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Advice for pre ordering a console through Amazon.

Snake__

Snake__

Member
Jan 8, 2020
2,450
KeRaSh said:
The fuck is wrong with your Amazon experiences? They've never let me down on day one. If someone fucks up it's the delivery company 99% of the time. Just thinking about it makes me nervous...
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It's a recent problem but they seem to be getting some video games later than other retailers for some reason

Big ones I know of are FF7R and Tony Hawk 1+2

It seemed like a COVID problem but it is not consistent across all video games and there seems to be more to the issue
 
Biske

Biske

Member
Nov 11, 2017
8,270
A lot of people saying don't, but honestly for me I've never had any problems with pre-ordering from amazon. Always gotten my stuff fine.

So just be alert when the pre-order goes up and.. pre-order. Always been dead easy for me.
 
Aswitch

Aswitch

Member
Nov 27, 2017
5,121
Los Angeles, CA
If you want to ensure you get an order, I'd recommend having a backup plan. Amazon can sometimes cancel orders(hasn't happened to me with consoles so far at least). All of my console preorders from amazon have been pretty positive though and arrived the day of release(Xbox one, PS4pro, Xbox One X). The pandemic situation may throw a wrench in things though. I stay in California and I think i'm somewhat close to a center so I think it's just a lot of variables to consider really. Ultimately though, I'd advise having a backup plan with another store in case they cancel your order.

Also this will be a test of the attentive and quickest. We don't know if the 22nd means midnight, 2am, 6am etc. So..F5 the product page like your life depends on it around the time is the best advice I can give. Also make sure your payments and address info is set in advance to save time.
 
shadowsdarknes

shadowsdarknes

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
8,706
Will I be able to sign up for a free trial of Prime to get faster shipping?
Would I do that in November or in September?
 
OrigamiPirate

OrigamiPirate

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 31, 2017
585
San Francisco
Adding my voice to the choir, find somewhere this isn't Amazon. My husband and I regularly do two launch day consoles (then fiancé, come to think of it this is our first console gen since we got married), and our worst experiences have been times that one of us has had to rely on Amazon.
 
Snake__

Snake__

Member
Jan 8, 2020
2,450
Everyone posting about the reliability of Amazon needs to focus on 2020

Amazon used to be extremely reliable around when the PS4 came out but that does not seem to be the case anymore

Atheerios said:
Amazon is exellent, never has let me down. If you pay for day one / Prime shipping and it doesn't arrive you will get some credit.
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this used to be true but it isn't anymore
 
JumbiePrime

JumbiePrime

Member
Feb 16, 2019
1,889
Bklyn
Make sure you have payment method . shipping address and everything up to date and saved also turn on one click buying (I don't know if it's available for everything) so you can just click buy now .
 
Tbm24

Tbm24

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,297
44tiger said:
That was back when Amazon actually cared about meeting their delivery promises.
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Honestly I still don't have a problem with them. All my pre-orders have arrived the day of launch. Amazon is not perfect mind you, but reliable enough that I have no genuine reason to suspect I won't get my console on launch day.

For context, due to Quarantine I've ordered more from Amazon this year than I ever have before. I still have received my pre-ordered items on time. Not doubting others experience, just sharing why I'll be pre-ordering again from Amazon with degrees of confidence.
 
Dreamwriter

Dreamwriter

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,461
shadowsdarknes said:
Will I be able to sign up for a free trial of Prime to get faster shipping?
Would I do that in November or in September?
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In the US at least, yes. Amazon offers a 30 day free trial, and free trial members get access to everything that normal members get. The email address used to sign up though must be different from any email address that has ever had an Amazon account, trial or not.
 
CelticKennedy

CelticKennedy

â–˛ Legend â–˛
Member
Sep 18, 2019
1,884
Only consoles I ever preordered was the PS4 and PS4 Pro through Amazon. I remember just paying attention to when pre-order dates were announced and went to the site and preordered. I got both consoles on launch day....so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones?

Microsoft announced that preorders start for Series X and S on September 22nd. I'm not sure if that is for all retailers or the Microsoft store only.


EDIT: As some others have said....Make sure your payment and shipping information is all correct now before preorders go up.
 
Witness

Witness

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,811
Hartford, CT
Can you preorder online anywhere for in store pickup? I'd rather get it in store so that I dont have to worry about shipping nonsense or someone stealing a package at my door.
 

Deleted member 72415

User requested account closure
Banned
Jun 18, 2020
123
Snake__ said:
It's a recent problem but they seem to be getting some video games later than other retailers for some reason

Big ones I know of are FF7R and Tony Hawk 1+2

It seemed like a COVID problem but it is not consistent across all video games and there seems to be more to the issue
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The problem is you pre-ordered too late (or you were bumped down after updating payment/shipping info) and their initial shipment ran out before they got around to your order. I got Tony Hawk from amazon day one.
 
Snake__

Snake__

Member
Jan 8, 2020
2,450
Tbm24 said:
For context, due to Quarantine I've ordered more from Amazon this year than I ever have before. I still have received my pre-ordered items on time. Not doubting others experience, just sharing why I'll be pre-ordering again from Amazon with degrees of confidence.
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Im starting to think that the reliability of Amazon in 2020 is a regional thing

For some reason I've only had issues with video games here in Florida, but I have definitely had enough issues that I would greatly prefer pre-ordering for delivery from Best Buy or Walmart or better yet in store car-side pick up from Best Buy or Target
 
CerealEnthusiast

CerealEnthusiast

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
617
Follow Wario64 on Twitter and on Sept 22nd wait for him to tweet the link to Amazon.

And for what it's worth, I had pre-order the PS4 in 2013 with Amazon France, I received it day one at 9am, before people waiting in line at the Sony Store all night to get it at 10. I live in California too now so we'll see if it's as good or not.
 
Dreamwriter

Dreamwriter

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,461
Witness said:
Can you preorder online anywhere for in store pickup? I'd rather get it in store so that I dont have to worry about shipping nonsense or someone stealing a package at my door.
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There is a halfway option - you can order on Amazon and ship to Amazon Lockers, which are located in businesses (usually grocery or convenience stores). The lockers open electronically when you enter a code emailed to you (or scan the barcode in the email, though I always had problems getting that to work)
 
Forearm_Star

Forearm_Star

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,523
Be on your computer at 11:59pm 9/21 and keep hitting refresh.

*Make sure you're on the Amazon website though. Can't stress that enough.
 
Biske

Biske

Member
Nov 11, 2017
8,270
One place I have never gotten a good experience with was Best Buy, nothing but having a hold placed on my card every month until the system ships and if that hold goes wrong... bye bye preorder.
 
Snake__

Snake__

Member
Jan 8, 2020
2,450
Witness said:
Can you preorder online anywhere for in store pickup? I'd rather get it in store so that I dont have to worry about shipping nonsense or someone stealing a package at my door.
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Best Buy and Target should both be great options for this
Both have car-side pick-up for stuff ordered online
They may even have midnight releases
They will be my top choices for trying to pre-order

ennui said:
The problem is you pre-ordered too late (or you were bumped down after updating payment/shipping info) and their initial shipment ran out before they got around to your order. I got Tony Hawk from amazon day one.
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Thats good to know, I couldn't find anyone that got Tony Hawk day 1 from Amazon before, but like others have pointed out, people aren't posting online if they didn't have issues usually

That still means that they are probably taking too many pre-orders though

Biske said:
One place I have never gotten a good experience with was Best Buy, nothing but having a hold placed on my card every month until the system ships and if that hold goes wrong... bye bye preorder.
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You are definitely right about this
Also this is probably the case for anywhere that isn't Amazon
You need to be very confident in your payment method
 
Biske

Biske

Member
Nov 11, 2017
8,270
Snake__ said:
You are definitely right about this
Also this is probably the case for anywhere that isn't Amazon
You need to be very confident in your payment method
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Click to shrink...

Yeah, delivery date concerns aside (I guess I've just been lucky but even during covid my packages often come sooner) it is really nice that they only charge you when it ships, so much nicer having that knowledge of when the payment will be.

Having to always be aware of when a hold is going to happen and make sure your card is good, was a complete pain in the ass for me, will never do it again.
 
kubev

kubev

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,533
California
jman1954goat said:
I live in California and think I am close to a distribution center are fellow Californians also getting things late from Amazon?
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I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's not so much a matter of getting consoles "on time" with respect to when Amazon promises it. From my experience, Amazon has just gotten away from offering launch day delivery. That said, it won't be the end of the world if I don't get my Xbox Series X on launch day, as I have Fridays and Saturdays off currently.
 
Beef Supreme

Beef Supreme

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,073
Don't. Instead go to Best Buy. I have tons of Amazon credit as well, but I just don't trust them with high dollar stuff. Or if I want it day 1
 
Hypemaster

Hypemaster

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
1,333
Space
KeRaSh said:
The fuck is wrong with your Amazon experiences? They've never let me down on day one. If someone fucks up it's the delivery company 99% of the time. Just thinking about it makes me nervous...
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Right I've heard the same complaints when the PS4 launched and I was able to get that day 1. I order a shit ton from Amazon (during pandemic as well) and only had 1 issue ever and that was moreso an error on my local post office. I guess it varies by region
 
sugar bear

sugar bear

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,639
Preodered a Switch + BOTW (Amazon) and Pro Controller (Best Buy) and both arrived launch day. No problems.
 
Charcoal

Charcoal

Member
Nov 2, 2017
7,514
Well generally you click the add to cart button, enter your payment details, and then hit submit.

Crazy, I know.
 
Bradford

Bradford

terminus est
Member
Aug 12, 2018
5,423
I've never had an issue with missing preorders on Amazon, so I would suggest just getting in early.
 
Anddo

Anddo

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,856
LOL@ the Amazon comments. I agree for the most part.
However I have never had an issue with launch consoles through Amazon.

That being said. Amazon has been very dodgy in 2020.
I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket.
 
Pastel Melon

Pastel Melon

Member
Jan 2, 2020
618
Germany
Does this change so much from Europe or am I just a lucky bastard? I am seriously curious about other EU based users (especially Germany): Have you ever had problems with Amazon Pre-Orders as well? I got all my consoles* from current gen via Amazon – two of them came 2 – 3 days earlier, the rest came Day 1.

*PS4, PS4 Pro, 1 Switch, 3 x Switch Lites, Animal Crossing: Switch
 
Musubi

Musubi

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
23,611
Eh, I'll probably just get mine through amazon. I don't need it like ON launch day I just need to know that I secured one. Hoping though that sony gives me that VIP pass and just lets me buy directly from them.
 
GattsuSama

GattsuSama

Member
Mar 12, 2020
1,761
I am sorry people are generally being assholes and inserting their opinion instead of helping you out. didn't read past the first dozen snarky comments though but here is my advise:

  1. Go to nowinstock.com and set up alerts for both on all the retailers even if you do not buy it there. If will help with texts when it goes live.
  2. Keep a browser window open with the landing pages for both consoles for Amazon, and I would also do it for Best Buy/Target/Walmart
  3. Pay attention to Wario64 on Twitter and set up alerts for his tweets
  4. On the day off just be aware, be around the board and elsewhere and be ready to do it quick.
  5. Set up 1-click pay in Amazon for quick checkout
Good luck. I don't think the Series X will sell out and I hope we get details on the time itself but just keep your ear to the ground.

And don't listen to people that say to no preorder. Amazon preorders are FREE, you pay when or around the time it ships. If you are worried try to get Amazon as a fall back and do Best Buy or another.
 
Terraforce

Terraforce

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
18,917
Solid said:
Pre-ordering?
A console?
With the expectation that the console will arrive day-one?

From Amazon?

Right, gotcha. Here's my tips

#1 - don't
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slinch said:
dont
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I must have gotten really lucky. I'm 2 for 2 in getting my pre ordered consoles at launch. Wii U and Switch both came day one from Amazon.

jman1954goat my recommendation is to follow Wario64, turn on alerts, and hope you aren't asleep when pre orders drop lol
He'll have the link as soon as they're up.
 
Hilbert

Hilbert

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,979
Pacific Northwest!
For the One X I went to Amazon.
Clicked Preorder
Made sure on release date my payment method had sufficient funds
Got it on release day.

Planning the same on the series X.
 
Lobster Roll

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever
Member
Sep 24, 2019
34,359
Do you live in a major metro area? I preordered my Xbox One and it arrived on launch day through Amazon. I have to imagine this is an YMMV situation, but I'm going to go through Amazon again, COVID affecting logistics and all. If I lived in a suburban or rural area, though, I'd go Best Buy.
 

bes.gen

Member
Nov 24, 2017
3,351
was never in for release period in the past, for any product,
but man, between these consoles and new gpus,
wouldn't have tought I'll have so much headache trying to waste some money.
 
Faenix1

Faenix1

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,114
Canada
jot said:
Don't use Amazon. At least in Canada, they have become hideously unreliable for preorders in the last few years.
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You must be lucky, everyone is horrible here with preorders. I'm within an hour of one of the general shipping hubs (Missisauga), takes two days and they all generally ship the day of release.
 
javiergame4

javiergame4

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,642
I prefer using bestbuy personally. I like the feeling of picking up a console physically and opening it up.
 
Giga Man

Giga Man

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
21,225
I don't know how reliable amazon is with delivering non-essential items on time in 2020. It took them months to deliver a single yoga mat to my house. COVID-19 could fuck things up.
 
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