My Gstop told me that "We'll be getting more in, but we're gonna keep them in the back, just in case there are problems with yours, you'll be covered"
then alluded that SONY had "Disclosed why the shortage" occured [I got the impression of Console Failures]

anybody else told about the "holding onto future PS3 arrivals" ??

OK, so this isn't the 1st anyone's ever heard of this ... not that I completely trust him, or agree with it, just reporting what he said.

This is actually a GREAT idea. If you PS3 is messed up, why should you have to wait for yet another shipment to come in, when there should be extra in the back?

My EB Games did this with DS Lites. That allowed me to get an immediate replacement for my "launch" DS Lite due to dead pixels.

I just called my gamestop and they didn't say anything about that, but they didn't really seem to know anything. They never did call me about my preorder. I didn't figure I was getting one in the first shipment anyway. They said I should get one within 2 weeks. I doubt it, but we'll see. I'd imagine the customer preorders on the 2nd shipment with get pushed behind the employees, since they said employees have to wait until the 2nd shipment. So, maybe 3rd or 4th shipment?

1st: only 1 employee there.
2nd: his point seemed to be "if yours breaks, you'll be able to bring it back" without exactly saying that.

mine 9AM will be long gone on Ebay, as will my other one 9:30 AM. my 3rd one [2nd shipment] will be the one I keep

Same here, no more pre-orders after the first shipment.

i think they are messing with you, did you notice them laughing when you left the store? I mean its a good business idea to hold onto the hottest selling item of the year just incase one of our first 8 preorders has a "problem", lmao

No, they "bumped me" from 1st to 3rd, and I was told this [holding onto PS3s] AFTER i went in again today to CONFIRM that I'm still #3 and wil be there @ 9AM to pick mine up.
The MGR was picking up the PS3s today, to make sure they are available.

just reporting what this guy said, I just nodded and said " well, that's good"

Dude, you must either be VERY annoying and these guys just love to mess with you....

Or the people at your GStop are just idiots that lie to people...
Didn't I read that they bumped you off the list? And are totally playing you?

My local EB store will be selling future shipments as "First come first served" once they fill all their pre-orders.

Its cool your store is holding them just incase the people who did pre-order will be able to get a new one in the event their console breaks but it's gonna suck for everyone else looking to get a PS3.

Wont happen...THey would rather sell them and get the $$ than hold them just in case.
doesnt make any sense and dont see this happening.

That's an interesting new development, holding onto extra PS3s so that they can make a swap if they bought the store's extended warranty...