Originally Posted by Wii Got U Can you explain about Gamestop? Thanks

Let's say you arrive at 11:30, as we want you there to finalize things before midnight. When we finalize your transaction, we are ringing up your Wii-U, so we need the serial number at that time. MOST LIKELY, your Wii-U will not be staring at you in the face from behind the counter. It will be out of sight, in another room, etc. So we keep a list of serial numbers up front to ring you up with, and therefore will have no idea how each box looks, which one might happen to be sitting on the bottom of a pile with 10 other boxes on top. We'll just ring up whichever one is next on the list.

Basically, at that point is when you want to ask if they can take a look at the individual systems and that you want one in the best condition. Let them know you don't want one on the bottom of the pile. Just don't be the last person to pick up your Wii-U! Typically this would be later on launch day or the day after, so you shouldn't have to worry at midnight.

This might seem like too specific of a request, but I have had damaged 360 and 3DS boxes, including limited edition Call of Duty 360's or the Zelda 3ds. So it can be a concern if you care about such things.

Originally Posted by shrinky215 Let's say you arrive at 11:30, as we want you there to finalize things before midnight. When we finalize your transaction, we are ringing up your Wii-U, so we need the serial number at that time. MOST LIKELY, your Wii-U will not be staring at you in the face from behind the counter. It will be out of sight, in another room, etc. So we keep a list of serial numbers up front to ring you up with, and therefore will have no idea how each box looks, which one might happen to be sitting on the bottom of a pile with 10 other boxes on top. We'll just ring up whichever one is next on the list. Basically, at that point is when you want to ask if they can take a look at the individual systems and that you want one in the best condition. Let them know you don't want one on the bottom of the pile. Just don't be the last person to pick up your Wii-U! Typically this would be later on launch day or the day after, so you shouldn't have to worry at midnight. This might seem like too specific of a request, but I have had damaged 360 and 3DS boxes, including limited edition Call of Duty 360's or the Zelda 3ds. So it can be a concern if you care about such things.

Thanks for the info. Anytime I buy something I look at the condition of the box before purchasing. That way you can tell if the product was mishandled.

Originally Posted by Wii Got U I read somewhere that GS stores their consoles in their bathrooms. Thanks

Haha. I have no idea what you're talking about!

I don't understand why you would wait in line if you already have a pre-order in at GS. It's not like they are going to sell your pre-order. That's the whole point of pre-ordering, isn't it? I can wait until more reasonable hours.

Originally Posted by klimb22 I don't understand why you would wait in line if you already have a pre-order in at GS. It's not like they are going to sell your pre-order. That's the whole point of pre-ordering, isn't it? I can wait until more reasonable hours.

Some people just have nothing better to do. My girlfriend's brother used to go to concerts hours before and wait in front of the building. Granted, he had an off-chance to meet someone in the bands. Earliest I get to a GS for a midnight launch is 10:30 and that's when I can't find something to hold my interest. I'll go and listen to my iPod or something usually.

Originally Posted by klimb22 I don't understand why you would wait in line if you already have a pre-order in at GS. It's not like they are going to sell your pre-order. That's the whole point of pre-ordering, isn't it? I can wait until more reasonable hours.

People are crazy. Just call the day before and make sure everyone who preordered will get their system. This isnt 2005 with the 360. The wii and ps3 launches went smoothly so no reason to worry in 2012.

Originally Posted by klimb22 I don't understand why you would wait in line if you already have a pre-order in at GS. It's not like they are going to sell your pre-order. That's the whole point of pre-ordering, isn't it? I can wait until more reasonable hours.

The problem is that nobody really knows what demand is going to be like or how individual stores are going to handle preorders. In theory, Gamestop should have enough to cover preorders and distribute them in the order they were preordered. Unfortunately, if they don't get enough units or the store manager decides to go rogue and help his best customers out first, you might not get your unit on launch day. A preorder is not a guarantee as some of us found with the Wii.

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Originally Posted by soxxx People are crazy. Just call the day before and make sure everyone who preordered will get their system. This isnt 2005 with the 360. The wii and ps3 launches went smoothly so no reason to worry in 2012.

I can firmly state the Wii launch did not go smoothly and many GS locations were short. I ended up getting one at Target, but please don't make it sound as if nothing can go wrong. Unless Nintendo has a ton of these available for retailers on day one, there can and will be problems.

I agree. My best console launch experience was preordering the 3DS. I had it paid in full well in advance, and on the day of release I slept in, had brunch with my wife, then casually strolled into the store in the early afternoon to get my system. No fuss.

I did the same thing with the Big Boss edition PSP, and it was particularly funny watching people go nuts online all day trying to find one, while I strolled in at 7 pm to grab mine.

Originally Posted by soxxx Theyve been selling video games for over 10 years. Everyone just forgets espcially for preorders.

I just came back from an FYE store. I put down $50 and am currently 9th on their list for the deluxe. They have another 2 for the basic so 11th overall. The 2 employees there told me they still don't know their allocations and will call us as soon as they find out. On my receipt it says "Wave 2" so I'm a bit concerned about that. When I asked about it, they said it doesn't mean anything until they find out. They think they will get 10 deluxe consoles, but I sort of doubt it.

Originally Posted by bojay1997 I can firmly state the Wii launch did not go smoothly and many GS locations were short. I ended up getting one at Target, but please don't make it sound as if nothing can go wrong. Unless Nintendo has a ton of these available for retailers on day one, there can and will be problems.

Right, but if you call the day before as soxxx suggested they ought to have their systems already and should be able to tell you at that point if a preorder is safe. Sure, right now they can't guarantee that - but the day before the launch they should be able to. And even if, for some reason, Nintendo shorts them like crazy and they don't have enough, I'm sure they'll get the next shipment to preorder holders. I'll be fairly disappointed if I don't get one on launch day (especially as I was the first customer to preorder at my local GS) but as long as I get one within a few weeks and don't have to deal with camping out or stalking stores I'll be OK with it in the end.

And FWIW, the Wii and PS3 launched went just fine for me at least - got my preordered systems on day 1 just as promised from Gamestop.

Originally Posted by bojay1997 The problem is that nobody really knows what demand is going to be like or how individual stores are going to handle preorders. In theory, Gamestop should have enough to cover preorders and distribute them in the order they were preordered. Unfortunately, if they don't get enough units or the store manager decides to go rogue and help his best customers out first, you might not get your unit on launch day. A preorder is not a guarantee as some of us found with the Wii.

I guess you're right in that they can't control the supply coming from Nintendo. Just look at the iPhone situation. Either way I'm not standing outside in the cold for anything like this...or iPhones, Jordans, etc.

Originally Posted by klimb22 I don't understand why you would wait in line if you already have a pre-order in at GS. It's not like they are going to sell your pre-order. That's the whole point of pre-ordering, isn't it? I can wait until more reasonable hours.

Even if everything goes according to plan, such as your system being 1000% YOURS, no evil manager going rogue or Nintendo not sending out enough systems, etc. And even if you don't care about the "launch party" or being around like-minded gamers - there is still reason to be there, in line, for midnight.

You say "reasonable hours," and I'd argue, at my store, being there at 11:45PM for the midnight release could very well be the most reasonable use of your time (provided you aren't usually in bed). You will be in and out in 15-30 minutes, and you will have the lowest pressure sale as I want to go home ASAP and don't have time for the upsell (plus I let the launch atmosphere do my selling). I can't guarantee you that any other time in the following 48 hours. If I have trades clogging a register, 1 person on the floor, or other customer issues, you could be standing around for longer. This depends on the store, but my midnight releases are like clockwork. I don't do any other business besides whatever is being launched, and I don't let craziness happen right at midnight.

Originally Posted by rayfrombk I just came back from an FYE store. I put down $50 and am currently 9th on their list for the deluxe. They have another 2 for the basic so 11th overall. The 2 employees there told me they still don't know their allocations and will call us as soon as they find out. On my receipt it says "Wave 2" so I'm a bit concerned about that. When I asked about it, they said it doesn't mean anything until they find out. They think they will get 10 deluxe consoles, but I sort of doubt it.

Good luck, hope you get it launch day.

Originally Posted by bojay1997 I can firmly state the Wii launch did not go smoothly and many GS locations were short. I ended up getting one at Target, but please don't make it sound as if nothing can go wrong. Unless Nintendo has a ton of these available for retailers on day one, there can and will be problems.

Can you share your story? i am interested actually because i dont recall many problems at all.

The 360 stores took 100s of preorders and only recieved 10 or so.

Gamestop managers had to call 100s of people that they would be backordered a couple days before the 360 launch. It wasnt good.

Originally Posted by soxxx Can you share your story? i am interested actually because i dont recall many problems at all. The 360 stores took 100s of preorders and only recieved 10 or so.

I'm curious too. My store was allocated a certain number of Wii in Sept/October. We actually had a line just to preorder your Wii one morning in Sept/October, which is what I expected for Wii-U, and was surprised GS just took as many orders as it could throughout a couple of days.

Originally Posted by shrinky215 I'm curious too. My store was allocated a certain number of Wii in Sept/October. We actually had a line just to preorder your Wii one morning in Sept/October, which is what I expected for Wii-U, and was surprised GS just took as many orders as it could throughout a couple of days.

yeah gamestops set a preorder day in stone and hyped it for a week. Gamestops knew how many they were recieving in mid october and there was never any major problems like the 360.

Originally Posted by shrinky215 Even if everything goes according to plan, such as your system being 1000% YOURS, no evil manager going rogue or Nintendo not sending out enough systems, etc. And even if you don't care about the "launch party" or being around like-minded gamers - there is still reason to be there, in line, for midnight. You say "reasonable hours," and I'd argue, at my store, being there at 11:45PM for the midnight release could very well be the most reasonable use of your time (provided you aren't usually in bed). You will be in and out in 15-30 minutes, and you will have the lowest pressure sale as I want to go home ASAP and don't have time for the upsell (plus I let the launch atmosphere do my selling.

Oh, I absolutely agree with this. On top of all of that, I'm a night person, so it is much much more preferable for me to go in at midnight than at opening the next day! Plus I like being able to go home and hook up the system and have it to myself that first night (rest of the family will be asleep). Then I can show it to them in the morning (or more likely early afternoon since I'd probably be up till 4 or 5 ) all hooked up and ready to go.

It is fully my intention to go in there at 11:30 or so if they do the midnight launch. I'm just not sure every store will do that if they only have 10 preorders and that is all the systems they are getting. Do we have any confirmation that GS is doing this? If so, is it system-wide or up to the store manager?

Originally Posted by soxxx Can you share your story? i am interested actually because i dont recall many problems at all. The 360 stores took 100s of preorders and only recieved 10 or so.

Sure, I preordered a Wii pretty early on at a Gamestop near where I lived in San Diego and was promised up and down by the manager that they would have plenty on launch day to cover preorders. He even was saying that the week before when I stopped in.

On launch day, I showed up right at store opening and joined the line of maybe 10 people waiting only to learn once the door opened that they only received four. The manager basically distributed to the first four people in line and told the rest of us that they would call us when the next batch came in a few weeks later. Needless to say, I didn't get my Wii on launch day and got very lucky that a Target location down the street got a second batch the week after launch. The Gamestop finally called me three weeks later saying my console was in, but I cancelled as I felt lied to.

I had several friends who preordered at other GS locations and had the same experience. All I'm saying is that nothing is guaranteed and making fun of people who line up early even if they have a preorder is pretty naive even though I personally won't do it because being warm and comfortable is far more important to me than another game console.