The PS3’s launch day is getting close. So close that retailers are discovering how many units they’ll have to sell. And that means that they’re beginning to offer forward thinking customers the chance to pre-order a machine, so they have a good chance of getting it on or close to the magic first day of release.
And it also means that the bundle is coming.
Taking advantage of low stock and high demand, many retailers use console launches as opportunities for selling as many related products as they can. HMV.co.uk announced on an email sent out to its customers last Friday that the only way they could pre-order a PS3 is by buying its special PSP bundle, costing £674.99. You get a PSP, a 4Gb Memory Stick, two games, and a PS3. With outcry from other retailers, HMV has now opened up pre-orders without bundles.
Meanwhile, Play has announced its own bundle, again, the only way of pre-ordering the PS3, costing £524.99, which includes three games – Formula One, Genji and Resistance: Fall of Man.
The PS3 launch in the US saw some much more – shall we say – imaginative deals. The only way to pre-order a 20Gb PS3 at GameStop in mid-November was to buy a bundle that included an extra controller, six games, a one-year product replacement plan, a year subscription to Game Informer magazine and a Resistance strategy guide for $994.28 (plus tax). That’s a lot of stuff that you might not necessarily want.
Obviously, Play and HMV aren’t offering bad deals as such. A back-of-envelope calculation puts the separate value of the items in HMV’s bundle at about £690, a saving of £15. And Play’s deal should save you £50. And they hardly comprise of pointless trash, like a rubber PS3 scratch-resistant sleeve or a handy mini LCD screen (so you can play your PS3 on the Tube). But many people already have a PSP, and I’d personally prefer to get a copy of Motorstorm instead of Formula 1.
The bundling question, is, after all, about freedom of choice, rather than a simple case of getting ripped off. The practice isn’t illegal, but it’s certainly morally dubious. But while it might seem that retailers are ruthlessly taking advantage of that dream economic circumstance of high demand and limited supply, you must remember that most shops make little, if anything, from selling consoles. The money for them is in selling games and accessories.
But that’s little reason to take bundling lying down. In fact, by standing up and walking down to your local high street, you could avoid it all together. Pre-ordering has yet to get into full swing, but Gamestation began taking orders for PS3s – unbundled – earlier this week, just as they did the Wii. Game hasn’t started yet, but the assistant doubted that bundling would be imposed.
Should you find yourself in a situation where buying a bundle is the only way you can get a launch-day PS3, however, think carefully before taking the plunge. Retailers can only impose the practice if customers actually take the bait. Make sure you really get what you want – and remember that a couple of weeks’ extra wait until new stock comes in will be long forgotten once you finally get your PS3 home.
By Alex Wiltshire
Does anybody know of pre-orders in germany other than the bundle from amzon.de ?
Any news would be highly appreciated!
Thanks!
Comment by Shyru — Feb 8, 2007 @ 11:29 am
I was really dissapointed to learn from HMV that they were doing a PSP/PS3 bundle which meant buyers were put on a priority queue ahead of the standalone PS3 package buyers.
Now they seem to have backtracked but their latest email makes no sense what-so-ever:
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Dear HMV Customer
We’re writing to you about your order for the exclusive PSP / PS3 bundle. Thanks for ordering the Bundle - we are planning to ship your PSP out to you shortly, and your pre-order for the PS3 console has now been confirmed.
At the time we advertised the PSP / PS3 bundle for sale, we had not received notification from Sony as to our potential allocation on the standalone console, outside of the confirmed allocation for this bundle offer.
However, before we send out the PSP to you, we just wanted to let you know that we will be offering the stand-alone PS3 console to pre-order for a limited time next week, as details of our initial allocation have been confirmed by Sony. We wanted to check whether you still want to proceed with your order for the PSP / PS3 bundle, or if you would prefer just to be placed in the pre-order queue for the PS3 console alone, priced £424.99.
Either way, you will be at the top of the pre-order queue for the PS3 console.
Please get back to us by 12th February 2007- just reply to this email with your decision. If we don’t hear from you, we will proceed with your PSP / PS3 bundle offer.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Kind Regards,
HMV Online Customer Service Team
—————————————-
And typically getting any correct info out of their online customer service helpline is a real nightmare.
But does anyone know for a fact that if the PS3/PSP bundle was changed to the standalone bundle - do we stay in the same position in the queue!
Comment by Zoidy — Feb 8, 2007 @ 11:30 am
bit slow on the play.com bundle info. they started selling that bundle in autumn 2006, for £549.99. i ordered that at the beginning of November, and got an email over a week ago saying that it’s confirmed that my items will be delivered on march 23rd. yesterday - i think after the, very good bundle deals, were announced by woolworths - they dropped the price from the initial £549.99 to £524.99.
Comment by geordie — Feb 8, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
It’s not only a question of bundles.. today is 8 February and a lot of shops are still waiting for infos about preorders!!
Comment by Wildy — Feb 8, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
yeah, anyone know when game will start the preorders???
Comment by Simon — Feb 8, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
I was just in a game store and asked, the manager said that preorders would probably start tomorrow (9th), saturday or monday. He was kind enough to get my mobile number and call me if they get any wiis or when they start taking orders on ps3. I go there 2 times per day asking for wiis
Comment by johan — Feb 8, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
I ordered the PSP bundle from HMV - when you tot up all you get, it’s actually a fair deal.
Besides, I’d much rather pay £674 for a PS3 + a PSP + a 4GB card + 2 games, than just a grand to some git on ebay!
I was going to get a PSP anyway, so for me it’s worked out great.
Comment by Timeless — Feb 8, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
I’ve had the PS3 bundle from Play ordered since June 2006, and the cut from £549.99 to £524.99 has made me happier. Still disappointed with the new bundle line up - we were originally down for Singstar, Formula 1 and Warhawk.
That said, I’m still on the lookout for a PS3 sole, and bin the Play order. I much prefer the choice.
Comment by cei — Feb 8, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
I had a phone call from HMV on 3rd Feb telling me they were taking pre-orders for the PS3 (and wanted £100 deposit). A couple of hours later, and my wallet was £100 lighter.
Now just waiting to see exactly what comes in the box before I go queue up on the night of the 22nd!
Comment by MuggleMind — Feb 8, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
On the 3rd of Feb I managed to put a deposit of £100 for a £549 package with Blockbuster. Package includes an extra controller, Blue Ray Movie & 2 games - Motor storm & Resitance Fall of Man. Sweet deal I think.
Comment by René Clough — Feb 9, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
Bundles are fine, if they are fair. Regarding the 1st HMV deal, though it’s was essentially good value for money it was not a deal for me, as a QA tester & hardcore gamer! Personally I’m quite quick at assimilating new hardware irrespective which company has released it.
Therefore if I can purchase my console with a few games and make a saving all the better, As long as it’s for that console.
If the deals have and reactions towards the deals where the cause for Kevins Jowett departure from Sony, then I think that’s a shame. As the first adopters of any new hardware are going to be the hardcore, which will later influence the mass market irrelevant of how well or how bad a product was thought to be marketed.
Sony has made a beautiful console inside and out which was clear to many, as it was to myself. Whether the crucial mass market can be convinced over the coming months is to be seen. Sony are to be thanked for bringing consoles and games to wider audience with the PS1 & PS2 which the PS3, 4 & 5 are no doubt going to continue the brands success irrelevant of short sighted deals.
The perfect deal for me would be the standard 60GB PS3 console a copy of Linux, internet subscription offer, a 2nd Six Axis, a 4GB Memory Stick DUO & discount vouchers to buy games in the future.
What attracted me to the PS3 was the convergence possibilities of the console and then knowing for fact that the games, 360 clones or not would look better, fact!
I’m vastly looking forward to unpacking my new console and smelling that factory plastic odder that only opening a new console box can offer!
Though MCV industry magazine has a similar smell, if you need a quick fix!.
Comment by Kal.l — Feb 16, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
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