Random Selection Process and FAQ [Updated 4/1/22]

LEP

I like the system. Except that they don't tell you what days they actually get them shipped unless you drive all the way there wait until 9 and scan the qr code. And I know there is a silicon shortage but that doesn't mean they can't update their website on the days they get things shipped. It was kind of annoying really waste of time.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35407#Comment_35407

Greetings! As stated in the FAQ, a valid state-issued Driver's License/Identification Card must be presented to receive your voucher.

You're welcome to visit your closest Micro Center and speak with management to see if they are able to find an alternative for your situation, and that is what I'd recommend doing.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35411#Comment_35411

Thank you for your feedback. At this time, the best way to find stock information regarding video cards is to visit the store. Due to the current Random Selection Process, the website may not always have the most accurate information for products associated with this process. I hope we can improve this in the future as we do look for ways to help streamline this process.

It should be noted, if we do have any stock remaining after the selection and redemption have been completed, these products will be placed on the shelves in the store for purchase during store hours.

Jcrouse55

What days do you get a truck with GPU's and hold the Random selection at the St. Louis Park Mn. store? Thanks

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35479#Comment_35479

Greetings, as our Community staff is not located at a specific store, the information we have on shipments is listed in the FAQ:

 Shipments will vary by the store for these high-demand products as delivery dates and times are subject to change due to the nature of trucking schedules, the weather, etc. We recommend coming to the store and speaking with associates in our Build Your Own department. They may be able to provide an idea of when they receive shipments.

To add on to this FAQ answer, I have seen some store locations post a sheet out front when they do not have cards at or before their specified raffle time. If there are no cards, there is not a raffle / QR code posted. Also, if cards are still available after the raffle, they may be purchased by customers in-store during regular business hours.

KRXVII

if you work morning shift is impossible for you to get a card since you guys dont sell them in weekends, how did you guys not think of this????????????????

C_Watkins

The part I love is when the cards are put in stock on the website and, throughout the day when I couldn't drive in, I saw the listings drop off, one by one. Until nothing was left but the card I really want most, and a couple higher-end models. So when I was finally able to break free and make the hour drive, I get to the store to hear they're all sold out, and have been since this morning. OK... then why is it still in stock on the site? The tired excuse that "the website isn't always up to date" is wearing pretty thin in 2021 when you can automate things like this. Used to be, I could call up my favorite rep, or at least 'someone' at the local store, and make sure something was still in stock before I waste an hour drive out and a very frustrated hour drive back like this. Apparently our store puts them in stock on the site if they make it past the Thurs/Fri events. Like many others have expressed, unlike the scalpers and their paid minions who have nothing better to do, I can't come out during the weekdays, so I'll never be able to get one in a raffle. But this one showed in stock. and now, two hours later, it STILL shows in stock. So infuriating. STOP putting them in stock on the site if you can't keep it updated as they sell. (Oddly enough, all of the other stock came off the site just fine as it sold. Just not this Asus 3070 TI I've been trying to get.

There it is, showing "limited availability" even now when I verified hours ago there isn't one to be had.

I wonder how many drove from an hour or more away to try to get one of these? I wonder how many will do the same thing tomorrow morning when they open?

I know it isn't done intentionally to mess with good customers... but this is NOT good customer service. Why bother putting them online if you can't keep the site up to date? The cards will sell. You could put a sign in your entrance and pull it once they're gone. That way you wouldn't get people's hopes up and have them waste two hours of their time, plus gas and frustration in traffic. Just my $.02.

C_Watkins

All three cards are still showing in stock this morning. Guaranteed this will cause someone to have a bad day.

Isaiah1102

Wouldn’t it make more sense to allow people to get into the raffle in the morning from anywhere and give those selected till the end of the day to come and get their card.

C_Watkins

Yep. This is the stock they got in the other day for Thurs/Fri raffle:

Cards that weren't chosen or picked up in time got listed on the website but apparently were all sold out by Saturday morning. Unsuspecting customers seeing them in stock on the website drive from however far away only to be told, "Yeah, our website isn't up to date. Sorry about that."

Even now the 3090 Ventus 3X and the 3070 TI TUF that I wanted still show "limited availability" on their site. They did finally remove the 3090 Strix White in the last hour or so.

C_Watkins

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35532#Comment_35532

Some of us think so, but the decision makers don't think so.

All I know is that the way they do it right now... anyone who has to work a regular job for a living doesn't really have a chance at any of this stock.

WannaAMDGPU

See if I understand:

1 go to store to find out what days GPU’s may arrive.

2 goto store on those days to see if any came on

3 if some did, participate in virtual line raffle

is that how it works?

why not auto raffle people who have item on their wishlist and notify by email with a deadline to pickup?

JS_MC

Thanks all for the additional feedback. We'll continue to share this with our corporate office leadership!

@C_Watkins Would you mind letting me know what store you are shopping in. I'd also be happy to share your feedback with our management there as well!

@WannaAMDGPU You have the process correct! That's how it works in a pointed summary. I'll be happy to share your additional feedback as well.

I understand your frustration with not being able to get a GPU! As employees are still not able to purchase GPUs due to the limited supply. We appreciate your understanding and your constructive feedback! We'll continue to move forward with your suggestions and improve this process. 👍

Thank you!

C_Watkins

@LandShark It's the Marietta store, and I'm definitely not upset with anyone I've worked with over there. They're all just following leadership's rules, like everywhere else. I'm just wishing it could be handled a bit differently, company-wide, to help those of us who simply can't be standing out front at 8am on a workday. Well... that, and not listing parts online that will fly off the shelves very quickly if you can't let us reserve them online or keep the site up to date when they sell. Wasting 2hrs sitting in traffic to get to and from on a weekend, plus the gas and the overall frustration... Ugh.

Happy to say that I'm good for now. I simply gave up on the 3000-series. I spotted a 2080 Super last night in an open box deal I've reserved and am picking up this evening. Getting a complete G465 for about what I was going to pay for a 3070 ti to upgrade a 5 year old system that would've been a bottleneck for it... it feels like I got pretty lucky in the end. 😀

Thanks!

JS_MC

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35555#Comment_35555

If you wouldn't mind, could you check to see if that 3070 Ti is still showing Limited Availability? I believe we corrected this error, it's not showing this way on my end, but just to be sure :)

I understand your frustration! I get it. Hopefully, we'll start to see cards remaining in stock after 'normal' work hours, and hopefully, they are able to review the process and improve it for those who are not able to be there when cards are delivered. It's not an easy time for desktop GPUs and gamers have it the worst right now. I think MC is doing a good job with the cards dealt, and I hope they continue to improve.

Glad you were able to find a card, my friend! Sorry that we couldn't help you get the 3000 series this time!

sgunes

Why not just post here which store receives what kind of shipment so people can show up and get in line in the morning?

If it has to be virtual, give people the shipment information and then one hour to get to the store.

I live in a southern suburb of Dallas and anything faster than 30 minutes would be a deathrace endangering the public and my driver's license.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35559#Comment_35559

Thank you for your feedback. At this time, as our Community staff is not located at a specific store, we would not have the stocking information available for the stores. I hope we can improve this in the future as we do look for ways to help streamline this process.

It should be noted, if we do have any stock remaining after the selection and redemption have been completed, these products will be placed on the shelves in the store for purchase during store hours.

C_Watkins

@LandShark yes, it was fixed the morning of your post. (Answering again so folks in the future will see I didn't leave you hanging... since my other posts were deleted)

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/35587#Comment_35587

Your posts were not deleted. I am sorry for the confusion. Your posts regarding the PowerSpec system were moved as they did not relate to the FAQ at this time so we could keep your questions regarding this better organized: https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/9330/powerspec-hardware-issue#latest The forum notification system should have informed you of this, I am sorry if it did not.

C_Watkins

Hey, thanks for the link.(Yeah, the system sent no notice) I agree they weren't on topic... I just didn't want it to look like I'd left someone hanging. :D

JS_MC

I'll check in on the notification issue. Thanks for letting us know that you didn't see anything regarding your post being moved!

Titan363

All I keep hearing in my head is, You have to take a day off work, get someone to drive you 2 hours to the store, hope they got cards that day, and hope you win a lottery, and never mind the thousands of dollars spent in their stores if you dont live in the neighborhood go F* yourself.

invalidation

Why not just take customer info for a random lottery for their selected store?  Contact them by email, and give them until end of day to pick up?  

It’s fairly ridiculous to ask people to take every single day off work in the morning, to have a chance at possibly getting a chance of maybe being selected to buy an item. 

JS_MC

Hello @Titan363

I'm sorry to hear that you're frustrated with this process. I can sympathize with you on this. This shortage has made getting a graphics card difficult for everyone. While I have not been given an official statement on the reasons why this specific system was chosen, I can make what I would consider being an assumption that holds its weight.

Micro Center has been first and foremost a brick-and-mortar store front since its inception. A place where you have to enter the store to be able to purchase certain 'in-store only' items. I think MC is doing a good job with the cards dealt, and I hope they continue to improve this process or update it all together.

Thank you @invalidation for the feedback and suggestions about how MC might improve this process. I'll happily share this feedback with our corporate team!

I believe the current timing was chosen based on when we receive shipments and the time to redeem kept short in an effort to limit the opportunity for scalpers to game the system. This isn't the first time that someone has made this or a similar suggestion here, so I'm sure that they are taking this into consideration.

I'm staying hopeful that we will start to see more volume being received at our store. It would be lovely to have stock to put on the shelves again :)

Thanks again for your feedback!

NightMan1990

So basically I have to sign up for some weird virtual line? and if I come in right at 9am when I should usually be working I can have a "chance" to purchase a new graphics card even when they are just sitting on the shelf?? So it could just be a complete waste of my time and I may not even end up with a graphics card or be left with one that I don't even want?? How is this a good idea.

JS_MC

Hi @NightMan1990. I'm happy to answer these questions for you. The current system requires you to scan a QR code as mentioned at the start of this thread. When you scan this QR code it takes you to a site where you can enter your information and sign up for the virtual line. This checks against our internal system to ensure that people aren't able to purchase multiple GPUs within the specified period. After the signup period has ended the virtual line closes and the random selection begins. At this point, you would be notified via text if you are able to purchase a GPU. Any GPUs that are not claimed at this time would be returned to the shelf.

If a GPU still remains after the random selection process, then it would be available for purchase as usual. Simply speak with one of our BYO associates about this and they would be happy to help.

I've said this a couple of times in posts above, but I believe it, so I don't mind repeating it. I think that MC has done a good job with the cards they have been dealt. They have a limited supply available and want to give customers in store the most equal opportunity to purchase a new GPU. Can they make improvements to this system? Probably. I believe that they are reviewing the feedback here and from other channels to work to improve this system. In the meantime, I think this is a fair process that doesn't require the several hours of camping or queuing up outside the store that the previous method did.

I hope that this explains the process a bit better for you. The limited GPU availability isn't fun for any of us, but we'll get through it!

I wish you good luck in the meantime! Hopefully, you're able to get a card soon!

Yasser123

We need more than 30 min I live like 2 hours and a half away from microcenter

Loki67_

No micro center in my city. So I have to miss a full day of work and drive 3 hours just to get in a line and hopefully win a lottery. If you could just mail me a rtx 3090 once a month that would be great

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/36227#Comment_36227

Greetings, As the raffle opens at 9am (at most stores - please see initial post to verify for your local store), and they start drawing for cards at 9:45 (at most stores - please see initial post to verify for your local store), I would advise you would want to remain at the store until the draw is complete for your chance at the card, this is not intended for you to enter and then leave the store and return again.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/36233#Comment_36233

I wish we could mail out the cards like this! Unfortunately at this time, video cards like this are only purchasable directly at our store locations.