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Thread: if you were planning to camp for a PS3, START EARLY!

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    Default if you were planning to camp for a PS3, START EARLY!

    Well, it appears that the doom and gloom for Sony just continues and continues. Man, these guys are having some extreme bad luck lately. Due to a shortage in blue diodes that are needed in the manufacturing of PS3 systems, Sony has been forced to cancel their Worldwide launch, and instead they are going to focus on the US market and Japan. Japan will supposedly only get 100,000 PS3's for launch, and the U.S. will get 400,000.


    Only 400,000 PS3's at launch for North America, will translate into extreme shortages and outrageous Ebay prices. Imagine trying to divide up 400,000 systems among Canada and the U.S. and all the various retailers. You have Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Circuit City, Sears, Electronics Boutique, GameStop, etc, etc, etc. Imagine all the various stores that carry Playstation products, all around Canada and the U.S. All of these retail outlets are going to be fighting for their allotment of the 400,000. Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and Costco will likely get the lions share of systems. Electronics Boutique and GameStop will get a decent amount, but they have thousands and thousands of stores they have to share their allotment with. I'm 10th on the list at my local GameCrazy, and with this information, I'll be lucky to get a call from them in late February 2007, telling me they finally have my pre-ordered PS3 in stock.

    Pre-Ordering from GameStop or EB would be a good idea, but only if I was lucky enough to find out the exact date that they are going to start taking preorders. So far, there hasn't been any word as to when that day is going to be. All one can do is simply call EB and GameStop every morning and ask if they are going to start taking preorders today. And then on the day that they are going to take preorders, there could easily be a long line in front of every GameStop just to get a freaking pre-order. If you aren't in the first 10 people, your chances of getting a launch unit are virtually nill.


    So, that leaves the camping strategy. Normally, with camping, if you are willing to spend the night in front of a Target or Costco or BestBuy, you will be assured of a system, but you will have to spend a blistery night in the cold and windy and rainy conditions. I know, first hand. When the PS2 came out, I forgot to get a pre-order early, and I spent the night in front of a Target to get one. It was cold, windy and raining. It was absolutely miserable, but I did get my hands on one. However, this time it's going to be much more difficult than that. This is the year 2006. That was back in 2000. Nowadays, we aren't only going to have to fight other gamers to try to get our hands on a PS3, we are going to have to fight Ebay Profiteers that don't get a rats ass about gaming.


    With only 400,000 units in all of North America at launch, and no PS3's for all of Europe and Australia, the resale market on Ebay is going to be out of this world. With the PS3 costing $600, I can easily see people getting triple that on Ebay, if not more. It will not be suprising in the least to see PS3 systems selling for 2 grand on Ebay. There are enough super rich people Worldwide, that will want to get their hands on a unit, just so they can have one the day it's available somewhere in the world. Plus you have all the super rich people in the USA that won't be able to find one at any store, and will be willing to deal with the ridiculous Ebay mark up. Of course, it's all supply and demand, so what are you going to do?

    Sorry to digress on that, but the fact of the matter is that every Ebay reseller worth their salt is going to find out about the PS3 (I'm talking non video game Ebay resellers), and the extreme shortages, and a lightbulb is going to go off above their heads. They are going to think..."I just have to spend the night in front of a Target, use my $600 to buy a PS3 and then sell it on Ebay for 2 grand! It will be the easiest $1400 I've ever made in my life!!!". So not only are you going to have tons of Sony fanboys camping in front of Best Buys and Targets, but you are going to have tons of non-gamer Ebay and Craiglslist profiteers camping as well. What does this all mean? This means that you aren't simply going to be able to camp the night before like normal. You might actually have to camp "MULTIPLE" days in advance if you really want to guarantee yourself a PS3.



    It's going to be fucking bonkers.

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    This is just ridiculous. Now the PS3 launch numbers are closer to that of the Xbox 360 launch numbers and we all remember how that launch went! I was kinda thinking about getting a PS3, but now forget it for now. I think for the first few months I can wait to get a PS3. There arent really any must-haves for me in the launch line-up, so I guess I'm gonna wait now till sometime early next year...

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    I can garuntee that you probably wont get one by pre-ordering at an EB or Gamestop.

    I can see big stores getting max 10, which will go to employees and loyal customers. Not to mention they will make you buy games and shit.

    Don't count on getting it unless you camp. Even so a line of 10 would be a sign to go to the next store.

    This is going to be pretty funny to see actually. Kinda wished i still worked for EB

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    Yeah, in all honesty, I shouldn't really want a PS3, considering the launch lineup is weak, I'll be playing Gears of War and Crackdown and hopefully some Wii games, so it's not like I'll be starving for some next-gen gaming. But for whatever reason, I want one. I always want to get home consoles on the day that they come out. I got both the PS1 and PS2 on their respective launch days, and I just feel like I'm missing something huge, if I don't experience the launch of a home console.

    Part of me is saying that I can also rent Blu Ray movies to watch on it as well, even though I don't have a HDTV that would really show it off.


    The other factor is actually keeping my personal PS3, when they will be selling for 2 grand on Ebay. It's pretty hard to fight the temptation to just sell it, and buy it back later in March.

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    I want one exclusively to resell on Ebay. Or several. I'm going to feed off the silly people who actually wan't a system at launch with all of the exploding harddrives, disk read errors, dead pixels etc. you might get. I'm then going to use that money to buy a Wii and every game available for it. Wii is where its at.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Darren870

    Don't count on getting it unless you camp. Even so a line of 10 would be a sign to go to the next store.

    Well, one of the keys to camping, is finding out exactly how many units the store got in. Normally, you can go to the store the night before, talk to the deparment manager for the electronics department, and they will tell, "We got a total of 18 systems". Or, "We got a pallet with 32 systems" or whatever. Then you know exactly how many systems that Target or Wal-Mart is going to have available to sell the next morning, and if 18 people or 32 people are already in line, then yeah, it would make no sense to be the 19th guy or 33rd guy.


    Last year with the Xbox 360, I got really lucky by going to a Costco the night before. I asked to speak to the store manager and I asked her, "How many 360 systems did you guys get to sell tomorrow?" She said, "look up there" and she pointed to three pallets covered with a dark plastic that said "hold till November 23rd" or whatever. She said, "We got a total of 135 units on those 3 pallets." So the next day, I drove to Costco, and there was actually 75 people already standing in line, but I knew they had 135, so I jumped right in line and waited.

    The key is, you really need to know how many units the store has, so that if the line has more people than units, you don't end up spending the night in the rain for nothing. Man that would really suck. Sometimes the managers can be kinda coy with the numbers and they will refuse to tell you, which I think is kinda silly. If you got 16 units in, why not let people know. So that if 16 people are already in line, you don't have people waiting around for nothing.

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    It's official, the PS3 with be the 3rd system I get years down the road, like the Xbox was this gen.

    Cheers,
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    The whole "camping" strategy won't work this time. Most stores (BB, Walmart, Target, etc.) will be getting how many on launch day...5 - 10? The 360 launch should be a good indicator that you will wait all day and all night only to receive nothing.

    Anyone who "camps" out for a PS3 is an idiot...plain and simple. If you want to get one and make $1000 on eBay or whatever...fine. As for the regular gamer, the odds are stacked too much against them. You may "camp", but you won't be getting a PS3 the next day. Regardless, people will wait (and wait and wait) in line for one...common sense and logical thought be damned.
    "One of the ways I gauge a DS game is by recharges. "...Tycho (Penny Arcade)

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    Well yes, but i doubt stores will be getting more then 10 if you don't get a chance to ask.

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    This will be the easiest Christmas I've ever worked in retail.

    "Do you have any PS3s in?"

    "No."

    End.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Neo Rasa
    This will be the easiest Christmas I've ever worked in retail.

    "Do you have any PS3s in?"

    "No."

    End.
    No its deff easier when you have the systems. Because after that NO about 20 more questions follow about when you might be getting them. You get day after day after day after hour after minute after second....

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    Well I don't buy it. Why is it that there is always a so called manufacture shortage of chip every time?

    I think there is no shortage at all I think this is just a ploy to save them the embarassment of having ps3 sitting on the shelfs unsold due to being overpriced.

    It will make good press. Ps3 sells out in a matter of minutes. As for eb and gamestop how long before the mega bundle?

    Years to plan and still got problems? Maybe they are right. A companies consoles reign at the top is capped at 2 cycles max.
    neo geo system

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    Quote Originally Posted by gepeto
    Well I don't buy it. Why is it that there is always a so called manufacture shortage of chip every time?
    It isn't this time. It's a component of the blu-ray drive that's in shortage.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonlotp
    I want one exclusively to resell on Ebay. Or several. I'm going to feed off the silly people who actually wan't a system at launch with all of the exploding harddrives, disk read errors, dead pixels etc. you might get. I'm then going to use that money to buy a Wii and every game available for it. Wii is where its at.
    U cant have dead pixel on a console. Dead pixels only accure on screens. I have never heard of a harddrive that have exploded. Stopped working yes, but not physicaly exploded. But its always possible that something goes wrong with some units, like what happend with the 360.

    Kinda sux that they delayed the EU launch. This means i will have to wait like 1 more year to get one (i wont buy it at launch, waiting a few month for price drop). Only 100000 units in Japan also suprises me. Im really wondering if the PS3 will be a success or not. Nevertheless, im getting one

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    Quote Originally Posted by heybtbm
    The whole "camping" strategy won't work this time. Most stores (BB, Walmart, Target, etc.) will be getting how many on launch day...5 - 10? The 360 launch should be a good indicator that you will wait all day and all night only to receive nothing.

    Anyone who "camps" out for a PS3 is an idiot...plain and simple. If you want to get one and make $1000 on eBay or whatever...fine. As for the regular gamer, the odds are stacked too much against them. You may "camp", but you won't be getting a PS3 the next day. Regardless, people will wait (and wait and wait) in line for one...common sense and logical thought be damned.


    I beg to differ. Although it will be extremely difficult to get a PS3, camping is a great way to go. Yes there are only 400,000 units for all of North America, to be available on November 17th. But the funny thing is, the 360 had about the exact same amount for it's launch day. Right around 400,000 units. The 400,000 units will be allocated in a way where certain retailers get "sweetheart" allocations and other retailers will get "red headed stepchild" allocations. Also, breaking it down even further among specific retailers, the highest performing stores in terms of volume sales, will get the largest allotments.


    Sweetheart retail partners = Best Buy, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R US, Electronics Boutique, GameStop

    Red Headed Stephchild retail partners = GameCrazy, FYI, Sears, K-Mart, Circuit City, Kay B Toys, etc, etc


    So certain places will be lucky to get 2 or 3 units, while other places will get 14 or 19 units, and a few very high performing Best Buys or Costco's or Targets, will get 40 to 70 units. The bottom line is you simply need to know "exactly" how many units a retailer got, and just make sure that many more people aren't in front of you in the camping line. Simple as that. Of course, it's easier said than done, and with the PS3, it's going to be even more crazy, and there will be many more people willing to camp multiple days in advance and that's really going to alter the landscape quite a bit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by heybtbm
    The whole "camping" strategy won't work this time. Most stores (BB, Walmart, Target, etc.) will be getting how many on launch day...5 - 10? The 360 launch should be a good indicator that you will wait all day and all night only to receive nothing.

    Anyone who "camps" out for a PS3 is an idiot...plain and simple. If you want to get one and make $1000 on eBay or whatever...fine. As for the regular gamer, the odds are stacked too much against them. You may "camp", but you won't be getting a PS3 the next day. Regardless, people will wait (and wait and wait) in line for one...common sense and logical thought be damned.
    Why wont it work? If a store have 10 units and your first in line (or within the 10 first), why shouldnt you be able to buy one then?

    Id rather say your an idiot if you pay $1000 for a PS3 if i have to choose between "camping" and "ebay buying for $1000". I never camped for anything myself, but i know ppl who have. Camping is not just about getting the item first, usualy alot of social activity are going on while you camp.

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    Camping is usually really fun till about 2pm. From 2pm to 8pm it's pretty damn boring and cold, and boring and did I say Cold? Oh, and windy. And rainy. And stinky. This year if I'm camping, I'm going to camp with a bud and we are going to share a real tent. Last time I camped, I didn't have a tent, and I got shitted on by the rain and wind.

    I also plan on having an Atari Lynx with brand new batteries, and a backup set of batteries, as well as my PSP with a full charge, and a GBA SP with a full charge. That will get me through the boring parts of the day and evening. I would bring a laptop or something, but I don't want to get robbed while in line.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Anthony1
    ...with the PS3, it's going to be even more crazy, and there will be many more people willing to camp multiple days in advance and that's really going to alter the landscape quite a bit.
    I agree completely. I think you're going to see people lining up 2-3 days in advance. The "night before" just isn't going to cut it this time.


    Quote Originally Posted by jajaja
    Why wont it work? If a store have 10 units and your first in line (or within the 10 first), why shouldnt you be able to buy one then?
    If you're in the front of the line, you will be able to buy one in theory. My main point was that the people who wait in line and actually are able to buy a PS3 on launch day are going to be about 0.01% of the total amount of people in each line.

    The initial batch of launch systems are going to predominately bought by:

    1.) store employees
    2.) friends and relatives of said employees
    3.) eBay "I don't have a real job" losers.

    Cynical but true.
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    Might be. Kinda stupid tho to advertice for a new console and when the first customer comes they dont have it because employees etc. have bought all hehe.

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    Well, kids, I wouldn't recommend standing out in line overnight in hopes of stealing a PS3. I'm just thinking of the safety issue. A pile of kids sitting around with $600 in their pockets? Someone is going to get it in their heads to hit up a small mugging spree.

    Besides, there simply won't be any consoles on the shelves. All the units will have been reserved and spoken for. The practical fact is that you won't be able to score a console until well into next year. Spring, perhaps?

    The main culprit for Sony has been that damned Blu-Ray drive. As I understand it, PS3 would already be available if not for that. But the company has been bleeding money for some time, and the suits are desperate for BR to succeed in the market. Unfortunately, it just isn't ready for market yet, and the public is not going to throw away its DVD collections and start all over again with the next-gen version.

    Also, it should be said, if not for BR, the price wouldn't be so damned obscene. Sony would have been successful if they just kept their wits and stayed the course. But that didn't happen, and now they're going to pay the price. I'm wondering if the number of units available in 2006 won't drop futher between now and November.
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