Microsoft Addresses Shortage Conspiracy

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
spoke with Microsoft Exec Peter Moore regarding the purposeful Xbox 360
shortage conspiracy flooding the internet as of late. Retailers have
reported having a very small supply of the next-gen console and
netizens have theorized that Microsoft is purposefully holding back on
stock to create a false shortage of the product. Media hype surrounding
the release means free publicity and many believe this plan was hatched
to help boost sales in Japan, an area with which the first Xbox had a
lackluster performance.

Moore says it’s bull, but made up his own conspiracy theory to help
disprove them. Frankly, it sounds like he got caught and couldn’t
figure out what else to say: “I’ve
seen all of the conspiracy theories. Somewhere in Roswell, New Mexico,
we have a hangar where we’re stockpiling it, creating false shortages.” Moore stresses that the company is “trying to get as many units to retail as we possibly can.“

Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you see a demand for a product, and in
this case a proven demand based on pre-orders from a number of
retailers in the states, you make sure you produce THAT number to
fulfill the order. For weeks now, retailers have reported only getting
about 40 units per store despite having hundreds of pre-orders.

That’s why I don’t pre-order. There’s going to be nothing ‘pre’ about
those, including our own Buff Geek, who thought reserving their console
months ago was a good idea. Instead, EB Games left voicemail this
morning explaining that his reservation made back in August wouldn’t be
fulfilled until after Christmas, over a full month after release. Walk
in? Forget it.

Local Best Buy retailers we spoke with said they’d be getting about 100
units each, 25 or so core systems, 75 deluxe consoles. Most would be
opening at 9am Tuesday expecting sidewalk crowds waiting at the door.
Other retailers, like Wal-Mart will be handing tickets out to ensure 1
per customer and to eliminate crowds.