Advertisement
PS3 demand "high and sustained" - UK retailers News
PlayStation 3 News by Tom Bramwell
UK retailers have countered claims that PlayStation 3 isn't generating much pre-order interest, with two firms declaring it their most successful console campaign ever.
Woolworths told our sister site GamesIndustry.biz that PS3 is "fastest selling games product" it has ever offered through its website. Argos said it was their "most successful pre-ordered campaign for consoles".
Meanwhile Amazon.co.uk described interest as "high and sustained" and said it was confident the machine would be among its top sellers for 2007. "We are only taking pre-orders until all our initial stock from Sony is accounted for - that way, no customer will be disappointed come day of release. We don't expect stocks to last long," a spokesperson said. HMV echoed that satisfaction, telling GI.biz that demand was in line with expectations.
Sony boss Ray Maguire added that the response from retailers had been "incredibly positive", adding that early indications suggest it will be Sony's "biggest hardware launch to date".
All of which came in response to scattered reports of PS3 failing to capture interest among European gamers ahead of its 23rd March launch. And when we say "scattered reports" we mean UK Resistance and some wacky forumites, obviously.
Advertisement
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Poster
|
northernlights
21/02/07 @ 09:55
0
When i tried to pre-order a Wii on amazon it sold out within minutes, is this the case for the PS3 ?????
|
|
0
UK Resistance has some silly things outselling the PS3 ;)
Anyway... retailers are always saying this. They said the same with 360 and Wii... guess we will just have to see at the end of 2007 if it is really a best seller. Doesn't seem to be in US and Japan (right now), so hopefully Europe will be better for Sony (despite ripping us off)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 09:57
|
|
Eighthours
21/02/07 @ 09:57
0
Well, the simple fact is that Play haven't sold out of their preorders yet, and they've been on there for a week. Compare that to the mad rush for the 360 and Wii. They say they have a lot more stock than they did for the other launches, but this would require (in the case of the Wii here) about 100x more stock to keep their preorder demand for PS3 in proportion with that of the Wii!
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 09:59
|
|
northernlights
21/02/07 @ 10:02
0
Love this quote from UK resistance:
"PLAY.COM STILL HAS PS3s LEFT TODAY That's good news, isn't it? It means Sony's getting a large number of units into the retail supply chain. It certainly DOES NOT mean no one's buying PS3 because it's a big piece of overpriced shit with a load of broken, year-old games. Amazon also has some (oh, only about a million) left as well, which it is selling for an amazing saving of 1p. That really puts PS3 within reach of the average consumer!"
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 10:02
|
|
ManicDrunkMonk
21/02/07 @ 10:03
0
I've preordered mine through amazon, even though I only want Motorstorm at release. Thing is, I don't see what later revisions of the console will change. Silent running is the most important thing to me, and my understanding is that this is already there.
If there is low take-up at this time it is probably to do with the high price (which I actually think is understandable-apart from the euro mark-up) and, from what i've heard, higher launch numbers. |
|
0
I'm surprised that we aren't hearing more "No More Pre-orders Available" stories because if the machine was that popular then surely the initial allocation would have gone by now? :?
I pre-ordered my PS3 from GAME last Monday but I'd have expected them to have stopped taking pre-orders shortly afterwards. If the UK is getting 220,000 PS3s as I've heard then that only amounts to an insubtantial amount for every retailer. |
|
0
Don't know what to believe from all these reports. One will say there's little demand, another will say the exact opposite. The only way I can get an idea is by seeing what the attitude is from people I know, and I don't know anyone who has pre-ordered the PS3 (yet). My brother loved his Playstation/Playstation2 consoles but after finding out the price he thought better of it, instead he got his missus to buy him a 360 for the Christmas just gone. Plus a bunch of his friends already had 360's, so he can now connect up with them over Live, which was another factor that swayed his decision.
Of course the PS3 will sell out on launch, I have no doubt of that, it's after the launch period that'll be interesting. How many casual gamers will walk in off the street and pay that price for a games console? They'll need a price drop in the near future to hold interest (and some eye catching games) to try and sway the undecided.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 10:27
|
|
0
Yeah, that UKR article is based on amazon.com, so it seems demand has dropped off significantly over there (I couldn't even find it in the top 100 just now, although some software and peripherals are). Perhaps after people actually got to play it first hand and realised it's not as amazing as they were promised.
The most interesting stats would be returns and trade-in figures.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 10:41
|
|
numptyboymatt
21/02/07 @ 10:44
0
I was toying with the idea of buying one, but when I look at the games that are out for it, and realise that there really isnt anything that I want that I cant get for my 360, there is no way that I can justify the money.... and my pre-order is now cancelled.
If Resi 5 and Devil May Cry 4 end up being PS3 exclusives, then it will be a different story, but otherwise, I have no need for one, not at that price. |
|
0
That Amazon quote is interesting in light of
http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/ps3-not... "Amazon.com maintains a list of the most popular, bestselling items on their website that gets refreshed on an hourly basis. At the time of the writing of this article, Nintendo dominates the top four spots with Wii Play, Wii, Nunchuck Controller, and the Wii remote respectively. Coming in at five is WoW: Burning Crusade followed by the Onyx DS at number six. The rest of the top ten list is rounded out with the Xbox 360 wireless controller, Twilight Princess and the 20gig Xbox360... ...Finally, near the bottom of the 2nd page, underneath the Nintendo 64 at number forty-eight is the PS3" Of course that's in the US where the PS3 was also in high demand prior to launch. |
|
0
I (naively?) assumed that Sony was getting a good supply through, hence many retailers were still taking orders for "guaranteed" launch day machines.
I started to think that wasn't the case when I got around to opening an old e-mail from simplygames.com and clicking on their special launch offers (some good ones BTW) and they were all still available a week after I got the mail. |
|
Eighthours
21/02/07 @ 11:09
0
Amazon's Wii pre-order allocation apparently sold out in 7 minutes. Amazon's PS3 allocation hasn't sold out yet.
Assuming the Wii demand figure is accurate, then we can do a bit of simple maths: If the PS3 is as popular for preorders as the Wii, then EVERY SINGLE DAY that passes, we know that Amazon's allocation of PS3s has risen by an extra 205.71 times the amount of Wiis they had (That's the amount of instances of 7 minutes in every 24 hour period). Just as an illustration, this means that if Amazon had the relatively small amount of 500 Wiis at UK launch, and their PS3 allocation sold out in 24 hours, then they must have 102,855 PS3s ready for 23rd March! Of course, the preorders didn't sell out in 24 hours, so using the same calculation, at the end of the second day of preorders Amazon would have virtually the entire PS3 allocation! So unless they had a ridiculously meagre allocation of Wiis (ya know, 100 or something), then the pre-order demand for PS3 just clearly isn't there. |
|
0
my pre-order was canceled when they were not delivering for xmas. From my own straw poll the usual people who get these things on release (me included) are not getting the PS3. reasons usually:
already got 360 and/or wii PS2 has plenty of stuff coming. Sony knocking us back yet again. apparently buggy console price trojan horse tactics with bluray and again price. I don't know anyone who is getting a PS3 yet when the wii came out i had previous none gamers asking me for advise. I even did a very dodge escort mission into south shields with a mate to buy one off a fella who I was put in touch with through a friend of a friend of a friend. I thought we were going to get mugged for the £300 he was paying for it, best thing was we were buying it for his boss so he didn't disappoint his daughter - crazy. Some people may cave come release but if the retailers are right it will be too late. |
|
0
Well lets look at the facts from Amazon UK's point of view. The Wii pre-orders sold out in 3 minutes. The PS3 is still available to pre-order a week after first being available. So either Amazon have millions of PS3's to sell or they really aren't selling that well. I assume the latter is the case.
Lower the price Sony! |
|
0
So i see it's yet another case of you lot don't believe it because it's the PS3, yet you'd not moan/complain/bitch or just do the fanboy shuffle if it was the Wii or the 360?
So basically Amerzon/Woolworths/Play.com/HMV are all liars when it comes to the PS3? you know it could just be that the ps3 is going to sell well you know? just because you haven't got one or want one doesn't make it wrong for others to get it... |
|
dirigiblebill
21/02/07 @ 11:18
0
@ Gurgeh
Yep, that would be because there are six squillion more Wii consoles than there are ps3s. It's an indication of supply, not demand. |
|
kissthestick
21/02/07 @ 11:20
0
Well lets look at the facts from Amazon UK's point of view. The Wii pre-orders sold out in 3 minutes. The PS3 is still available to pre-order a week after first being available. So either Amazon have millions of PS3's to sell or they really aren't selling that well. I assume the latter is the case
Amazon already stated they have loads of reserved PS3's unlike the 360/Wii fiasco their trying not to dissapoint customers |
|
Eighthours
21/02/07 @ 11:27
0
So i see it's yet another case of you lot don't believe it because it's the PS3, yet you'd not moan/complain/bitch or just do the fanboy shuffle if it was the Wii or the 360?
No, it's a case of simple factual maths not reconciling even slightly with certain retailers' claims. |
|
0
Amazon already stated they have loads of reserved PS3's unlike the 360/Wii fiasco
their trying not to dissapoint customers All I'm doing is looking at the facts. If the PS3 pre-orders are successful would you expect to still be able to get one a week after the pre-orders were released? Unless Sony really have played a blinder and are getting 10 million cosoles into the UK for launch then the figures do not stack up. |
|
BadBoyBonner
21/02/07 @ 11:30
0
Bought Excite truck for the Wii and wireless wheel for the 360 (both excellent fun) this weekend and will be getting Crackdown this Friday. Will not be buying a PS3. I agree with everyone's else's straw poll's. I bought a 360 and Wii @ launch (Well both were selected Xmas presents from the GF) - and I have no desire for the PS3 at all. Nearly all my mates are into PC's & consoles - and even the Sony fanboys are not getting one - worrying times for Sony with the Playstation brand seemingly charged with holding the rest of the ailing company up.
I am sure the odd wonderful exclusive game will come out, but that certainly is not the case at launch is it? And if proof positive was needed that Sony simply stole Nintendo's idea for motion sensing (besides the fact that Warhawk et al had barely 5 days to write in the code before presentation) show ONE SINGLE GAME that couldn’t be done with a pad on the 360 - there is no Wii sports that’s for sure. I am sure some Sony developer is ripping the code from Excite Truck control mechanism as we speak. |
|
KillahSouljah
21/02/07 @ 11:32
0
WHAT CAN SONY SAY, IT IS THE EBST SYSTEM ONLY NEXT-GEN SYSTEM OUT...
|
|
0
@dredd97 - you do know that sony have told lie after blatant lie even setting up bogus bloggs. This is fact. Its not even hype its just plain fibbing. So why would this be different and its in the retailers interest to say that its in demand to create demand, it part of marketing 101.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 12:31
|
|
0
"The Wii is sold out and is number 1 in the charts."
Oh. Wouldn't that just make it a case of whose been able to supply more to Amazon then? Or are wish-lists and stuff counted? EDIT: And assuming I'm right, doesn't that mean that the supply of Wiis vastly outnumbers the supply of PS3s? Which is contrary to what everybody is saying in here...
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 11:37
|
|
0
Of course those retailers such as Woolworths are talking up the PS3 launch situation. As UK High Street retailers I'm sure they're looking forward to the tasty markup on the expected software sales. I'll bet the PS3 has a decent markup too - I seem to recall Sony saying something to the effect that this was one reason for the higher price here.
And of course, they'd rather not be left with unsold stock clogging up the shelves. But in any case, with only 200,000+ PS3s available I'd be shocked if they didn't sell all of them, especially to those with more money than sense, by the end of day 1. As for me, I'll wait until it's £200 ;) |
|
0
@trevd72
hang on mate, who said it was sony saying these things?? my post stated that because it's the ps3, then the retailers must be lying...where did i mention it was sony saying these things?? oh abd btw it seems that only chavs will be buying the ps3, well I have a wii and a 360, and i consider myself a gamer, but i have a pre-order down for the ps3, and last time i looked i'm not a chav (hard to be a chav at 39..you have no street cred once your past the age of 14..) you know i wish people will just accept that the ps3 is going to do well, and i for one don't wish it to fail just because it's sony... man if it was all about the company that owned it, none of us would have bought wii's or 360 either... |
|
bunglebonce
21/02/07 @ 11:53
0
WHAT CAN SONY SAY, IT IS THE EBST SYSTEM ONLY NEXT-GEN SYSTEM OUT...
Oh? /Pre-orders immediately |
|
chupachups
21/02/07 @ 11:53
0
"I've preordered mine through amazon, even though I only want Motorstorm at release. Thing is, I don't see what later revisions of the console will change."
The price will go down. |
|
0
you know i wish people will just accept that the ps3 is going to do well, and i for one don't wish it to fail just because it's sony... man if it was all about the company that owned it, none of us would have bought wii's or 360 either...
Most people don't want the PS3 to fail. They just want to be able buy one for a reasonable price i.e like they can in Japan and America. If the pre-ordering doesn't go well then this should persuade Sony to lower the damn price (like MS did with the original Xbox a few weeks after it was released).
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/02/07 @ 12:06
|
|
0
@EightHours
Your maths and conclusions are shocking. You can't extrapolate the initial sell out of Wii's in 7 minutes to assume that would be the sustained rate. If a retailer has more available then you can sell more in the initial sign up and then claim a higher demand. Example, Amazon only had 100 Wii's available sold them in 7 minutes, they have 1000 PS3's available and sold 200 in the first 7 minutes of high demand. Therefore the PS3's sold quicker and at higher demand than the Wii - purely because more were available. Amazon did not have the Wii's to sell they can't say what demand would have been if they had more stock. The other point I would make is that with very limited stock releases (Wii and 360) the console manufacturers tend to favour the bigger shop chains (Game for example) - so they can "encourage" them to give them more visible shelf space. The allocations for online retailers like Play and Amazon were very, very poor. |
|
justsomeone
21/02/07 @ 12:13
0
i'm still a little confused about the price issue. when you take into account vat, currency conversion rates and so on, the UK PS3 works out, what, 30 or 40 quid tops more than the US or japanese equivalent. it's a little more i suppose, but it's not double or anything - big deal.
also, if you look at the 360 price, add a wireless controller, a 60GB HD (doesn't exist, i know, but let's pretend) and an HD-movie capable drive, thereby bringing it up to the spec of the PS3, the PS3 price seems fair (if not a little cheaper). personally, i think it's a good deal. /ducks |
|
Jamaicangmr
21/02/07 @ 12:16
0
@ dredd97
Excelent point, because going through these comments i get that general idea that the retailers must be lying. I too remember simular bein said for Wii and Xbox360 yet no one claimed the retailers are lying. It makes no sense to me though why some of us would go through so much trouble tryin come up with a reason to say it's a lie. They should just be carful not work there brains too much tryin to find a lie were none exsist, might get a migrain. The PS3 is by all indications going to do very well in europe. Best Wishes to Sony, good to here that things are forcasted to go well. |
|
0
I am annoyed with my self for rising to the bait and writing this as I should have just hit 'back'. But for fucks sake change the fucking record.
The PS3 is only expensive to the individual based on their disposable income. If you can't afford one right now that is not anybody's fault and certainly not Sony's for setting a price. I have read these threads for years and have not once read a post which bitches about the price of flat screen TVs, or £300 Nvidia's. |
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
