Amazon price gouging?

GreatTeacherMacRoss

So, I keep eyeballing the new Xbox 360 with the 250 GB HD on it. My laser in my current system appears to be slowly dying and I had marked a new system as a goal on P2S (nothing like a free xbox eh?). Well, about three weeks ago, the price suddenly went up from 299.99 to 349.99. I figured there was some sort of reason for the increase, maybe a second controller or a game included or something...but no. No change. There is no difference from buying the system from a store, except that the store systems are still 299.99, some with games included in them.
Last week, the price jumped again, on BOTH new and used systems. Used were now selling for over $300 and new systems were a shocking $400 new for the same thing.
Today, a new system is an appalling $420. You get exactly jack and shit for your extra money, except the pleasure of waiting for them to mail it to you.
What the hell is going on? What could possibly justify a price jump of over a hundred dollars when stores are selling systems with games in them for the original price?

Amp

Either someone spaged up or its the magic of Christmas!!!!

Kiey

These aren't Amazon seeing them, but other sellers selling through Amazon. These sellers usually seem to up the price when there is more demand, especially with Amazon apparently being out of stock at the moment and pointing you to buying from them.

Luke Burrage

Isn't this basic economics? Charge what people are willing to pay, to maximize income, right? If you pay the higher price, no matter how much you grumble, the new Xbox is worth exactly that much to you.

Rym

Today, a new system isan appalling $420.You get exactly jack and shit for your extra money, except the pleasure of waiting for them to mail it to you.
What the hell is going on? What could possibly justify a price jump of over a hundred dollars when stores are selling systems with games in them for the original price?

You'll see the same thing with any book that isn't available on Amazon. Someone will put just one up for sale at a ludicrous price.

There must be high demand for Xboxen at the moment.

Techparadox

The new 360 model and Kinect are hot items this holiday season and as such are in high demand. I've seen some rumblings that the shortages are artificial, though. Personally, if I were in the market for one I'd just wait until January or later to get one. Prices and supply will normalize in the post-holiday season and the standard bundles will once again be available at their normal MSRP.

Apreche

I'm glad I bought the 250GB holiday bundle before it went out of stock.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

I'm not looking to buy one until next year anyhow. Still, I find it highly suspicious that a console that is years old suddenly has a shortage around the busiest shopping time. If it's just the people running the scams that are raising the prices, I still say they need a good fucking right in the eye socket.

Apreche

I'm not looking to buy one until next year anyhow. Still, I find it highly suspicious that a console that is years old suddenly has a shortage around the busiest shopping time. If it's just the people running the scams that are raising the prices, I still say they need a good fucking right in the eye socket.

Just wait for it to be back in stock and buy from Amazon. Also, for an item like this, Amazon never has a discount. It will be the exact same price even if you buy at shitty Gamestop.

Luke Burrage

Still, I find it highly suspicious that a console that is years old suddenly has a shortage around the busiest shopping time.

I think the Kinect is causing a huge boost. Hasn't it sold more in the first month than either the Wii or the iPad? That is driving up demand for the Xbox, so I see nothing suspicious.

Rym

There were also recent mainstream press articles talking about how the "5-year console cycle is dead." This could push people who were on the fence to dive in at this late stage.

Techparadox

Still, I find it highly suspicious that a console that is years old suddenly has a shortage around the busiest shopping time.

New hardware model = potential shortages if production wasn't ramped up enough to meet demand. When the new version of the console was released most stores blew out their old stock at a discount to make room for the new hotness. For what it's worth, I was in the local Wal-Mart yesterday and they had six Kinect units and at least as many new 360 models in the case; I'm betting the shortage of product is only happening in more densely populated areas.

I think the Kinect is causing a huge boost. Hasn't it sold more in the first month than either the Wii or the iPad? That is driving up demand for the Xbox, so I see nothing suspicious.

I believe that the statistic that's being bandied about is 2.5 million units sold. That's a boatload of units in the hands of the customer, not to mention a 360 is needed for every one of those units sold where the consumer didn't already have one. Nothing untoward about that, methinks.

There were also recent mainstream press articles talking about how the "5-year console cycle is dead." This could push people who were on the fence to dive in at this late stage.

While I won't disagree that a 5-year cycle for consoles has become a thing of the past, this is more about Microsoft's push to get the 360 into the hands of the mainstream consumer. They've already tapped about as much of the Gamer market as they can, and barring a price cut on the core hardware they weren't likely to get any Gamer who was on the fence to buy in. Without a new console on the block they needed a new market, and the Kinect gives them that entrance to the mainstream. The games that are available for Kinect right now aren't aimed at the core gaming audience (except maybe Dance Central); they're aimed squarely at the casual/mainstream market. Even Grandma has fun playing with those games where you waggle the remote control at your Wii, so why not try to get Grandma to upgrade to a 360 with a Kinect? Granted, I don't see Grandma getting up and busting a move in Dance Central any time soon, but the kids will still enjoy flailing around in front of the TV when they come to visit. Need to exercise but sick of paying for gym fees and a personal trainer? For around $250 Gamer or Gamer's Wife can snag a Kinect and a copy of EA Sports Active 2 (or Your Shape if they want to go a little cheaper) to go with their 360 and work out at home. Give it a year and we'll maybe see stuff that the core gamers will want.

Matt

I once thought it was a laughable argument to say that people would be willing to spend $250+ on video games with the intent of using them as exercise machines instead of buying gym memberships, then I went home for Thanksgiving and all of my family stated their intention to do so. When you think about it, most of them already have $800 treadmills or ellipticals that are used as clothes drying racks or just plain dust collectors, so this isn't so far fetched.

With Microsoft making a huge push to make the 360 a HTPC, it's not surprising they are going after the casual market. I think the Kinect games are pathetic. It's not reliable enough to have a high-level competition of skill, but then I realize I am not their target audience.

Apreche

With Microsoft making a huge push to make the 360 a HTPC, it's not surprising they are going after the casual market. I think the Kinect games are pathetic. It's not reliable enough to have a high-level competition of skill, but then I realize I am not their target audience.

DDR was a hit and then nobody played it anymore. Wii Sports was a big hit and then nobody played it anymore. Wii Fit was a big hit, and the nobody played anymore. Guitar Hero and Rock Band were huge hits that then died. Kinect will follow the exact same pattern.

It's no surprise that any one of these things started out as hits, and it's no surprise that they died out. What is surprising is that they are able to repeat this process over and over. Invent some new gaming peripheral device. Make some games for it that are really fun for about 20 minute, so they are great as a demo and at parties. Sell a ton of them. People play them during the holidays and forget them in January. Repeat! Profit?!

It's like people only learn the lesson once. They already have plastic guitars, so they don't buy more of them, but then they buy Kinects, which are basically the same thing!

Andrew

Kinects are going to see a long life if only for applications other than gaming. My research group here is really excited about using these cheap sensors on our robots, which have a surprisingly high level of fidelity (the sensor readings are comparable to some pretty expensive laser scanners). Expect to see some big things out of the research community with them. I'm buying one this week, but I'll probably never hook it up to my Xbox.

Apreche

Kinects are going to see a long life if only for applications other than gaming. My research group here is really excited about using these cheap sensors on our robots, which have a surprisingly high level of fidelity (the sensor readings are comparable to some pretty expensive laser scanners). Expect to see some big things out of the research community with them. I'm buying one this week, but I'll probably never hook it up to my Xbox.

Yeah, I'm only talking about for gaming. Plenty of devices have alternative uses. IIRC people were even using PS2 hardware back in the day just because the console was sold at a loss it was cheaper to buy a bunch of PS2s to get major horsepower than to buy regular PC hardware. Microsoft would be wise to make a webcam-like USB device with the Kinect hardware.

Andrew

Microsoft would be wise to make a webcam-like USB device with the Kinect hardware.

Yeah, it's called the Kinect.

Omnutia

Would probably need a beefed up camera though.

Apreche

Yeah, it's called the Kinect.

I mean more like the XBox 360 controller with a Windows driver and everything.

Andrew

Would probably need a beefed up camera though.

It's a 1.3 Megapixel camera that outputs 1280x1024.

I mean more like the XBox 360 controller with a Windows driver and everything.

This is a software issue, not really a hardware one. I see no reason why Microsoft cannot make a PnP driver for the Kinect.

Apreche

This is a software issue, not really a hardware one. I see no reason why Microsoft cannot make a PnP driver for the Kinect.

IIRC the plug on the Kinect isn't normal USB shape.

Andrew

IIRC the plug on the Kinect isn't normal USB shape.

Look normal enough to me (or it comes with an adapter with the hardware).

Apreche

Look normal enough to me (or it comes with an adapter with the hardware).

Oh, then what was all that talk about the new slim XBoxes having a Kinect port? I'll have to take a look when I get home.

Techparadox

It comes with the USB & Power Adapter for those people who don't have one of the new model 360s. The newer ones don't need the power adapter and have the proprietary port.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

I also found the articles on how some nerd used two Kinect cameras to make a remarkably good 3d image. That might have potential for 3d TVs in the future.

Andrew

I also found the articles on how some nerd used two Kinect cameras to make a remarkably good 3d image. That might have potential for 3d TVs in the future.

As far as I'm aware, it won't really have any effect for projecting a 3D image, just capturing one. Maybe there are some novel techniques with determining the position of people watching the set and adjusting the screen to get a no glasses projection ala Nintendo 3DS.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

I also found the articles on how some nerd used two Kinect cameras to make a remarkably good 3d image. That might have potential for 3d TVs in the future.

As far as I'm aware, it won't really have any effect for projecting a 3D image, just capturing one. Maybe there are some novel techniques with determining the position of people watching the set and adjusting the screen to get a no glasses projection ala Nintendo 3DS.

Right, but if it can capture a 3d image, and someone else video chatting with you has a 3dTV, it's possible that they could have a neat 3d camera to attach to the system.

Churba

There were also recent mainstream press articles talking about how the "5-year console cycle is dead." This could push people who were on the fence to dive in at this late stage.

Oddly perceptive of them, since the Xbox 360's 5th Anniversary was last week.

gomidog

The only thing Emily is excited about with the Kinect:
Cheap Mo-cap solution for 3D animation.

Andrew

The only thing Emily is excited about with the Kinect:
Cheap Mo-cap solution for 3D animation.

Do you think the fidelity of the capture will be high enough to be of any use for animation? It always seems that mo-cap need to be super precise with all the ball tracking.

Apreche

The only thing Emily is excited about with the Kinect:
Cheap Mo-cap solution for 3D animation.

Do you think the fidelity of the capture will be high enough to be of any use for animation? It always seems that mo-cap need to be super precise with all the ball tracking.

Is the Playstation thing more precise, because it basically is just a camera looking at glowing balls. If you had some balls and programmed the Kinect to look for them, would it be more/less precise than PS3 or pro mocap hardware?