Hmm, well, as a retailer, I'll give our end of why we prefer pre-orders. It helps us know what quantity to order so that we don't order too much and get stuck with them in our warehouse. Why is pre-ordering good for you guys? Because by helping us better manage stock, we can keep prices low.
Now in regards to ordering the VE-1 from HLJ, their price comes out to $83.51. Umm, and we've got them on pre-order for $79.99 and we're in the U.S. so you're gonna pay even less shipping and not have to worry about getting a defective one, 'cause if you did, we'd take care of it for ya.
So my recommendation would be to pre-order and support your MW retailer. Buy it from us, buy it from Kev or any of the other great retailers here, but overall, my recommendation is to get your pre-order in because although they are not 'limited', overall demand naturally makes them limited.