Windows 7 got off to a fast start at Amazon.co.uk in the early hours of the morning, with the two versions -- Home and Pro -- shooting to the top of the software charts. The pages came and went, but it's not clear whether Amazon.co.uk had problems. It may just be that someone noticed the recommended retail price of the Pro version had been listed as £0.01.
It also wasn't clear whether Amazon.co.uk was going to offer the Ultimate version of Windows 7: this version hadn't been announced by Microsoft UK, and Amazon.co.uk still hasn't priced it. Anyway, I bought the Pro edition, though Home is clearly a much better deal.
Microsoft suggested that the Home version would cost £49.99 while the Pro edition would cost £99.99. However, it doesn't set prices. For some reason, Amazon.co.uk decided to sacrifice some of its profits by selling them for less: £44.97 and £89.97. Yes, it was competing with other outlets including Argos, John Lewis, and Tesco. But I expect most people who regularly use their Amazon accounts -- eg me -- don't really care that much. It's things like the easy (far too easy) ordering and reliable delivery that keep us coming back.
Microsoft is also sacrificing a large amount of potential profit by selling full copies of Windows 7 in the UK for up to a third of the price -- Home should be £149.99, and Pro £219.99 -- which is why the pre-order promotional deal is only "while stocks last". Microsoft could actually make as much stock as it wants, but that would add up to a price cut.
Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows Consumer Product Marketing, told me that the deal was offered because "We want to reward customers who are following us closely". Sure, Brad. But I suspect it's probably more about getting Windows 7 off to a much better start than Vista.
If so, job done. According to a BBC News report, "Amazon said that sales of Windows 7 in the first eight hours it was available outstripped those of Windows Vista's entire 17 week pre-order period."
IDC is now predicting that: "By the end of 2010, more than 177 million copies of Windows 7 should be in place worldwide, and more than 50 million in the EUEZ" (European Union Economic Zone). It adds:
For every euro of Microsoft revenue in the EUEZ from launch in October 2009 to the end of 2010 from Windows 7, the ecosystem beyond Microsoft will reap €19.06.
