What is the deal with pricing? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Koch]

Hi:

I just started on console games, got myself a Hex-Box... (No, I am pretty aniti-MS, but it was the best box for my needs, so I went for it!)

Anyway, so I did my shopping, and- unlike shopping for Amps, CD players, etc, there just seems to be one price (199.00) for the boxes.

And the games... they do not seem to vary like DVD's and CD's, either.

So, what's the deal? Is there some sort of, well, not price fixing, but something that discourages retailers- even e-tailers- from straying from the party line on pricing?

Thanks!

 

[BrianB]

The reason there's little flexibility in console pricing is because, well, there's little room for flexibility. Retailers make a little more than diddly squat on console hardware - the system is setup so they make their profit on the peripherals you "must" own.

 

[JamesH]

Stores won't usually drop the Xbox below $199, but it's easy to find it for that price with extra controllers, games, or maybe a store giftcard thrown in.


As for games, there are HUGE variations in prices. For example, Beach Spikers on the Cube is $9.99 at Best Buy, whereas Walmart charges $49.99 for it. Some people practically make a career out of exploiting things like that, buying a stack of the game at Best Buy and then returning them to Walmart.