CompUSA - Software burned as you wait. No more software on shelves...

[Kelemvor]

Wow this sounds like a cool concept.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=562&ncid=738&e=1&u=/ap/20040405/ap_on_hi_te/softwaretogo

Basically you go to the store, use their kiosk to find the software you want. Order it. Then it gets burned for you whiel you wait and you go pick it up at the service desk.

Stores would never be out of software, never have to go from store to store to find that latest new release...

Only thing I'm not sure of is how CD-Keys would work. If they'd just get a database with an allotment or somehow hook up to the manufacturers website or what...

I'm guessing whether this takes off or not is totally based on PRICE.

Manufacturer no longer has to pay to mass product the CDs and label them, no more printing huge manuals. No more shipping the product to the stores.

I bet that compromises the majority of the cost of the software. If there was a 50% discount for not getting the box and manuals, that'd be worth it to me.

 

[Shockwave]

Ummm, what about manuals and stuff?

 

[Electric Amish]

I've always thought they should do this with music. Kinda like iTunes nowadays.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Ummm, what about manuals and stuff?

Who reads manuals??

Most of them are usually on the CD or online anyway.

 

[captains]

until the kiosk breaks down and u cant buy software for like 2 weeks

 

[PanzerIV]

And I bet it still costs EXACTLY the same although it has no packaging or manuals nor shipping costs to the store.

 

[StageLeft]

They'd have a connection with the software manufacturer's DB and grab keys from it. Does this mean that we get no nice packaging? They better lower the price a lot. Will they print out manuals?

That doesn't say it's cheaper. I'll keep my flashy boxes, thanks.

 

[Quixfire]

This might work for older software like what they have on display for $9.99 or less. The manuals could be in pdf format and burned on to the software disk or another disk.

 

[Kelemvor]

I would hope that the prices would go way down. Technically the vendor is no longer doing any mass producing, shipping, printing CDs, printing manuals, etc. So you shodln't have to pay full price.

If you do I bet it doesn't catch on right away.

But if it's cheaper, I'd use it. I've been wanting to be able to download software for years but no one offers that service for major titles. At least not with any discount.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
I would hope that the prices would go way down. Technically the vendor is no longer doing any mass producing, shipping, printing CDs, printing manuals, etc. So you shodln't have to pay full price.

If you do I bet it doesn't catch on right away.

But if it's cheaper, I'd use it. I've been wanting to be able to download software for years but no one offers that service for major titles. At least not with any discount.

me too.

 

[dquan97]

pretty good concept there!

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

The lines are checkout are already long enough. I can hardly wait until everyone has to wait for their CDs to burn, too (particularly if you were, say, getting the CD version of Unreal 2K4).

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
The lines are checkout are already long enough. I can hardly wait until everyone has to wait for their CDs to burn, too (particularly if you were, say, getting the CD version of Unreal 2K4).

What's it take to burn a CD these days? 3 minutes? And assuming they'd have some sort of high speed commercial grade burners going.. Shoudln't take too long.

 

[pukemon]

hrmmm what about the titles that have SecureROM or SafeDisc or some other sort of "security" normally enabled in the disc?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: pukemon
hrmmm what about the titles that have SecureROM or SafeDisc or some other sort of "security" normally enabled in the disc?

Their burners would circumvent that problem, just as the manufacturer's ones do.

 

[Chadder007]

Now thats a good idea.....about time they starting considering it.

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Ummm, what about manuals and stuff?

They could probably just print those off using PDF files and high quality printers.....for something like a few dollars extra.

 

[skace]

It takes me less than 3 minutes to run into CompUSA and buy what I need. But that doesn't matter really because I order almost everything from ebgames.com nowadays.

 

[ElFenix]

maybe they'd print the CD key on the CD. i hate CD keys, so easy to lose that little bit of paper

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
maybe they'd print the CD key on the CD. i hate CD keys, so easy to lose that little bit of paper

That's what I was thinking. If each store had a list of Keys for various titles and would just print it on as it went, that'd work. Of course when they ran out, they'd have to have some way that it'd automatically go get more. Or just download Keys as needed from some master Database or something...

 

[Staples]

I doubt the price would go down. The manufacture and shipping costs less then $3 a game and we are still paying $50.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Staples
I doubt the price would go down. The manufacture and shipping costs less then $3 a game and we are still paying $50.

since most games are sold on consignment that actually might be way more per game, if they print too many games

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: pukemon
hrmmm what about the titles that have SecureROM or SafeDisc or some other sort of "security" normally enabled in the disc?

Their burners would circumvent that problem, just as the manufacturer's ones do.

because that stops "us" from making copies...right

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Staples
I doubt the price would go down. The manufacture and shipping costs less then $3 a game and we are still paying $50.

are you forgetting development and marketing in that price intentionally?

I wouldn't go for this...

 

[new2AMD]

So if the burners are down the store is SOL? They would have to have packaged software on hand as well.