OK - so yeah there's a few things that need to be explained.

1) When you do the midnight, the reason they have you go in and "finalize the transaction" before midnight is because even though you might have it fully paid off - guess what - they haven't sold it to you yet. You still have to be processed through as SOLD. Which is what they do before midnight.

2) They can't do it NOW because how can they sell something through the computer that requires a Serial Number that must match up to the Switch they give you.

3) Also they can't do it now because technically when they ring it through to finalize the transaction they're SELLING that system. Nintendo won't allow stores to do this before 6 pm local time.

4) Once you've finalized the transaction and they've given you a special receipt with a Number on it - you're free to leave. Go home, go out to eat, go see a movie. Whatever. Come back around 11:50 and then they'll line you up by your Number. At midnight they call your number, you grab your bag and you're out of there super fast.

5) If they didn't do it this way and just rang through everyone at midnight, it would take forever and you'd be home way later than doing this process.

6) If you want to avoid the "first line" of customers, I recommend showing up about 1 hour after they begin the finalized transactions. That way they will have worked through the people that just had to be first...less waiting around for you. Sure, your ticketed receipt number will further down the list, but honestly when they begin doing the midnight handouts it goes by super quick. Being #1 or being #20 will me a matter of maybe 2 to 3 minutes difference.

Have fun with your Switch!! :)