Best Buy wants to sell you a 360 on PS3 launch day

how are you going to add insult to injury thats freaking horrible. here you go you spent your vacation time camping for a ps3 your not going to get but here take a 360 theyve only been here forever. wonk wonk wonk sad really

I am planning on getting a Wii at launch (reserved woo) but buy 2 360 games get 1 free does sound pretty sweet...ugh I really don't want to get 2 consoles in the same week.

Lol, watch when bestbuy assistants get one good slap across thier face for being so stupid and coming up with this rather insulting idea.

Thats like me telling a fat woman shes fat, and she will never be thin, if I got one good cussing and beaten up, I deserved it. :P

Bait and switch for the next generation.

No thanks. If fail to get a PS3, then I will still coming next time on the next shipping day.

Or spent on Wii for my family's xmas. (save the shopping list :p)

I don't see why everyone finds this so offensive. If I camped out all night just to get nothing then I would rather be offer some consolation then having to go home completely empty handed. If you ask me, getting offered something is better than nothing.

Sounds completely reasonable to me. It isn't a consolation prize for campers. Those people are plainly cogntively impaired and do not deserve such.

What this is instead is a means to exploit the PS3 buzz into a means to get people in the store who'd otherwise have stayed home. Plenty of people are planning to buy an Xbox 360 this season since, as already stated, they know it can actually be reliably had. Best buy wants this to happen in their store rater than a competitor.

An Xbox 360 or PS3 sales has big accessory potential. (The Wii does as well but not quite as much since it is less likely to compel the purchase of a new TV or other big ticket item.) Things like the VGA cables have a fabulous margin and make Best Buy quite a lot of profit. I happened to get a look at the price a BB employee could get for a thrid party Xbox 360 VGA cable and found it was just slightly over a third of the price marked.

It doesn't take a lot of those accessories and further game purchases to make up a free game and produce a sizable profit. The important part for them is to have that happen in a Best Buy as opposed to a Circuit City or other competitor who sells the smae range of items.

Recall a bit of history. The Sega Genesis owed a major portion fo its success to the short supply of the SNES during its first US Xmas. The Genesis had been out for quite a while already but due to a number of problems had yet to reach any major numbers. When Nintendo issued a hype wave declaring that 16-bit was the new big thing, it gave a major image upgrade to the Genesis, since Sega had been trying to make that point for over a year already. Nintendo held the high ground on consumer mindshare and that did the trick. Combined with the appearance of Sonic and other games that reached beyond the fans of Sega arcade games, the short supply of the SNES going into the big holiday selling season, and retailers more than willing to recommend that kids would be just as happy to find the Sega under the tree, and you had a big leap in Sega's fortunes.

The Xbox 360 isn't in the same problematic position as Sega was back then but getting together with a big retail outlet to exploit Sony's inability to meet demand is a can't lose proposition. At worst it only adds a small spike to what sales would have otherwise been that week. Every little spike helps.

The funny part about this is, not only do I not want a PS3, but I have been waiting for the perfect time to buy a Xbox 360. On November 17, I am getting my new Xbox 360!!!

Target has a deal where you get a $50 gift card when you buy a 360 this week as well. It's funny, because the week of the ps3 launch, the 360 is on the cover of the ad.

"I don't see why everyone finds this so offensive"

because $60 off is not worth.

Not a big deal, and I guarantee you at least some disappointed fanboys will be won over by this tried and true sales tactic.

Bait 'em with the hot model, when that's all gone, offer a slightly less hot model at a reasonable discount.

Somehow I doubt that will win any converts from the camping line; it's not even as good a deal as other retailers are offering for black friday...

As far as I know, my store will have four employees staying overnight to provide food and stop people from cutting line. I know last year for the Xbox 360 we told people how many we had and if anybody past that number showed up, we kindly informed them of that information. Sadly, some stores out there won't be telling people any of that information. They'll be the ones attempting to sell you the Xbox 360 once you've gotten inside under the assumption you're leaving with a PS3 or Wii. I guess we only did it because we're a new store and still full of perk. =P

Long story short, if they DO NOT hand you a ticket at least an hour before 8:00AM, you are not getting the system you wanted. Also, if you get a ticket do not leave the line. By doing so, you are giving up your "reserve." You already waited a day or more, that last hour shouldn't kill you.

Savings are savings, regardless of the situation. I know a lot of people that want 360s that will be delighted to hear that they can buy them and get some cash money back when they buy some games. After all, who buys a 360 and then doesnt buy games, no one.

Its not insulting, the thing that is insulting is some looser waiting in line for more than 3 hours for this. There are going to be many people on launch day that are so pissed they waited so long for nothing they will say "screw it and go for a 360." the 360s launch lineup was much better than ps3 lineup. The only games coming out that didnt already come out on 360 is nba 2007 by sony and resistance. Its not worth the wait since no great titles are being released now anyway, unless your selling it.

This whole thing is probably because of Best Buy being Xbox's retail partner. It's only natural that they'll promote Xbox.

As Sean from Mega64 would say, "DURRRRRRR...."

BestBuy has nothing lose and monies to be made; take it or leave it, wheres the beef? Even if the uptake is 5%-10% thats extra revenue they wouldnt otherwise have. And, they know you will be back for PS3.

Anywhoo, i will be waiting/camping at my local Sony Store; they better not offer me a 360...

PS3 fans have been waiting for ages to get thier hands on a PS3, the last thing they want is a white box with an X on it shoved in their face instead of a Shiny PS3, whether on not it has a good line up of games or not, who said we needed PS3 game anyway? There are PS2 games still releasing, far outnumbering anything the Xbox 360 had at launch, or have your little minds refused to remember that, and games aren't the only thing the PS3 is capable of.

Going back on topic, its already bad enough you don't get your PS3, but when a store assistant puts an Xbox 360 in my face after waiting that long for a PS3, I have every right to slap him silly for even having the audasity to step before me and insult my intelligence with something I hadn't even been waiting to buy.

Thats like waiting for the Harrods sale in London only for them to tell you, sorry, we are out of stock, but if you go down the road, Marks and Spencer are giving away clothes free :S

Not just Best Buy, TARGET has the 360 on the cover of this week ad.

well, this may do nothing to get sony fanboys to buy it, but OTHER people may come in knowing about this deal and go for it. so it may indeed sell some systems.

So you said best buy and target have the 360 deal offer?
That must be explaining to me lotta!

Seem that USA electric stores got already tried from million of Japanese’s stuffs stock on their stores.
So they are trying to boost sale any USA made.

Well, when y’all going to move on from Pearl Harbour's attack?
Just like in Japan too. They don’t buy USA. Seem there are still on WW2 between Japan and USA.

Luckily us European we have moved on from WW2 age ago.

Interesting, I also heard that thats the day when the price drops for 360.

"Saving $60 isn't exactly worth the overnight stay, but it may be a nice consolation prize."

Console-ation prize?

Ba-dum-ching!

man I'd slap them if they offered me a 360 instead of ps3.

There is nothing wrong with this marketing scheme. Its a good idea. Its just this retarded author who made it sound stupid. They didn't do this to get people who didnt get a ps3 to buy a 360. They're just trying to sell 360's period. Its a great idea. You can go home with a 360 premium and three games for less than you would pay for a ps3 alone. Sounds pretty good to most people.

While this may sound cruel, it also fits in perfectly with our marketing plan for this holiday.

You want 'em, we got 'em! Xbox 360 in stock now!

That statement above is the marketing hype - it's not a bait and switch, it's an attempt to enable the retail sales professional to make a sale with that customer that has come in and is now completely ticked off that PS3 isn't in stock when they want it. It goes back to the discussion last year regarding sales, when some RSPs were pushing PS3 a YEAR in advance over having the Xbox 360 in hand. Now the PS3 is being released - it's going to be VERY limited this holiday for the average consumer - so the RSP needs to push the product that he has sitting on his shelves.

@iceatcs

Yeah, we just can't get beyond WWII and Japan's attack on Peral Harbor. That's why you see so few Hondas and Toyotas on the road.

Hey, don't think you're off the hook either. No BMWs, Audi's, Mercedes, or VWs sold here in the USA either.

what you should be more worried about on launch day is forced bundles, if you want that ps3 bring a fat wallet. the stores are going to make crap on selling you a ps3 but all the extras you buy they do. and if they cant do it with the ps3 why not a 360.

@pcsix

Too bad, you have 2 problems - you have Euro and Japan, Oh wait... also muslim too. Ow 3 main problem.

Again luckily European, we have no problem anything.

optimus prime is a FAGGOT.

@iceatcs
i can't really understand what you're saying, so, you lucky European make no sense with WWII and 3 main problem comment.

@Pulse
so what you're saying is people are going to pay ANOTHER $600 to play ps2 games and shitty ps3 games? yeah, glad i own a 360 and not a $600 ps2, er, ps3.

Why would I want to camp out for an X360 and two games when I don't need to camp out to get the deal? To be fair, though, I remember well over a hundred people lined up for a midnight madness sale at CompUSA in Fairfax, VA last Black Friday and most of them wanted an X360. This year, the people who don't get the system they want have a reasonable alternative.

I would think that anyone that is camping out for a ps3 would know that the supply is limited. Most BBY stores will be getting less than 40 units total (20 and 60 gig combined).
Anyone past 40th in line should just go home.
I dont see how promoting the 360 really makes any sense in this case. A good deal in this situation would be this: Camp out all night to get a ps3, if you dont get one you get a big discount on a 360, not a game discount.
that would make things interesting.

"Lol, watch when bestbuy assistants get one good slap across thier face for being so stupid and coming up with this rather insulting idea."

Hey, I resent your Best Buy employee comments since I happen to be one. Listen, if you don't like what Best Buy is doing, then... durrr... Don't buy it.

I'm fucking going in at, like, 4 AM on Wii and PS3 launch days because I'm the only person in my department who knows tech specs on each new (and old) console... If I get a slap in the face from someone during a 12 hour shift, some Sony fanboys are going DOWN.

So, have fun with your over-heating, firmware updated, waffle maker! I'll be happy with my Wii60 enjoying a nice Thanksgiving game marathon... Let's see... Zelda, Red Steel, Viva Pinata and DOA Xtreme2... Yup, great holiday. :)

Starting this friday, At future shop here in Canada (owned by best buy), they are selling an xbox 360 which comes with 4 games.

Gears of war
Ghost Recon AW
Riiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racccccccccccceeeeerrrrrrr 6
and xbox live arcade unplugged.

I just picked up a new console today (because microsoft refused to repair my old one). Of course I didnt get the free games, but as long as its within 30 days, I can just go back and get them. (which I will come friday)

"man I'd slap them if they offered me a 360 instead of ps3"

I'd thank them for my lucky escape and pocket the remaining $200 for some games for the 360. ;)

Seriously though, it does suck - I hate that "any tech/game will do" mentalitiy from retailers, only hardcore zealots are camping out so to say "have this other console instead" does actually deserve a smack in the mouth.

Though I still maintain you are mad to camp out for a PS3 when there is a perfectly capable 360 available, with better games TODAY!

No Biggen, we don't buy a console to play PS2 games, but unlike the 360 gamers who have shitty games at launch and nothing else, we have shitty games at launch, but also the option to recap on our old games while we wait for the new, the likes of God Of War 2 are still to be released, and many a PS fan would love to add that to thier PS3 collection, be it a PS2 game or not, the reason why, GFX isn't everything, its about the quality of gameplay, or has it slipped your mind?

Speaking of targets cover page. If you look in Targets Big Christmas Catalog for 2006 the PS3 is no where to be found!! they display two page ads for both the Wii and 360. but no love for the PS3!, haha

my girlfriend works at mtv in times square. while waiting to pick her up, i visited the toys r us in times square and asked how many wii's they're getting. If the salesman is to be believed he said "7600 and we're definitely not going to sell out so you can just walk in on launch day". FYI