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[Chi-Town]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/13/s...n=4d91bec42cee7c0f&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1

 

[Deku Tree]

That manufacturing problem sounds reasonable to me. Sony should have anticipated higher demand for the new PS2 considering last years sales and this years lower price tag. Wonder what kind of manufacturing problem might have arisen?

 

[sonycowboy]

I honestly believe Sony could have sold the most consoles ever this Christmas if only they had the units available.

1) Shortage leading up to holidays
2) New PS2 redesign
3) $149 holiday price point
4) Best holiday lineup ever.

IMHO, they could have easily beat their holiday sales of 2002 of 4 million units.

2002 / 11 (November) 1,318,000
2002 / 12 (December) 2,733,000

What a waste.

 

[Suikoguy]

Also, isn't the port like 2 and 1/2 weeks behind?

 

[PhatSaqs]

Good job $ony!

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

Shortage?!

I just got back from a store that had literally 50 of them stacked right behind the counter!

 

[KeithFranklin]

sonycowboy,

Think you a little over the top. PS2 sales have been declining year over year for over a year. Wasnt going to all of a sudden jump back to 2 years ago holiday sales #s.


Article also has at least one inaccurate quote.

They point out that during November 2003, Sony sold more than a million consoles

"Consumer demand for the new PlayStation 2 has exceeded our expectations, and we are doing all we can to fulfill the wish lists of people who want a new PlayStation 2 unit under their tree this holiday season," Sony said in a prepared statement.

I also contend that Sony felt a decline would happen. Otherwise they would have produced at least as many units that sold last November (894,000 if I remember correctly). They only had about 700,000 available for purchase in November.

 

[the_zombie_luke]

I went to K-Mart and Hastings today and neither of them had PS2's, or X-Box systems. I haven't checked Wal Mart yet, but I have seen tons of GameCubes everywhere though. I hope they can ramp up demand quickly, I want to get a PS2 someday.

 

[kaching]

Good job ($)ony!

fixed.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Article also has at least one inaccurate quote.

Not necessarily. We haven't been seeing monthly PS1 numbers for a long time, but they're still around in some capacity.

 

[sonycowboy]

sonycowboy,

Think you a little over the top. PS2 sales have been declining year over year for over a year. Wasnt going to all of a sudden jump back to 2 years ago holiday sales #s.

I don't think so at all.

November 2002 - 1st holiday at $199 (from $299)
November 2003 - 1st holiday at $179 (from $199)
November 2004 - 1st holiday at $149 (from $179)

Basically, $199 was a HUGE price point and I believe that $149 is even bigger to gain the next group of value conscious buyers. The holiday last year also had no GTA and no MGS. Then you throw in the redesign.

I think all the talk about year over year declines is ridiculous for 2 reasons.

1) Sony has had shortages essentially for 6 months now, since mid-June making it impossible to produce valid YOY comparisons and not giving us good $179->$149 comparisons. In addition, the shortages if resolved in November (which was supposed to be the launch of the new PS2), could have been artificially inflated as pent up demand from previous months could have finally been realized.

2) The price points this generation have been artificially lengthened by Sony. The $179 price point was never existant before this gen and was not nearly as strong a bounce as it could have been. Thus, all of the comparisons of the $179 -> $199 were relatively week.

3)