Posted Mon Sep 30, 2013 at 11:30 AM PDT by Brian Hoss
Target.com not in a hurry to deliver a new console.
Right about now, I have two new game consoles pre-ordered, a PS4 from Amazon that is expected on launch day, November 15th, and a Xbox One Day One Edition from Target that is expected sometime during the launch month.
So my personal Xbox One pre-order story is not going so well. In short, despite spending an hour on the phone with various Target.com employees, the best window that Target can offer for delivering my pre-ordered Xbox One Day One Edition is November 27-December 3. Now it may be unreasonable to expect Target to match Amazon's free release date delivery, but I repeatedly offered to pay for expedited shipping without success.
Note: Just to clarify, I have a Prime account with Amazon, and a RedCard account with Target
Target's reasoning for their shipping window is two-fold, first they need 1-2 days to package the order after its release date, plus another five for the actually shipping journey. Target's rationale for not allowing me to upgrade shipping involves some 30 minute rule. Despite being months out from release, they claim the slow shipping fate was sealed within 30 minutes of placing the order.
I attempted to explain to Target how I ordered the Xbox One prior to it having a release date, a concept which they swore was an impossibility. Let me just break-down the timeline for this little pre-order saga.
08/24/2013 Pre-order placed for Xbox One Day One Edition
09/04/2013 Microsoft announces November 22nd launch date for the Xbox One
09/05/2013 Target updates estimated delivery date from 12/03/2013 - 12/06/2013 to 11/27/2013 - 12/03/2013
09/23/2013 Target refuses to allow any kind of upgraded shipping
Now to further complicate matters. My order receipt clearly shows "Xbox One Console Day One Edition (Xbox One)," but when I check that order on Target's website, it only states "Xbox One Console," which is a cause for concern, and one that was not alleviated by conflicting answers from customer service. When Target first gave me the new shipping window, I had hoped that, like Amazon, it would be moved up closer to the launch day. Yet on a Monday, two months out from launch, Target has been resolute that nothing could be done.
Frankly, while I was looking forward to playing 'Forza 5' on the new Xbox on launch day, I will still be plenty busy checking out the new PS4. One of my colleagues didn't order an Xbox One from Target, and I'll have to lean on him for the launch day experience. (And possible the first two weeks.)
Nevertheless, I can't help but be disappointed in Target's refusal to let me get faster shipping, and of course if I want that Xbox Day One Console (assuming they deliver the right one) I'm compelled to keep me pre-order. I was offered the option of cancelling my order in the hopes that Target would get more in stock, at which point they would allow faster shipping. I attempted to explain why cancelling a pro-order for a sold-out item would not be helpful. Ultimately, Target just seemed completely unaware that a product could be popular enough to pre-order before an announced date, to want to have on the launch day, or that might be sold out during the holidays.
On the other hand, maybe I have just allowed the excitement for the new consoles to cloud any understanding of what seems to be arbitrary shipping policies by a retailer better not relied on for new products.
Author: Brian Hoss
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