Sony taking Playstation 3 pre-order bundling to new lows at CompUSA
The PlayStation 3 launched in Japan last week and initial shipments completely sold out. However, the high demand for the PS3 systems is partially blamed on the low number of units shipped. Sony is reported as shipping only 80,000 PS3 systems in Japan, much lower than other system launches. The high demand has resulted in speculators buying up the systems and reselling them online. So many systems were bought up for resale instead of use that so far less than one game has been purchased per system sold.
Sources close to CompUSA have notified Uninnovate that Sony is requiring CompUSA to package PlayStation 3 pre-order units with Sony televisions. Customers who wish to preorder a PlayStation 3 must also purchase a 40-inch or larger Sony television. If the customer returns the television, they must also return the PlayStation 3 and pay a 15% restocking fee.
According to our sources, these pre-order terms are dictated by Sony to CompUSA. The television purchased in the bundle must be a Sony-branded unit that is 40 inches or larger. The lowest priced Sony 40-inch television offered on the CompUSA website is $1,799. That’s a high premium to pay to reserve a PS3 three days before the system launches.
Please note that we cannot confirm if this is true at all CompUSA locations and it only applies to preorders made this week. If you have tried to pre-order a PS3 at your local CompUSA this week, please post a comment to let us know how it went.
Update: Here’s a clipping from the newest CompUSA flyer that shows the preorder deal:
Update 2:
Things aren’t looking much better at other stores:
I work in the software department (console games) at Fry’s electronics. Today, my supervisor informed me that we would not be allowing anyone to purchase a PS3 without also purchasing 8 games. What a launch day surprise, right? Show up, wait in line for hours and hours, run into the store, and THEN find out that, sorry, we forgot to tell you, but you’ll need to buy 8 games if you want the console.
At $60 a piece for the software titles, we’re talking upwards of $1080 just to get a PS3 from Fry’s.
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Reserve a Sony PS3, purchase a 40″ Sony TV!…
Uninnovate.com ｻ Sony taking Playstation 3 pre-order bundling to new lows at CompUSA Oh yeah thanks guys. Cool strategy. Maybe you could force me to buy some Sony movies and tunes too, in order to qualify. I look forward to……
CompUSA: Buy 40″ HDTV, Reserve A PS3…
Fry’s Electronics PlayStation 3 Bundle. Cheap at $1079. Wal-Mart “Customer’s Choice” PlayStation 3 Bundle. A steal at $1491. CompUSA Screwjob PlayStation 3 Bundle? A minimum of $2300. Oh, the pain. Found by blog Uninnovate, the current promotion ru…
[…] Also, according to Uninnovate, should you return the TV you “must also return the PlayStation 3 and pay a 15% restocking fee”. I can’t imagine anyone having a problem with that. You guys cool? http://www.uninnovate.com/2006/11/14/sony-taking-playstation-3-pre-order-bundling-to-new-lows-at-compusa/ […]
I work in online retail and I guarantee that Sony has nothing to do with CompUSA’s greedy bid to bundle a high-profit TV sale with the high-demand PS3. Manufacturers don’t have the time, inclination, interest, or power to “force’ retailers to do anything.
The bundle is the sole creation of some greedy retail buyers at CompUSA.
More Proof That Sony Hates Their Customers…
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If that were true, why would CompUSA be pushing a Sony branded TV? If they allowed a pre-order with the purchase of any 40″ or larger TV, they could potentially sell more bundles.
Hmm here in MN at least such forced bundles are illegal, hell when I worked at a local Software Etc they would make us remove their own “belly bands” (basically a paper strip that went around both a game and strat guide and listed the combined price) if it was our last copy (i.e. if there was a loose game and guide out we could put the bundle on display as the customer could obviously buy either independantly, we couldn’t appear to be forcing the purchase of both to get either)
I’ve called around to several CompUSA stores in Oregon and Florida (don’t ask) and I’ve found that most CompUSA stores are not getting any PS3’s on launch day. Can anyone confirm? What CompUSA stores are getting PS3’s on launch day?
Was in CompUSA here in Melbourne, FL 2 days ago, and they had a sign on the front door apologizing to their customers that due to shortages they would not be participating in either the PS3 or the Wii launches.
For those complaining about legality. CompUSA was not forcing bundles, but were offering chances to preorder a PS3 with the purchase of a large Sony television. One could still try going to the store today to buy one without the television, but we all know that is very unlikely.
Contacted my local Compusa this mornig for the udpate on the arrival of the PS3s, and of course, everyone plays the “we don’t know when” card. So I called corporate Compusa and their answer is that it could be sometime next week.
Since the rumour is that Compusa is hoarding them them in a centrally located area only to distribute to stores based on the number of preorders, I would bet that we can expect another marketing campaign in this weekend’s circular. This would maximize efficiency on delivery logistics for two marketing campaigns.
I find this practice very distasteful. From this point forward, I will only shop Compusa under dire conditions, but my discretionary spending will not hit their registers.
CompUSA offering PS3s with Sony HDTV purchases…
Filed under: Gaming , HDTV We know it’s been a rough couple of nights for you folks who didn’t get your…
[…] We know it’s been a rough couple of nights for you folks who didn’t get your pre-order on (or got the shaft, even so) trying to hunt down a Playstation 3 without becoming the hunted, but there’s an off chance that CompUSA may still be able to save your sanity. If 48 (or more) hours of sleeplessness has you ready to drop an inconceivable amount of cash to secure your machine through eBay, hold tight. Certain CompUSA locations will be bundling Playstation 3 units with any Sony HDTV purchase of 40-inches or larger, which could be fabulous news if you were planning on picking up a svelte new set (or dropping $2,000 in some entrepreneur’s pocket) anyway. Currently, the lowest priced display compatible with the offer is Sony’s $1,999 KDL-40S2010, which means that you’d be ponying up nearly $2,500 for the 20GB PS3 kit, or $2,600 for the 60GB package. Representatives have stated that some stores are “devoting their entire PS3 allocation” to the offer, which isn’t exactly surprising considering last year’s Xbox 360 bundle fiascoes. Regardless, for gamers looking to go all out, this may not be such an awful idea (especially if they end up including Wiis), but we’re not sure if this offer will last past the (admittedly scant) first wave of shipments — but hey, it sure beats getting shot up or beat down while squandering vacation days, right? […]
To whom it may concern,
today is January 2, 2007, and I fell for the CompUsa/Sony deal by buying a 40″ LCD as stated in the ad. Actually, they ran out of the orginal Sony TV’s so I had to buy a later model 40″ LCD for more money, but that’s yet another complaint. As I said today is January 2, 2007, and I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY PS3.
CompUSA did offer me a 20GB PS3, but I want a 60GB version, and I still haven’t received it, even though I am supposedly Number ONE on their list to receive a 60GB PS3.
So is this fraudulent advertising or what???!!!???