Why You Can't Buy A 360

Slate Magazine is running a story about the difficulties of finding an Xbox 360 this holiday season. They explore the reasons behind the console shortage, and have some ruminations on Microsoft's motives. From the article: "So, supply shortages are a fact of life. The puzzle is somewhere else: Why don't companies raise prices when supply is short and demand is frenzied? Leaving aside oxygen and a few other essentials, there is no such thing as an absolute shortage of anything: There is only a shortage if the price is too low. At the moment, Microsoft is easily selling out the half-million or so Xbox 360 units (there's no official number) for prices starting at $300 for the basic package. Why doesn't Microsoft price them at $700 instead?"

It's about the cool factor.

[Supurcell]

Because a company has finally come around that doesn't care about money. A company who decides that they want to make their customers look cool by being the only one on the block to have their rare game system. If you go out and by commonly available, high-priced system, you are a rich snob. If you go out and mannage to get your hands on a semi-high-priced, nearly-nonexistant system, you are truly the coolest of the cool.

Re:ebay!

[Wylfing]

people on ebay will surely sell you one for a mere $1200!

Or, at least, a picture of one.