Pre-orders without an eventual delivery are fraud. Ignoring the time value of money, when you pre-order you typically pay the same amount as you would if you wa

Pre-orders without an eventual delivery are fraud. Ignoring the time value of money, when you pre-order you typically pay the same amount as you would if you waited until the product was available. What you gain is getting the product earlier than others, and what you lose is the access to reviews prior to making your purchase decision. Pre-orders are not a new business model. They pre-date the general availability of the internet.