Zune HD: Good. Shopping For It...Not So Much

[David Tucker]

<p><em>"After entering Best Buy I first asked the greeter where I could find the Zune HD. His response, &ldquo;the what?&rdquo; I then explained that it was Microsoft&rsquo;s latest music and video player. He pointed me towards the music device section. Once I arrived in that section I saw the Apple devices on display, the Sansa devices, and then the Zune section. Noticeably absent was the Zune HD."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1253124362.usr307.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><a href="http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/first-impressions-purchase-experience-and-first-impressions-20090915/" target="_blank">Geek.com</a> has a combined purchase experience and first impressions review up on the Zune HD. While the Best Buy experience sounds slightly humorous, I think if I was Microsoft I'd be a little annoyed with Best Buy if this was common across all of their stores. Was anyone else in Best Buy at launch to know if this was a common problem or perhaps just something specific to this store? Hopefully this was an isolated problem.</p><p>Geek does like the Zune HD overall but I think they have some pretty legitimate gripes with the out of box experience. I don't understand why Microsoft makes the Zune pretty much unusable until you've hooked it up but I've seen this trend in other devices too. My G1 was completely useless until I had it all set up with my GMail account.</p><p>The Zune HD really has gotten a pretty good reception so if Microsoft is trying to breath new life into the platform its a good start. Let's see if all of this positive press translates into sales.</p>

[Alber1690]

Was anyone else in Best Buy at launch to know if this was a common problem or perhaps just something specific to this store? Hopefully this was an isolated problem.

That was the main reason I went with Amazon's Release Date shipping. Last two Zune launchs, neither Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Target, nor Walmart know what I was talking about. After hopping through all those stores in my city on the Zune 80 release date (wow, that seems like ages ago now), I eventually found a few in stock at a nearby city's Target. Overall a horrible experience, but I was too happy in the end with my 80 that I had forgotten all the pain.


I don't understand why Microsoft makes the Zune pretty much unusable until you've hooked it up but I've seen this trend in other devices too.

It didn't bother me much. I was instead very happy that they have that device update system in place and were able to get the hardware taken care of and then listened to the Zune community by taking the time during crunch hour to develop the newer builds of the device software and include the "apps" concept and add the "internet" link under the main menu.


The Zune HD really has gotten a pretty good reception so if Microsoft is trying to breath new life into the platform its a good start. Let's see if all of this positive press translates into sales.

Great software, check! Great device, check! Great press, check! Marketing campaign, pending! The first three are hardest to come by; do they not see that once you have those in place, the final push should be the most effective?

[nook]

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday to get mine and the dude behind the electronics department actually had to go in the back to get them. He had forgotten to put them out! I think Microsoft needs to complain about their supply chain. So far everyone loves the HD, but if they aren't in the marketplace for people to fondle, it makes it hard to get the people that don't know about it on board! BTW, I LOVE my ZuneHD. Did you guys get my tip about the 3D home screen? :D

[aper1202]

I had a similar experience today. I went to my local Target and Best Buy and there wasn't even a display with any HD anywhere. I'm not sure what is actually going on with the marketing, odd.

[MrGrieves567]

Haha, next time I go to Bestbuy, I'll find out about the Zune HD's. But they usually have a section for Zunes with some accessories, so I believe they'll have them in stock.

[Jason Dunn]

BTW, I LOVE my ZuneHD. Did you guys get my tip about the 3D home screen? :D

Yup, I saw that. It's SO subtle is makes me wonder why they even did it...but it's kind of neat. :D

[Macguy59]

Didn't I already post this in another thread ?

[Jason Dunn]

Didn't I already post this in another thread ?

What people post in our forums, and what gets assigned to news editors to post on the front page, are not always the same things. I learned about Joel's story on Geek.com from Joel himself this morning, I assigned it to David, and he posted about it. I don't scour the forums first before making assignments... :)

[tbird]

I am not really in the market for a new Zune right now, my 120 is only 8 months old and I like all the space. Anyway I did want to see the HD first hand so yesterday went to my local Wal Mart...No HD, there were a couple of 120's but that was it. Today went to Best Buy to take a look, there was a Zune display but NO Zune HD. I could see there were several in boxes in a locked case. So I asked a clerk if there was a display model. She said no. I asked if she would take one out of a box so I could see if first hand and again she said no she couldn't do that! But she said I could buy it and if I didn't like it I could return it. I said no thanks and left the store.

[commishbob]

I walked into the best Buy closest to my job yesterday at about 3 p.m. Went to the music device section and saw a new HD on display. The salesperson knew what they were, said she had sold one earlier, and unlocked the glass display case to pull a 32g for me. They had several 16s but I'm not sure if there were 32s under there besides the one I got. I had NOT preordered. The manager had to come over and manually enter the serial number when I checked out but other than that it was smooth sailing.

I'm not a Best Buy fanboy but I had a good experience. They even honored a coupon that entitled me to a $25 gift card with a $250 purchase despite the fact it was supposed to be good only at the new store that opened in my neighborhood.

[doogald]

I think Microsoft needs to complain about their supply chain.

It sounds more like that Microsoft needs to do something themselves about their retailers. Maybe spend some marketing development funds to get merchandisers into the stores to make sure that stuff that is supposed to be selling is not only on shelves but, for goodness sakes, in the POS databases!

I cannot believe that Microsoft would allow this to happen with Windows on a new release, that's for sure.

[wolfpainter]

I picked up a Zune HD from the best buy near my college about an hour after it opened. They had both the 16g and the 32g on display and working. I honestly couldn't believe how small it was! Anyways, after playing with the devices I pulled an employee over to open the cage and get one for me. There were only three left and apparently they had sold several within that hour! There was another guy there as well getting the HD and several of the accessories and the employees seemed pretty knowledgable about the device.
The main problem I noticed was that the Zune 32g wasn't able to be scanned without a manager's login, weird, but nothing to get riled up about. Also the tag they had out had the 24hr music and 4hrs video on it. When I told them about it they also wondered why it was wrong and figured it would be corrected soon. (I guess the employees had been following the Zune on the web too.)
Anyways, really happy with my Zune HD! Just playing around with the interface has been fun and the screen is awesome!