For most, the prospect of spending days off from work sleeping on the sidewalk isn’t ideal. But for Rich Norwood, who spent days camped outside of Best Buy at Crossgates Mall waiting for the highly anticipated release of the PlayStation 3 game console, it would hopefully be worth it.
I took some paid holiday time off, said Norwood, 26, an employee at Latham International.
Norwood said he enjoys the experience and had done similar things in the past.
`I did it on Black Friday before,` he said. `I did it for the Xbox 360.`
Norwood showed up on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 9:45 a.m. and found himself first in line. The PlayStation 3 was to be released on Friday at 8 a.m. All he, and those who joined him, could do was wait.
`Everybody’s got games, they’re playing poker, TVs, DVD players, laptops,` said Norwood on Wednesday, of the 35 or so gamers who were gathered.
Some of the people waiting in line huddled in tents, some of which were purchased hastily at Dick’s Sporting Goods after rain threatened while others sat in one of the many camping chairs that were bunched together next to, but not blocking, the Best Buy entrance.
A Best Buy manager said neither the store, nor the mall, was responsible for the people camped out in line and had asked them only to follow a few simple rules, including no open fires.
Additionally, they were not allowed to drink alcohol and had been asked to use the restrooms inside the mall and not the bushes in the parking lot, said Norwood.
Penelope Austin, a Best Buy spokeswoman, said that the company had no policy in regards to the campers.
`We don’t have a problem with it,` she said.
Sleeping outside of the mall wasn’t without its drawbacks, said Norwood. For instance, despite the blankets, he said, sleeping on the sidewalk could get cold.
`It’d be nice to get a decent night’s sleep in my own bed,` he said.
By Thursday afternoon, there were more than 50 people waiting in line. Everyone who showed up was required to sign up on a list maintained by Norwood, the unofficial organizer and spokesman for the group. Every few hours, Norwood called roll call and anyone who missed it was bumped from the list.
While waiting, some used their laptops to check the going prices of PlayStation 3 systems being offered on eBay. On Wednesday, prices were averaging around $4,000. Those waiting in line would be able to purchase the system for its retail value of approximately $600. A cheaper, and less powerful version of the PlayStation 3 was also available for a few hundred dollars less.
Norwood said, while waiting in line, a businessman had approached three of them and expressed interest in buying their systems from them to give to clients. The three men offered their three systems for a total of $12,000. The man left to run the offer by his boss.
Each person waiting was entitled to purchase only one of the systems, but how many there would be available for purchase was unclear.
`One guy said there could be 20 people going home without one,` said Norwood.
The store ended up receiving 34 systems initially and then a few more later on in the day, sending many home empty-handed. Those who were left out received vouchers to be first in line when the store received more systems, which could take weeks.
By the Monday following its release, the PlayStation 3’s price on eBay had dropped significantly, averaging $1,000.
According to the product Web site, the PlayStation 3 offers users a `brilliant, high-definition entertainment experience` using Blu-ray disc technology, digital media storage, online capability and increased processed capability.“