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I need to obtain Halo: Reach as early as possible to maximize my practice time before everyone gets too good for me. What's the best way to buy it?
Release-date delivery (09/14/2010) for specified title available for $5.98 from Amazon.com. Users near central shipping points report 10 am arrival for similar items. WARNING: Fine print states package arrival "as late as 7 pm." Assessment of retail opening hours (average): Target = 8 am, GameStop = 10 am, Walmart = NA (open 24 hours). Historical data for Halo 3 debut in 2007: efficiency tactic termed "dedicated checkout lines" + midnight availability at Walmart; customer arrival 30 hours prior to on-sale time; line length = "several hundred." Run scenario-planning program for midnight purchase vs. Amazon preorder >> Variables detected, averaged: per-customer point-of-sale transaction duration + travel time from outlet to console. Factored assumption: sufficient brick-and-mortar stock. Best-case outcome = 18.48-hour practice-time advantage vs. 7 pm preorder delivery. Worst case = 9.48-hour advantage vs. 10 am delivery.
RECOMMENDATION: Skip preorder. If travel time from Walmart to console > 479 minutes, go to Target. If < 479 minutes, go to Walmart (or other midnight sale location). Suggested arrival time: 5:59 pm, 09/12/2010.
