Wal-Mart stocking up on 360s for January sales event

by Dan Choi { Dec 23rd 2005 at 12:00PM }

According to a reliable source who works at Wal-Mart (but would like to remain anonymous, for obvious reasons), the world's largest retailer is stockpiling Xbox 360s for their first ad of the new year.

Our source has seen inventory in a back room that must be held for that first ad, which presumably would be in effect from January 1st or 2nd of 2006. According to our source, "the actual sales people were upset about it, because they know that the attach rate to a console [meaning mad accessories, yo] can easily match the price OF the console - which adds huge numbers to the stores sales figures before the end of the year."

Microsoft's other official launch partner actually did the same thing with an ad hold for the new Xbox this past weekend, so you can bet that there's a method to this (marketing) madness. Now that the 360's a bit easier to find these days, these types of announcements don't hold quite as much force as before, though you'd be really lucky to randomly walk into a store which has the new systems in stock and ready to be sold. Campers, ready for one more go?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ninegauger @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:06PM

I only just recently got to play an Xbox 360 as most of the kiosks around here have already broke or been broken... to hell with actually finding one.

Madonna @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:22PM

On a related note, go to Wal-Mart on New Year's Eve and see my concert!

http://madonnasthoughts.blogspot.com/2005/12/live-at-local-wal-mart.html

Efren @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:30PM

Camping out for Xbox 360 on New Years Eve? Yikes!

ZaBlanc @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:50PM

I love you Joystiq, but I hate this kind of crappy whining. As people, we get what we support.

Wal_mart gets away with this trash, as does Best Buy, because we soak it up like lemmings. REJECT this bullcrap, and it won't happen!

Wal-Mart is doing this because they want to draw people to the store. Look at it like this...

People are calling Wal-Mart all live long day asking, "Do you have any XBox 360's in?" They say no. You hang up. You don't come to the store.

The alternative is to go in every hour (and I'll never step foot in a Wal-Mart because of my Democratic ideals), which is frankly unrealistic. You just gotta get lucky. You can't put in the purposeful effort.

So, how does Wal-Mart get rid of the calls and get you in to the store? They say they're selling X number of machines...come on in! So, everyone RUNS over to Wal-Mart...they either get in in line, or realize it's futile.

But they're at the store.

So while they are there, they'll do some shopping, etc. Wal-Mart gets buzz from the fact that a bunch of XBox 360's were there...more customers will keep in tune with them...and they get sales flow from the 360 buyers who failed to acquire the product ont he launch day.

And you eat it up.

So stop whining, and take a look at where the support for these business practices come from? YOU.

Me...I reject XBox 360. Want to deflate stock to inflate demand. F*** you, Microsoft. I don't want your product now. I'll wait for another next-gen system. Everything around the XBox 360 is fueled by hype over substance...the XBox Marketplace is a virus in the home...I reject it.

If you don't want to reject it. Fine. Stop whining about these kinds of sales on your Web site then. They won't go away as long as you're willing to wait on line.

elliothtz @ Dec 23rd 2005 12:54PM

I finally got mine last night at Toys R Us. Apparently people weren't paying attention to the sign on the front display table that said "We have 7 360's in stock." Only downside is that I had to buy 4 games with it to be able to purchase one. Just one more walmart trip to get a refund/store credit on "the games I got as gifts that I already had". Yes Tiny Tim, it will be a good Christmas after all.

kevan @ Dec 23rd 2005 1:16PM

I got my xbox 360 yesterday as a result of the joystiq best buy post earlier this week.

thanks guys!

JRM @ Dec 23rd 2005 1:21PM

you had to buy 4 games?? is this microsoft's way of not losing money on the system?

Datyedyeguy @ Dec 23rd 2005 1:23PM

I work at a Wal-Mart in an undisclosed location, and we sold one of the XBox360's 'by mistake' to a customer since, to us, it's not fair to let people around in this area not have any 360's for Christmas as I think there is only about 50 of them floating around in this half of the state. Unfair Wal-Mart. Unfair.

Bill @ Dec 23rd 2005 2:55PM

Salespeople in the store might be pissed about "year end performance" but it's likely that the marketing folks in Bentonville know what they are doing. Wal-Mart's fiscal year, like most retailers, ends January 31st, 2006, not at the calendar year end. So they will still get their sales in before the "end of the year".

BadMammaJamma @ Dec 23rd 2005 3:16PM

I got one from Walmart (Dunwoody, GA location) two days ago. I was tipped off by an employee (my mother in law) that they had two in stock, both premium bundles with the ghetto dvd controller. I raced over and managed to get one. As soon as someone saw me getting one, they claimed the other.

Not sure when this stockpiling policy was implemented or maybe I just slipped through the cracks.

And what's with the deal with COD2 being out of stock at just about every retailler? Talk about bad supply chain mgt. Wow.

EatingPie @ Dec 23rd 2005 5:10PM

I'm just curious about the "Now that the 360's a bit easier to find these days" comment.

Um... definitely NOT!!

You still can't get these things unless you're very very lucky... and that ain't no change to the status quo. It was about luck from the beginning, and it still is.

-Pie

prooie @ Dec 23rd 2005 5:25PM

this "launch" is ridiculous. My interest has faded, I'll now wait to see what Nintendo and Sony have to offer before spending ay money.

RaZor @ Dec 24th 2005 3:24PM

Retail Stores are always going to do stuff like this because we are nothing more than Cattle to them.

This is how they round us up!

Microsoft did a great job creating hype and demand on such a NON-Next-Gen console.

The Graphics Chip, CPU, & DVD-ROM drive is old technology.

Then to top it all off, there are no more decent games coming out for this thing until March/April if your lucky.

I just feel bad for the idoits who bought one off eBay.

jakk darkside @ Dec 25th 2005 8:16PM

so are they selling em both days or on just one of them, and we dont know which one? Is this ALL walmarts??? I will camp if i must on new years eve but id really rather not, so i think we all would rather know for sure first. Either way...... im gonna be smashed....... sucks for walmart cuz theyll be cleanin up my puke too....

mechdrew @ Dec 26th 2005 12:24AM

My local WalMart had a few in Christmas Eve morning, but they had already sold them by the time I got there. Of course they might not be keeping them for a sale since they not only didn't do the ticket thing most other WalMarts did at launch but didn't even stick to their own rules posted in the store.

walmart @ Dec 27th 2005 9:31PM

Most Wal-Mart's won't sell the Xbox 360's that arrived Dec 23 because its in the upcoming January Sales Tab.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=474528&st=0&gopid=3144880&#entry3144880

keith @ Dec 28th 2005 2:22AM

TO the guy who had to buy 4 games with the system at TOYS R US. Best Buy did the same thing and were taken up on legal action because they advertised it as just selling the system, but when you got there to purchase it, they said you had to get 4 games too. That is actually illegal and they announced that any games or accessories purchased as part of these bundles can be returned. You might want to check on that.

Robert chong @ Dec 28th 2005 4:39PM

Do you guys know if this is for all walmarts and is the date from jan 1 to 2 is the real date

Scott @ Dec 29th 2005 3:29AM

I just went to WalMart in my town. I was actually handed an X-Box 360 - (core available only). I requested a few more items (PDZ game, cmponent cables and a remote. We got up to the counter and the clerk was unable to sell the system. He got on the phone with some people and told me that a lockdown had been added to those units for the New Year's Sale. They took the little guy right out of my hands and said, "sorry dude". I don't know if it was the little guy (my x-box) that I could hear simpering as he was dragged away, or if it was my own whining/schizophrenia talking.

Anyhow, the guy was nice, I was nice... yet dejected... and I trodded off with a "have a nice night, man, not your fault."

The end. Perhaps this will one day be expanded into a feature length documentary, "A Boy and His Box"

Jose Garcia @ Dec 29th 2005 6:15PM

Hi, do you know if this is for all of the walmarts? I mean I keep calling mine and they tell me that they will get them around march which I hope is not true. Can anyone confirm if this applies to the walmarts in Miami?

Thanks

a ham sandwich @ Dec 29th 2005 10:10PM

theres a notice at my walmart on the video game display that says that they're getting 12 (12!) for a 12:00 midnight new year's launch. i duuno wat idiot decided to sell just 12 but i guess that means ill be getting there early.... anybody hear (hopefully) that they're getting more than 12 and that 12 is the fewest they're gunna sell? id really like to hear that news!

Jon @ Jan 1st 2006 1:10PM

Sure enough, Walmart did not lie, although they werent exactly truthful on the phone as they said they had none and didnt expect to get any until Feb or March. Nonetheless, I heard a rumour that Walmart had these in stock and was going to be opening today at 7am here in Spokane. Thinking there would be a line, I went there at 615am and much to my surprise, there was no line, no hoopla, nothing. More surprising was the fact that they let you in the store early to purchace your unit. I was told that all stores (at least in Spokane) would be alloted 20-30 units (of which 10 were the basic type. Sure enough there they were, a whole cart full of them. As of 8am, the store looked like it had at least 10-15 left. Pays to live in a smaller city I guess!

Adam Lange @ Jan 1st 2006 2:28PM

I got up at 5AM this morning and was the fourth and last person in line at Wal-Mart. Our store only had 8 premiums in, so I was glad it wasn't such a publicized event.

Frank Amato @ Jan 1st 2006 5:26PM

I camped out at one of the regular Wal-Marts on New Year's Eve down in South Florida. Some supercenters didn't have them, others released it on midnight. I was very fortunate to get a premium system. Special thanks to Dan Choi and Joystiq for the 411. Unfourtunately, there is a hardware problem with mine, and I have to overnight it to Microsoft. Oh well, I'll have it back soon. Probally sooner than most people.

My advice to Xbox 360 seekers out there:

1: Hound the Manager On Duty at your local Best Buy. They are geting shipments constantly, but are being hush hush about it.

2: Keep calling all your local stores, including stores in other areas.

And above all else, pray.

d @ Jan 5th 2006 10:11AM

Yea I walked into WalMart on January 1 and picked one up. There was some homeless looking dude in line and that was it. Talk about easy.

Dan Choi @ Jan 6th 2006 4:32AM

"24. I camped out at one of the regular Wal-Marts on New Year's Eve down in South Florida. Some supercenters didn't have them, others released it on midnight. I was very fortunate to get a premium system. Special thanks to Dan Choi and Joystiq for the 411...."

Glad we could be of service, Frank. =) We wish you the best of luck with your hardware problem, too!