Getting an Elite (why I hate dislike Wal Mart box stores that start with "W")

Friday through Saturday I called, and visited, 30+ Wal Mart stores box stores, that start with "W", in the North Texas area and asked about the availability of Xbox 360 Elites. I figured if I found one Saturday night (early morning Sunday) I could sleep-in the next day (I need sleep).

I received several responses to my questioning:

• "We won't get any until May"
• "We've never heard of that"
• "We are not getting them at this store"
• "I don't know what that is"
• "My manager says we can't sell them until further notice"

Finally, one store admitted they got the Elite systems in and would be selling them at midnight. I asked how many the store received and was told: "plenty... if you get here around midnight you should be fine."

Well, I got to the store at 11:00 PM. There was a man standing in the game isle, next to the Xbox 360 display, he said he had been at the store since 3:00 PM (!!!!????). He also informed me that there was a list of customers waiting for the Elite and there were only 4 units for sale (!!!!????!!!!????). The list was full. Most units were going to one family... grrr! I guess they needed one for each room.

I complained a little, then took off for another store 20 miles away. On the way there I called ahead and convinced a clerk to hold an Elite for me until I arrived. This was one of the stores that I visited earlier in the day and that said they would NOT be getting the Elite systems. I also called a few other stores in the area to be told that they had already sold out or had people in line waiting for reserved (via "the list", again) systems.

I finally reached the next store and dashed through the parking lot and into the electronics department. There were three people waiting for one system... and I got mine... right as the shift change happened. I had to wait nearly half an hour for the clerks to close out their registers before I could actually buy my Elite.

I left the store about 1:30 am.

I got my Elite, so I have no reason to complain about that. But what really irritates me is the fact that almost no one knew anything about this launch. I shouldn't be surprised, but c'mon retail-people, learn your stuff!

Sunday afternoon I headed out to a few other stores to see if anyone had any Elites left. Target had one (out of 20 I was told they were receiving) and Best Buy seemed to have none. The employee at Best Buy bragged that they received 95 units and had sold 20. Where were the other 75? Why was there not a huge pile of Elites on the sales floor?

How awful that a system-launch seems so flawed, not by the manufacturer (PS3 and Wii), but by the retail chains.

I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't be so happy if they knew how their distribution chains were acting. Maybe they already know.

Oh yeah, my system works and it rocks... but having to wait for the free data transfer kit is a HUGE pain. I want to transfer my stuff NOW!