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Why is there hate for a cash down preorder?

FluxWaveZ

Member
You are feeding and perpetuating this broken ass AAA model by pre ordering.

Think twice before you preorder a game, the days of games being sold out are long gone.

Pre-order bonuses. I also know my tastes well enough to know that I was going to buy the games I pre-order on day one regardless of what anyone had to say about them.
 

Willy Wanka

my god this avatar owns
This is a pretty recent trend for UK street retailers and supermarkets but you can still preorder for free from nearly every online retailer. I don't pre-order much these days (I wait a month and get games for 50% off) but when I do, I like to be able to easily change my mind or move my preorder to another store that might be selling it cheaper. Sticking money down only complicates that process so I'm not prepared to do it.
 

quest

Not Banned from OT
I can't remember the last time I preordered a non LE game. I can't remember the last time I wasn't able to buy the game I wanted on release day. We don't have the heavy supply limits we used to, and in the super rare chances that it does happen, most games are day 1 digital.

I will jump on pre-orders if I see a great deal on cheapassgamer. Don't like paying 59.99 for a game so if I can get a game day 1 for less I am very happy to.
 
Paying in November and getting a console handed to me is different to paying now and receiving nothing for 6 months. Read my other post :p

I will not change my place of pre-order either because it is the closest gamestop to my house and I can quickly drive and pick up my console. I should have ordered online maybe, but Amazon Canada wasn't taking pre-orders for a while and I was getting worried. Not going to lose my guaranteed copy now. I also put down $100 on the PS4 simply cause I had the money.
 

Carl

Member
I will not change my place of pre-order either because it is the closest gamestop to my house and I can quickly drive and pick up my console. I should have ordered online maybe, but Amazon Canada wasn't taking pre-orders for a while and I was getting worried. Not going to lose my guaranteed copy now. I also put down $100 on the PS4 simply cause I had the money.

I wasn't trying to change your mind :p
 

dog$

Hates quality gaming
Exactly. They get more money back for holding onto it then I would. What will I get if I hold onto it for a few months? Maybe $5-$10. They can get more I am guessing which will help give hours to sales associates.
If that's your intent, cut the chase and tip the GS clerks now.
 

Carnby

Member
I've said this many times.

Think of preordering as a lay away plan. I can slowly pay off the PS4 from now until November. I'd rather do that than drop 400 dollars in one day.
 
Different ways of seeing things I guess? You probably never pick up coins on the street because who cares right? Fumbling for money is really not an issue for me since I pay everything with a credit card when allowed and I haven't paid 1cent of interest in 15 years. I also don't have to worry about not having enough money because I don't spend it all on little things that add up.

nope. can't say I go out of my way to pick up coins in the street either. I also don't preorder games or consoles, because I just don't care that much.

but speaking strictly from a financial perspective, the "but..interest!" argument on a purchase that small in a timeframe that short is bullshit. There is literally nothing he could do that would gain him any money over just giving it to gamestop here- but he might save time and hassle. Again- that's "might." i don't know how gamestop handles preorders.

The only reason not to preorder is "fuck gamestop, why should they make money off me?" which is an entirely different debate.
 

quest

Not Banned from OT
Because Amazon exists. There is a better option.

I pre-ordered on amazon but worry it will come a day or 2 late. Been times for movies and games they ship on release day so get it a day or 2 after. Makes it hard to time the couple of days work I am going to take off to play my new toy.
 
The interest argument is silly because it's like 20 bucks over 6 months.

If there are retailers who do it for free great

I don't begrudge any company for wanting to secure a commitment from a customer before putting aside product from them. You are all saying the same thing "Why should I give money without getting a product"

Well why should they put aside product without getting money?
 

Chamber

love on your sleeve
Easier for some people to drop $50 every week or so than to have $400-$500 taken out of their account all at once plus whatever they plan to spend on games, especially when an emergency can pop up at any time. If that's your situation I don't see a problem with it.
 

Freki

Member
If you put down money and the store or chain goes out of buisness you then lost your money... iirc something like this happened recently in the UK.
 

quest

Not Banned from OT
Easier for some people to drop $50 bucks every week or so than to have $400-$500 taken out of their account all at once plus whatever they plan to spend on games, especially when an emergency can pop up at any time. If that's your situation I don't see a problem with it.

That is how I did it for the dreamcast launch. Being young did not trust myself to save the money and not spend it at the bar. I would drop money every pay day on it. It was a very large order 3 controllers 4 vmus 2 arcade sticks and 10 or 11 games. It was awesome I showed up at opening one of the employees helped me to the car with my haul with my receipt. While everyone else was waiting in line to pay.
 

dog$

Hates quality gaming
Why would I tip them?
Whether by more hours of payroll through Gamestop, or directly from your wallet, your argument for giving GS preorder money is to financially support that company or their employees.

So, tip them. Next time you buy a game, give the clerk who rings you up an extra $5. It's ultimately the same thing.

"Why should I give money without getting a product"

Well why should they put aside product without getting money?
Because that's the nature and risk of operating any kind of business which deals with selling physical goods. By placing the risk of stocking unsellable goods on the retailer, it forces the retailer to compete for your purchase. You want to have the retailer compete for your purchase.

I'm quite sure that WalMart would be more than happy to take $100 from you every week so that you can preorder your groceries. Hell, go buy a gift card now. It's so convenient, right?
 

Majanew

Banned
nope. can't say I go out of my way to pick up coins in the street either. I also don't preorder games or consoles, because I just don't care that much.

but speaking strictly from a financial perspective, the "but..interest!" argument on a purchase that small in a timeframe that short is bullshit. There is literally nothing he could do that would gain him any money over just giving it to gamestop here- but he might save time and hassle. Again- that's "might." i don't know how gamestop handles preorders.

The only reason not to preorder is "fuck gamestop, why should they make money off me?" which is an entirely different debate.

GameStop isn't making money off you with your pre-order. The money you put down doesn't get taken off the product you're pre-ordering and into GameStop's pocket.
 
People hate cash down? lol

I'm first on the preorder list with eb games, I don't have to worry about fed ex or whoever screwing things up as I see on here ALL the time, don't have to worry about damaged shipments and finally if my console is DOA when I pick it up I just go grab another one and don't have to worry about reshipping.

Or you could save $50 up front and deal with all that.
 

Hilti92

Member
Whether by more hours of payroll through Gamestop, or directly from your wallet, your argument for giving GS preorder money is to financially support that company or their employees.

So, tip them. Next time you buy a game, give the clerk who rings you up an extra $5. It's ultimately the same thing.


Because that's the nature and risk of operating any kind of business which deals with selling physical goods. By placing the risk of stocking unsellable goods on the retailer, it forces the retailer to compete for your purchase. You want to have the retailer compete for your purchase.

I'm quite sure that WalMart would be more than happy to take $100 from you every week so that you can preorder your groceries. Hell, go buy a gift card now. It's so convenient, right?
That's not the same thing at all. If I get a tip, that is not supplying me with hours at my company. That is straight to my wallet. The company getting interest from the money I put down, goes towards allocating additional hours to associates.
 
GameStop isn't making money off you with your pre-order. The money you put down doesn't get taken off the product you're pre-ordering and into GameStop's pocket.

Gamestop makes interest on the money they have from preorders in advance. Say 1 million people give them 400 bucks right now (hypothetically), that means gamestop can invest that 400 million dollars somewhere between now and november that generates them interest above and beyond the profit they make from selling you the system.

the interest for an individual is negligible, but over a LOT of users and with a LOT of money, it's significant for them.

that's what I meant by "gamestop is making money off of your preorder." others have noted this before in the thread and have a problem with it- but if gamestop staying in business is such an issue, why shop there in the first place?
 
For consoles I understand. For games, it's pointless. I think people just see it as some kind of weird placebo that makes them think they are buying a part of a game before its actually out.
 

tokkun

Member
Easier for some people to drop $50 every week or so than to have $400-$500 taken out of their account all at once plus whatever they plan to spend on games, especially when an emergency can pop up at any time. If that's your situation I don't see a problem with it.

This makes no sense. You are saying that it's better in case of an emergency for you to pay money in advance?

Let's say the emergency happens a week before the new system comes out. By not having put any money down in advance, I would have $350 more in the bank than you would.

I can understand the argument: "If I put the $50 down on the game system each week, then I won't be able to blow the $50 on something else" for people living paycheck to paycheck, but that's really the opposite of planning for an emergency.
 

dog$

Hates quality gaming
That's not the same thing at all. If I get a tip, that is not supplying me with hours at my company. That is straight to my wallet. The company getting interest from the money I put down, goes towards allocating additional hours to associates.
Your preorder with Gamestop -> Gamestop's budget -> Gamestop's payroll -> Employees get more hours -> Employees get more money.

Your tip to employee -> Employee gets more money.

Cut the chase.

Split the tip amongst everyone who works at the store you shop at if you want to ensure that everyone gets an equal extra amount of money.
 
For consoles I understand. For games, it's pointless. I think people just see it as some kind of weird placebo that makes them think they are buying a part of a game before its actually out.

This also. I've never had a problem walking in and getting whatever damn game I want. Console launches can be insane though with campers, scalpers, midnight launches, christmas crowds that it might actually be worth it to preorder if you didn't want to deal with the bullshit.
 

Tobor

Member
I pre-ordered on amazon but worry it will come a day or 2 late. Been times for movies and games they ship on release day so get it a day or 2 after. Makes it hard to time the couple of days work I am going to take off to play my new toy.

I'm a Prime member and they've never failed me. /knocks on wood
 
Because that's the nature and risk of operating any kind of business which deals with selling physical goods. By placing the risk of stocking unsellable goods on the retailer, it forces the retailer to compete for your purchase. You want to have the retailer compete for your purchase.

I'm quite sure that WalMart would be more than happy to take $100 from you every week so that you can preorder your groceries. Hell, go buy a gift card now. It's so convenient, right?

Groceries are an awful comparison. This is something that will sell out, almost guaranteed. It's not about the competition, it's about the retailer having a reasonable idea that you actually are going to buy what they are ordering in.

But of course everyone turns it into either interest!!! or FREE MARKET COMPETITION

I just don't get it, who fucking cares about dropping twenty bucks down
 

Hilti92

Member
Your preorder with Gamestop -> Gamestop's budget -> Gamestop's payroll -> Employees get more hours -> Employees get more money.

Your tip to employee -> Employee gets more money.

Cut the chase.

Yes because my $5 tip will be the equivalent to them getting an additional shift during the week.
 

dog$

Hates quality gaming
Yes because my $5 tip will be the equivalent to them getting an additional shift during the week.
Yes because your $100 preorder will definitely trickle down to any single employee getting more than $5.
But of course everyone turns it into either interest!!! or FREE MARKET COMPETITION
OK. What counter arguments are permissible to you?
I just don't get it, who fucking cares about dropping twenty bucks down
I fucking care about dropping twenty of my bucks down.
 

Chamber

love on your sleeve
This makes no sense. You are saying that it's better in case of an emergency for you to pay money in advance?

Let's say the emergency happens a week before the new system comes out. By not having put any money down in advance, I would have $350 more in the bank than you would.

I can understand the argument: "If I put the $50 down on the game system each week, then I won't be able to blow the $50 on something else" for people living paycheck to paycheck, but that's really the opposite of planning for an emergency.

I'm saying it's hard for some people to save money. Let's not play a word game in regard to what I mean by emergency ok?
 
I will be paying for my PS4 with mainly trade credit. Any cash I use will be done in installments so I don't pay all at once. I also like the atmosphere of a new console release. That's why I'm using GS.
If you put down money and the store or chain goes out of buisness you then lost your money... iirc something like this happened recently in the UK.
I don't think Gamestop in the US is going out of business before the PS4/Xbone comes out.
 

Hilti92

Member
Yes because your $100 preorder will definitely trickle down to any single employee getting more than $5.

No but when multiple people preorder, it will. Also, why tip and have to pay an additional amount of money to them when you can pay the same?
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Well,

Folks are money-minded and they think for the six months they put their $100 down they can earn a return of $5 instead of the corporation earning that interest.

Frankly I find that just silly. Talking of $100-500 for six months here. Not much earning power. If I had my way I would pay for it all up front six months out for piece of mind.
 

Valnen

Member
You make interest on money you haven't spent yet. When you give cash advances "just because" you are also giving away the interest on the money you would have made. You are essentially paying more for the same product.
Oh great, so you lose maybe a nickel or so that you could have made in interest. Yeah, that's totally a big deal.
 
I like putting cash down in chunks so I don't have to pay for the console all at once. I just treat it like a bill I have to pay every month and by the time it comes out I just go and pick it up.
 
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