The numbers of people that don't understand numbers

I could write up yet another rant about the idiot (of the female persuasion) in front of the me at the grocery story who apparently couldn't read or count to figure out that she had about 24 items in the 15 item express "self checkout" line, but why bother.  It's not as if the example she was setting for her daughter about making others wait because of her ignorance and her daughter's joyful helpfulness at trying to stack additional items on the scan area/scale area was going to change if I did....

Nope, that's not the main point of this here rant and rave.  I'm gonna instead talk about the number of people that don't seem capable of doing the math to figure out that they aren't going to be able to walk away with that shiny Playstation 3 (PS3) if they aren't near the front of the line that has already formed in front of the local big box stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.)

My friend Skittles has an excellent article up already over at his Skeptical Gaming website on the lack of allotment of these boxes for your friendly neighborhood EB Games (Electronic Boutiques stores) and Gamestop stores.  Oh how those mighty (big idiots) have fallen.  (By mighty big idiots I refer to my own opinion of EB and Gamestop in most cases/places). 

EB/Gamestop failed so miserably with the Xbox 360 roll-out that there's virtually no way I'd trust them for a pre-order, deposit, or any thing that even hinted that I might get the right to buy a PS3 from them.  Though the lack of machines/systems for the 360 during the release time frame wasn't the fault of EB/Gamestop, they certainly were incredibly poor in their handling of the issue for their customers.  Failure to notify customers of their status and place in the que was a top complaint, but even worse was that customers (like me) that had paid their money up front got absolutely no recompense or reward for our patience when the boxes did become available in dribs and drabs over the month(s) that followed the initial scaled-back release.

I know it was Microsoft's fault, but EB/Gamestop should have given customers that were forced to wait *something* for their patience.  A coupon for a discount on future purchases, a free rechargable battery pack, or something similar.  Nope, nada.  Anything that they gave away should have come out of Microsoft's pockets, but again, nada.

Anyway, that experience taught me that EB/Gamestop is not a reliable place for buying items like this.  Though they are a bit of a monopoly, they have competition from big box stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.).  EB (before they merged with Gamestop) used to be the place for many hot new releases, but they gave up paying for exclusives and working co-op deals with their suppliers and have cut costs along the way.  In so doing they continue to marginalize themselves out of the business more and more.  Eventually they'll be gone, along with their partner Gamestop, and customers will have choices of Target, Wal*Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City and perhaps Amazon.

Anyway, as Skittle's article notes, EB/Gamestop are going to have virtually NO PS3s to offer customers, even if they did preorder.  His article also notes that the units they do have will likely be in bundles only, and require purchase of a bunch of add-ons of dubious value, as well as games of questionable value as well.

So, if you didn't see the writing on the wall and were thinking of lining up at EB/Gamestop for a unit, forget it.  The numbers aren't in your favor there.

What about Best Buy and Circuit City?  Same thing folks.  Already in the D.C. area there are people lined up almost 200 people deep.  Ooops, do they not understand that the stores have at most 50 - 100 units per store?  Apparently not.  Even Best Buy notes in their ads that they have a minimum of 20 per store (with no stated upper limit).  Since they only specify the minimum number of units, I'd say it's safe to guess that most of them are also in the 50 - 100 units per store (if that).  Again, not numbers that work in most people's favor.

Do the math.  Figure 400,000 units for the entire United States.  How many Best Buy stores and Circuit City stores are there?  50 - 100 units per store for either one in their locations means units will not last long.

So, if you are already seeing 150 - 200 people lined up to get a box, why would you even consider adding yourself to the end of the line?   Obviously you don't understand the numbers.  I'm sure the understanding will be better once you find the units up on eBay at highly inflated prices, but that's an article for another time (maybe coming right up).