Over: That would be nice (I don't know if all shops would be able to handle that automatically). But I guess that's not something that is currently done and CDP didn't invent the wheel here. But that would be a nice idea. I've preordered several games and never got a preload key and since most release dates are on thursdays/fridays here, I end up waiting for next Monday/Tuesday to play the games.
Oh, it is normal, preLoad Keys are everywhere.
Even for EA as publisher such things is standart, even small indi Devs. Send Preload Keys, there are even tons of services out there, who sent them automaticly. Like SendOwl, so it is a normal thing, to sent preLoad Keys to customer. Every Game i bought on Amazon, if they have a preload, i get a preload key or they sent earlyer. But not in CP2077.
CDP miss it and now they can do something agains it, because the need to do it.
They cant say, "oh sorry you don't get a physical copy of the game in the box and now you all must load it at the same time". They have two ways to solve this. First, they make a preload installer for everyone now, post it in the forum of gog and let the people download it. At the best, they make a torrent out of it and they make some seeders. It only must contain a heavy encrypted version.
The second thing they cant do it anymore. Next time CDP, use a USB Stick. Buy some hunderttousends with a special design and copy the gold version on it. Sell it in a small nice box, that even fit in a small slit postbox. And say every reseller, that they must sent it asap, if you tell them to send it. Or make a preorder key as mentioned.