Second Shipment of PS3 in

[Sankari]

People on other boards right now are reporting what they see in the stores. As a matter of fact a BestBuy in Dadeland (I think this is the Miami area) just received 40 PS3s!!!

40? Where did you get this? That is far more than I expected for them to be able to ship anytime soon.

 

[dobwal]

I'm having issue with Sony shipping protocol. Why ship only around 200,000 at launch when you plan on bringing 800,000 more during the next six weeks. Wouldn't it have been better to wait to early December and launched with 500,000-700,000 units and then another 250,000-500,000 units to supply some of the shoppers that missed out at launch.

Why spread out 1,000,000 units of six weeks when you can do it in 4 weeks. 4 weeks at least gives you the perception of having better execution with higher launch numbers and restocking with more units over a given time.

 

[patsu]

The launch date was probably planned to capture Thanksgiving week.

 

[fulcizombie]

I'm having issue with Sony shipping protocol. Why ship only around 200,000 at launch when you plan on bringing 800,000 more during the next six weeks. Wouldn't it have been better to wait to early December and launched with 500,000-700,000 units and then another 250,000-500,000 units to supply some of the shoppers that missed out at launch.

Why spread out 1,000,000 units of six weeks when you can do it in 4 weeks. 4 weeks at least gives you the perception of having better execution with higher launch numbers and restocking with more units over a given time.

Sony shipped far less than 300k on launch day and they will have sold far less than a million in the end of 2006.

The November/December NPD will dispell this myth of "1 million consoles in the U.S in 2006"

 

[dobwal]

Sony shipped far less than 300k on launch day and they will have sold far less than a million in the end of 2006.

The November/December NPD will dispell this myth of "1 million consoles in the U.S in 2006"

Well, your opinion seems to be the only logical reason why Sony's launch numbers haven't been anywhere near spectacular.

People are reporting a second shipment, but the timing and the small launch numbers makes me believe that Sony will be delivering miniscule numbers until way after Christmas.

 

[Paul_G]

another reason is, i don't know what it's like in the states, but some people don't like christmas shopping so late. Launching in December means some who might have bought in Nov. will have gone for something else to get the shopping done. the earlier they launch, the more shoppers they can attempt to catch, not that it really matters, since they'll see whatever they put out regardless

 

[patsu]

That's right. Thanksgiving week is one of those periods where people have time to shop. Also to maximize word of mouth effect when people gather at home to talk when they see a PS3. Notice Wii, Xbox 360 and its new VoD service were also launched just before this week (This Thursday).

 

[dobwal]

another reason is, i don't know what it's like in the states, but some people don't like christmas shopping so late. Launching in December means some who might have bought in Nov. will have gone for something else to get the shopping done. the earlier they launch, the more shoppers they can attempt to catch, not that it really matters, since they'll see whatever they put out regardless

how I am suppose to debate with you. you refute your own argument in the middle of making that argument. LOL

 

[Paul_G]

how I am suppose to debate with you. you refute your own argument in the middle of making that argument. LOL

I did? Guess it's too late for me...all i was saying is that the reason behind launching earlier with fewer units is to catch people who would pre-order...if it fitted their schedule. Some people might want to pre-order that PS3 for little jonny, but it's launching mid-december, which is too late. The earlier they launch, even though they'll see through either way, the more people they'll catch. I think it makes sense anyway

 

[dobwal]

That's right. Thanksgiving week is one of those periods where people have time to shop. Also to maximize word of mouth effect when people gather at home to talk when they see a PS3. Notice Wii, Xbox 360 and its new VoD service were also launched just before this week (This Thursday).

December is the number one month in terms of console sales. The PS2 average well over 1 million console sold during the month of december over its lifetime. The PS3 is supply limited and as a launch product, 1 million wouldn't last the month of december.

So why go through a lackluster launch of 200,000? If you can supply 1 million before 2007, why not choose a date where supply is greater. Noone's complaining about the Wii launch and it only launched with 400,000.

 

[patsu]

The launch date was likely planned early. They also need to be there when everyone else is releasing their latest gears. Retailers are probably filling up their shelves too. Psychologically, it's pretty much a "hard" deadline to meet Christmas shopping season. The ship numbers by right is something they can plan and control better

 

[22psi]

My friend is getting one today, the 2nd shipments are here!

 

[Rangers]

Sony shipped far less than 300k on launch day and they will have sold far less than a million in the end of 2006.

The November/December NPD will dispell this myth of "1 million consoles in the U.S in 2006"

Probably, but Sony can easily claim the 1m shipped anyway. And crow about how they hit target.

Just like microsoft did, NPD for 360 NOV/DEC 2005 was 607k. microsoft reported 1.5m shipped WW by Dec 31. Granted, that included Europe, but there is a lot of waggle room in shipped figures (and of course shipped includes the next 4-6 weeks of sales).


So we'll probably see something like 500k nov/dec combined NPD and a Sony press release stating they shipped a million to North America around the same time.
________
Life saber

 

[Escalation]

I just picked mine up at Gamestop today. I was first on the second shipment list and the manager told me they had only received one unit.

 

[pipo]

So why go through a lackluster launch of 200,000?

Another delay wasn't an option anyway. Nobody would ever take them serious anymore...

 

[London Geezer]

Besides, would there be much of a difference between launching with 200k units and launching with 400k units?

In the end, a very small percentage of the people who want a PS3 would have been able to get one, even with 400k units out. Say, there are 10M people who want a PS3 now, the difference is 0.02% and 0.04% of demand satisfaction. Sure, 0.04% is double, but really it's not a huge difference, they're both tiny, demand would never have been satisfied, so might as well launch even with just 200k units than not at all. The press would have reported huge shortages anyway, whereas another delay would have been on a whole other level of bad PR sor Sony. It just wasn't a viable option for them.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Besides, would there be much of a difference between launching with 200k units and launching with 400k units?

In the end, a very small percentage of the people who want a PS3 would have been able to get one, even with 400k units out. Say, there are 10M people who want a PS3 now, the difference is 0.02% and 0.04% of demand satisfaction. Sure, 0.04% is double, but really it's not a huge difference, they're both tiny, demand would never have been satisfied, so might as well launch even with just 200k units than not at all. The press would have reported huge shortages anyway, whereas another delay would have been on a whole other level of bad PR sor Sony. It just wasn't a viable option for them.

Umm.. 400k units is 4% not 0.04%, though 2 % or 4% is not a huge difference anyways. I know that you just threw that 10 million out there, but still I don't think it would have sold out, had there been 10 million units in stores at that price.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Besides, would there be much of a difference between launching with 200k units and launching with 400k units?

In the end, a very small percentage of the people who want a PS3 would have been able to get one, even with 400k units out. Say, there are 10M people who want a PS3 now, the difference is 0.02% and 0.04% of demand satisfaction. Sure, 0.04% is double, but really it's not a huge difference, they're both tiny, demand would never have been satisfied, so might as well launch even with just 200k units than not at all. The press would have reported huge shortages anyway, whereas another delay would have been on a whole other level of bad PR sor Sony. It just wasn't a viable option for them.

By that logic...100 units is adequate

 

[Shifty Geezer]

By that logic...100 units is adequate

And I'd say that'd be true, if it's followed up. If we consider the two hypothetical extremes, would it be better to launch with

1) 1 million on Day one, and a few thousand a month after that, or
2) 100 on Day one, and 250,000 a week thereafter?

The latter would be far better for customers and a stronger launch, if you count the launch as being longer than a single day.

Of course in this case it seems to remain hypothetical, as it seems unlikely that Sony are providing robust on-going supplies!

 

[scooby_dooby]

And I'd say that'd be true, if it's followed up. If we consider the two hypothetical extremes, would it be better to launch with

1) 1 million on Day one, and a few thousand a month after that, or
2) 100 on Day one, and 250,000 a week thereafter?

The latter would be far better for customers and a stronger launch, if you count the launch as being longer than a single day.

Of course in this case it seems to remain hypothetical, as it seems unlikely that Sony are providing robust on-going supplies!

I don't think it's true at all, for one thing LB's numbers are way off.

If we assume 10million people want it at that pricepoint (maybe a little generous there) 1million units would be 10% of people, which is a solid chunk. 500k is 5%, not good, bot not horrible. 200k is 2%...now you're getting ridiculously low imo.

As for stretching it out over weeks, I don't see how that's any better or worse for the consumer, but getting 1million on day 1 puts them that much further ahead out of the starting gate, and any subsequent shipments only make the launch that much better.