Amazon is one of the largest online retailers in the world, offering a wide array of products such as books, DVDs, electronics and toys. Of course, they sell video games as well. Amazon has one of the biggest selection of games for all platforms including PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and the Wii, as well as older ones like Gameboy.
If a new game is coming out soon, Amazon will most likely have a preorder for it. It’s a reliable merchant which makes it a good choice for preordering video games. However, you do have to consider the shipping rates, especially if you’re not located in the US, Canada or the UK.
Payment options
Amazon accepts credit, debit, check, pre-paid and gift cards issued by the following companies: Visa, MasterCard / EuroCard, Discover Network, American Express, Diner’s Club (U.S. billing addresses only), JCB and Amazon Credit Account. You can also use their gift certificates. Some restrictions are applied: for example, prepaid gift cards may not be combined with credit cards on a single order.
Pre-order price guarantee
Like most other online retailers, Amazon will only charge your credit card after your order is shipped. What’s more, they also offer a lowest price guarantee between the time you placed your order and the release date of the item. For example, if you register your preorder when the game is priced $45 and the price increases later, you will still have to pay only $45. On the other hand, if the price falls to $40 before the release date, then you will be charged $40.
Delivery information and costs
Amazon offers free Super Saver Shipping in several countries, including US, Canada and UK. To be eligible for free delivery, your order must exceed $25 (£25 when using Amazon.co.uk). If your order doesn’t qualify for Super Saver Shipping, you will have to pay both per-order and per-item fees. These are usually around $4 per order and an additional $1 for every item, and vary slightly depending which country you’re ordering from. Outside the US, Amazon only ships video games to a limited list of countries that includes Australia, most of the European Union and some Asia-Pacific region countries.
Normally you should pick the cheapest shipping option when preordering. If you are reserving a game copy weeks before it is released, there isn’t much of a point in choosing anything but standard delivery. Most merchants send out your game early in order for you to receive it on the release date. However, if you are preordering with only a week or so left until release, your game might arrive a bit late when using standard shipping. Amazon offers special Release-Date Delivery on select items for those who want to get their game as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Amazon is a great choice for online game preorders in the US and Canada, because you can get free delivery and often receive your game on the release date. However, if you live in Europe you might want to try GAME.co.uk instead, since they offer free delivery in the UK and charge only £2.95 per order in all European Union countries. Likewise, Play-Asia might be a better choice for gamers located in Asia-Pacific.
Have you ever pre-ordered from Amazon? Share your experience in the comments below.
