 3 released

[Genital Eclipse]

I conferred with the computer in my pants and with confidence I can tell you the price of an xbox 360 will be $350.00 at release.

[doubtingthomas]

You would think that places should be held liable if they are telling their customers something is going to cost so much and then it ends up being more.

Liable for what? Speculation?

[bapenguin]

I preordered mine...dropped 20 bucks on it. According to the EB I preordered at they are out of their allotment for the first shipment now and are taking preorderes for the "second shipment" whatever that means.

[netcraazzy]

Nothing against Ben, but I think you have to be pretty stupid to be trying to pre-order an Xbox 360 before the "official" pre-order date. In a week or so, you will be able to jump right onto Ebgames.com or Gamestop.com and order one of the "bundle" deals once the launch titles and official price are announced.

Before that, you are just wasting your time and you might end up with nothing in the end if the store you are pre-ordering from doesn't get enough systems alloted to them to cover the pre-orders.

Well I bought into the shortage rumors and preordered one at a local gamestop back in June. I don't know if it was dumb or not. I went in there prepared to preorder one without any certainty on what the final price would be but the sales guy was convinced that it was going to be $299 because that's what his computer said. This is what has me concerned, I was prepared to preorder regardless of price but what about those people who walk in there and decide to preorder because of that guy's song and dance? I'll be more than a little pissed if he ends up being wrong, not because I wasn't prepared to pay more but because this information was presented to me as fact.

[zyzyx]

In case people aren't aware it seems that MS will be announcing the price of the 360 on the 17th of August, as well as the confirmed launch dates.

[Venkman]

Predictions:
11/15/05 : X360 US launch date, price $299

11/14/06 : PS3 US launch date, price $399
X360 price drops to $199
Halo 3 released

Perhaps a $50 price drop, like in previous generations? Sounds good to me, though.

[Zanzibar]

Perhaps a $50 price drop, like in previous generations? Sounds good to me, though.

While normally I would agree that a $50 price drop is the industry standard, Microsoft is OBSESSED with taking over the home console market this go-round.

We all know that the launch titles for a new system don't take the most advantage of the hardware. So, just as the PS3's launch titles suffer from this, the 2nd wave of X360 titles will be hitting the shelves. So, my guess is that the X360 titles of the Holiday 2006 season will actually look BETTER than the PS3 games.

Add to that the fact that MS can say that their console costs HALF AS MUCH as a PS3. You could buy an X360 and 4 games - including Halo 3 - for the cost of a PS3 alone. That's what makes me think that the MS price drop will be $100 instead of $50.

[Paltry]

You would think that places should be held liable if they are telling their customers something is going to cost so much and then it ends up being more.

and vice versa... whatr about the people that would have bought the system but didnt because the shlub behinbd the desk said it would cost 600 bucks

[Karmakaze]

Here's a crazy idea: If msft really wants to get the jump on Sony, they should have a *pre-order* price of $249, then release it on the street at $299 or even $349.

Wishful thinking, yes. But they have the money and if they really want to beat Sony getting as many customers as possible in the first 6 months is key. Maybe a less crazy (read: slightly possible) deal would be to include a free game, instead of pumping up the price with pre-order bundles.

[Paltry]

cant seem desperate though

[Adewade]

Yeah, but the people who preorder are the people who will pay the higher price, regardless, so your idea doesn't really work.

[KDups]

...but the price is just a place-holder and we've been instructed to tell our customers that there is no set price yet.

I went to preorder a 360 at EB and they said I had to put 10% down, which is $50 since they have it in they computer at $500. What a fucking joke. If the system is $500 there's no way in hell I'm buying one. Luckily I'm thinking the system will come out at $299.

[GunnyMo]

Before that, you are just wasting your time and you might end up with nothing in the end if the store you are pre-ordering from doesn't get enough systems alloted to them to cover the pre-orders.

Ahhh, I can always count on you, Evil, for some good old fashioned retail hate. :D

The comment about how a retailer should be held liable if the price turns out to be more (when it's all speculation as it is right now) is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Does that mean if we were to tell you $499.99 and it comes out at $149.99 we get to keep the difference of the money you paid? If you pre-order it without being 100% positive on the price you are just as guilty as the retailer. No one should be giving concrete prices right now, anyway. I am very careful to say "around $300 is what we've been told but there is nothing definite yet". However, the consumer (even the retail haters) are the ones asking, "Well how much will it be?" Customers expect some sort of answer so we give the ball park based on the information we've been given. If you want to rant at someone how about the source itself: Microsoft. They are the ones setting the price, not us. Or, setting the lack of a price.

[GunnyMo]

I went to preorder a 360 at EB and they said I had to put 10% down, which is $50 since they have it in they computer at $500. What a fucking joke. If the system is $500 there's no way in hell I'm buying one. Luckily I'm thinking the system will come out at $299.

Oh, but remember EB is notorious for force bundling. They make you buy extra controllers, accessories and at least two games with their new system sales. That is probably why it's listed at $500. They did the same for XB and GC at their launch. Other retailers *cough*Gamestop*cough* don't force bundle. Of course, when *cough*Gamestop*cough* completes their buyout of EB perhaps that EB force bundle will go the way of the Dodo.

[Paranoia]

MS should make a very special edition of X360 with HDD space, and priced it at $640.00 for old time sake.

[Hijinx]

Nothing against Ben, but I think you have to be pretty stupid to be trying to pre-order an Xbox 360 before the "official" pre-order date. In a week or so, you will be able to jump right onto Ebgames.com or Gamestop.com and order one of the "bundle" deals once the launch titles and official price are announced.

Before that, you are just wasting your time and you might end up with nothing in the end if the store you are pre-ordering from doesn't get enough systems alloted to them to cover the pre-orders.

Bricknmortaritis?

[Goronmon]

Not only is no one sure about the price, but no one is sure about the games that will actually be available on launch day.

I'd rather get my 360 a week or two late then deal with this early pre-order crap.

[netcraazzy]

The comment about how a retailer should be held liable if the price turns out to be more (when it's all speculation as it is right now) is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

You are making the assumption that the information was presented to the consumer as a guess. The way you say you present the information is what I would consider the more correct way to do it, but not everybody is doing that. Like I said in my previous post, the store I preordered at was convinced the price was $299, even after I made a comment to the clerk that last I heard no official price had been set. I consider myself to be a little better informed than the average consumer so I took his comments with a grain of salt, but what about people who are simply going by what they are told by the sales guy?

I've worked retail before and believe me I've been in situations where we gave a customer a lower price on an item for far less of a slipup than something like this. I just think that they should not be putting ANY price in their computers yet. The whole situation as it stands now is simply confusing for your average consumer and can easily lead to misinformed purchases.

[smoonshine5]

Well as I undersatnd it (working at EB) there has to be a price in the system in order to preorder, however the price in the system is a total BS price assuradly higher than the actual cost (to allow people to pre pay as much as they like) but I wouldn't presume that that is the real price as one hasn't been announced. I tell customers that the price hasn't been announced, but that it may be between $200 and $300 ballpark... I have mine preordered on the first shipment, I personally am a bit worried about shortages and availability of the system on launch through the christmas season. Even the regular Xboxs couldn't be shipped fast enough to keep up with demand for the holidays... Maybe you could find them at WalMart or KMart, but I doubt it... and I can't wait to have an actual price to tell people (and to start saving up towards)

[Twigz'N'Berries]

While normally I would agree that a $50 price drop is the industry standard, Microsoft is OBSESSED with taking over the home console market this go-round.

We all know that the launch titles for a new system don't take the most advantage of the hardware. So, just as the PS3's launch titles suffer from this, the 2nd wave of X360 titles will be hitting the shelves. So, my guess is that the X360 titles of the Holiday 2006 season will actually look BETTER than the PS3 games.

Add to that the fact that MS can say that their console costs HALF AS MUCH as a PS3. You could buy an X360 and 4 games - including Halo 3 - for the cost of a PS3 alone. That's what makes me think that the MS price drop will be $100 instead of $50.

Although positive MS thinking, I doubt that the production costs for the 360 will have dropped enough to make a $120 - $174 dollar loss per console sound appealing. It is already reported that MS will lose $74 or so per console...even if the production costs were to drop $20 - $50 in the time it takes to launch PS3...MS would take a big hit each box.
They want to make some money on this generation of console.

As for the PS3 launch games looking bad, I don't think this will be the case. Developers will (and are) making more of their nextgen games multiplatform to ensure that they will make a profit and recoup losses (A perfect example is how SquareEnix will be making the FF series multiplatform). So, a lot of the games will look identical to the 360's. With the middleware the PS3 using and the Xbox using being somewhat similar in capability, their really won't be that much of a difference in the quality of titles on the 360 and the PS3.

I hope that the PS3 has to wait until 2007 to launch their console. It will give MS the kind of early market lead the PS2 had on the Xbox. Hopefully, many of the old MS Xbox fanbase will pickup the 360 and many Sony early adopters will try out the 360 as well. If these two companies were more on an even keel, the consumer would greatly benefit.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

Well as I undersatnd it (working at EB) there has to be a price in the system in order to preorder, however the price in the system is a total BS price assuradly higher than the actual cost (to allow people to pre pay as much as they like) but I wouldn't presume that that is the real price as one hasn't been announced. I tell customers that the price hasn't been announced, but that it may be between $200 and $300 ballpark... I have mine preordered on the first shipment, I personally am a bit worried about shortages and availability of the system on launch through the christmas season. Even the regular Xboxs couldn't be shipped fast enough to keep up with demand for the holidays... Maybe you could find them at WalMart or KMart, but I doubt it... and I can't wait to have an actual price to tell people (and to start saving up towards)

I've never understood the preordering hate. I have paid my $300 and are third on the list, so I'm pretty much guaranteed to have one at launch. But lets say they don't get mine in and everyone who says that there will be a surplus is right. Then I buy the 360 elsewhere and buy games with the $300 I have hunkered down already.
To top it off, you only have to drop a $20 or $30 at most places. See, I'd rather have a sure thing rather than a speculation. Although it isn't a sure thing that my preorder will get there, I believe my chances of getting a 360 definitley increased when I bought the preorder.