Fellow retailers disapprove of HMV’s PS3-PSP deal

We can’t help but wonder how many actually signed up for the PS3-PSP deal by major retail chain HMV. Because as much as it is a good offer, we can’t deny that the price tag is a little too steep for an average consumer. The pre-order consists of the PS3, a 4GB PSP, and two PSP games for a total price of £ 674.99, or roughly US$ 1,327.

While the offer is not unique to HMV, the major retail store is currently being criticized by fellow retailers. Choices UK Head of Games Martin Baxter said that their company won’t be following the lead of HMV on the pre-order bundle.

When asked why, Baxter was rather direct as he said that Choices would never hold their customers to ransom. Likewise, Stephen Lynn, Virgin Megastores Head of Promotions, agrees that the pre-order bundle is a rip off. Lynn explained,

HMV’s deal is up to them at the end of the day, but it’s not the sort of thing we’d offer our customers because we’re trying to keep things simple on PS3. We wouldn’t want to risk confusing our customers over any product – let alone one of this expense.

In the end, we guess HMW has any right to employ any marketing strategy it wants. If it works fine, kudos to the company. If it backfires, well, better luck next time. After all, it is the consumers who will eventually decide the fate – not only of the PS3 – but of every single business as well.

We can’t help but wonder how many actually signed up for the PS3-PSP deal by major retail chain HMV. Because as much as it is a good offer, we can’t deny that the price tag is a little too steep for an average consumer. The pre-order consists of the PS3, a 4GB PSP, and two PSP games for a total price of £ 674.99, or roughly US$ 1,327.

While the offer is not unique to HMV, the major retail store is currently being criticized by fellow retailers. Choices UK Head of Games Martin Baxter said that their company won’t be following the lead of HMV on the pre-order bundle.

When asked why, Baxter was rather direct as he said that Choices would never hold their customers to ransom. Likewise, Stephen Lynn, Virgin Megastores Head of Promotions, agrees that the pre-order bundle is a rip off. Lynn explained,

HMV’s deal is up to them at the end of the day, but it’s not the sort of thing we’d offer our customers because we’re trying to keep things simple on PS3. We wouldn’t want to risk confusing our customers over any product – let alone one of this expense.

In the end, we guess HMW has any right to employ any marketing strategy it wants. If it works fine, kudos to the company. If it backfires, well, better luck next time. After all, it is the consumers who will eventually decide the fate – not only of the PS3 – but of every single business as well.