Windows 7 pre-orders begin
Summary: UK customers are now able pre-order Windows 7 ahead of its October release date, and Amazon reports a higher level of pre-launch demand than for Vista
Windows 7 became available to UK consumers for pre-order on Wednesday, with retailers offering heavily discounted prices during the run-up to the product's official release.
Amazon UK took more pre-orders for Microsoft's upcoming operating system in the first eight hours of Wednesday than it took for Windows Vista in the whole of that OS's 17-week pre-order period, the online store said.
Two versions of Windows 7, Home Premium and Professional, are available for advance purchase. The Home Premium edition has a recommended retail price of £150, but is currently available from Amazon UK for £45 and from PC World for £50. The Professional version is available from Amazon UK for £90 and from PC World for £100.
Thirteen UK stores are taking advance orders for the operating system, including John Lewis, Argos and Tesco, according to Microsoft. People who pre-order Windows 7 will receive their boxed copies on 22 October, the official day of the operating system's release.
DSGi-owned PC World is offering a free in-store 'PC Health Check', involving a virus scan and performance advice, to those who choose to pre-order the operating system through them.
On Monday, Microsoft said business customers would be able to get Windows 7 before the official retail release date, but a recent ScriptLogic survey suggested that nearly 60 percent of businesses had no plans for rolling out the new operating system.
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Talkback
MS Store down
http://emea.microsoftstore.com/UK/Microsoft/Windows/Windows-Vista/Windows-7-Preview
Hmmm
'Look guys we're so popular the demand crashed our server'
My Thought Too
using wrong o.s
Amazon refusing orders of Win 7 Pro
Important Message
We're sorry. The item Microsoft Windows 7 Professional E (PC) is no longer available from the seller you selected.
The seller of course is Amazon UK.
'Fishy' Windows 7 Sales techniques.
Firstly the Microsoft Shop going down - microsoft.com seems to hold up even when downloading 3GB Windows Previews. A publicity stunt?
Then removing promotional pricing along with Amazon.
Amazon no longer selling at the promotional price, yet Dixons / Tesco seems to have plenty of copies at the promotional price of 44.97/ 89.97 respectively.
It could be a case of Amazon trying to muscle the price back up because of a large number of pre-orders - I doubt it.
Or are Amazon acting under instructions from Microsoft, in order to gain a longer term deal with a better long term profit margin on future sales for a bit of market manipulation during the promotion.
After all these initial sales are insignificant to Amazon, when you look at their projected sales of Windows 7 , over the next 3-5 years. Forego a few sales now , for richer rewards later on - by being subservant to MS - its certainly a possiblity.
The high prices currently charged by Amazon give the impression that this deal will run out in hours - prompting mainy to put down their cash with the likes of Dixons/Tesco, in case they miss out. Its clever but its got the look of market manipulation.
Buyers feel pressured because they can compare prices online and see amazon selling at nearly twice the price - its enough to get most people to part with their cash.
It just doesn't seem to fit with Amazon, to blindly let these sales go to their competitors. There has to be more to this apparent non competitive/ sitting on the sidelines action by Amazon.
Also the 3 licence 'family pack' home premium is bound to come in at