Dear PMDG,was in the process of purchasing the 747X (Download) for $54.99 on the PMDG website when I was alerted to FRYS selling the boxed version for $29.95.Now being in Australia makes it slightly difficult for me to pick-up from my local FRYS.So would it be possible to get some feedback on how they are selling (Boxed) for $25 less than I could pay to download it?I am a great fan of all the PMDG items I have purchased over the years as I have always considered the products to be some of (if not) the best for flightsim - but this would seem quite inequitable...RegardsScott

Seeing as I just got a copy I can fill you in. The boxed version is packaged and sold by Aerosoft. Somehow Best Buy got ahold of the 744X and sold it in stores for $29.99. I saw it in stores awhile back, and thought it was on the shelves for good, but before I got one it got pulled. Wound up finding mine on Amazon (they are now sold out to my knowledge).. I would pick it up while I had the chance though if I were you. I have only done 1 flight with it last weekend, but is every bit as complex as the MD-11 (especially without all the automatic systems). Chances are Frys got some of the left over Best Buy stock which is why it is that price... Once they are gone they are gone. I know there was a thread on here some time back about it. Do keep in mind though that there is no printed manual in the box like with the actual Aerosoft version. A small compromise though in my opinion for the price. It also comes with an assortment of liveries pre-installed on the disc, but you can pick and choose which ones you want. It only installs the basic PMDG liveries initially. Hopefully this helps.

I got my copy from Frys (Austin, Texas location) for the mentioned price of $29.99. I saw it and just about fainted (I intended to buy Air Hauler for 29.99... came out with this instead!). It's an amazing deal and 100% true. Last time I was there (about 3 weeks ago or so) there was a copy or two left on the shelf if I remember correctly. I believe if you go to their online store, you can get a copy for the same price there, but I am unsure on whether they ship to Australia... quite a bummer if they don't. Anyways, good luck trying to get a copy, for a rather unbeatable price!Peter Short

Guys, we've explained this before (we started doing retail sales in the big box stores over a year ago) - the reason the price is lower at the stores is because they set the price, not us. It's just the nature of trying to break into that sort of retail market space - we made the determination that the extra visibility and exposure was worth giving it a shot, even despite a lower price than we'd have liked.The deal is totally legitimate, it's the same product and you're more than free to go buy it there. This happens all the time with any type of product, there's always good deals you can seek out.

Ryan,Thanks for taking the time to respond.Whilst I cant disagree that the extra exposure for PM is great, I cannot help but ask if those of us loyal customers that buy online and frequent the forums are subsidising the boxed-for-retail only version of the Queen.I am slightly confused by the suggestion that it is the same product - for $29.95 I am getting a boxed/disk a physical item that must cost extra to produce whereas for an extra $30 I can get a download, even if the price was the same I would pick the disk everytime, less anything ever happen to PMDG and I not be able download or activate (Witness the demise of Phoenix).Please take my observations as just that - I will of course continue to purchase your products and enjoy them, and am looking forward to the NGX, but nonethless feel I am helping to pay extra for something less...Scott

From what I have seen it is still worth every bit of the $60 on the site.. The MD-11 & J-41 are well worth the cost of admission.. Have well over $100 invested in the MD-11 as I bought that and the printed publications. The box is just a way to reach a wider audience and introduce them to a PMDG product.

Buy it from PMDG directly = they get 100% of the saleBuy it somewhere else = they get far lessI'm glad to give them 60 as it's worth even more! I've paid 60 for a video game that gets boring after a few weeks!

Buy it from PMDG directly = they get 100% of the saleBuy it somewhere else = they get far lessI'm glad to give them 60 as it's worth even more! I've paid 60 for a video game that gets boring after a few weeks!

+1

I might buy the FS9 version for $25, since I don't really use FS9 any more but have it set up on my older machine, just to play with it.

Just bought 747x on Amazon ( via a 3rd party) for $38..says they only have a few left..YMMV

Retail store selling for $29.95. then what price PMDG selling them?Naresh

Found a copy af the Best Buy in Long Beach CA, yesterday. $29,99 was to hard to resist ;)

Is it possible that a Christmas release of NGX will see the product flood the retail market with boxed versions for $29.95? I might put it on my Christmas wishlist as the wait might be worth it, that is IF it is released by Christmas!Just a thought,Terry Swindle

Terry-The NGX won't appear in the US Retail market for more than 24 months after release.A very limited supply of the 747-400X was shipped to US retail stores as a market test.

Terry-The NGX won't appear in the US Retail market for more than 24 months after release.A very limited supply of the 747-400X was shipped to US retail stores as a market test.

Just curious Robert, but how did the test pan out? Were there more purchases or much less than expected?