Sony Sending Free PS4 Bundles to GameStop Managers

[Seventh Actuality]

Yeah, that's bribery, and pretty fucked up.

As bribery, it wont work. If your an Xbox fan, i doubt you will buy a PS4 just cause the manager asked you to. Same with a PS fan and the Xbox. Either way, im sure those managers will have fun with that free console. An if they dont like it im guessing they will make a tidy profit on ebay.

Bribery like this is usually done so that shops will give premium advertising/window/shelf space to their product, and in that regard I can definitely see it working.

 

[toastdieb]

As a manager of a store that is part of a regional chain in competition with GameStop, all I can say is "of fucking course." They'll give GS managers free consoles, but they won't even *sell* them to me until after Christmas.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Sony are going all out this generation it seems. They've won over gamers since E3 and now they're winning over retailers. If they can get 3rd party devs in bed with them too, they'll be the one to beat come Christmas 2013.

 

[marscentral]

As bribery, it wont work. If your an Xbox fan, i doubt you will buy a PS4 just cause the manager asked you to. Same with a PS fan and the Xbox. Either way, im sure those managers will have fun with that free console. An if they dont like it im guessing they will make a tidy profit on ebay.

Well, im sure if say you bought PS4 had trouble with it, got to the place you bought it (gamestop) and asked them about it, and the manager, having one himself, woudl offer you a easy solution...
vs.
If you bought XboxOne, had trouble with it, got to the place you bought it (gamestop) and asked them about it, and the manager, not having one, would just say "i dont know anything".
yeah, i can see how that can encourage peopel to be more satsified and do a lips-to-ears sales rise.
besides, the costs are neglible, they are giving out what 50 consoles when their selling in millions.

Besides, they made a special white XboxOne for them as well. Thing is, since its White, its going to sell for thousands as a collectors item soon.

If there's a problem with the console you would talk to either Microsoft or Sony's support, they'll be the ones who can talk you through a problem or arrange a repair. The manager of gamestop (or any other store) doesn't have any special knowledge even if they did get a free console.

 

[Lightknight]

I don't know who they hired for PR, but damn. They're really doing the right things up front. Getting retailers behind you is significant. I've talked with employees there for advice on more than one occasion. This can lead to anything from preferential shelf space to retailers being loyal enough to actively sell the product and its games out of customer loyalty. VERY smart move.

The story itself shows makes consumers feel like they aren't as much about the bottom line since they're giving stuff away for free. If you think about it, this is clearly FOR the bottom line but it makes them appear giving. Kudos Sony.

 

[VonKlaw]

And if GameStop managers are like the GAME managers we get in the UK, half of those consoles are going to end up on eBay because the managers aren't actually gamers but hard-pushing salesmen obsessed with sales figures. Hell, they'll probably sell them to themselves to fudge their figures.

 

[Griffolion]

Sony, I've tentatively been in your corner, mostly simply because of Microsoft being, well, Microsoft. But come on. You've said there's going to be supply shortages due to overwhelming demand, shouldn't you be focusing ever PS4 you can get into the hands of the people who placed the pre-order?

Maybe it's a small amount in the grand scheme of things, but I just see this as being rather flippant in their current situation.

 

[Dragonbums]

I don't know who they hired for PR, but damn. They're really doing the right things up front. Getting retailers behind you is significant. I've talked with employees there for advice on more than one occasion. This can lead to anything from preferential shelf space to retailers being loyal enough to actively sell the product and its games out of customer loyalty. VERY smart move.

The story itself shows makes consumers feel like they aren't as much about the bottom line since they're giving stuff away for free. If you think about it, this is clearly FOR the bottom line but it makes them appear giving. Kudos Sony.

Not really.
Honestly Gamestop managers don't exactly have a rosy reputations.(Not all, but quite a few.) As others have stated some of them treat their customer service people like garbage despite the fact that they do all of the brunt work. Including dealing with pissed consumers, and all manners of nasty people.
On that note, giving them a free PS4 does not guarantee that they have their back. At most they will do extra promoting for the console. At worst, the gift will mean nothing to them(especially if they don't like Sony) and they will sell it on Ebay for double the cash to desperate parents or consumers who want it due to shortages.

The same way you can say this is a nice gesture, is the same way one can label this act as the most basic form of bribery, and considering how Microsoft has done it too, I'm going to go with the bribary theory.

Personally I would've given those PS4's the customer service staff. To me, they are the most deserving of it.

 

[Lightknight]

Not really.
Honestly Gamestop managers don't exactly have a rosy reputations.(Not all, but quite a few.) As others have stated some of them treat their customer service people like garbage despite the fact that they do all of the brunt work. Including dealing with pissed consumers, and all manners of nasty people.
On that note, giving them a free PS4 does not guarantee that they have their back. At most they will do extra promoting for the console. At worst, the gift will mean nothing to them(especially if they don't like Sony) and they will sell it on Ebay for double the cash to desperate parents or consumers who want it due to shortages.

The same way you can say this is a nice gesture, is the same way one can label this act as the most basic form of bribery, and considering how Microsoft has done it too, I'm going to go with the bribary theory.

Personally I would've given those PS4's the customer service staff. To me, they are the most deserving of it.

Gamestop managers don't have a rosy reputation? I think you made that point up. I've had more than one gamestop managers that I relied on even before the internet was that useful for this stuff (though my local store was an EB, not gamestop). In any event, I fail to see how their reputation would impact their ability to give the system preferential shelf space.

As far as bribery, this is just giving these store managers the product with no demand that they do anything with it or that they have to talk positively. This is handing out free samples of their product to retailers. If they get the system and hate it, why would them being given a free one magically translate into the store manager advocating it?

At least Sony is doing everything they can to have a strong launch. What did the WiiU do to get their product out there?

 

[Dragonbums]

Not really.
Honestly Gamestop managers don't exactly have a rosy reputations.(Not all, but quite a few.) As others have stated some of them treat their customer service people like garbage despite the fact that they do all of the brunt work. Including dealing with pissed consumers, and all manners of nasty people.
On that note, giving them a free PS4 does not guarantee that they have their back. At most they will do extra promoting for the console. At worst, the gift will mean nothing to them(especially if they don't like Sony) and they will sell it on Ebay for double the cash to desperate parents or consumers who want it due to shortages.

The same way you can say this is a nice gesture, is the same way one can label this act as the most basic form of bribery, and considering how Microsoft has done it too, I'm going to go with the bribary theory.

Personally I would've given those PS4's the customer service staff. To me, they are the most deserving of it.

Gamestop managers don't have a rosy reputation? I think you made that point up. I've had more than one gamestop managers that I relied on even before the internet was that useful for this stuff (though my local store was an EB, not gamestop). In any event, I fail to see how their reputation would impact their ability to give the system preferential shelf space.

As far as bribery, this is just giving these store managers the product with no demand that they do anything with it or that they have to talk positively. This is handing out free samples of their product to retailers. If they get the system and hate it, why would them being given a free one magically translate into the store manager advocating it?

At least Sony is doing everything they can to have a strong launch. What did the WiiU do to get their product out there?

That's great.
I know two people who had managers that found any excuse to fire them.

The PS4 has no demand? That's ridiculous. You and I both know that pre orders for the system have been out of control. They can't even guarantee stock for the pre orders anymore.
The article never said they were free samples.
They did say however that they are given to them free with 7 games. That's not a sample. That's a full product with a good set of games.

And why are we even talking about the Wii U? Why is the Wii U even brought up in this conversation. I'm not talking about the Wii U.
Especially when I never brought up the system in my reply, and have stated that the Xbox One is doing the same?

I'm talking about how this can be a fine line between bribery and "gifting" there is a reason certain companies do not accept gifts like this.
Because it can easily be seen as a bribe.

 

[Lightknight]

That's great.
I know two people who had managers that found any excuse to fire them.

So, you're talking about the manager's relationship with employees and ex-employees? I'm talking about the customer that comes in and talks to the manager for advice. I don't know which ones you go to, but the ones I go to always have the manager there and then the other employees cycle through. I couldn't care less how the employees feel about the manager, just the customers traveling through. They come in, see the ps4's bright, shiney, front and center and also get a strong recommendation for it over the other and we can do the math. Parents who have no idea what they're buying their kids and kids who are still on the fence about it and can be pushed either way. They're standing there, being told by a store clerk that the cheaper option is better (unbeknownst to them that retailers only make a few bucks on consoles regardless of price).

The PS4 has no demand? That's ridiculous. You and I both know that pre orders for the system have been out of control. They can't even guarantee stock for the pre orders anymore.
The article never said they were free samples.

You read the sentence incorrectly.

"giving these store managers the product with no demand that they do anything with it". The only way that would have meant what you think it meant would be if I had wrapped "with no demand" in commas, "the product, with no demand, that they do...".

I'm saying that they're simply giving them the product without any conditions or please for returning the favor. That is decidedly not "bribery". How is this different from sending a free copy of a game to a game reviewer?

They did say however that they are given to them free with 7 games. That's not a sample. That's a full product with a good set of games.

I repeat, how is this different than a game company sending game reviewers a free copy of their game? Are the game reviewers getting bribed every time they review a game? In this event, they want the gamestop manager to be knowledgeable about the launch lineup and what the console is like. If someone says they like a racing game? Well, the manager knows the racing game on the ps4 and how it may compare to other products. It's brilliant.

And why are we even talking about the Wii U? Why is the Wii U even brought up in this conversation. I'm not talking about the Wii U.
Especially when I never brought up the system in my reply, and have stated that the Xbox One is doing the same?

To explain why going the extra mile in marketing is a great idea. Sony is doing everything they can to give their console the best shot out of the gate. The WiiU is the most recent example of a company that didn't even bother to tell people that it was a new console and not a tablet/gamepad peripheral. I happen to know you like the Wii U and so thought this would be relevant to discuss this with you. Proper marketing may have had a drastically different result for the WiiU and may yet change its course. Sorry if it felt like I was just sticking a jab in there. Just trying to relate since you're talking about systems you don't prefer without taking a look at the things your own system should have done.

I'm talking about how this can be a fine line between bribery and "gifting" there is a reason certain companies do not accept gifts like this.
Because it can easily be seen as a bribe.

No one is calling this gifting. But this is absolutely marketing. This is quite common marketing.

This would only be bribery if there was any understanding that this is a payment for the manager's good word and backing of the product. Instead, there is no such agreement. They are sending the systems and games to all managers and that's simply that. The manager can decide whether or not they like it and go from there. Some may even hate it. There is no inducement. It's just getting knowledge of the system out there to people who help others decide what to buy. If you're familiar with one product but not that familiar with the other then the advantage usually goes to the known one. If XBO is doing the same, then Sony has no choice but to do this too.