68 percent of European Xbox Live subscriptions purchased at retail

by Jordan Mallory on Sep 3rd 2011 1:30PM

Despite living in a world where automatic renewal is a thing, a full two-thirds of European Xbox Live subscriptions are purchased at retail locations rather than online or through the console itself, according to Xbox Live marketing manager Robin Burrows.

This statistical tidbit was revealed during an interview with MCV, where Burrows also stated that Microsoft is in the process of testing new ways of manifesting digital products in meatspace, specifically referencing "point-of-sale activation," which allows shoppers to activate their newly purchased codes immediately after purchasing them.

Just like you'd be able to do if you hadn't gone to the store to buy something that already exists in your house.

Source: MCVUK

Tags: europe, microsoft, retail, Robin-Burrows, subscriptions, xbox, Xbox-Live

Reader Comments (46)

There is a HUGE reason for that: At retail, you'll often get huge discounts on subscriptions, sometimes close to 50% - Unless you've never have gold before and get a dashboard offered deal, retail is always cheaper.

@liam

This. I almost exclusively buy Xbox Live when it's one sale through retailers.

On top of that, you don't have to call them to cancel your subscription when using a subscription card. Much nicer.

@liam Not always cheaper, but almost always. Sometimes MS forget to limit the promotions they do. For example I've bought roughly 15 months for £1 each through Microsoft promotions.

@liam
Retail discounts are one reason for sure, but I'd say another one is that you can pay with a credit card in only like 2/3 countries out of the 27 that are in the European Union (but I suspect the article isn't talking about just the EU, but about the geographical location of Europe, in which case, a great majority of people can't even pay online and have no choice but to buy at retail)

smart move

I purchase my Live subscriptions at retail -- and all when they're on sale. I have 5 years of cards in my closet right now, $30 per year. Lol.

@FlashJS
yup.

I've been paying for xbox live since march 2007, and not once have I paid full price at retail.

@FlashJS

I always laugh when PS3 fan boys try to attack XBL saying they don't have to pay $60 to play one particular game online. I always think "What rock are you living under where you don't realize Live subscription go on sale several times a year at retail?"

Add me to the camp that has never paid full price for a live subscription because I buy my card at retail. I actually bought one card off of Amazon when it was on sale so I didn't even have to leave my house that time.

@Odog4ever I paid 35 for my last one, straight from MS, because they offered a great deal when I called to cancel my renewing sub.

No one with any sense pays 60 bucks a year (or 50 before that) for XBL.

I'm that way. I usually buy subscriptions physically. I like paying with cash, it's classy.

@Shadowbender

Same here. XBL points, PSN cards etc I all buy at the store. Only time I ever use a credit card on the consoles is if I can't find the cards anywhere around me.

Well, as far as I can tell, credit cards and the like aren't as commonly used here in Europe as in the US so for alot of people it's easier to just pick it up with cash.

@Qehb Actual credit cards - used for borrowing - quite possibly. But I don't know a single person without a bank card...

@tobz1000
Yes, those are debit cards, not credit cards. Credit cards are still very rare around these parts, seeing as debit cards are cheaper, safer and accepted at more places, here in Netherlands at least. We even have a dedicated secure payment system for online payments (iDeal) that works directly with our debit cards and is supported by all major online retailers in the Netherlands.

Microsoft, Nintendo and (as far as I know) Sony only accept credit cards for online payments, which is massively inconvenient for those of us who have no need nor desire to use a credit card for anything else. So, we buy our Live subscriptions and Wii points at retail.

The same is true for the Android Market. Steam and Apple on the other hand support ClickandBuy, which allows people without credit cards to charge their purchases directly to their bank account.

@Third
I didn't know you couldn't use debit cards for Nintendo and MS's marketplaces - but I can use my debit card on PSN (I live in the UK). However I don't know whether that's true for Xbox Live in the UK, or if it's only Sony that accept them.

@tobz1000

You can use a debit card for XBL.

That number probably rose after the PSN hack.

@Rofler

HERP DERP

@PR0F3TA

XBL > PSN FACT.

@PR0F3TA
Truth hurts doesn't it?

@Rofler The 360 is my personally preferred console, and I still think you're a dick.

Yes, and? With all of the stories that I've read and heard about MS auto-renewing cancelled accounts and "reviving" credit card info that was ostensibly deleted from the Xbox Live system in order to auto-renew accounts, I sure as hell would rather buy subscriptions at retail than give MS my credit card info.

I actually prefer the middle ground, though. I buy Xbox Marketplace points through Amazon.com, saving me a trip to the store, and keeping Microsoft's grubby hands off of my credit card info.

I, for one, do it that way since Microsoft think it's a good idea to force you to ring their helplines to cancel a Live account. I don't really want the hassle of dealing with that. And since it's retail, you can find it cheaper often.

@Richard El Britannia

Apparently some states/countries can cancel their subscriptions online. I called to cancel an account for my sister after one of the $1 dashboard deals and he told me that since I live in Illinois I can cancel from Xbox.com. I went to the site and I was able to cancel it right there.

@Richard El Britannia

I just got my ability to cancel online back recently (England).

I'm guessing that the writer of this article only buys games-on-demand titles too?

After PSN, I'm pretty much scarred for life when it comes to giving my credit card to these companies (okay, maybe an exaggeration). I purchase points and subs at retail now.

@tepster

i could not agree more.

Considering buying it off the dashboard automatically turns auto renew on, and you're giving microsoft credit card information that is a complete pain to try and get removed, I'm surprised the % isn't higher.

Jordan making fun of people doing things the smart way. Another weekend on Joystiq.

@Acosta02

agreed big time. sorry i like to shop around and get it for 30% off. buy.com had the gold bundle pack (12 month live, 400 MSP, headset, and chatpad) for $43 shipped about a month ago.

@LENSconcept

^^^ math may vary

So buying a card for a cheaper price (or stockpiling them at that point) plus not giving Microsoft a credit card number is an inconvenience?

For some reason theirs always sells on these cards.

Lol the last sentence tries to sound clever, but is actually so naive. It implies that you're stupid if you go out to buy a subscription when you can easily buy it from home. But actually, paying full price on the dashboard and giving MS your credit card number that they will auto-renew at full price PER MONTH (unless you go through the hassle of phoning to cancel) and also never remove from your account is in fact the really stupid thing to do.

Maybe its just a UK thing but i dont think i've ever seen a subscription card on "sale". I use my debit card and have a recurring payment system but i do keep an eye on the dashboard for the offers they do occasionally and opt-in when they are around.

@KillerC

What? Never?

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Month-Live-Gold-Card/dp/B0029LJIFG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315079437&sr=8-1

Look, they're almost permanently on sale at amazon,* and you can get the code right away.

*granted, right now it's only 18% off, but it fluctuates.

@KillerC

You're not looking hard enough then. MS charge £40/year, but you can usually get a 12 or 13 month card for £28-£33 elsewhere.

Commenting should have been disabled after the first comment.....that to me said it all!!

Is the author condemning people that got a great deal at a brick and mortar vs full price online?

This was alright until that last sentence which just comes across as stupid. Piss off, Mallory. I buy my Live subs and Microsoft points at retail (or specifically, at other online stores) because it's cheaper.

Hey, not everyone has a credit card.

Because PSN hasn't shown us there are very valid reasons for NOT storing your credit card on a site that is a bullseye for hackers.

Not to mention subscriptions are far cheaper at retail.

Laughable spin on this article, IMHO.

i live in jamaica and have no U.S. account so i have no choice.

I buy my subscription mostly from Amazon, I can get a 12 month sub for £29, compared to £40 from MS. There is no reason really to buy points or Live from your console because it's just too expensive. You cans save alot if you shop around.

I buy retail, because not only can it be on sale from time to time, there's the new ( atleast in Canada) 12 month card + 800 MSP for the same $59.99. And now there's also the 3 month card + 1400 MSP for $39.99.

That's the reason I buy retail.

68 percent of European Xbox Live subscriptions purchased at retail

Reader Comments (46)

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:40PM liam said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:24PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 5:07PM Cal said

Posted: Sep 5th 2011 9:08AM Hellios said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM FlashJS said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:46PM MyAbsolution said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 10:10PM Odog4ever said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 11:49PM Equal Opportunity Dork said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:22PM APCMice said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM Qehb said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:09PM tobz1000 said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:26PM Third said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 5:21PM tobz1000 said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 9:05PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM Rofler said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:50PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:58PM Rofler said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:44PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 4:33PM Exu said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:43PM processfive said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:46PM Richard El Britannia said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:54PM Urchin80 said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 5:08PM Cal said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:49PM somaKing said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 1:56PM tepster said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:16PM LENSconcept said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:01PM Recarpo said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:01PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:16PM LENSconcept said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:23PM LENSconcept said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 2:41PM Schlecht said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:17PM Resident Evil 6 Puppy Madness said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:26PM KentBrockman said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:36PM KillerC said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:52PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 5:14PM Cal said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 3:36PM Unarmed Turkey said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 4:16PM Slight of Ham said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 4:28PM Exu said

Posted: Sep 3rd 2011 10:29PM cole1114 said

Posted: Sep 4th 2011 5:25AM cthomer5000 said

Posted: Sep 4th 2011 12:11PM Jamaican1231 said

Posted: Sep 4th 2011 1:09PM iTz FiNaL said

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