The Xbox One doesn’t even have an official release date, but that hasn’t stopped some online stores allowing customers to place pre-orders for the device. Is doing that risky?
Right now, Harvey Norman is offering advance orders on the console with a suggested price of $888. EB Games has gone with a slightly higher placeholder price of $899, as has JB Hi-Fi. In both cases, that price is essentially a guess, based on the likely upper limit of what anyone is willing to pay for a console.
[related title=”XBOX ONE” tag=”xbox-one” items=”5″]Harvey Norman isn’t even asking for credit card details; EB Games asks for a $50 deposit . Either way, the risk is relatively low. JB Hi-Fi asks for a full payment, but guarantees it will refund the difference if the final price is lower.
It’s highly likely that better-priced bundles will appear in the run-up to the Xbox One launch, so the odds are good that you’ll be cancelling any order before the console ships. Under the circumstances, paying the full cost at JB Hi-Fi seems foolish.
We certainly don’t recommend placing an advance order with an eBay seller offering a similar deal (yes, some have appeared), especially if the seller is located overseas. Also be alert to the possibility that scammers will start offering the Xbox One via dodgy spam emails. Personally, I’d be patient and wait for an official price, but if you’re determined to order now, a visible local retailer is a much better bet.
Comments
One response to “Is It Safe To Pre-Order An Xbox One?”
Apparently Sportsbet are getting involved by allowing you to bet on the Australian RRP.
So far the odds are in favour of $401 – $500 for a xbox one
$801 – $900 is paying $34:1 so if those retailers are right, Then I think I might just put a few bucks on it.