UK 360 availability investigated

by Jennie Lees { Nov 28th 2005 at 1:00PM }

Didn't preorder? Having little luck with online shopping? We'll cut straight to the good news: after investigating several High Street retailers based in one UK city, we've found that there are 360s available on launch to those prepared to queue, despite the low number of units available. However, these retailers are few and far between.

Local branches of the music and video game chains HMV, Gamestation, and Game will all disappoint since they have no free stock available for those who didn't preorder. They are having difficulty meeting all their preorders, so customers may be wise looking elsewhere. WH Smith and a local independent store also painted the same grim picture.

Large electrical chains Dixons, Comet and PC World also had bad news for non-preorders, although local branches expected enough stock on launch to cover preorders. Catalogue shop Argos will also fulfil preorders but is out of stock for new orders, although individual branches may vary.

The good news? Supermarkets Asda and Tesco are expecting stock on launch but aren't taking preorders; Virgin Megastore are also expecting consoles to be available on Friday, as the chain stopped taking preorders early, meaning that branches will be receiving more consoles than have been preordered. Only a local Tesco, already open 24 hours, is planning a midnight event. All three stores were expecting a large turnout.

Hopefully this will help you figure out which local branches to phone up and/or camp out at; if you are in a smaller town or village, with less demand, then you may have more luck. If not, there's always eBay. Retailers contacted were unsure of when future shipments would be, with some quoting from "next week" to "mid-December" and "after Christmas".

(Any retailers not listed were either unavailable or did not know their situation. If we receive any more information, we'll keep you informed--send in your tips!)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

oh snap @ Nov 28th 2005 3:06PM

THANK YOU. Ive been waiting for this article.

Tim Irons @ Nov 28th 2005 4:31PM

Thank you too, I live in the UK, me and most of my mates have been waiting for an article like this for a while! :D Thanks again!

Ciaran Gallagher @ Nov 28th 2005 4:33PM

Which town/city is this, may I ask? I made a pre-order with Smyths toystore in Derry/Londonderry and was one of the last pre-orders. I'm now a bit worried that they may not get their pre-orders fulfilled...

jennie @ Nov 28th 2005 4:42PM

The survey was conducted in Cambridge, which is a mid-size city with branches of just about everything.

Neonet7 @ Nov 28th 2005 5:08PM

I can confirm to the best of my knowledge that COMET has fulfilled some pre-orders placed up to Sept/Oct. HMV have said not untill 2006 pre-order placed end of OCT. Argos no news as yet! expecting them to deliver 2nd Dec, pre-order placed beginning of NOV.

The New Wayne Rooney @ Nov 29th 2005 8:47AM

I recived a letter in the post today confiming that I will be able to pick up my 360 on the launch day. I pre-ordered mine from Dixons in the Trafford Centre, Manchester, England, on 10th October and was the 33rd person on the list. Can't wait to play 'Perfecto'!
TNWR.
P.S.
Anyone heard if there is going to be a GTA game coming on the 360 in the next year?

noikz @ Nov 29th 2005 8:59AM

"Anyone heard if there is going to be a GTA game coming on the 360 in the next year?"

Saints Row ^^

peter hutchinson @ Nov 29th 2005 10:20AM

games online ordering system was a joke, i ordered mine on august 21st and have been told i cant get one for launch, whereas those who walked into the store at any time up to october and paid a �20 deposit are guranteed one at launch, its an absolute outrage for us online buyers who feel as we have been kicked in the teeth, game are not getting another penny out of me ( well after they ship my 360) i have cancelled all my games and everything else from them in disgust, i would rather get them from a repitable company that doesnt tell lies and build up false promises they cant keep

ive had to get one off ebay, at a ridiculous price

peter hutchinson @ Nov 29th 2005 10:24AM

the above comment should have said game.net's online ordering system was a joke!!

Lesbian Ham @ Nov 29th 2005 2:58PM

lol, I just walked into a HMV a couple of weeks ago, breezily asked if they were taking pre-orders for 360s. Cant remember what they said, but they said I could reserve one for a �10 deposit, and that I was 15th on the reserve list. and this is in London!
I phoned them up a coupla days ago, just to make sure I was still gettin my 360 and they said I was guaranteed one, and that that particular store was getting 80 consoles in total.
Seriously, screw online pre-orders, why not just go in and put down a deposit??

Si @ Nov 29th 2005 2:01PM

Well im working at argos tomorow, my main mission of they day is to find out as much about stock as I can. The branch i work at is an argos extra in a small town and only opened at the end of October so may not have taken many preorders i certainly haven't even seen any. Last tiem i was in my management didn't know anything. I am hoping there are premium systems available, if there are there all mine!!! ;)

Neonet7 @ Nov 29th 2005 2:09PM

I can now confirm Argos is delivering mine on the 2nd Dec, as per previous post this was pre-ordered @ beginning of NOV. Its a shame the first pre-order from HMV placed a couple of weeks prior to the Argos one, still are not delivering till 2006? WTF?

David @ Nov 29th 2005 5:01PM

I ordered off of game.net also, in early october, needless to say they told me at the time it was risky, and they contacted me by e-mail on saturday saying I would probably not get one at launch. I just wish I hadn't figured in october that if game were out, the stores must be too. Now i'm at a loss, but I suppose I knew the risk so i can't complain. I just bloody wish I had gone to the shop and given a deposit!

john @ Nov 30th 2005 11:54AM

I spoke to my local HMV in Leeds (white rose shopping centre) and they are taking pre orders but they wont be forfilled till after xmas. They couldn't tell me as they didn't know how many they were getting on launch day either.

GAL @ Dec 1st 2005 7:48AM

Of course, having spent all of my life without an XBOX 360, and knowing that a few people that have played them with MS who said it was good but not that radically good, I think it will not kill me to wait a few more weeks until the rip off practices of shops start to dull down. While graphics and sound are reportedly good, the key part of any gaming is game play. The titles at launch do suffer here and are not up to the superb balanced play of halo and halo2. I have many pretty xbox games in the cupboard which all look good sound great but are dissapointing to play. So no rush to be first on this one.

The second point is the quantity of games. Shelf space is always a good indication of a console's place in the market and xbox appears smaller and smaller each time I go in a shop.

BeaMaN @ Dec 1st 2005 8:45AM

i decided upon reading this article to give it a chance and ring my local virgin megastore, they have three Core versions and Four premium packs available to the non-preorder customer on launch...needless to say im getting there at least half hour before opening time

Julian @ Dec 1st 2005 8:40PM

I pre-ordered on the 10th/11th of November at comet and my 360 is coming on tuesday. Comet rock just a little methinks.

andy c @ Dec 2nd 2005 3:42AM

comet in solihull 'spears park i think" have no full versions but as they only had 21 delivered, but have had 40 odd core 360's with only 2 pre orders for the core. the rest are going on the shelve this morning..... hurry if you want one!

AD @ Dec 3rd 2005 7:57AM

What is the big rush? I can wait longer, 2 to 3 weeks after doesn't change anything. Besides, It is good to know other people experiences about the machine.

neonet7 @ Dec 6th 2005 2:32PM

Thought I would leave an update. Asda & Comet delivered on 2nd of DEC in the U.K as promised for CORE pre-orders. (***** Gold Stars to THEM.)BUY A MEMORY CARD if you bought a core, as you aint gonna find a HDD (Hard Drive) except on Ebay when your paying TOP WACK!! Im awaiting news on second wave. Anyone else hear anthing yet? People are still shop crawling with ZERO results!!

carl grocutt @ Dec 11th 2005 8:29PM

I ordered my Xbox 360 from Game ( Online ) on August 30th and still havent recieved my console, hope they sort the shortage out before Xmas can't wait to try it out.