Tim Smith wrote:
> In article <1276971.B46KOc35Hf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > PlayStation 3 sells out at launch
> >
> > ,----[ Quote ]
> > | Electronics stores in Japan have sold out of PlayStation 3
> > | consoles after thousands of gamers queued for hours in thec
> > | old to buy them.
> > `----
> >
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6135452.stm
>
> No surprise there, since only 100k machines were available.
>
> The US launch on the 17th will also easily sell out, as that is only
> 400k or 500k units.
>
> One thing that will help is that it is now much harder to pre-order a
> game console and then eBay that, so there will be less competition from
> people who are pre-ordering only to immediately sell. (eBay now
> requires you to include a picture of the receipt when you put a
> pre-order console up for auction, and at least one major game store is
> checking the auctions, and canceling any pre-orders through them that
> show up on eBay).
>
> It's going to be fairly hard to get a PS2 or a Wii before Christmas.
> Nintendo will have 4 million available at launch on the 19th, which will
> help a bit, but demand is VERY high. When Wal-Mart started taking Wii
> pre-orders online, they sold out in a few minutes.
>
It's purely a marketing tactic on Sony's part to create these
"artifical shortages" in order to hype up demand for the product.
Then again... the fewer PS3's they sell less money they will lose.
<quote>
Nonetheless, investors won't see a payoff for years. Sony will probably
lose $1.7 billion selling PS3s in its 2007 fiscal year. Analysts for
the Yankee Group estimate Sony spends $700 to $800 to make each PS3,
creating a loss on every sale. The games division won't return to
profitability until several million units have been sold, as component
prices fall and revenues from higher-margin software kick in. Said
Stringer last week: Sony will "have to generate some excitement and
profits from elsewhere in the company."
</quote>
http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501061113-1556342-2,00.html
Interesting... Microsoft also sells the XBox 360 at a loss. But the
per-unit loss is much smaller than the loss Sony is willing to take. I
seem to recall several posts accusing MS of "illegally dumping"
consoles below cost and how it's immoral. I guess this practice is okay
now because this time Sony is doing it.
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