Xbox 360 Bundles on Sale at Gamestop?

[momusak]

Gamestop is selling Xbox 360 bundles again, but I am kind of wondering if they are eating into their pre orders to fill these.

Gamestop Bundle Page (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/360/360_n.asp).

[kizke]

Wow. I'm surprised these $1000-1500 bundles sell out. Seems to me if you're going to spend that much on games, you might as well just build a top-of-the-line gaming PC. After all, the Xbox360 isn't all that impressive without a HDTV or surround sound.

Personally, when I get a 360 I'll be picking up a VGA adaptor. In the meantime I'll just invest in a nice, big LCD monitor.

[TDiddy]

I'm surprised they are not sold out yet. Considering the prices a bare 360 goes for on ebay, these can be seen as a deal. As for kizke saying you might as well buy a PC with the money, he doesn't take into account that the price includes games and accessories.

[GrinR]

I just ordered it. Ships 12/12 and comes with everything? That's perfect.

X360 Premium - $600 ($700 on eBay)
7 games = $350
BS Accessories = $100-200
Total: ~$1100, and I ain't gettin' it before Xmas.

Oh, also $10 NEXT DAY shipping? Perfection!

[netcraazzy]

The number of people who will buy something like that is small enough and the profit margin, since they are selling you a warranty and lots of other stuff, is high enough that I guess they are willing to risk pissing off some of their pre-order customers.

[GrinR]

The number of people who will buy something like that is small enough and the profit margin, since they are selling you a warranty and lots of other stuff, is high enough that I guess they are willing to risk pissing off some of their pre-order customers.

When I hear "pre-order" my brain translates it to "open-throated sucker bitch".

[Plac1d]

That makes me mutulated then. :(

[bean19]

This is profiteering at the expense of their customer base. They have not filled their preorders yet, and they are cashing in at the expense of their customer base.

If you are someone waiting on a preorder, I urge you to contact the Better Business Bureau in Grapevine, TX where they are located. You can also call their Corporate Office to complain directly, or contact the Texas Attorney General to investigate whether or not they have engaged in a deceptive business practice. I am providing the contacts information for these agencies below:

Better Business Bureau/Ft. Worth
WWW: http://www.fortworth.bbb.org
Email: info@fwbbb.org
Phone: (817)332-7585
Fax: (817)882-0566
101 Summit Ave., Ste. 707
Fort Worth, TX 76102 -5978

Gamestop Corporate Office
(817) 424-2000
625 Westport Parkway
Grapevine, TX 76051

Texas Attorney General/Consumer Protection Office
Dallas Regional Office
(214) 969-5310
1600 Pacific Avenue, Suite 1700
Dallas, Texas 75201-3515

Additionally, if you feel that this is profiteering, write editorials to your local newspapers. Contact people in the gaming media, national, and local media (they all have websites and their e-mail addresses can be easily obtained this way).

You can find a ton of them at this site, but they are probably spammed, and the page does have annoying pop-ups (I prefer to find e-mails on media's webpages personally):

http://www.rumormillnews.com/MEDIA_EMAIL_ADDRESSES.htm

[momusak]

as a preorder bitch I am still waiting on mine and this was just me wanting to get it out there for other people who haven't bought one yet (as I can only afford the console, controllers and a couple games.
Since I already have the games and controllers I am just needing my preorder filled for the console.

I may send an email to the BBB. Thanks Bean19 (living in Alaska sucks sometimes)

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Wow. I'm surprised these $1000-1500 bundles sell out. Seems to me if you're going to spend that much on games, you might as well just build a top-of-the-line gaming PC. After all, the Xbox360 isn't all that impressive without a HDTV or surround sound.

Personally, when I get a 360 I'll be picking up a VGA adaptor. In the meantime I'll just invest in a nice, big LCD monitor.

It would take around five times that much money for a top of the line gaming rig.

I would probably order one of those bundles, if I didnt already own three of the games for my PC and needed half the crap that comes with it...

[motor]

Something like this might just kill the pre-order business. I mean if you can't trust them, why do it? Is a preorder in any way a legally binding contract? What would happen if things were flipped, suppose you pre-ordered a top of the line computer from gamestop and then when it arrived you said, "oh, nevermind" (I know they don't sell computers, but something along those lines).

[bean19]

Something like this might just kill the pre-order business. I mean if you can't trust them, why do it? Is a preorder in any way a legally binding contract? What would happen if things were flipped, suppose you pre-ordered a top of the line computer from gamestop and then when it arrived you said, "oh, nevermind" (I know they don't sell computers, but something along those lines).

It isn't a good analogy because the customer does not assume the risk of "having to buy".

A preorder is the promise from a company that they will hold a product for you on release or when the product arrives so that you will purchase from them. In exchange for this service, customers are asked to lay down a portion of the purchase cost for the item. With the X360, this amount was at least $50.

So they are not meeting the terms of their promise. A reversal of the situation would be if Gamestop preordered new office supplies for their corporate office and put down around 10% the cost of the purchase, then the vendor didn't have the items and the date they were promised, and then Gamestop found out that the vendor is instead selling the units to different customers with a deal that is more advantageous to them than the deal they made with the Gamestop.

It is ugly business. It may violate an implied contract, and there may be cause for the Texas Attorney General to files suit agains them for crimes against the public. I don't know the laws and I'm not an attorney, but I'll be contacting them tomorrow to find out.

[TheHulk]

There's only 2 games in that bundle that interest me, and I don't need any of those extras. Guess I'll keep waiting.... If people are still waiting on preorders and they're selling these Gamestop has lost the little credibility they had left.

[GrinR]

To those who pre-ordered: HA HA HA YOU ARE A SUCKER!

To me a week after my order doesn't arrive: HOW DOES IT FEEL, BITCH!

[bstiff]

It isn't a good analogy because the customer does not assume the risk of "having to buy".

A preorder is the promise from a company that they will hold a product for you on release or when the product arrives so that you will purchase from them. In exchange for this service, customers are asked to lay down a portion of the purchase cost for the item. With the X360, this amount was at least $50.

So they are not meeting the terms of their promise. A reversal of the situation would be if Gamestop preordered new office supplies for their corporate office and put down around 10% the cost of the purchase, then the vendor didn't have the items and the date they were promised, and then Gamestop found out that the vendor is instead selling the units to different customers with a deal that is more advantageous to them than the deal they made with the Gamestop.

It is ugly business. It may violate an implied contract, and there may be cause for the Texas Attorney General to files suit agains them for crimes against the public. I don't know the laws and I'm not an attorney, but I'll be contacting them tomorrow to find out.


I might be mistaken but I thought that some people were making payments in a lay away sort of deal pre release so it would be paid for on release day. If that's true and someone had paid off their unit as a pre order and gamestop is selling and shipping units to other customers now that person may have a case.

[GrinR]

I might be mistaken but I thought that some people were making payments in a lay away sort of deal pre release so it would be paid for on release day. If that's true and someone had paid off their unit as a pre order and gamestop is selling and shipping units to other customers now that person may have a case.

The reason they don't have any case at all is there is no contract to uphold. The buyer basically bends over and hopes that they get their product instead of a browneye surprise. Good luck trying to sue on that basis.

This is the whole reason pre-order folks get no sympathy for me. It's the fate of sheep to be led to the slaughter.

[thecrazyd]

It would take around five times that much money for a top of the line gaming rig.

I would probably order one of those bundles, if I didnt already own three of the games for my PC and needed half the crap that comes with it...
HAHAHAHA! Are you kidding, or just stupid?

[laggerific]

well....gamestops online store isn't all that integrated with their brick n morter...you can't even return online purchases to their stores...yet. I've heard next year.

I had a feeling that they would focus more on the online bundles than the instore preorders, as those were easy cash, where as individual systems aren't necessarily going to push 5 games and all the fixins...which is why I was glad I preordered their silver bundle from the online store.

[bean19]

well....gamestops online store isn't all that integrated with their brick n morter...you can't even return online purchases to their stores...yet. I've heard next year.

Well, they are the same coporation. They are most likely pulling units from online distribution from units that would otherwise be shipped to stores.

I've never worked for the Attorney General's office, so I don't know if they are guilty of deceptive trade practices or any other civil crimes against the public. I'll leave that to the Attorney General's office to decide.

Also, I haven't read the case law on whether or not a preorder is viewed as a contract, but under common law, this seems to be very clearly an implied contract.

This also seems like the type of case that would be ideal for a class action lawsuit.

[Atorak]

I am so desperate at this point I ordered it too. *sighs*

Ah well, I'll just force myself to play the hell out of all those games. Plus, with all the multiplayer games, i'll probably get like 3 extra controllers anyway eventually. Um, and 2 play and charge kits. Um, and a strategy guide. Um, and........ah crap.

[The Letter 3]

This also seems like the type of case that would be ideal for a class action lawsuit.
More power to you, I guess. Implied contracts are iffy ground to fight from. In order for this to work, Gamestop has to have promised a delivery date for preorders. My roomate preordered from EB and they don't give any dates. If Gamestop didn't either, then they can say that they were going to eventually fill the preorders, which would be good enough in the eyes of the law, paperwork, and all that other bullshit that the United States of America so loves! :rolleyes:

[Zenek]

this is a hack - goto gamestop.com and try to buy it - you will get
Server: 139
An error has occurred or you have reached a page that does not exist.

Please go back and try again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use the following error reference ID and contact us via email (orders@gamestop.com):
{DB5D09EB-729E-4123-9E91-BC51A4F92525}-127200522345545-139

[bean19]

Zenek - I don't think there are many of us who can afford $1000 or $1500 to test a webpage.

[bean19]

More power to you, I guess. Implied contracts are iffy ground to fight from. In order for this to work, Gamestop has to have promised a delivery date for preorders. My roomate preordered from EB and they don't give any dates. If Gamestop didn't either, then they can say that they were going to eventually fill the preorders, which would be good enough in the eyes of the law, paperwork, and all that other bullshit that the United States of America so loves! :rolleyes:

Not true. . . A contract can imply all kinds of terms. A preorder is clearly advertised as "placing yourself in line" or "reserving" when speaking to store employees. A contract of this sort would not need to demand an exact date, but would be for the next available, as they come available.

Still, I am not necessarily litigious personally, and I am #3 in line at my local store, so I'll still probably get one on the 12th or 13th despite Gamestop's profiteering.

What I'm concerned with is the profiteering. I expect consumers to be vultures, and resell things on ebay, but I think that retailers are rightfully held to a higher standard, and profiteering at the expense of their customer base with a shortage is just dreadful business.

Would you be surprised if Toy R' Us got sued if they had only sold Cabbage Patch Kids or Tickle Me Elmo dolls in bundles that were an additional 150% the cost of an individual doll's cost, and did so in a way that screwed over customers that had made a $50 investment in the item in exchange for reserving it?

[ruceree88]

Death to Bundles!

I like to select my own gear separately not have over priced mediocre bundles shoved at me.

[Banacek]

The reason they don't have any case at all is there is no contract to uphold. The buyer basically bends over and hopes that they get their product instead of a browneye surprise. Good luck trying to sue on that basis.

This is the whole reason pre-order folks get no sympathy for me. It's the fate of sheep to be led to the slaughter.

Preach the truth, brotha! We've got to start a "Stop the pre-orders!" movement...

[vallor]

Death to Bundles!

I like to select my own gear separately not have over priced mediocre bundles shoved at me.

Death indeed. I am one of those lucky folks that got a 360 on launch day and love the most things Microsoft. However outside of the gouging that occurs on the speculators market one of the things that hurts my gamer heart is when MS and others crow about how good the games and extra goodies are selling etc.

Of course the games are selling! In most cases people are extorted into buying the games via these lame bundle deals. Games with good buzz and reviews sell out fast; and the sloppy seconds ensure that even crappy games make big sales. To me that practice is unethical to the extreme.

[m0nk3yb0y]

I like how GrinR makes fun of people who preorder yet he was dumb enough to buy one of the bundles...

[kizke]

I'm surprised they are not sold out yet. Considering the prices a bare 360 goes for on ebay, these can be seen as a deal. As for kizke saying you might as well buy a PC with the money, he doesn't take into account that the price includes games and accessories.

I take into account the games that are worth a damn.

Zzzing.

And besides, I know better than to talk about the illegitimate practices that are so easy to accomplish for PC gaming for the frugal.

[bean19]

I decided to look up the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/BC/content/htm/bc.002.00.000017.00.htm#17.08.00) here in Texas.

§ 17.46. DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES
UNLAWFUL. (a) False, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices
in the conduct of any trade or commerce are hereby declared unlawful
and are subject to action by the consumer protection division under
Sections 17.47, 17.58, 17.60, and 17.61 of this code.
(b) Except as provided in Subsection (d) of this section,
the term "false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices"
includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

(skip down to the one that is applicable)
(9) advertising goods or services with intent not to
sell them as advertised;

[torrefaction]

Couldn't it be that the online store gets inventory allocated in the same manner as brick and mortar stores? Just like everyone else? Couldn't it be that since they don't do online preorders, that the online allocated inventory can be sold in bundles? I really don't think this is a problem, especially since from this you can assume brick and mortar stores will be getting their shipments soon. We already know Best Buy's been stockpiling for the 18th.

THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING.

[bean19]

Couldn't it be that the online store gets inventory allocated in the same manner as brick and mortar stores? Just like everyone else? Couldn't it be that since they don't do online preorders, that the online allocated inventory can be sold in bundles? I really don't think this is a problem, especially since from this you can assume brick and mortar stores will be getting their shipments soon. We already know Best Buy's been stockpiling for the 18th.

They are one corporation. The online bundles take directly from units that would otherwise be sold to preorder customers.

This is not overreaction. I'm justifiably concerned that a retailer is profiteering and engaging in deceptive trade practices, which I've already explained.

Hopefully they'll get fined enough that they won't pull something like this again, or they'll pull the inappropriate web-bundles and cancel all orders.

[GrinR]

I like how GrinR makes fun of people who preorder yet he was dumb enough to buy one of the bundles...

Ah, my little poppet - you missed where I more cleverly pointed out such.

Leave wit to your betters and we'll all be happier.

[Phades]

This is crap. I don't care if they consider their online business seperate from their brick and mortar or not. If they just consider it "another store allocation", then they need to be allocating more units to the stores that have preorders to fill and none to those that don't. Take care of your customers that have given you their money already.

This doesn't really affect me but it shows me what kind of business they are. I now won't set foot in another Gamestop or buy anything from them online.

[GrinR]

This is crap. I don't care if they consider their online business seperate from their brick and mortar or not. If they just consider it "another store allocation", then they need to be allocating more units to the stores that have preorders to fill and none to those that don't. Take care of your customers that have given you their money already.

This doesn't really affect me but it shows me what kind of business they are. I now won't set foot in another Gamestop or buy anything from them online.

I agree. I've been confounded by the crazy-wall between brick-and-mortar and e-commerce many, many times before and always found it to be frustrating and ultimately anti-consumer.

Circuit City, Best Buy, CompUSA, and other big retailers come to mind...

[Valkyrist]

Two words for most of you:

Drama Queens

Between my 5 years at gamestop, and the 2 close personal friends of mine who are still managers at two other nearby stores, I have a little insight into what goes on behind the scenes. Let me fill you in.

The online store IS viewed as it's own seperate store. Not company, but store. Gamestop Corporate heavily favors the online store. It's their "baby" so to speak. For the last couple years, they have tried their hearts out to make their online buisiness soar. I don't know why this all is, you're welcome to ask them yourselves.

Distribution:
I hear SO MANY of you guys bitch about gamestop and their inability to fill preorders. They do have faults, but much more lays in Microsoft's hands. Here's the rundown.

Way back last year, Microsoft gave Gamestop Corp the go-ahead to start taking preorders... no restrictions. This meaning that each store was encouraged to get as many reservations as possible. This carried on throughout the year. Around late summer, Microsoft told us to stop, and we did. All preorders were tallied, numbers negotiated, etc. MS then told Gamestop how many total systems, games, etc they would be giving. Gamestop corp. then told the individual stores how many each would get. For the most part, stores were covered on their reservations, and if not, were only a couple short. This is fine because not 100% of preorders actually show up. In the case of my one friend's store, he was told by corp. that he would be getting 20 premium systems, and a handful of cores. I believe he had 21 reservations for premiums, and 1 for core.

Skip ahead 2 months. We're now in mid-late september. Microsoft suddenly phones up Gamestop and tells them they will not be able to meet the previous estimates. No prob, this almost always happens (look at the PS2 launch). But wait...you mean we're not even getting a 3rd?! WTF???? So corp. has to re-tell all the stores how many they're now getting. In my friend's store, his 20 goes down to 10, and 2 cores. Ouch.

Gamestop's fault in this is they should have KNOWN there would be at least a bit of a shortage. I can't remember last time there wasn't. But they just kept pushing the stores for more reservations. And even though me and my friends all whispered to each other that we knew a shortage was gonna happen, if we stopped taking reservations, we got fired. In our cases, we just didn't "try" as hard the last month or so to get pre-orders.

Now I can only vouch for our stores out here on this. But we gave out systems on an "Oldest reservation first" basis. Meaning the earlier you preordered, the higher on the list you went. We contacted everyone we could (we take phone numbers at time of reservation). Anyone who told us flatout they would NOT get in for a week or so got bumped down in favor of someone who could. This is because Microsoft told us we would be getting regular resupply shipments in each week. Granted, we were lucky to get 2 or 3 premium systems in those shipments. But you work with what you have.

In the meantime, we (and you've seen tidbits of this on this newsite) keep hearing about how BestBuy somehow got an inside deal with microsoft, and is hording tons of these systems behind the scenes. That's just the "word on the street" when we chat with other managers of retail stores nearby (it's kinda like a brotherhood, we give each other heads up on sales etc.). So I havn't any proof that hasn't been posted on this site already.

Another problem were, you, the general public. In that store alone, we had 3 ppl (two have already done it, one is till waiting for our next shipment) buy multiple systems with the expressed purpose of reselling. Either through Ebay or whatever. We asked our district manager if we could skip these people in favor of others that we knew didn't already have one, and were told no. Reason given is that gets into sticky water when we try to artificially controll who gets what. So instead, we were instructed to just go by the reservation list, and once we were through that, it was first come first served.

I HAVE heard reports of some stores going by people who reserved multiple games instead of reservation order (to make their sales numbers seem better). If this is happening in your store, PLEASE call their district office or corporate. It is completely against our policy to do it this way, and it gives gamestop a bad name in the gaming community. And as this newsite is a tribute to, we don't have the best rep with you guys to begin with. If a store is doing this, it's the manager or district manager's fault, and they need to be exposed and fired. The end.

Now as far as the online store getting more now? This is no suprise. Two of our three stores out here are through their reservation lists now, and are selling to the public openly. The third store will most likely get through theirs in the next week or two. Systems are handed out to stores based on "Expected Sales". Meaning, if you have a busy store in a Mall, then you will get sent 15 items, but a slower store in a strip mall will only get 5. Since the supply of 360's is so FUBAR thanks to microsoft, after the first 1 or 2 shipments, Gamestop Corp has pretty much gone to "normal" mode and does not distribute according to reservations needed.

A good way to understand why:
If my store gets through all its reservations quickly, but the store south of us doesn't, I don't want to wait 3 weeks while THEY get all the systems (just for their reservations) and I get none. Instead, we both get some each week. His go to his preorders, mine go to the general public. Simple as that.

The online store is no exception. Historicly, the online store does VERY bad on preorders. This is due to both the nature of online business, and the idea that reservations often take at least a semi-skilled salesman to convince the buyer on the merits of preordering. The online store's preorders were no exception. They burned through their preorders very quickly, so now they have extras available to the public.

NOW, why they're doing the bundles? I don't know. I hate the bundles too, and think they're a rotten idea. As a fellow gamer, I too think it's corporate BS, and they're just trying to squeeze as much money out of the few available 360's that they can. But that's the online store for ya. Check your different local stores, as some may be through their reservations already and have some available for public.

But seriously, stop trashing your local stores like they're part of some corporate conspiracy against you. Most of our actual employees, both managers and associates, are gamers too. And not the "I play pokemon once a week" gamers. I'm talking the "I hate the sun, all it does is glare up my monitor" kind of gamers. Yeah, some of the managers are sleezy. And you will get the holiday temp-help ppl who are retarded. As for my area? When we close up shop, almost everyone from all three stores gather together at somebody's house and we stay up late playing SmashBros or SouldCalibur3. Our backrooms are filled with printed strips from PvP and Penny-Arcade. And yes, there's a lot of stuff (like the return policy) that corporate makes us do that we HATE, just like you.

I hope this helped some of you understand that EVERYONE had a little fault in this screwed up launch. But if you're going to point fingers at shortages, point 'em at Microsoft please. The guys at your gamestop are getting tired of taking the blame on this one.

[bean19]

Valkyrist - Your post was very informative. Thanks for all the information.

However, how does this excuse Gamestop from their contract with preorder customers? They accepted security in exchange for a "reservation" and "to guarantee your place in line". Also, how does this excuse Gamestop from profiteering and using the shortage to sell expensive bundles at the expense of their preorder customers?

While your Gamestop is being well supplied, the ones in my area have not received a single X360 since the system launch, and now I see Gamestop cashing in.

Do they really think this won't spawn Deceptive Trade Practices investigations, lawsuits, and just terrible press?

It sucks that Microsoft has a shortage, and that is completely their bad, but Gamestop is profiteering off that shortage and ignoring the preorder folks who have placed down security in exchange for a service they are not receiving.

[Valkyrist]

Glad I could help, and that I wasn't instantly flamed to death XD

I'll try to hit your points the best I can:

Does it excuse Gamestop from their contract with preorder customers? No. But I'm gonna have to be the bad guy here: They're NOT contracts. When we do a reservation, we litterally change your money into a store credit slip, and staple it to the back of that info-sheet you fill out for us. We ring it up with a special SKU for a preorder, then we file it away. That SKU is ***SUPPOSED*** to have corporate send us 1 additional unit just for you. That's in addition to what we would already will be getting. So here's the problem:

We aren't getting enough systems from MS to fill those preorders. And MS is in such dissarray that they have no idea how many they can give us on a regular basis. Our company cannot, therefore, anticipate how long it will take to get through reservations. They just kinda trickle in from week to week. It caused such confusion both in MS and Gamestop, that Gamestop just basicly said: "we're giving you what we can, based on expected sales of your store (which is normal). If you have preorders still, use them for that. If not, sell them to the public per ususal."

Personally I think it's a bit of laziness on corporate's part, but I can't think of a better alternative myself. Basicly they're just trying to get systems to the stores in the most stable way possible, till the problem of shortages goes away. Again, I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but you have to understand the panic/confusion this shortage (at christmas time no less) has caused. It's a solution, just not a very pretty one.

It does NOT excuse profiteering. BUT. Their little online store is it's own entity. They got through their preorders, and I guess they think there's enough demand for the system to sell them only in bundles. As stated above, I don't like it anymore than you do.

However, that is not illegal. Profiteering normally involves a NEEDED commodity in a time of crisis. AKA jacking up prices on gas, water, food right before/after a hurricane. No offense, but we'll all learn to survive without our 360's until after christmas =P

It's just my speculation, but the whole "sell only the bundles" idea was from someone who was in charge of the online store. Feel free to send nasty emails to corp and maybe someone up there will bring down the hammer on the online guys XD

I don't know why your area's stores havn't gotten any resupplies. We've gotten 2 extra shipments so far after the release. And to my knowlegde, ALL stores were to be receiving weekly resupplies. It is possible that if you lived out in the boons or your stores' sales numbers were so bad, they just got passed up. Meaning, if my store is really busy and I only get 2, your very slow store will get passed up. Either that or the manager there just flat out lied to you to stop any more questions since he didn't have any extra either way? I dunno. Did you get a reservation? If so, when did you do it? Seriously, our first shipment covered ppl who reserved up to early spring and that was it. 2nd shipment covered till about mid-summer. 3rd finally finished us with all the ppl after up till the August/Sept cutoff date.

And just for the record, when I say "resupplies" I'm talking about 3 to 5 systems a week. That's it. I've heard some of the REALLY busy stores we have get a lot more, but they sell just as fast. It's all supposed to be relative to the business your store brings in. My store is in the local BIG mall, so we tend to get a lot. My friend's store is down south of us in a strip mall, and he's lucky to get 2 a week. All this SHOULD pick up over the next couple weeks though, as MS gets their act together.

Terrible press? definitely. But honestly you guys trash us on a daily basis, so just put it on our tab. Everything else? Not really. As stated above, this isn't illegal, just shady at best. I don't like it either, but we don't have control of it. Best way to counter it (other than calling their support center or corporate) is to simply not buy them. If such a hot item doesn't sell well in a bundle-form, they'll rethink their idea.

Honestly, I understand the frustration that many people cannot get their systems, even though they preordered. Some of this lies in Corporate's Distribution department screwing up, or just being lazy to get through all this till the dust settles. Please trust me that the guys in the actual store just want to sell you a system. I think everyone just needs to chill out a bit. It's been a real screwy release, a lot of blame all-around. But it'll all be over soon and everything back to normal. We're trying the best we can to get systems out.

Personally I'm keeping my eye on BestBuy. Those guys have a habit of pulling backside deals like these rumors are insinuating...

[bean19]

I reserved in June and was #10 in line. At launch, our store got 7 units. They have not received any other shipments since that time, or they are lying to me which I doubt because I'm getting a lot of infomation from them, and I've read similar stories from various customers, and I have friends who also preordered early who have not received their units.

As far as the online bundles. . . I don't know the story of why they stopped them. Either they filled their quota, or they got called by the Better Business Bureau, or a fact checker for a media source (I e-mailed 40 media outlets with the story), or the Texas Attorney General's Office. My guess is that they filled their quota though, as I haven't heard stories yet, and from your replies, it doesn't seem that Gamestop fears litigation or bad press.

Also, while there is not a legal basis for profiteering (you are correct about it needing to be a needed resource and has to be in a time of emergency), but it is still profiteering in an ethical sense. Basically, I wasn't asking why Gamestop is not wary of a lawsuit over the profiteering (although I still think they should be fearful of deceptive trade lawsuits in regards to the not filling preorders in stores and offering bundles online that should ship on 12/12), but why Gamestop is willing to do something so unethical. Basically, you tend to agree that it is unethical and give an explanation of the thinking that might be behind it. I understand that the arguments should be directed at Corporate, and I've been doing that. . . I have not yelled at my local gamestore manager.

Anyway, I'm glad the bundles have stopped, and so I'm no longer a madman over the issue. :)

[GrinR]

LOL my order is cancelled because my shipping address is not my billing address! LOL no warning, just cancelled and that's it.

Gamestop apparently hates money.

[Valkyrist]

Playing Devil's advocate again:

Welcome to commercialism. It's just supply/demand. The online store managed to get their hands on some systems (and not many by the looks of it), and decided they would sell no matter how they were marketed. I mean, seriously they could have taken a crap in a zip-lock bag and put it in the 360's box and ppl would STILL buy it for $100 more than the normal price. Take one look at eBay to see the rediculous amounts ppl are paying for this system.

The point is, the online-store guys decided they can make more money per system by selling them in bundles. While I dislike this, I honestly can't even say it's unethical when we live in a nation that thrives on commercialism. And this may all seem very asinine now, but when the PS3 and Rev are out and all 3 are having a price-cut-war, you'll learn to love it. It's just the nature of business.

Your store SHOULD have gotten at least one resupply shipment in, but I guess it is possible they got skipped twice. I'm just guestimating, but if you were #10 in June, then your store is either quite slow (sales wise) or is REALLY bad at getting preorders. Just hang in there, they'll get a shipment either this week or next. In the meantime, call any other Gamestop, Software Etc, Electronics Boutique, Babbages, or Funcoland that are in your area. They're all the same company, and will all redeem your reservation if they have any systems to spare.