Pre-ordering physical goods is fine, especially if you expect a price hike and supply limitations after launch. I wouldn’t, but I can see how it would make sense.
It’s the digital goods that make no goddamn sense to buy before they’re out. They’re not limited in supply, and their return window is often too small.
Wasn’t it a kickstarter product? I wouldn’t consider venture a pre-order, tbf.
Pre-orders are reservations with pre-payment.
Crowdfunding is, well, funding. You aren’t buying a product. You’re funding it, which comes with additional risks and benefits.
Of course, there’s always a possibility that a product is being funded using pre-orders, which is financially irresponsible (norm varies from industry to industry). But you must be a moron to pre-order a product from a startup you know nothing about and expect not to get scammed. Outright buying their product would be risky enough.
Take housing market. You’re pretty much always either pre-ordering or buying second-hand.
As long as i can chargeback on my credit card I have no problems preordering (couple months out at most though, lol at people doing long term pre orders) I have no problem. Digital goods can fuck right on off. So many slimy tactics.
Meh.
Yes, for already announced limited runs of physical items that you know the quality off (say merch from artists) it’s more fine than for mainly digital goods.
And, I have to agree, such a broad blanket statement is not really applicable to every type of purchase or life situation.
To be fully transparent: Even I participated in pre-orders. Off the top I can only remember some artist merch items like CDs I pre-heard some tracks and know what to expect from it and the Kickstarter for the uGreen NAS. But even for the uGreen NAS I knew the specs, price and if It’s compatible with what I want to do before committing.
For any other purchase I waited patiently.
Do you even know why you’re saying that?
Physical goods that need to be manufactured and delivered are literally exactly what you should be pre-ordering
Physical goods are no different in that when you pre-order something you really have no idea what you’re getting. You’re counting on the reputation of the company to deliver on their claims. Which is often a bad idea.
I genuinely don’t get the “don’t pre order just buy the day it releases” thing.
Nobody ever said the second part.
Don’t pre order, wait for reviews a couple weeks after release, buy if reviews are good and no major bullshit is discovered.
What do you think you’re winning?
Avoiding the major bullshit.
Also, even if you did just buy day one: If developers have a lot of pre orders they know they’ll sell anyway they have less of an incentive to deliver the highest possible quality day one. That’s why people are telling you to not pre order. I could not care less if a stranger struggles with day one bugs, but they are helping to lower the bar for everyone else.
I advice you to rethink this. You’re paying earlier, the money won’t dissapear if you wait until release. Also, real reviews would help deciding what to skip.
Stop.
Pre-Ordering.
Pre-ordering physical goods is fine, especially if you expect a price hike and supply limitations after launch. I wouldn’t, but I can see how it would make sense.
It’s the digital goods that make no goddamn sense to buy before they’re out. They’re not limited in supply, and their return window is often too small.
Ever heard of the Ouya?
Wasn’t it a kickstarter product? I wouldn’t consider venture a pre-order, tbf.
Pre-orders are reservations with pre-payment.
Crowdfunding is, well, funding. You aren’t buying a product. You’re funding it, which comes with additional risks and benefits.
Of course, there’s always a possibility that a product is being funded using pre-orders, which is financially irresponsible (norm varies from industry to industry). But you must be a moron to pre-order a product from a startup you know nothing about and expect not to get scammed. Outright buying their product would be risky enough.
Take housing market. You’re pretty much always either pre-ordering or buying second-hand.
You’re a dumbass if you ever thought it was going to be anything
As long as i can chargeback on my credit card I have no problems preordering (couple months out at most though, lol at people doing long term pre orders) I have no problem. Digital goods can fuck right on off. So many slimy tactics.
Meh.
Yes, for already announced limited runs of physical items that you know the quality off (say merch from artists) it’s more fine than for mainly digital goods.
And, I have to agree, such a broad blanket statement is not really applicable to every type of purchase or life situation.
To be fully transparent: Even I participated in pre-orders. Off the top I can only remember some artist merch items like CDs I pre-heard some tracks and know what to expect from it and the Kickstarter for the uGreen NAS. But even for the uGreen NAS I knew the specs, price and if It’s compatible with what I want to do before committing.
For any other purchase I waited patiently.
if it was fine at all, op would probably have his handheld by now.
I pre-ordered the Steam Deck.
That is the only thing I did in the last decade.
I never pre-order, and I am not advocating for pre-ordering, but just curious, can’t the item just be returned if the customer is not satisfied?
Do you even know why you’re saying that? Physical goods that need to be manufactured and delivered are literally exactly what you should be pre-ordering
Physical goods are no different in that when you pre-order something you really have no idea what you’re getting. You’re counting on the reputation of the company to deliver on their claims. Which is often a bad idea.
It would make a lot of sense to the company trying to decide how large their production run should be.
For the customer, it only really makes sense if they are getting something out of it, like immunity to possible price hikes at launch.
I don’t pre-order, but then, I am a late stage buyer, so it doesn’t really apply to me.
Yes and no.
Yes it can make sense fpr physical goods.
No, it’s not a good thing.
So no. I was hoping my question would prompt you to consider it
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Works pretty well in France.
Idk. But I think General Grievous could have been even better /s
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You’re the one enabling those shitty practices
A savings account earns interest, you can pay into it monthly until product release…
How does paying up front before release spread the cost?
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Nobody ever said the second part.
Don’t pre order, wait for reviews a couple weeks after release, buy if reviews are good and no major bullshit is discovered.
Avoiding the major bullshit.
Also, even if you did just buy day one: If developers have a lot of pre orders they know they’ll sell anyway they have less of an incentive to deliver the highest possible quality day one. That’s why people are telling you to not pre order. I could not care less if a stranger struggles with day one bugs, but they are helping to lower the bar for everyone else.
It’s about sending a message. A message that pre-ordering is not worth anymore and they (hopefully) stop releasing unfinished beta releases.
How does that spread the cost? Does it have some financing for preorders ?
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I advice you to rethink this. You’re paying earlier, the money won’t dissapear if you wait until release. Also, real reviews would help deciding what to skip.
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I would agree normally but it’s Lenovo.