Everybody wants those special styluses badly!!!

Even more impressive since most of this game's audience likely doesn't preorder.

Guys this Poke-a-man thing is nothing more than a fad. Nobody buys these stupid games any more.

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... Oh.

Holy crap. It better not sell out before I can get a copy. I knew I should've pre-ordered.

I pre-ordered, but I wasn't sure if the styli were worth it. I have plenty of promo things already and I wasn't sure if I needed any more just sitting gathering dust... guess it wouldn't hurt.

NOOOOOO I hate preorders. Look, this is one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. While EB and GS may sell out, almost no other place will, because they actually order enough. The main two stores that offer presales, are GS and EB, and when popular games come out, they intentionally order fewer copies than they know they need, to create an artificial shortage to encourage more preordering next time. It's a dirty trick, and if the game is going to have several printings, there's no reason to even consider preordering it.

However, if the game looks like it will have few printings, like PW:AA and Trauma Center, it might be worth it, but really, there's no reason to, other than in those circumstances.

"You'll be able to walk into a store the day after launch and just pick one up"

Games are a little bit different in this area. Consoles almost always sell-out in several places upon release. Games selling out are either the cause of a small order or from a small production. In reality, this game will not be victim to either of these symptoms, unless they are done intentionally. It would be like selling out of Halo or Madden, no one does, except for places that aggressively promote preorders. If you walk into Best Buy, you'll see a table holding dozens or hundreds of these games. This case is most likely to be no different.

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Originally posted by: thatguy
NOOOOOO I hate preorders. Look, this is one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. While EB and GS may sell out, almost no other place will, because they actually order enough. The main two stores that offer presales, are GS and EB, and when popular games come out, they intentionally order fewer copies than they know they need, to create an artificial shortage to encourage more preordering next time. It's a dirty trick, and if the game is going to have several printings, there's no reason to even consider preordering it.

However, if the game looks like it will have few printings, like PW:AA and Trauma Center, it might be worth it, but really, there's no reason to, other than in those circumstances.

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Yeah, I guess that doesn't make much sense, how can you benefit from drumming up demand if you've got no stock? Trying to get any customer who walks in to pre-order is one thing... but expecting to sell copies of games you don't have is something else entirely!

Though, I WILL bet that GameStop has really exact sales forecasting systems and they probably make sure they don't have excess games lying around.

That said... I just remembered that I DID pre-order this game! ...from amazon.com.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

I pre-ordered Diamond at GameStop. I might cancel it though if Circuit City offers the stylus to those who don't pre-order since CC will have the game for $27.99 instead of the normal $34.99 and I don't know if the the stylus is worth paying an extra $7+ tax. BTW, I hate when people combine Pokemon games for sales numbers (i.e. saying that Diamond/Pearl will be the top selling game of the month, I want to know how much they sell individually).

Actually, it works a lot like gift cards. Stores sell gift cards to get money immediately, rather than later. When someone buys a gift card, though the store gets the same amount of revenue from the items bought for the value of the card, the store gets increased utility from having the money earlier. This means that they can invest the money however they choose, and most likely turn it into more money sooner.

The difference is that these EB and GS are more aggressive with their tactics, that instead of just offering a preorder, they press their employees to sell a certain amount of preorders among other things, because of the increased utility available from that preorder. I know I'm not the only one who's dealt with this type of treatment, I've even watched it happen to others, in multiple cities, as well. On top of that, I've read about it on the internet, from others, though this is less credible. Anyways, no I have not worked at a store like that, but a few years ago, I was one of those kids that were the great friends with all the other kids that worked in the store, and I have to say, these things were the bottom lines of what they told me. Other than that, I've read about the utility of Gift Cards and Preorders in economic reports and information.

I also know that the employees that work in an individual store are not the ones that actually order the items, there is either a manager of some sort, or a computer that uses an algorithm to determine how to order a product, that takes preorders into accounts.

Also, your comparison of gaming specialty stores to that of a department store is fallacious. You use size in your comparison, and in general, the size of a video game section in a department store is smaller than that of a gaming specialty store. Also, the specialty stores, at least every single one I've been in, have had stock rooms where they hold extra merchandise. Department stores typically do not store video game stock they have in their stock room, unless they receive the item before street date. They usually put all stock on the floor, and when they are out of any gaming item, if you ask a clerk about it, this is exactly what they will tell you.

Edit: So basically, if you care to be business-savvy, you know preorders are a poor decision, for loss of utility of your own money. Though, like I said before, there are a few cases where preordering secures you an actual copy of the game, whereas normally, you would have little to no chance of ever being able to buy the game new.

I wonder how those numbers compared to what has already been sold in Japan.

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Actually, it works a lot like gift cards. Stores sell gift cards to get money immediately, rather than later. When someone buys a gift card, though the store gets the same amount of revenue from the items bought for the value of the card, the store gets increased utility from having the money earlier. This means that they can invest the money however they choose, and most likely turn it into more money sooner.

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I am part because I pre-ordered Diamond months ago and today I finally went ahead and pre-ordered Pearl as well. Since I have bought each Pokemon game since I started played when Ruby and Sapphire came out, I figured I would keep up the trend.

So Nitsu, you're giving them free money because...?

I kid I kid. I'm giving Nintendo free money too! I bought Legend of Kage. And LIKED it.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

because i'm a pokenut.

Well... I'm buying the official guide! So there!

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

So did I! In the same order I also bought Odin Sphere for PS2, and Etrian Odyssey for NDS, must show my support to Atlus.

Who would think that a series that is basically the same game each time would still be selling like this? Oh wait ::looks at GTA series and Madden::, nevermind.

Yeah Pokemon is basically the same but, heck, if I still had Pokemon Red I would replay it. That's sayin something.

I guess this is why there's no Australian release date at all for this game. America's gotta consume 'em all!

I am now on the dark side, I was tempted to buy Pokemon and I did. Yes, quite horrible, I know it! Wasn't sure what version I should get, but I have the Pearl one.