I just got back from the most interesting of conversations with a clerk at a local Toys 'R' Us chain. Here's the juiciest of the tidbits he tossed ol' Rick ...

TRU stores will NOT be pre-selling GameCube units, and more importantly, will NOT be selling it in a bundle of any kind, and is a corporate policy. (Online has different rules.) You'll need to show up on Nov. 18th to get yours, but you can pre-order games now. Any TRU store that tells you differently either doesn't read their corporate mail, or is simply making up stories to avoid looking stupid.

TRU may be selling units before the launch date. Nintendo is reportedly calling Nov. 18th a "soft date." Nintendo certainly doesn't want to turn away customers that come looking for an X-Box and find the shelves bare. TRU was allowed to sell GBA units as soon as they hit stores.

By virtue of not pre-selling or bundling, TRU is getting the lion's share of the initial shipment, rivaling WalMart. Stores like GameStop that are bundling and pre-selling are getting smaller allocations. Individual stores are also being penalized for breaking previous launch dates.

This particular store has been told to limit X-Box presells to 40. They are expecting to have presells filled, but the allocation above those presells is going to be slim, likely in the single digits.