Survey: 54% of stores have PS3s in stock
by Blake Snow 
{ Jan 16th 2007 at 8:25PM }
A recent sample by popular game analyst PJ McNealy reveals that more than half of 52 surveyed stores had PS3s in stock as of yesterday. In contrast, none of the stores surveyed -- from boutiques to big-box retailers -- had Wiis in stock. Though said status quo is widely known by most, this is the first specific ratio we've seen, albeit from a small sample conducted by American Technology Research. (My statistics teacher once told me a minimum of 300 participants is required for optimal survey accuracy. I got a B- in that class.)
Back to the matter at hand, McNealy added that stores with available PS3s generally had numbers in the low single digits, however, with only one major retailer having more than 60 units. He also reiterated that the availability of PS3s "does not necessarily indicate slack demand," as production could have seen a recent increase. So which flavor is being sold most? The one for five bills, or six?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tom @ Jan 16th 2007 8:33PM
He also reiterated that the availability of PS3s "does not necessarily indicate slack demand," as production could have seen a recent increase.
Hm so less units avalible than the wii, roughly the same as the 360. Both of those were/are sold out. The ps3 is a successor to a system, which beat both the successor to those systems by around 4-5times. If you ask me thats slack demand.
jtt777 @ Jan 16th 2007 8:34PM
here is comes, joystiq feeding the fire....
SmilingAssassin @ Jan 16th 2007 8:34PM
Someone call Gabe and tell him where he can pick one up!!!
Inspired @ Jan 16th 2007 8:36PM
The six bills, guaranteed. I believe Sony said it before they even launched, that initial shipments would be about 20% low-end, and 80% high-end. They lose more money on the low-end PS3, so it makes sense to produce more of the high-end.
54%? Damn ... I thought it would've been a bit lower. I did happen to see a sign at a local Gamestop in PA that said PS3 IN STOCK. I asked for a Wii, and the guy scoffed at me :(
Allen @ Jan 16th 2007 8:38PM
Low single digits and only half the stores with stock?
SO i guess the 360 fanboys were full of shit when they said everystore they went to had 30 sitting on the shelves lol
Allen @ Jan 16th 2007 8:51PM
Oh, and can't wait till it comes to europe by the way.. March 23rd apparantly!
JoystiqSwingsFromBillsNuts @ Jan 16th 2007 8:42PM
uh oh! Looks like the hits were a little low today. Time to start a fanboy war.
Bluefusion @ Jan 16th 2007 8:51PM
I think the PS3's availability is a mixture of lower demand and a much higher supply in recent weeks.
I'm more worried that there seems to be little evidence that Nintendo has ramped up their production. If they want to really win against Sony, they need to get their hardware into the hands of consumers while there's still hype and before killer apps start to hit the PS3 this coming year. 1.5 Million just isn't going to cut it in America when the Wii has a cookie cutter box shape and has nothing cutting edge that would hamper production.
Plus, a month of searching and I still need another nunchuck. :-(
AssemblyLineHuman @ Jan 16th 2007 10:18PM
I was at a Wal-mart a few days ago that didn't have any in stock. Yesterday, though, I went to Target to get Warioware Twisted and they had about six Playstation 3s sitting in the glass below the broken kiosk.
Also, something completely irrelevant. I'm typing this on my Wii and its auto-complete has Playstation in it. I figured Nintendo would be silly and remove it.
twism10000 @ Jan 16th 2007 8:54PM
i bet if the PS3 cost the same as the Premium XBox 360 ($399.99), then it would still be hard to find a PS3 at this time.
Nodnetni @ Jan 16th 2007 8:58PM
The best buy in duluth must have just got a new shipment in because there is like 45 sitting there on the floor.
jadnice @ Jan 16th 2007 9:00PM
I am not going to over react to this very interesting development till the end of Feb. If this trend continues into March then PS3 is on the road to being a over price bust.
For you Sony fanboys saying "Wait till the real games come" or "Once the price drop comes"... you need to remember that as sales continue to be poor, more and more developers are moving to the 360 (that means bad news for PS3). If they lower their price remember 360 (yes that over HD system) will lower the price on the 360 without taking a taking a hit on their bottom line.
So once again if this continues going into March... PS3 will be in a world of problems.
Brian @ Jan 16th 2007 9:03PM
I live near lonely little Keene, NH and was surprised to see a sign on the door of the local Gamestop saying 60 GB systems were available. I asked the clerk if they had one and he didn't even perk up like I might buy one. I think as much as the employees are sick of saying Wiis, they are even sicker with people who keep asking if there are PS3s---not to buy but just to snicker.
seeliiie @ Jan 16th 2007 9:05PM
Bullshit, plenty of Wii's instock at my local walmart.. Huntingdon, PA
Tom @ Jan 16th 2007 9:08PM
hehehe I love how I got a Wii on launch day and it's STILL sold out! Makes me feel special...
Tom @ Jan 16th 2007 9:09PM
My wal-mart has had he same two in stock for a month.
Pixelbox @ Jan 16th 2007 9:09PM
You really have to wonder if a PS3 price cut is in the works. Or at least a couple of games/movies thrown in, along with the HDMI cables and another controller. Paying over $700 is just silly.
Sony's going to have to do something to correct this trainwreck. You almost feel bad for them.
Brian @ Jan 16th 2007 9:10PM
#13 Then you are an idiot then because you could snap up all those Wiis and sell them on E-Bay right now for a hundred dollar, or higher, premium. Or do you just not like money???
schlomo @ Jan 16th 2007 9:13PM
Blue: nintendo.com store has them in stock.
GamerG @ Jan 16th 2007 9:13PM
Personally I just think that SOny have done very well ramping up production but that its the wrong side of christmas for a $600 console!
Come back in March when there are some games of note that might persuade users to buy... consider whats happened so far a pre-launch for the main event!!!
GiovanniMcAdoo @ Jan 16th 2007 9:17PM
Its not offically a train wreck untill sales reach stale point where no one is buying. There are still being bought; hell that was a sheet that was posted on here about 2 or weeks ago talking about the averages the Best Buy in certian areas has in stock and how many they sold per week and on average of the store that was shown was at around 9 sold a week per store. So its till sailing; its just at a reaaly slow pace. Hell 3 was sold today at my GameStop.
Liqwid @ Jan 16th 2007 9:16PM
I'm guessing that it would now be smart, financially, for Sony to just toss the Core PS3 and just sell the premium package only. Our Walmart has had the same two Premium PS3s for two weeks......
Judd @ Jan 16th 2007 9:18PM
Generally these statistics are hard to take seriously, especially without a large survey base. But nobody else found the second statistic more startling? 52 stores, 28 with PS3's, 0 with Wii.
Without the second statistic the PS3 sales wouldn't look as discouraging. I would've thought that maybe the survey was only using huge retailers in major cities. Or maybe it was done in smaller cities and customers aren't aware that they have systems available.
But the fact that the sequel to a system that sold 112 million consoles, has only sold 1.2 million systems worldwide with systems available, is mind boggling. It's even crazier that the Wii has already sold 2.8 million worldwide after 21 million Gamecubes.
This isn't just speculation anymore. It's out, it's available, and it's not being bought. Sony is in trouble.
mesocool @ Jan 18th 2007 11:24PM
Hey Tom that is a sad excuse because EVERY system has increased production...360/ps3/wii. Throughout history they ALL do! Especially in the first 4 years production always goes up! Never down, unless the system is dying! That excuse is what is called niether here nore there reasoning!
Padriac @ Jan 16th 2007 9:31PM
Aside from this article pointing out that the PS3 is selling just fine for a $500/$600 purchase (sold out in half of stores = doing well, people!), this article makes one fact painfully clear:
Comparing system launches, the Wii is kicking the 360's ass. Hard.
Jonah Falcon @ Jan 16th 2007 9:37PM
Only one had more than 60 in stock? LOL The statement should be: "A store had more than 60 in stock?!"
SmilingAssassin @ Jan 16th 2007 9:39PM
If it is kicking the 360's ass hard what is it doing to the PS3
Grog @ Jan 16th 2007 9:52PM
itrackr.com lists PS3 at 73% national availability and the Wii at 3%. I don't know what their methods are or how accurate they are, but they're applied to both systems - and the PS3 availability has gone up as the Wii availability has gone down.
Here's hoping that Nintendo starts pumping a whole lot more units out soon. Maybe Sony could lend them some of their production capability...
Rubang B @ Jan 16th 2007 9:53PM
I can't believe that the successor to the 6th-gen's best-selling system might be having the worst launch of all time, and the successor to the 6th-gen's lowest-selling system might be having the best launch of all time. Shows you how far these companies can ride brand recognition without doing something new and funky (2 gens max). NES-SNES-N64, PS1-PS2-PS3. Eh?
Chilblane @ Jan 16th 2007 9:54PM
My Best Buy I work at got a shipment (prolly about couple dozen or so) last Sunday (the 7th) and there's still 6 left. We get the same amount from UPS every two weeks about. We're a larger store sandwiched between a high income suburb and a bedroom community (for the BB employees, Upscale Suburban). This is the longest they've lasted now. You're telling me sales aren't slacking?
RedCrake @ Jan 16th 2007 9:55PM
I teach 7th grade in a pretty wealthy area (read: the kind of area where parents would buy their kids a $600 game console). Out of all of my classes, 15 have Wii's, 1 has a PS3 -- I took a survey. Say what you want about demand or supply issues and the like...but this seems pretty obvious to me. Take this for what you will.
Dan D. @ Jan 17th 2007 5:57PM
The Wii has sold more than 2.8 million.
More arround 4.5 million worldwide.
shirizaki @ Jan 17th 2007 8:58AM
It all depends on the area and what gamers live around there. You cant judge an area if no gamers live around there.
If anything, PS3 has done 2 things that improve over their last 2 console releases:
1)No shitty 1st batch hardware (that we've heard about)/
2)Getting PS3's on the shelves.
The posts above me are correct: Nintendo needs to get their act together. The Wii is cheap and they should have gotten those Gamecube factories converted to Wii factories already. Of course this goes to show how long people will wait to have their own Wii to play with. /obligatory Wii sexual joke
Otherwise, this is on the developers. There aren't any interesting games out for the PS3 yet. Everything is slated for Fall/Winter of this year and next. If I come into money in the next 6 months I'll probably go ahead and buy one.
jc @ Jan 16th 2007 10:10PM
I bought a wii on launch and played it like 5 times. I'd sell it, but I left it at my parents house and it'd be a pain to go back and get it.
Its probably the worst console I've used to date. Its like connecting a PS2 again. It was great in "the day" but after a year of 360 HD graphics, I cant stomach the looks.
The control scheme is vastly over rated. Its way harder to move than a mouse, and the gestures get old really quick. Zelda bored the shit outta me for the first 3 hours. Havent bothered with it since.
MthdDirector @ Jan 16th 2007 10:10PM
This is so ironic!
A year ago we were talking about Xbox 360 SHORTAGES, with otherwise intelligent people speculating that Microsoft engineered a shortage to make their product "appear" to be in demand!
Remember Vlad's post?
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/29/console-launch-shortages-explained/
I wonder what Vlad's professor might say now about the PS3 (over)supply/(under)demand issues.
Remember all the anger in the community about the 360 being difficult to find? Who's pissed off about not being able to get a PS3 today? I think that's a fair indication of demand.
Conclusion: it's hard to "engineer" a shortage if your core customer base can't afford your product.
cafeman @ Jan 16th 2007 10:22PM
Blake, either your teacher didn't know what they were talking about, they were generalising to make it easier for you, or you misunderstood. It's commonly understood that 30 samples is enough to approach a representative population mean. Depending on what you're trying to measure, 300 could be far more than you need, or far too few. The required sample size also depends on the tests you'll be doing.
What's more important is *how* those samples were obtained. Are they representative, or not? A sampe of 52 is more than adequate for identifying trends, but the more important question is whether or not the 52 were selected using any appropriate statistical methodology.
Where people frequently get confused is they think greater numbers = a better survey. That's not necessarily true - if you're trying to identify statistically significant differences between populations (such as preference for console A vs. console B between males and females), having too many respondents can actually magnifify the power of the test, making it identify differences that while statistically significant, are so small in absolute terms as to be meaningless. What difference does it make if 51.2% of males prefer the 360 compared to 51.3% of females, even if *is* statistically significant?
Ben @ Jan 16th 2007 10:23PM
So the PS3 is SOLD OUT in 46% of the stores!
Get back to use when there's less ambiguous news, ok?
MosquitoControl @ Jan 16th 2007 11:42PM
"i bet if the PS3 cost the same as the Premium XBox 360 ($399.99), then it would still be hard to find a PS3 at this time."
Yup. That was Sony's mistake. As Gabe Newell said, they misunderstood what consumers want (affordability.)
Interestingly, I was in the mall this weekend. After looking at retro Jordan's from circa '87 then the Nintendo (it was like being in 4th grade again!) I took a look at the kiosks.
People keep complaining that Nintendo = kiddie and PS3 = mature. Granted, this is anecdotal evidence and just one store at one time, but the PS3 kiosk had a crowd of about 4 kids around it, aged 11 to 14 I'd guess. The Wii had a crowd of about 7 around it, none under 24, and at least two were parents of the kids at the PS3.
I'd just imagine people that grew up with Nintendo gravitate towards Nintendo and kids that grew up with Sony gravitate to Sony. But the PS3 had the trashtalking little stooges at the age everyone wants to avoid, the Wii had the parents.
The 360 was broken.
As I said, just one store at one time. Means nothing. Just interesting.
luke @ Jan 17th 2007 12:05AM
Yeah, it's true. I was Just at my Little Falls Walmart and they had 3 60 GB PS3's in stock just sitting there in the typical glass case for sale.
Rallion @ Jan 17th 2007 12:07AM
@8 by Bluefusion
I agree, Nintendo really should be using this...half-launch that Sony's bungled to their advantage. I don't think they NEED to, I think the financial aspects of the race will probably keep them ahead of Sony for the forseeable future, but I'm surprised they're not doing more to ramp up production faster.
But then again, there's probably a lot that Nintendo knows that we don't. It's not as if the thought hasn't occurred to anybody over there.
luke @ Jan 17th 2007 7:44PM
Ha Ha I got a Wii on launch day too and there still sold out everywhere. Its so fun to see my friends crying because they can find any Wii's. It defiantly makes me feel special! Just go out and buy a PS3 lol...
p-diddy @ Jan 17th 2007 12:08AM
@schlomo
>> Blue: nintendo.com store has them in stock.
You sir, are completely full of it. Provide a link, because Nintendo doesn't sell wii's online - they direct you to other retailers. Put up or shut up.
-p-
Grey Acumen @ Jan 17th 2007 1:25AM
Best Buy on Mcknight Road Pittsburgh PA, I stopped there this past weekend to get the AC adaptor for my laptop replaced. On a whim, I asked about the Wii and PS3 stocks.
2 PS3 consoles
0 Wii consoles, Wii Remotes/Josticks
I just found it amusing that while I'm sure there have been some exaggerations, there was actually some substance to this stuff.
Ben @ Jan 17th 2007 1:53AM
The number of members in the sample is negligible if they are selected in a randomized matter and as long as the amount of surveys is enough to be statistically significant. It also matters what your population is. 300 certainly isn't the "optimal" number if the population that you are trying to sample from is only 200 people. No wonder this guy only got a B-.
DJ @ Jan 17th 2007 1:54AM
" I bought a wii on launch and played it like 5 times. I'd sell it, but I left it at my parents house and it'd be a pain to go back and get it. Its probably the worst console I've used to date. Its like connecting a PS2 again. It was great in "the day" but after a year of 360 HD graphics, I cant stomach the looks. The control scheme is vastly over rated. Its way harder to move than a mouse, and the gestures get old really quick. Zelda bored the shit outta me for the first 3 hours. Havent bothered with it since."
-
I call bull$hit, jc.
You played it 5 times, but you managed to play Zeldo for three hours, and did what with the sports disk?
You played Zelda for 3 hours while it was boring the crap out of you? When something's boring the crap out of you, you give it a half hour to an hour at best.
"Harder to move than a mouse"??? You haven't even PLAYED Zelda. You move the figure with the analog stick using your left thumb, which is used in every console RPG and FPS game in existence. The wii-mote you just point like a frakking gun. What's to figure out?
-
And if you really wanted to sell this fictional Wii, your parents could put the used unit on ebay and get back what you paid for it TODAY.
idioteraser @ Jan 17th 2007 2:08AM
At a local target they had a full case of PS3 games. The Wii and Gamecube sections had lots of games sold out.
Accesories were mostly gone with the controller glove packs, some VC controllers and some of those wiimote stering wheel addons that come in some of the Wii racing games like GT PRO.
They had a bunch of PSPs, PS3s, xbox 360 premiums, some pink GBAs, some gamecubes.
No micros, no Wiis, no DSs at all.
I asked one of the workers in the electronics sections how many calls they get about Wiis, DSs. She replied they get calls constantly.
I asked about PS3 sales and she replied no one was buying them. She said the PS3 would sale when Sony fixed the defects in it.
Apparently people who come to this Target and work there think the PS3 has defects in it so they aren't buying it till they hear Sony has fixed it.
Anyone else encountered that?
mo @ Jan 17th 2007 2:25AM
yester day i saw a printed out sign on my local donut shop that said "PS3 for sale never opened"
i have a pic of it i thought it was hilarious
some mom bought her kid a PS3 and he wanted a wii
its just sad when a teenager would rather have a $250 item than a $700 item
Tequilla @ Jan 17th 2007 2:33AM
Not to be harsh, but the 300 number is recommended if you are going to sample a large audience, say a large city or the US population. Noting the sarcasm, sort of, you'll be lucky if there are 300 EB chains nationwide. Polling them all wouldn't be statistical analysis, it would be fact discovery.
What I really do not understand is McNeally's comment, that it does not necessarily mean a lack of demand, that production could have just caught up. This implies that Sony has fixed the diode supply issues, isn't having any trouble with a very fast very complicated and one of the largest processor dies ever created, all put into the most complex consoles ever concocted... meanwhile, Nintendo's very simplistic last-gen-on-steroids console cannot keep up and no one is crying component shortages either. Instead they are celebrating record sales.
jc @ Jan 17th 2007 3:46AM
@41
Whatever Jackass. I quit zelda at the monkey level. How fucking annoying was that? Room after room of finding monkeys to string together. Ugggh
And that black fairy is by far the most annoying thing to ever come out of a video game. Any sane person has to agree.
Humans have some sort of mental disorder for liking things they played when they were little. If Zelda didnt have the name "Zelda" it would be just another lame japanese rpg.
Wii Sports wasn't fun at all. At any time.
And the remote doesnt work like gun. It works like a gyro mouse which you dont point, you just move it around in imaginary space to control a cursor on screen.
idioteraser @ Jan 17th 2007 5:31AM
Ahem that is a dungeon not a level.
Midna is meant to be that way. She isn't annoying persay but manipulative and Link doesn't like her.
That dungeon was fairly easy once I got the hang of the mechanics. The boss battles in it are some of the most unique.
More games need monkeys that butt slap when they turn their cheeks to you.