As someone without a Micro$oft axe to grind YET, given the choice of a system with or one without for the same price - difficult choice ... NOT. Until you are aware of the options re: freeware, why go for the without option. It's a steep enough learning curve as it is! And given the HDD size, It doesn't matter if you leave it unused.
As to what the retailers will do:
Choice A) What Micro$oft wants.
Choice B) What makes them the most profit.
Choice C) What their staff can get their heads around.
If Micro$oft offers the two choices for the same price, as it seems they will, why would retailers subsidise this? It seems a good selling point, get this version for the same price as that one but with a Media Player already installed - Owt For Nowt!

While it is said that 'The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth', nobody guaranteed what state it would be in when they got it!