X-Box 360 - deliberate shortage planned

[Andrew Green]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051101-5510.html

Interesting marketing approach...

They plan on providing a very limited supply on launch, cuasing a complete sell-out. Which will generate a good deal of media coverage of the sell out, increase demand for the system, which will be unavailable for a while.

Honesty might not be Microsofts strong point, but manipulating peoples buying habits they seem to have a grasp on...

 

[arnisador]

Why bother? My kids are already asking for it.

I read an article yesterday saying game sales are down while people wait for the new consoles to come out...EA's profits are way down because of it.

 

[Andrew Green]

Why bother? My kids are already asking for it.

That's why.

Make it hard to get, give one or two of there friends one, and all the other friends demand will go up. They'll start looking for it, and as soon as that second wave hits people will snatch them up in a hurry again... in case they sell out again and they are forced to spend more time listening to there kids begging for one.

Make it hard to get and people will want it more.

 

[BlueDragon1981]

Seems to be a good marketing strategy....I really don't care to go out and buy it at the price it is now. .. Once the other systems hit it will go down in price. I usually get the new systems at the mid range prices. DOn't have to have it when it first comes out. No big deal to me.

I do think they are anticipating the crowd that "must have it" though.

 

[Cryozombie]

Beacuse it worked for Sony.

When the PS2 came out Sony had a "manufacturing defect" that caused them all to short ship... people were paying upwards of 500 bucks to get them in time for christmas...

Thats all kinds of mad free advertising.

 

[Andrew Green]

Seems to be a good marketing strategy....I really don't care to go out and buy it at the price it is now. .. Once the other systems hit it will go down in price. I usually get the new systems at the mid range prices. DOn't have to have it when it first comes out. No big deal to me.

I do think they are anticipating the crowd that "must have it" though.

They are anticipating the hardcore must have people will go buy them up first on preorders and standing outside the store the night before.

They are anticipating that these are the people that "must have" the latest technology and fanciest graphics.

They are anticipating that these people will be impressed by the graphics and will tell everyon who can't get one cause of the shortage how great it is and how lucky they are to have one of the few.

They are anticipating the press to jump in and spread that message for them, increasing demand so that when they send out the second wave it gets jumped on again...


I find myself missing my older systems, thinking of getting a used N64 for $20 instead of a $500 X-box. I don't think they will put out any games that can top Mario Kart anyways...

 

[Loki]

Screw all that, buy a Nintendo!

 

[Andrew Green]

Screw all that, buy a Nintendo!

Finding one that works well is tricky...

I still have mine though, and it works

 

[hemi]

I wouldn’t think Microsoft would have any problem selling the X-360’s. Now that a lot of game manufactures seem to only want to offer the part 2 or part 3 of a lot of games on the new systems, X-box 360 or Play station 3. A lot of people will be forced to buy the new systems just to play the new games. I bought my X-box because of the game Halo, then part 2 came out and I had to have it. Now as I understand it Microsoft will only release Halo 3 on the new 360? To be honest that alone will make my buy a 360 (once I talk the wife into it). But other games like, Metal of Honor, Mech Assault 3 and others will be something to see on the new system. Wow what a change from back in the day when I had the ole Atari 2600 and games like pong, Pac-man, and pit fall.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Actually how the used new versions of Windows to drive sales of faster computers

 

[OUMoose]

Please, if you're going to still buy an Xbox 360 on release, fill out the following form so a group of dedicated "acquisition agents" can come "redistribute" the effects properly.

Name:
Home Address:
Work Address:
Shift you work:


Seriously though, I really think we're going to see a bunch of thefts/assaults due to M$ trying to squeeze out some bucks.

My advice? Hold out till the PS3 is released...

 

[Sam]

me, I'm videogame retarded. Anything more advanced than a gameboy color or SNES is too much for me to deal with.

I bought an N64 and thought my brain would explode. There were buttons under the controller, on the sides of the controller, inside it, buttons that you have to turn it upside down to make em do something different, hit the shift key and give all the buttons different meanings, a wiggle stick thing in the middle, and three places to hold it with my two hands.

its rediculious.

 

[Solidman82]

I don't have enough money for the thing and won't until the price goes down in a month after christmas likely.

 

[arnisador]

me, I'm videogame retarded. Anything more advanced than a gameboy color or SNES is too much for me to deal with.

Same here. Old folks like us who grew up on Pong, Centipede, and Robotron aren't built for the modern world of Halo 2. I can hardly play video games with my kids--I'm all thumbs! (Wait, that'd be a good thing, probably.) I wish the games were like in the old days. Viva Galaga!

 

[Satt]

I've had mine pre-ordered and paid off for a couple months allready. I sure hope they at least give me mine!!!!!!!
:tantrum:

 

[Andrew Green]

I've had mine pre-ordered and paid off for a couple months allready. I sure hope they at least give me mine!!!!!!!
:tantrum:

lol, remember what company you're dealing with here

I'm sure you'll get it eventually though.

 

[Cryozombie]

Please, if you're going to still buy an Xbox 360 on release, fill out the following form so a group of dedicated "acquisition agents" can come "redistribute" the effects properly.

Name:
Home Address:
Work Address:
Shift you work:


Seriously though, I really think we're going to see a bunch of thefts/assaults due to M$ trying to squeeze out some bucks.

My advice? Hold out till the PS3 is released...

Too bad that comparatively PS3 wont compete, and its priced about 100 bucks higher than the release price for the 360. Id like to see sony do better than they did with the PS2 but somehow from everything I have read... it aint happening.

 

[bignick]

Screw all that, buy a Nintendo!

I have two, thank you very much...

 

[Kempogeek]

me, I'm videogame retarded. Anything more advanced than a gameboy color or SNES is too much for me to deal with.

I bought an N64 and thought my brain would explode. There were buttons under the controller, on the sides of the controller, inside it, buttons that you have to turn it upside down to make em do something different, hit the shift key and give all the buttons different meanings, a wiggle stick thing in the middle, and three places to hold it with my two hands.

its rediculious.

I haven't played on a video game unit since my Sega Genesis days, a long time ago. So I don't think I could handle this new advanced gaming with all the buttons, bells and whistles. Im going way back to the old Atari joystick and one fire button, a plug and play system and working my way back up. Missile Command my all time favorite. Maybe with practice I can get back to my Sega Genesis form.....Sam, maybe you should try the stone aged Atari joystick and go from there. I know that was way before your time but "old farts" like me remember them fondly.......Steve

 

[BlueDragon1981]

I'm a little to console crazy i guess...

Have nes, sega genesis, sega cd, playstation, n64, gamecube, and an XBox.

I didn't get any of them when they were first released. I don't pay the ridiculious release prices.