The Wii of sadness.
My friend, Nic, wanted a Nintendo Wii. The only problem was that Best Buy opened up at 9 a.m. on Saturday and he had a class then. So I volunteered to wait. We arranged to meet at 6:30 at the Okemos Best Buy, which was way too early for both of us, but we would deal. Well, Nic would ingest even more caffeine than usual and I would suck it up. I can't have caffeine, and cocaine is too damn expensive.
We got there in the wee morning hours, gave my name to the helpful Best Buy employee who was making up The List (he spelled it right on the first try!), were told that there were 60-80 units and our position would definitely nab one, and then learned that the launch was Sunday. Tickets were being given out Sunday. Not Saturday, like Nic had thought. Not Saturday, which was the day we had asked about and thought the launch was on. ("Hey, what time are you giving out tickets tomorrow?" which was said on Friday.) Sunday.
So we left.
Now interested in doing this crazy launch date waiting thing, I agreed to wait with him the next day. Nic called up the Lansing Best Buy late on Saturday and was assured that (1) there were only five people in line and (2) arriving at 6:30 would assure us one of their 45 units. So we did that. Got there at 6:30 to hear that The List was full and at least twenty other people were waiting in hopes of someone dropping off The List at the last minute.
No worries: plenty of other stores in the area. Circuit City had a tiny contingent of hardcore fans there, who had written their List on an empty Krispy Kreme box. There were 13 units. We were #15.
Into the car again, to head to CompUSA. Unlike the other stores, CompUSA opened at 11. It was 7. We made it through an episode and a half of "How I Met Your Mother" before anyone showed up and we had to leave the warm car. Fortunately, there was a Panera around the corner, and they had decaf tea. It had peppermint in it, but when that's the only decaf tea a store has, you don't quibble with what's in your teabag. (Unless it's natto. I wouldn't put it past the Japanese. I mean, they seemed to think that lychee Chu-Hi was drinkable, which it wasn't.)
Lots of waiting. #2 was a kid who was freakishly well-prepared, with a chair, blanket, book, magazine, and cel phone. He was getting a Wii for his birthday. #3 had tried Best Buy and Kmart before heading over. Kmart had 3 Wii consoles. Target had given out tickets last night. Meijer had done a lottery. This was our last hope. We all compared numbers and tried to figure out how many CompUSA would have. At least three; less than fifteen. #7 said he had talked to the manager and was convinced they would have ten.
After two and a half hours, employees came to open up the store. "Are you here for the Wii?" one of them asked. We all chorused agreement. "We didn't get any."
Well, shit. One one hand, this is fabulous, because that means the Wii defied expectations and sold out at launch everywhere around here (even in places like Owosso). One the other hand, it sucks because Nic couldn't get one and I wasn't able to play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
It was an interesting experience, and I'll know what to do next time I try to get a console when it launches:
We got there in the wee morning hours, gave my name to the helpful Best Buy employee who was making up The List (he spelled it right on the first try!), were told that there were 60-80 units and our position would definitely nab one, and then learned that the launch was Sunday. Tickets were being given out Sunday. Not Saturday, like Nic had thought. Not Saturday, which was the day we had asked about and thought the launch was on. ("Hey, what time are you giving out tickets tomorrow?" which was said on Friday.) Sunday.
So we left.
Now interested in doing this crazy launch date waiting thing, I agreed to wait with him the next day. Nic called up the Lansing Best Buy late on Saturday and was assured that (1) there were only five people in line and (2) arriving at 6:30 would assure us one of their 45 units. So we did that. Got there at 6:30 to hear that The List was full and at least twenty other people were waiting in hopes of someone dropping off The List at the last minute.
No worries: plenty of other stores in the area. Circuit City had a tiny contingent of hardcore fans there, who had written their List on an empty Krispy Kreme box. There were 13 units. We were #15.
Into the car again, to head to CompUSA. Unlike the other stores, CompUSA opened at 11. It was 7. We made it through an episode and a half of "How I Met Your Mother" before anyone showed up and we had to leave the warm car. Fortunately, there was a Panera around the corner, and they had decaf tea. It had peppermint in it, but when that's the only decaf tea a store has, you don't quibble with what's in your teabag. (Unless it's natto. I wouldn't put it past the Japanese. I mean, they seemed to think that lychee Chu-Hi was drinkable, which it wasn't.)
Lots of waiting. #2 was a kid who was freakishly well-prepared, with a chair, blanket, book, magazine, and cel phone. He was getting a Wii for his birthday. #3 had tried Best Buy and Kmart before heading over. Kmart had 3 Wii consoles. Target had given out tickets last night. Meijer had done a lottery. This was our last hope. We all compared numbers and tried to figure out how many CompUSA would have. At least three; less than fifteen. #7 said he had talked to the manager and was convinced they would have ten.
After two and a half hours, employees came to open up the store. "Are you here for the Wii?" one of them asked. We all chorused agreement. "We didn't get any."
Well, shit. One one hand, this is fabulous, because that means the Wii defied expectations and sold out at launch everywhere around here (even in places like Owosso). One the other hand, it sucks because Nic couldn't get one and I wasn't able to play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
It was an interesting experience, and I'll know what to do next time I try to get a console when it launches:
- Work for Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, GameStop...whomever is going to get the consoles at launch. Be sure to be high on the employee hierarchy.
- If you can't become floor manager at Best Buy quick enough for the launch, get to your target store early. Figure out a time you feel is reasonable, then go 3-4 hours earlier than that.
- If your reasonable time means you'll be spending the night, have a tent. Launches are done in the late fall/early winter and you'll be cold.
- Location is everything. CompUSA was next to a Panera Bread. The Okemos Best Buy was next to Little Caesars, Burger King, and Taco Bell. Circuit City was near Meijer. Being next to stores that sell food and beverages (especially hot beverages) will help. Not to mention they have bathrooms.
- Bring chairs. Standing is boring and it will get very old very fast. Similarly, bring entertainment, like your DS and a deck of cards.
- Bring blankets/sleeping bags. It's damn cold, and you'll want to wrap up. Check the weather to see if you need a poncho.
- Bring a person who isn't getting the console. This enables you to be in the line when The List is checked every few hours, while your friend/SO/family member brings you donuts.
- Finally, make sure the store you park your ass at is actually selling the console. 'Cause that's the whole purpose of staking out there, right?