Forget Best Buy, head to Sears for the PS3 launch
by Kyle Orland 
{ Nov 6th 2006 at 4:25PM }
On Nov. 17, everyone and their mother will likely be descending on big video game retailers like Best Buy, Circuit City and Toys "R" Us to try and pick up an unreserved PlayStation 3. But after breaking down some demographic and retail data, Gaming Target thinks that more obscure locations like Sears, K-mart, and CompUSA might be a better bet for anticipatory gamers.
While long lines at a big box retailer like Target are almost sure to gobble up the ten or so launch units available at each store, a specialty retailer like FYE that doesn't heavily advertise video games might have some units left over. And while most people know warehouse clubs like BJ's and Sam's for carrying 50 pound bags of cat food, members could also benefit from their little-known video game sales.
Of course, now that this recommendation is out on the web, people may leave the popular stores to line up at the once-obscure retailers, thus leaving Best Buy and company near deserted come launch day. Or maybe people will read the previous sentence and head over to the big guys because they think everyone else is heading to the smaller retailers. Is there a game theory expert in the house?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rp @ Nov 6th 2006 4:29PM
The thing is, I doubt most of these less "popular" stores will get PS3's on day one. My Sears didnt have any Xbox 360s on day one.
Regula Oblique @ Nov 6th 2006 4:32PM
To double what RP said, the second thing is these smaller retailers only get a few systems I think my sears only got like 4 360s last year.
Eric @ Nov 6th 2006 4:33PM
Thanks guys! I'll be camping outside KFC on Nov. 16th.
Tom @ Nov 6th 2006 4:34PM
My most recent Sam's Club catalogue had the Wii listed at $295. At first I thought it was a speculative price, but then I saw the DS Lite was $178. I think they had the Xbox 360 for around $450. So, yeah, you might be able to find one there on launch day... but expect to pay quite a bit more.
Hinkmania @ Nov 6th 2006 4:35PM
FYE is where I nabbed my Wii preorder.
32_Footsteps @ Nov 6th 2006 4:36PM
I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm actually hitting a few such stores in my area, on the chance they'll have a PS3 to sell. Likely? Perhaps not. But it'll be so much less hassle if they do.
flymolo @ Nov 6th 2006 4:37PM
When the gamecube launched I got laughed out of best buy looking for one. Then i went across the street to toysrus and they had a whole stack of them.
J-bot @ Nov 6th 2006 4:37PM
Shhhhhhhhhhh! Stories like this should not be released! Sears has been my secret for years... No one ever thinks about this place in relation to video games, which is good. . . for me.
Devwar @ Nov 6th 2006 4:38PM
When I worked at BJ's we got the Xbox 360s a day late, standard price though something like 10 of them. But we had a good amount of the games left over for a while.
scott @ Nov 6th 2006 4:40PM
I remember when Sears used to have the Odyssey console system as well as Tank Combat or something like that. Full circle.
JGE @ Nov 6th 2006 4:39PM
Thanks for blowing my ace in the hole. Sears is exactly where I got my release day 360. Walked in on my lunch break and walked out with a shiny, new, defect free (so far) console.
Saneless @ Nov 6th 2006 4:39PM
The day that Mortal Kombat was released for SNES and Genesis, EVERYWHERE was sold out. I happened to walk by the Sears game counter (it's the entrance/exit I used) and saw a copy or few sitting right there in the case. Score!
Evan @ Nov 6th 2006 4:44PM
This is exactly how I got my PS2 and my friend got his 360 on their respective launch days. Just walk in when the store opens.
There's one big problem, though... those stores do not offer extended warrantees. And, as we discovered, an extended warrantee is necessary for that first batch of hardware!
Steve @ Nov 6th 2006 5:12PM
I was under the impression that warehouse clubs like Sam's Club and BJ's didn't get things as fast as traditional stores because of the very nature of their business. So would those places even have these things on launch day?
I have a launch day experience with FYE and the Gamecube. I waited for the store to open and they only had 2 available units. I felt so lucky to get the 'Cube and wandered around the mall a bit. I went into the EB and they seemed to have plenty of Gamecubes. I went to Circuit City a couple hours later and they also had plenty. So while an FYE may carry the new consoles, any benefit of going to an obscure store like that may be offset by the smaller number of units they'll receive.
I think FYE would be a great idea for a Plan B: if you go to a mall and the EB is sold out take a look.
Vexorg @ Nov 6th 2006 4:48PM
The reason that systems would be more expensive from Sam's or Costco is that they sell bundles (for example, Costco's 360 comes with a premium system, extra controller and PGR3.) Sam's tends to bundle less stuff than Costco though.
On the other hand, the local Targets around here are actually getting decent quantities of Wii (far more than they got 360s), if the leaked numbers are to be believed.
Kendrick @ Nov 6th 2006 4:52PM
As a game buyer, Sears disappointed me in a big way. When 32-bit systems hit the market, the Sears in my part of town was also rennovating and changed its floorplan. When that was complete, I asked one of the sales people where the video games had moved. With a sniff and a sneer, he pointed with his nose and stated "Those are in the children's section, sir." I didn't buy anything from Sears for ten years after that, until the merger with K-Mart occurred and they cleaned a lot of the dead wood out of their employee rosters.
If the price is good and the deal is there, I'll consider it. But if all other things are equal, I'll shop someplace other than Sears when I can help it.
Francisco @ Nov 6th 2006 4:55PM
I remember my local Sears (in NY)had plenty of PS2 at launch about 20-30 units on day one but when I worked at the store around the time of the 360 launch the store got no units. The manager for the electronics department kept telling people that there was a confusion with the delivery system. But I never saw the store sell a 360 unit before I quit a month later.
So its really a guess if you getting a system or not. If your going to call the store ask to speak the the electronics manager and not some associate who will tell you anything.
Eric @ Nov 6th 2006 5:01PM
This article shouldn't have been posted... Sears has been my launch center for years... they have never failed me... just walk in when it opens @ 9
Mullinator @ Nov 6th 2006 4:59PM
Alright i've seen the article Joystiq. Now please pull it so no more people find out!
Pretty please!...
JoeSchmo @ Nov 6th 2006 5:02PM
Well. Not anymore now, thanks for the article.
kromekoran @ Nov 6th 2006 5:05PM
damn you Joystiq. this was my ace in the hole too. remove this at once, or I expect the $2000 I would have gotten off ebay for this system to come out of your paychecks.
Chris @ Nov 7th 2006 8:28AM
I waited outside of Sears in Leominster, MA for 4 hours before opening for a 360, and the only people I was behind were a couple of kids who camped out. We saw many people enter the store while we were outside, but they waited until 10 MINUTES before opening to tell us that they never got any in at all. We were so angry. They wouldn't even take our info and hold them for us.
I swore off of Sears forever that day. I had driven by K-Mart on the way, and they had 3 guys waiting when I passed. They ended up having 7 when they opened. I'm gonna try that for the Wii. PS3 has to wait for now.
doubtful @ Nov 6th 2006 5:15PM
Add my voice to the bevy of the disgruntled. Thanks for blowing my launch day secret, Joystiq! :O
Robotic House Plant @ Nov 6th 2006 5:16PM
Sears sold Odyssey? I thought those were only available through Magnavox/Zenith TV stores.
Sears did sell a version of the Atari 2600 under another name, and the Intellivision. They also sold the Vectrix.
Then they got out of the business in favor of computers and software, which they exited as well, then brought back, and then exited again.
Now they're selling video games again, so yeah you're right about the full circle.
adg1034 @ Nov 6th 2006 5:19PM
This is what I call the Disney Guidebook effect. In every guidebook to a Disney park, they always include suggested itineraries that people can take to best avoid lines for the popular attractions. What if everybody who went to a Disney park read those itineraries, and took them completely to heart? Whoops.
Andy Laub @ Nov 6th 2006 5:21PM
Tom (#4), Vexorg (#14) is right about the Sam's Club bundles. I paid $450 for my 360 Premium but it came with an extra wireless controller and one of the charger kits, so I ended up saving about $20. Games are $5 cheaper too.
Mr Sinister @ Nov 6th 2006 5:28PM
I went to Sears on the PS2's launch day. About 20 people were lined up when the store opened. Well when we got to go in, everyone made a dash for the electronics dept. Of course the PS2's were no where to be found. One intrepid soul asked the manager where were they, and he said they were in the computer, but still might be on the truck. Come on, this isn't like a Diehard battery or some Craftsman tools, something you can get any time, this was the PS2 on launch day!!! Anyways, he explained that everyone that was there should come back about 4 hrs later after the truck was unloaded and they would let us know. I called the next day instead and those PS2's had still not showed up. Shoot, who knows if they ever got those PS2's till this day.
If you go to a department store, i.e. Sears, just don't be disappointed if you come out empty handed, and don't be shocked if they don't even know what a PS3 is, cause most of them don't care about you game nerds and your Atari tapes.
PeteL @ Nov 6th 2006 5:42PM
All the stores will be cased out by the few diehard fans and the multitude of scalpers. That's how it was for the 360 launch around here anyway (metro NY)
Ethan @ Nov 6th 2006 5:58PM
Yeah, umm... I wouldnt recommend FYE, I went there to preorder 4 months ago, and there were already 20 or so preorders on the list, and I live in a rural area.
Sub @ Nov 6th 2006 6:08PM
In my town, there's a cosco, a best buy and a FYE literally right next to each other in a row. If all three of them don't have it, there's a target down the block. I think I'm covered.
AndrewNeo @ Nov 6th 2006 6:22PM
Way to go, you ruined it! My plan for the Wii was to show up at K-mart the morning of launch. Nobody goes to our K-mart. Ever.
theGreenGrunt @ Nov 6th 2006 6:14PM
Here in Canada last year i got my 360 from a Hudsons Bay store. While others waited at "game" stores i was the smart one and went to the Bay. Others picked them up from grocery Super stores. Zero line ups. Guaranteed to get a machine.
WindeX @ Nov 6th 2006 6:18PM
Hey this is the frist time i'm hearing about sears sell games at all. They might be selling the (ps3) there. But i'm not looking forward on going there beacuase i dont want to be disappontied that they dont have one. But i got a spot that i'm going too. I hope i get one. people would do anything to get a (ps3) in there hand. Sears might see more people there now for just showing this posted comment up there about it have the (ps3) there.
Aenemia @ Nov 6th 2006 6:22PM
I got my 360 from Sam's on launch day. They have business member cards which let you in at 7am as compared to 10am for the general public. We showed up at around 2am and were 2nd in line for a total of 24 units if I remember right.
Sizzle @ Nov 6th 2006 6:26PM
I'm not really a gamer but this PS3 is gettin me crazy. I'm willing to pay 600-800 dollars for this console. I will not be going to sleep without gettin one. I just want to ask a qustion does sears really is having PS3 console's because if I go there and theres no PS3, Joystiq your going to pay or send me a free PS3.
Chris @ Nov 6th 2006 6:31PM
Damn Joystiq is giving out my secrets. This was going to be my big secret to grab a Wii.
Sizzle @ Nov 6th 2006 6:34PM
Joystiq Thanks you for telling me where to go K-Mart or Sears. Thanks I better get one.
Frowelishnu @ Nov 6th 2006 6:35PM
Being in the military has it's perks.
I'll go to the PX (on base store) and pay no taxes.
I waited 4 hours for the 360 (4th in line).
Too bad you have to sign your life away, though. ;)
Matt W. @ Nov 6th 2006 6:35PM
Sears in New Jersey didn't have any 360s on launch day last year, so I would not expect them to have PS3s on launch day. Of course, maybe I'll cruise by after waiting in line at Costco just for good measure.
FOX @ Nov 6th 2006 7:01PM
Man...This is the best idea ever.
I'm gonging to forward this article to all 15,000 of my myspace friends. Then post it in the USENET groups. Then hit every videogame forum I can think of. After that I am going to start a chain email detailing this article, which then ends in one of the following statements:
1)Forward this to ten people and you will receive money within 20 minutes.
2)Forward this to ten people and you will receive a surprise within 20 minutes.
3)If you do not forward this to 10 people within 20 minutes you will loose a significant amount of money.
4)Forward this to 10 people and an angel will visit you tonight. God Bless!!!!
5)Forward this to ten people and a sexy picture will appear on your desktop.
6)Forward this to 10 people and a dollar will be donated to the troops in Iraq. God Bless president Bush!!
or
7)Forward this to 10 people within 20 minutes and you will receive a mystery phone call.
Josh @ Nov 6th 2006 6:52PM
I remember when I went to get an original Game Boy Advance on July 2 (for my birthday), every store only had pink units, until as a very last resort, we went to K-Mart, and they had all pink units and one white unit left! Exactly what I had been looking for!
As a side note, and even though I haven't really commented on the content of this article, you talked about heading to Toys "R" Us to try to pick up a console on launch day, but they already took pre-orders, so that's not going to work, now is it? ;)
ProfStevie @ Nov 6th 2006 7:28PM
Personally, I'm supporting my local game store -- I live in Austin, so I'm lucky enough to have a full-service gaming store that has tons of imports, imported game soundtracks, classic games, etc, etc. I have to shop there because if they ever went out of business I think I really might cry. It means waiting a couple more days than I would have if I'd preordered, or if I go to Sears, because the little store won't get any on launch day (they'd love to, but if supply is tight on launch day the independents are the first to get screwed).
But once they get theirs, they'll probably have plenty (because they're selling to a much smaller niche market) while everybody else is sold out.
MikeG @ Nov 6th 2006 7:27PM
I've personally had luck at the small toy stores in the mall like KB Toys (do they even still exist?).
foehammer88 @ Nov 6th 2006 8:10PM
I lined up at my local Sears Nov. 22, 2005 at 6:00AM for my Xbox 360, I was 6th in line. They only received 6 Xbox 360s, 4 premiums and 2 cores. Obviously I got a core(but that doesnt matter now, because I had to get repairs and I ended up with a free Hard Drive and a Chrome DVD bezel). So my suggestion is go to Sears at around 5 AM, if you wanna secure a Next-Gen console but don't want to camp over night. Thats my two cents.
hatsumi @ Nov 6th 2006 8:27PM
I went into Sears and spoke with the manager of the electronics department. After much cajoling, he finally told me that they were supposed to tell customers that they weren't going to have any. However, he admitted that they were actually getting two. I asked what was going to happen with those two. "Are you going to sell them?" No, we'll probably have a raffle or something. What is that supposed to mean??!
JohnDoe @ Nov 8th 2006 9:23AM
for the 360 launch they didnt get systems on launch day -- they got them like 2 weeks later and called people who came in interested in one.
kagai @ Nov 7th 2006 3:58AM
If I had the money, I would go to Best Buy and camp, because there is NO way that I would get a launch system without a warranty and I don't think retailers like Sears, WalMart, Target, etc. offer them.
Eaode @ Nov 6th 2006 9:28PM
"Of course, now that this recommendation is out on the web, people may leave the popular stores to line up at the once-obscure retailers, thus leaving Best Buy and company near deserted come launch day. Or maybe people will read the previous sentence and head over to the big guys because they think everyone else is heading to the smaller retailers. Is there a game theory expert in the house?"
Oh god I smell a "Picture it" graph.
Mikey @ Nov 6th 2006 9:56PM
I worked at a Circuit City at the time of the 360 launch. I got off at 3pm on the night before the launch and there was already a line forming outside. I knew I wouldnt be able to get one at CC (we weren't allowed) and I got laughed out of GameStop and EB. Wal Mart's positions had already been claimed for as well. Anyway, a friend and I checked all the stores within an hour drive, and ended up showing at a Big K-Mart at around 6am on launch day (after spending several hours in the Denny's across the street to make sure no line was forming, and seeing a movie). At 7 we walked right in and picked up our consoles. I got back into my town around 8:30, hooked up my system, played for a bit and showed up to work at Circuit City at 10am to see the same people lined up. I love how people are so conditioned to always go to Wal Mart or BestBuy/CC no matter what that no one had even thought of going to K-Mart. That's bad for K-Mart, but good for me! I plan on going to a K-Mart and picking up a Wii on launch day, too.
rdj75 @ Nov 6th 2006 10:05PM
The company that I work for is Sears Holdings Corporation (sears/kmart, yes they merged a few years ago if you didn't know). Now I can absolutely confirm that the majority of kmarts and sears, at least in the Atlanta, area will not have ps3's available for sale on release day at the store. Now don't get me wrong they will have them for sale but it will only be on their respective websites (sears.com or kmart.com). The various warehouses are schedule to get them on 11/14/06. They should have them available on release day but don't waste your time going to the store. As for the nintendo wii, I can also confirm that they will have wii's available on launch day at the store's, Kmart will be receiving their shipments on the wii on 11/09/06, unfortunately they will only be getting 3 units per store and as for the sears stores I am not sure but I have unconfirmed reports that say they will be getting only 2 in stores on launch day. Again I can only speak for the Atlanta area. Hope this helps.