I'd like to know how WalMart has stock to sell at all today if people with pre-orders since September are getting told "Whoops, too much demand, not enough units! Maybe later!"
I'm not even sure how bots would have gotten through with this. Their site is basically dead.
Bots skip all the frontend shit and go directly to where the digital interactions happen, so the while the site is fighting to load 3/10s of a banner for you, a bot has already exchanged the handful of lines of text that let it loot all available inventory.
I got as far as getting one in my cart myself, but naturally it was "out of stock" by the time I got to processing it. Which should definitely not be legal, because if that is in my cart then I should be guaranteed the item the same as if I was in the store.
Oh well, I had pretty low expectations for success. Maybe by the time I get one they'll have the memory repair bug fixed up so I don't have to worry.
I understand how bots work, but the actual API layer at Walmart hard crashed. There's no magical way the bots can skip past the API, even if they are skipping the UI layer. They were belching "no upstream" errors all over the place, meaning their entire back end was basically not responding to calls. I wonder how many orders actually got completed, versus the stock got reserved but the order didn't fully reconcile.
This is likely and worth checking in another 3-5 minutes.
PSN: DignifiedPauper
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
0
ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
I'd like to know how WalMart has stock to sell at all today if people with pre-orders since September are getting told "Whoops, too much demand, not enough units! Maybe later!"
Seriously.
I've had an order in since September 16th. Fuck Walmart.
Never shopping there for anything again. Never really needed to, but now I'm gonna' actively avoid them and badmouth them to anyone who'll listen.
"If you want a 'preorder guarantee' that doesn't mean SHIT, you want Walmart!"
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
I'm not even sure how bots would have gotten through with this. Their site is basically dead.
Bots skip all the frontend shit and go directly to where the digital interactions happen, so the while the site is fighting to load 3/10s of a banner for you, a bot has already exchanged the handful of lines of text that let it loot all available inventory.
I got as far as getting one in my cart myself, but naturally it was "out of stock" by the time I got to processing it. Which should definitely not be legal, because if that is in my cart then I should be guaranteed the item the same as if I was in the store.
Oh well, I had pretty low expectations for success. Maybe by the time I get one they'll have the memory repair bug fixed up so I don't have to worry.
I understand how bots work, but the actual API layer at Walmart hard crashed. There's no magical way the bots can skip past the API, even if they are skipping the UI layer. They were belching "no upstream" errors all over the place, meaning their entire back end was basically not responding to calls. I wonder how many orders actually got completed, versus the stock got reserved but the order didn't fully reconcile.
This is likely and worth checking in another 3-5 minutes.
Yes the Add to Cart button keeps sporadically reactivating so def keep trying for now
0
Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
It's even more egregious because Walmart we're the ones who fucked everything up on pre-order day by dropping them ahead of schedule.
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
1) I hate Walmart during non-pandemic times. Even in the best of situations I always feel like i'm gonna catch something when I walk into Walmart. I shop there <1 time per year.
2) Fuck Gamestop
3) Gamestop had bundles that actually lasted for maybe 20 minutes last night. I could have gotten one. But the bundles were $800 and had games and accessories I didn't want. Like the $99 edition of NBA 2K21, and a 30 day time card for PS Vue or something. No thanks. Not spending $800 for a bundle with shit in it I don' want.
4) Did I mention fuck Gamestop?
5) Seriously though. It's 2020. How is it that these multi-billion dollar corps have such shitty websites and online storefronts. We have the technology. But we aren't using it.
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
Yeah, Verizon implemented a backorder system for iconic phone launches specifically for this reason. It's transparent to customers when they'll get their device and doesn't require customers going in to stores or bothering customer service.
PSN: DignifiedPauper
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
0
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
I actually managed to get one in the cart despite all that, the add to cart vs out of stock still seems to be fluctuating a bit. Same nonsense. It did move it to saved for later, which I guess might be an edge up for 3PM since you view it from the cart screen instead of the product screen. Ed: No, clicking on saved to cart just takes you back to product screen, so it'd actually be worse to do it that way.
Mine is still sitting in my cart from earlier, when everything crashed. I'm not even touching that screen in the hopes that on the next drop I can just refresh and hit checkout.
Frankly I'm not getting my hopes up and I recommend everyone else do the same. Assume you aren't getting one and if you do it'll be a happy surprise instead of a sure disappointment when you don't.
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
Yeah, Verizon implemented a backorder system for iconic phone launches specifically for this reason. It's transparent to customers when they'll get their device and doesn't require customers going in to stores or bothering customer service.
Exactly. How many times today do you imagine local walmarts had to either field phone calls or people coming in person to buy the console? It's probably a ton. This is also cluttering up stuff for the customers who don't give a shit and giving them a negative experience as well while they try to resolve a return or something else.
What you could do is convert those people into a sale right then and there instead of them just hanging up the phone or walking out to try the gamestop or best buy next. If people have the guaranteed preorder in hand I'm gonna guess they stop looking as diligently if at all, so you won't lose that customer.
+1
Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
Not to mention lost sales after people swear off your store for giving them such a shitty time. Not to mention the bad press from the "Walmart fucked up everyone's order" news articles.
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
Walmart's stock is definitely bouncing around, probably from incomplete orders. I refreshed my cart and saw "Only 2 left, order now!"...wasn't able to check out quick enough, but their stock system is definitely bouncing around a lot, so keep your eyes open before the next drop.
Is anyone getting the charging station? I haven't seen a solid reason to get a second controller yet and so it feels a bit silly to get the controller charger thing when USB C charging is so easy.
Never had any issues with cord charging on PS4. And PS5 controller supposedly has even better battery life so def feels unnecessary for my usage.
In that big FAQ that Sony released, they only said that the controller's battery live was comparable to that of the DS4. I wouldn't expect a significant improvement.
0
ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
Not to mention lost sales after people swear off your store for giving them such a shitty time. Not to mention the bad press from the "Walmart fucked up everyone's order" news articles.
Ehhh, everyone is getting this and I'm gonna guess the euphoria from "YES I GOT IT FINALLY" is enough to let bygones be bygones. How are you going to swear it off when it's not like you have an alternative.
Granted, this would be a great way to become the alternative. "Yeah, I preordered it from Walmart. I know I might be able to get it faster by relentlessly refreshing Best Buy and Target and calling them every restock day but it's nice to just know I'll get it and I'm not in a super rush."
Real scumbag (but brilliant move) would be to make the unlimited preorder system only valid with the protection mind. "This holiday season don't just protect your device, but also your sanity! Add the protection plan to be put in the queue for the next available system!"
I'm definitely not in the super rush camp. What I want is peace of mind. I want to be able to just slap my $500 down and know that I've got a system allotted to me, even if it takes until December (or later) to get it.
+13
Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
Not to mention lost sales after people swear off your store for giving them such a shitty time. Not to mention the bad press from the "Walmart fucked up everyone's order" news articles.
Ehhh, everyone is getting this and I'm gonna guess the euphoria from "YES I GOT IT FINALLY" is enough to let bygones be bygones. How are you going to swear it off when it's not like you have an alternative.
Granted, this would be a great way to become the alternative. "Yeah, I preordered it from Walmart. I know I might be able to get it faster by relentlessly refreshing Best Buy and Target and calling them every restock day but it's nice to just know I'll get it and I'm not in a super rush."
You do have alternatives though, plenty of them including "I'll just wait and get it when it's plentiful down the line", at which point you can take your pick of stores.
I'm definitely not in the super rush camp. What I want is peace of mind. I want to be able to just slap my $500 down and know that I've got a system allotted to me, even if it takes until December (or later) to get it.
I'm gonna guess this is most people. Hell, a pretty significant number of these won't even be used/needed until Christmas Day. You could probably make a lot of people happy and offer two pricing tiers of "right now" and "I only need this by Christmas." Maybe make the right now be a bundle with a PSN gift card or something so you can differentiate them.
Everyone only makes the most money on the accessories so it seems really valuable to ensure they buy it from you so you can upsell bonus controller, games, protection plan, etc. It's just silly to let the customer float around in the ether when you could nab them. Even if it's a digital only console, that person might buy a PSN card or SOMETHING from you, which you have zero chance of selling if they go to your competitor.
+1
ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
I don't know why there isn't a preorder or queuing system into perpetuity. Put your money down as stock becomes available you will get it. I don't know why they need to wait for stock to arrive, they know they'll get it at some point. Seems like it's less stressful for everyone involved, you'd probably save a ton by not having people just refresh your webpage constantly.
Because with the exception of Amazon and Walmart, most of these companies do not realize the importance of technology. They think they are still retail companies; they're not, they need to become tech companies to compete with the big boys. Until they do that, this is going to keep happening on big launch days.
Eh, I think they're fully aware of what they're doing. If you just make a digital line for people to wait for their order, people stop coming to the site once they put their money down. If they visit the site twenty times in a day for a week to try to get a system, the store can push other shit at you constantly.
It's basically a crappy form of gambling. They want you to think you can "win" by visiting the site to get a system, but you probably won't and in the meantime they can try to sell you other shit. They don't want to make it convenient because that means fewer eyeballs on their merchandise.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
Not to mention lost sales after people swear off your store for giving them such a shitty time. Not to mention the bad press from the "Walmart fucked up everyone's order" news articles.
Ehhh, everyone is getting this and I'm gonna guess the euphoria from "YES I GOT IT FINALLY" is enough to let bygones be bygones. How are you going to swear it off when it's not like you have an alternative.
Granted, this would be a great way to become the alternative. "Yeah, I preordered it from Walmart. I know I might be able to get it faster by relentlessly refreshing Best Buy and Target and calling them every restock day but it's nice to just know I'll get it and I'm not in a super rush."
You do have alternatives though, plenty of them including "I'll just wait and get it when it's plentiful down the line", at which point you can take your pick of stores.
For a lot of people due to impulse control or needing it by Christmas or whatever other issue, this will not be a real alternative.
Although as a kid I would have totally been fine with opening a card with a Gamecube preorder receipt inside but a lot of parents want that magic.
0
Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
edited November 2020
There is pretty much no scenario where making it more difficult for customers to buy a product is good for a business, none. Artificial scarcity is just a myth in all but the most specific of scenarios.
Yeah. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. All of these companies have to report to their shareholders, and all of them operate very strongly on the quarterly sales report business model. Sales today are better than sales tomorrow. That's how they work. So this business practice of not securing those sales seems really odd to me.
They risk losing the business to another retailer by not offering a "buy now, get later" option. You'd think that they'd want to lock in those sales right now to make their Q4 earnings look good. All of us who haven't had success with the mad rush to click through the storefront are gonna still be floating in January when the Q4 numbers are in and are lower than they could have been.
+1
ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
There is pretty much no scenario where making it more difficult for customers to buy a product is good for a business, none. Artificial scarcity is pretty much just a myth in all but the most specific of scenarios.
I don't disagree. There must be some reason the corporate bean counters have figured out, or the more likely answer is something like inertia. It will cost money to overhaul your system for this and if it doesn't pay enormous dividends instantly then whoever greenlit this shit is in trouble and it's way easier just to keep on keeping on. In the modern era it's not really okay to lose money right now so you can reap the benefits over the next couple seasons, gotta get that constant quarterly growth.
This also might have been more feasible a system before the rise of digital games sales. You could expect this system to be beneficial on any major hard to find game release before. Now if they can't find it in store right away they may just buy it online. So then your queue system will only ever be used for new console releases and...? You just may not see a return on it in a reasonable time frame.
Also we can dunk on WalMart but the "check back for waves at X, Y, or Z time" plan is way better than every competitor's "I dunno, keep refreshing shithead" method.
ChaosHat on
+1
HardtargetThere Are Four LightsVancouverRegistered Userregular
I'm actually curious how I have not seen hardly anyone post a successful Amazon sale today. I even set up alerts for stock availability - granted, I expect those are batched, and not realtime. A business isn't going to develop around a single iconic launch for all things if it's not a significant portion of their sales; though, I'd expect these to help lift a LOT of the Q4 revenue numbers.
I'm actually curious how I have not seen hardly anyone post a successful Amazon sale today. I even set up alerts for stock availability - granted, I expect those are batched, and not realtime. A business isn't going to develop around a single iconic launch for all things if it's not a significant portion of their sales; though, I'd expect these to help lift a LOT of the Q4 revenue numbers.
I'm not sure Amazon even sold any today. I saw a rumor that they had lower stock and oversold what they had through preorders already but who knows if that's true.
I'm actually curious how I have not seen hardly anyone post a successful Amazon sale today. I even set up alerts for stock availability - granted, I expect those are batched, and not realtime. A business isn't going to develop around a single iconic launch for all things if it's not a significant portion of their sales; though, I'd expect these to help lift a LOT of the Q4 revenue numbers.
I'm not sure Amazon even sold any today. I saw a rumor that they had lower stock and oversold what they had through preorders already but who knows if that's true.
I don't think Wario64 has mentioned any stock showing up on Amazon recently.
All the websites I've tried (walmart, target, and best buy) I've at least flirted with success either during initial pre-orders or today. Amazon seems intent on pretend the PS5 doesn't even exist, so far as I've seen. I don't know if that's because their platform is so much more solid that the first to come got served and just nobody else even had a chance or what.
DemonStaceyTTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered Userregular
I think I'm going to have to break my 1 game at a time rule to play at least a LITTLE bit of Miles Morales tomorrow when the system arrives.
Gotta see that 4k/Ray tracing beauty in action before I go back to Yakuza 7. Would be a bit too hard to have a brand new system and just sticking to my PS4 game on it for the next few weeks knowing I have a PS5 game right there..
I think I'm going to have to break my 1 game at a time rule to play at least a LITTLE bit of Miles Morales tomorrow when the system arrives.
Gotta see that 4k/Ray tracing beauty in action before I go back to Yakuza 7. Would be a bit too hard to have a brand new system and just sticking to my PS4 game on it for the next few weeks knowing I have a PS5 game right there..
And here I am telling myself I gotta finish my current Vita game before moving on to the PS5...
+1
AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
edited November 2020
Got a digital in cart, got all the way to select payment method...except my saved payment method doesn't show because of an "unexpected error", and when I try and enter it manually, it forces me to login, which it can't do. Brilliant.
e: Got all the way to Place Order, forced me through two captchas, and...out of stock. Sigh.
Posts
This is likely and worth checking in another 3-5 minutes.
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
I'm gonna guess they don't care who buys it as long as it's bought.
Seriously.
I've had an order in since September 16th. Fuck Walmart.
Never shopping there for anything again. Never really needed to, but now I'm gonna' actively avoid them and badmouth them to anyone who'll listen.
"If you want a 'preorder guarantee' that doesn't mean SHIT, you want Walmart!"
Yes the Add to Cart button keeps sporadically reactivating so def keep trying for now
Fuck Walmart
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
I'm suspicious this works as well as you think. Most people are just going to open the PS5 page and reload it a bunch, and all the recommended items are accessories you won't buy until you have the thing.
Like there are actual costs to wasting employee time fielding calls, having your website keep crashing, the call center people getting called about their order and how their stupid website fucked it up and they need a ps5 right now because it crashed when they hit pay, or the people who think they didn't get it but then found the email confirmation so they might call to see if it's real.
The people who are hammering your website are likely to be the people who are only there for that and very tuned in/enthusiastic. They're not also gonna order some lawn furniture or whatever while they're there.
1) I hate Walmart during non-pandemic times. Even in the best of situations I always feel like i'm gonna catch something when I walk into Walmart. I shop there <1 time per year.
2) Fuck Gamestop
3) Gamestop had bundles that actually lasted for maybe 20 minutes last night. I could have gotten one. But the bundles were $800 and had games and accessories I didn't want. Like the $99 edition of NBA 2K21, and a 30 day time card for PS Vue or something. No thanks. Not spending $800 for a bundle with shit in it I don' want.
4) Did I mention fuck Gamestop?
5) Seriously though. It's 2020. How is it that these multi-billion dollar corps have such shitty websites and online storefronts. We have the technology. But we aren't using it.
Yeah, Verizon implemented a backorder system for iconic phone launches specifically for this reason. It's transparent to customers when they'll get their device and doesn't require customers going in to stores or bothering customer service.
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
Mine is still sitting in my cart from earlier, when everything crashed. I'm not even touching that screen in the hopes that on the next drop I can just refresh and hit checkout.
Frankly I'm not getting my hopes up and I recommend everyone else do the same. Assume you aren't getting one and if you do it'll be a happy surprise instead of a sure disappointment when you don't.
I keep seeing that, too, but now it just immediately says that it's no longer available when you click the button.
Watch my music videos
Exactly. How many times today do you imagine local walmarts had to either field phone calls or people coming in person to buy the console? It's probably a ton. This is also cluttering up stuff for the customers who don't give a shit and giving them a negative experience as well while they try to resolve a return or something else.
What you could do is convert those people into a sale right then and there instead of them just hanging up the phone or walking out to try the gamestop or best buy next. If people have the guaranteed preorder in hand I'm gonna guess they stop looking as diligently if at all, so you won't lose that customer.
Not to mention lost sales after people swear off your store for giving them such a shitty time. Not to mention the bad press from the "Walmart fucked up everyone's order" news articles.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
In that big FAQ that Sony released, they only said that the controller's battery live was comparable to that of the DS4. I wouldn't expect a significant improvement.
Ehhh, everyone is getting this and I'm gonna guess the euphoria from "YES I GOT IT FINALLY" is enough to let bygones be bygones. How are you going to swear it off when it's not like you have an alternative.
Granted, this would be a great way to become the alternative. "Yeah, I preordered it from Walmart. I know I might be able to get it faster by relentlessly refreshing Best Buy and Target and calling them every restock day but it's nice to just know I'll get it and I'm not in a super rush."
Real scumbag (but brilliant move) would be to make the unlimited preorder system only valid with the protection mind. "This holiday season don't just protect your device, but also your sanity! Add the protection plan to be put in the queue for the next available system!"
You do have alternatives though, plenty of them including "I'll just wait and get it when it's plentiful down the line", at which point you can take your pick of stores.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
I'm gonna guess this is most people. Hell, a pretty significant number of these won't even be used/needed until Christmas Day. You could probably make a lot of people happy and offer two pricing tiers of "right now" and "I only need this by Christmas." Maybe make the right now be a bundle with a PSN gift card or something so you can differentiate them.
Everyone only makes the most money on the accessories so it seems really valuable to ensure they buy it from you so you can upsell bonus controller, games, protection plan, etc. It's just silly to let the customer float around in the ether when you could nab them. Even if it's a digital only console, that person might buy a PSN card or SOMETHING from you, which you have zero chance of selling if they go to your competitor.
For a lot of people due to impulse control or needing it by Christmas or whatever other issue, this will not be a real alternative.
Although as a kid I would have totally been fine with opening a card with a Gamecube preorder receipt inside but a lot of parents want that magic.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
They risk losing the business to another retailer by not offering a "buy now, get later" option. You'd think that they'd want to lock in those sales right now to make their Q4 earnings look good. All of us who haven't had success with the mad rush to click through the storefront are gonna still be floating in January when the Q4 numbers are in and are lower than they could have been.
I don't disagree. There must be some reason the corporate bean counters have figured out, or the more likely answer is something like inertia. It will cost money to overhaul your system for this and if it doesn't pay enormous dividends instantly then whoever greenlit this shit is in trouble and it's way easier just to keep on keeping on. In the modern era it's not really okay to lose money right now so you can reap the benefits over the next couple seasons, gotta get that constant quarterly growth.
This also might have been more feasible a system before the rise of digital games sales. You could expect this system to be beneficial on any major hard to find game release before. Now if they can't find it in store right away they may just buy it online. So then your queue system will only ever be used for new console releases and...? You just may not see a return on it in a reasonable time frame.
Also we can dunk on WalMart but the "check back for waves at X, Y, or Z time" plan is way better than every competitor's "I dunno, keep refreshing shithead" method.
Good thing I ordered two! :?
I am wondering when they will ship it.
I did. Mine is on the FedEx truck out for delivery.
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
I'm not sure Amazon even sold any today. I saw a rumor that they had lower stock and oversold what they had through preorders already but who knows if that's true.
SniperGuyGaming on PSN / SniperGuy710 on Xbone Live
I don't think Wario64 has mentioned any stock showing up on Amazon recently.
Picked it up during my lunch break.
Gotta see that 4k/Ray tracing beauty in action before I go back to Yakuza 7. Would be a bit too hard to have a brand new system and just sticking to my PS4 game on it for the next few weeks knowing I have a PS5 game right there..
Man, f this...
Watch my music videos
And here I am telling myself I gotta finish my current Vita game before moving on to the PS5...
e: Got all the way to Place Order, forced me through two captchas, and...out of stock. Sigh.