Carson-area retailers expect their initial allotments of Sony PlayStation2 game consoles to go quickly, even at the full $299 retail price, and prepared for enthusiastic demand for today's release.
Signs posted at Super KMart's entrances said customers could start lining up at 9 p.m. Wednesday for PlayStation2s that would go on sale at 12:01 a.m. today.
KMart, Target and Wal-Mart all planned to restrict sales to one per family or customer, first-come, first-served.
"That's the only way to be fair about it," Wal-Mart assistant manager Keith Conrad said Wednesday. "We're all set up for it, starting at 7 a.m. Thursday."
Conrad said many potential customers know that Sony could not make as many consoles as retailers wanted on their shelves for holiday shopping and his store has received many calls from anxious shoppers.
"There's certainly been a lot of hype about this. Remember the Furby thing two years ago?" Conrad said.
Conrad did not give the specific number of Playstation2s that would be available this morning but said the Carson City Wal-Mart expects to get more consoles periodically throughout the holiday shopping season.
The KMart store received 24 consoles in its preliminary shipment, Mary Byington, assistant electronics manager, said Wednesday. More will be shipped here, but the store does not know how many or when.
"All we know is what we see on the news, that they are going to be scarce," Byington said.
The Carson Target Store had almost 50 units available for its 9 a.m. opening today, according to an assistant manager. The Target will receive more during the season, he said.
"We know there is not going to be an abundant supply, but hopefully we'll get some on every truck," he said.