I'm a consumer whore! And how!

November 16, 2006 12:38 PM

PS3 filter; you knew it was inevitable. How can I get my hands on a Ps3 tonight or tomorrow? I'm in Phoenix, Arizona and I'm not about to go drop $2k to get one off of Ebay.

I know. I should have pre-ordered it. I should have started camping days ago. There are no excuses (actually, there are - I had to work and I didn't have the money). Yet, here we are - the eve of another next gen system dropping and I've decided I want one.
So yeah - any ideas? I've already called every Walmart, Target, Circuit City, and Best Buy within a 20 mile radius. Does anybody here work in a store that might carry said product and not below a little bribe money? *wink wink* I'm not below paying someone a lil' sumthin' sumthin' if it helps secure this incredibly expensive little toy.
Other than the connections/insider angle, any good ideas of places others might overlook? Any good ideas on how to get one period?

posted by Bageena to shopping (13 comments total)

Don't do it. First edition playstations have always been unreliable and prone to overheating, this one looks like no exception. Unless you can throw away $2000 without caring, an early rev PS3 will be a disappointment.
posted by b1tr0t at 12:46 PM on November 16, 2006

From projects: http://www.consolecamp.com/.

"Consolecamp.com is the site with news and detailed info to help you pick the best camping spots for the Wii and PS3. You can publish to this site right from your phone—submit photos, send updates on the number of people in line, and automatically make Google maps of your camping site."
posted by inigo2 at 12:51 PM on November 16, 2006

Mathowie wrote this today about getting a Wii, but I don't see any reason why his advice wouldn't apply equally to the PS3 as well.

He writes: "the secret is to find another option that is big enough to get Wiis on launch day, but also not so big that anyone would notice. This could be a local mom & pop store, a non-franchise video game store, or that seedy Kmart in the bad part of town.

I tested this theory out by visiting my local Fred Meyer. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest and near any major city, chances are you are surrounded by Fred Meyers. I don’t think I’ll hurt my chances by sharing that they’re open from 12:01am-1am this Saturday night and my local one has 75 Wii consoles ready to go. That’s a lot of boxes, right up there with what most BestBuy stores will get and about double what any Target store is getting near me. "
posted by anastasiav at 12:52 PM on November 16, 2006

b1tr0t, I'm not buying one unless there's an extended warranty offer right along with it. =) I did the same thing with my 360, which is funny - nearly every other person I know who owns a 360 has had to have it repaired at least once, and they play it a lot less than I. My 360 hasn't had any problems.
posted by Bageena at 1:04 PM on November 16, 2006

First release quality aside aside, if you still want one, your only option is to pay up front money with a fat bonus to someone tenting outside Best Buy, which started at noon today round here. Offer a sizable CASH bonus with the majority of the kicker on delivery. One third up front should do the trick. People will probably laugh at you with a less than 1000 bonus unless, of course, you get a luscious vixen in league with you to wheedle a lower number with the geektubbiest one in line. These people are serious, man. And BTW don't even think of WalMart unless you want a truly broken console (not from the factory, but from the violence when the doors open).
posted by nj_subgenius at 1:31 PM on November 16, 2006

There are rumors that PS3s will only be available at the big chains.

The only long shot I can think of would be Sam's Club/Costco. People don't usually remember they sell games, and they require a membership, so you can't just walk in and grab one.

If you really, really want one, make a list of all the big retailers within a radius of however far you're willing to drive. Find the one with the shortest line, and camp. No one knows exactly how many are going to be available tomorrow, but if you see any more than ten people on line, I wouldn't risk it.

The problem is that... well, most people don't actually want a PS3. They want to make a quick buck on eBay. It's going to be tough to bribe someone who thinks s/he is about to make $1000 for a night's work.
posted by Sibrax at 2:19 PM on November 16, 2006

Considering that a large percentage of people who are camping out are doing so to sell it on eBay, I'm guessing that they won't be going for 2K for long, the price will drop as the site gets flooded with them.
posted by visual mechanic at 4:54 PM on November 16, 2006

Dude, this is simply NOT going to happen. Sony is only shipping about 150,000 units to the US (despite their claims to the contrary... you can tell Sony is lying when their lips are moving.) It is a paper launch. There's only one decent game for it, essentially no movies, and it will cost you upwards of two THOUSAND dollars to have one now.

If you want to pay retail price, I don't think you'll get one until middle next year AT THE EARLIEST.

If you want a next-gen HD console, buy a 360... they're easy to get and they're starting to get some really good games now. (Gears of War, Viva Pinata, Dead Rising to a lesser extent.) Or try for a Wii on Sunday; they are shipping four MILIION units, and getting one shouldn't be impossible, just hard.

You're not going to get a PS3 this year at retail price, and maybe not next year, either. Get used to it.
posted by Malor at 6:10 PM on November 16, 2006

er, "MILLION", not "MILIION". Shame I didn't typo that as "MIILION"... that would have been amusing. :)
posted by Malor at 6:12 PM on November 16, 2006

=) I have a 360, Malor. I'm just being greedy. I'm getting the Wii on Sunday too.
posted by Bageena at 6:17 PM on November 16, 2006

So, how'd it work out for ya?
posted by inigo2 at 8:27 AM on November 17, 2006

Don't forget there are other reasons to spend the night awake on the night of the Wii.
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 11:39 AM on November 17, 2006

I didn't get one. C'est la vi. Thank you guys though.
posted by Bageena at 9:09 PM on November 17, 2006