darthbane2k

Slightly discouraging news about the Oxford St HMV midnight launch. HMV staff say that the planned official event is now in question, as police have advised against it saying that they are concened about the security of sending hundreds of people into the streets of london after midnight with expensive hardware and no tubes running. HMV have yet to make a final decision on the matter.

Well lets not start sucking each other just yet...

Lets move on Thanks for the heads up

Lets keep it friendly. Im just going to ignore that 'double act'. Anyway, as it stands, the midnight launch at HMV is beginning to sound exciting. Looks like I had nothing to worry about at all, as stock should be plentiful. Although I have yet to have that officially confirmed. Being a HMV employee, do you have any info to share about the event, and on another note - is it true HMV have stopped issuing 'Gamer Reward Cards'?

Well largely thanks to that 'diva' Nintendork, my previous thread was locked: http://www.n-europe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10634 In this thread I shared information obtained by Nintendos PR people 'Cake Media' (who Nintendork refused to call to very the info I shared of which he flamed me for) that HMV Oxford Street London would handle the OFFICIAL Nintendo Wii midnght launch event. Some more news has come through of the event and pre-orders The member of staff said that anyone can turn up on the night as they're expecting 500-600 Wiis on the night. He also said that there are around 250 Wii pre-orders so far at the store so these will be put aside from their allocation and the remainder sold to people without pre-orders. Ian Wright will be there as well as a few other celebs. There will also be Wii stations placed at the back of the store for people to have a go at playing on it.

Well this news, coupled with the guy in AVForums who claims he was told HMV Oxford Streets allocation, suggests that HMV now are prepared to reveal their allocation to customers. I however did not recieve a phone call from my HMV, so Im gonna assume I will not get a Wii at launch. Flameboy - I know you said you would not post in here again, but could you let us know whether you have heard anything at your branch?

Found this in AVForums: http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427631 Now I dont know what to believe, because when I call HMV they continue to deny knowing allocations, AND they deny any midnight event. Yet Oxford St staff are suggesting otherwise...

Your arguement is flawed. At the time of my pre-order, I was told that I would be informed well in advance of stock allocation and whether I would sucessfully recieve a wii on launch day or not. No other retailers at this point were even in a position to speculate allocations, but pretty much told their customers the same thing. So I put £30 at HMV because I thought, as a large retailer, I had nothing to lose. To date, many, MANY UK high street retailers are in a position to confirm allocations and have INFORMED customers appropriately of where they stand. Yet HMV keep their customers in the dark.So that is my 'grave mistake', one which I cannot really be blamed for. I had no idea of 'how their business works' nor should I be expected to know. I am a CONSUMER. I am not expecting them to change anything for me, but a little communication would be nice. If they really dont know how many wii they will have for launch (Which I doubt) then at least tell me where I am in the queue. Any store system database should be able to work that out, but like I say, they have their own 'agenda' for refusing to let customers know where they stand in queue, while STILL CONTINUING to accept £30 pre orders. I dont really want to go in circles talking about this anymore. I merely updated everyone on the latest I have heard from HMV. Its not my fault that any confidence in the company is diminnished with every update, because they bring it on themselves with their extremely disorgansied approach to the wii pre-launch.

Yes whinging about pre ordering a video games console is 'God damned insignificant' in the grand scheme of life - but heck, isnt this the N-EUROPE forum? I cannot speak about norwegian retailers. However when it comes to UK retailers many HAVE confirmed allocations - yet HMV (one of the biggest) have not. Thats my problem. Furthermore this thread was to warn others who have preordered at HMV - to provide them with the option to pre order elsewhere.

1)This forum is about the Wii, many threads are concerned with its launch and pre-launch. If this isnt a place to put my concerns and warnings about pre-orders, I dont know where is.. 2) Everyone in the same boat? Hardly, especially as everyone seems to know what place they are in the pre-order queue and have recieved letters and emails and phone calls from other retailers confirming that they WILL or WILL NOT get a Wii at launch.

I DID call the customer service number - it was them who refused to disclose any information about my place in the queue. I was somewhat attracted to the prospect of a midnight launch. Yes I admit thats my fault, however word of mouth at the time of my pre order suggested that HMV Oxford St would handle the offiical midnight launch, but now they deny they are going to hold such an event - and thats from customer services as well as the store staff. Why are you pissed off? I didnt make you the official HMV representative of this forum nor did I call you out for a response, you should feel under NO OBLIGATION to defend HMV. Its funny how everyone is pissed off with me and say im in the wrong when I AM THE PAYING CUSTOMER AND ITS MY £30 THAT WENT DOWN

No I DONT KNOW i'll get one, everytime I talk to HMV I lose more any more confidence. Its a shambles, and they deny any plan to launch at midnight. I think im entitled to whinge, dont you agree? - considering I put £30 down months ago, I am fully entitled to know where I stand. I deserve SOMETHING for the £30 deposit, which is basicly cash with interest for the retailer.

Not as bad? What are you suggesting im lieing? Anyone with a HMV pre-order at a store, call them up (if you dont believe me) and they will 1) Refuse to tell you how many Wii have been allocated for launch 2) Refuse to tell you your place in the queue 3) Continue to blindly accept pre-orders while keeping existing pre order customers in the dark. For my £30 deposit, I DESERVE a little transparancy from this retailer at the very least.

I got what I deserved? I put my pre order down at one of the largest HMVs in the country, the flagship store in Oxford St London. I put the pre order down at the end of September after they heavily advertsed their pre order scheme throughout the store. I put my pre order there expecting that 1) they would be able to confirm a large allocation, 2) they would do a midnight launch. Now this store cannot even confirm my place in the queue let alone whether I will be getting my Wii in two weeks time. They are incompetent. What makes it worse is that they admit that they have taken 279 pre orders as of yesterday, and CONTINUE to take these pre orders on a daily basis - without knowing how many Wii they will be getting and without being in a position to let their customers know where they are in the queue. Most retailers have stopped pre orders now knowing they would never be able to fulifll them all, yet HMV have this cloak and dagger policy to refuse to let preorder customers know where they stand - and they are happy to continue taking £30 deposits. Now HMV spin the line that Nintendo have not confirmed Wii allocations to them - I CALL BULLSHIT. How is it then that little retailers such as play3k.com, and non specialists such as PC bloody World know their allocation and have informed their customers accordingly? Heck even HMVs biggest rival, Virgin megastore have informed their customers of allocations and know their numbers. Yet im supposed to believe that 2 weeks before launch, HMV, one of the UKs biggest retailers and its Oxford St store, who have handled a many official console launches in the past, have NO IDEA how may Wii they are getting???!! And guys, im not only moaning on this thread (which I have every right to do) I am WARNING others who have pre ordered at HMV to BEWARE. I have taken appropriate action and have a backup pre-order at Toys R Us.

Thanks for the help guys - will get those phono splitters now. ONLY TWO WEEKS TO GO!

Try any TOYS R US STORE. £10 deposit and you get a free wii organiser. If you are a gold card member, no deposit required.

I assumed it went into a powersaving mode but kept the wii channels menu running, which as you know has background ambience sound.

As I am in the UK, I dont get Wii until December 8th. I have been considering how to hook it up to my TV, which is running out of ports. I will use phono spiltters to double my component inputs and will use phono splitters again to double my analog audio inputs on my amp (as the wii is dolby pro logic 2 compliant). However splitting the audio inputs and sharing them between the wii and say a secondary DVD player concerns me. Its not a problem if you use one device at a time, but I hear the Wii stays on constantly. Does this mean it is outputting sound constantly? (eg when on the wii channel menu?) can someone clarify this?

Just wondering what solution you guys are or are planning to take when gaming classics on the Wii Virtual Console. I hear the Classic Controller wont work on Gamecube games, so thats a disadvantage. Neither Classic controller or Gamecube controller will rumble. Gamecube controllers are WIRED Wavebirds are supported, but you need to stick that ugly ass reciever on top of your wii. All solutions have their disadvantages - which one will you take?

Oh brother... I have a RIGHT to be angry - HMV are making a total mess out of this Wii launch before its even happened. Any reasonable person would agree with me. Furthermore, other people who have preordered with HMV deserve to know that 1) HMV claim to have no idea about stock allocation 2) HMV are refusing to verify the order of customers who made preorders All in all, if you really wanted a Wii at launch and pre-ordered with HMV, you should be very very concerned.

These bastards continue to infurate me. ALL WHO HAVE PRE-ORDERED AT A HMV STORE, BEWARE! I SAID BEWARE!!! 1) An HMV employee at the Oxford St store telephone line said that their computers have no record of the ORDER of pre orders, its not first come first served. There have been 279 pre orders at this store (and they continue to accept pre orders!) they do NOT know what they have been allocated and as there is no record of the order of pre-orders, they will require pre-order customers to queue for their console on launch day. i.e, if you pre ordered first, yet show up late on 8th december, you may not get a Wii. 2) A HMV customer services staff member told a diffent story. HMV refuse to reveal allocations at this stage HMV continue to accept pre orders HMV know the order of pre-order customers (1st come 1st served) but REFUSE to disclose infomation to the customer about where they are in the queue, because they consider it "irrelevant" I MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE PRE ORDERING WITH HMV.

Yes you do. GAME have already informed sucessful customers, so you can consider yourself either a) uncertain or b) unsucessful. Considering GAME have already sent letters to sucessful customers and you have not recieved one, you are in a position to make a backup pre order before it is too late. What HMV are doing are leaving its customers hanging, and by the time they make any announcements, it WILL be too late for those who are unsucessful.

Called them. Useless. They are 'not in a position to comment about orders, stock allocations or other retailers (by way of comparison' They suggested I write into head office and complain. Yeah right?! The Wii will be released before I get a response. Muppets.

Firstly, my beef is with the massive OXFORD ST HMV store in London. NOT the website. Okay - im mad, so deeming HMV 'the worst retailer' was obviously OTT. However I am pissed because EVERY ONE I KNOW who has placed a wii order elsewhere knows (at this stage) what position they are in. These people are planning what games to buy and what accessories because they know they are getting a wii on dec 8th. HMV are leaving its customers hanging, no one knows. Its no good telling me 2 or 3 days before launch as I will have no backup options. If HMV tell me dec 8th that I didnt get a Wii, I will be unlikely to see one before xmas.

Im sick of these fools, absolutely sick of them. We are less than THREE WEEKS from the wiis launch and HMV oxford st (yes that BIG store) are STILL UNABLE to confirm 1) how many wiis they are getting and if those (like myself) who have preordered will get one at launch 2) whether they will have a midnight opening event Every other major retailer has let their pre order customers know where they stand, HMV however were quick to take the £30 deposit and cant be arsed to provide us with any more info since.