Prediction : PS3 launch stumbles ... speculating created false market demand.

[Purge]

The PS3's can't stay on the shelves; but how many are going to be put back (returned due to failed speculation)?

The ebay market is now flooded with PS3s for sale; how many of those are going to stay there, and how many are going to be returned due to less-than-stellar results? There is a handful of PS3's sitting at less than retail price right now with only 10> hours til close. The average price has dropped from 2.5K to just under a thousand in less than 3 days. I think the units will still "sell out" but I don't think it's going to be the cash-cow that everyone hoped for.

That, and it would be quite a blow to the Sony ego thing to start having reports of stores receiving stock back. Talk about your "I just wanted you for your money" letdown.

That isn't to say I think the product is unworthy of purchase, however my reservations are still in place. IMHO it costs too much, they've thrown the PS3 product into the middle of a costly emerging format war (which at this time only hopes to gain them 50% market share IF the market even "bites" on either format) and they've gimped a lot of what they had announced. 1080p doesn't make me swoon at this point, and right now you're talking about a fraction of a small market segment (HDTVs in homes with 1080p are rare at this time).There are some big plusses (like adding your own hdd) and the existing japanese developer market as well as getting into the axis control (adding 3 more control mechanisms)

[Knightshade Dragon]

You are exactly right.  I think the folks who got the scalper prices are counting themselves lucky, and the rest of them are really hurting.  I saw a PS3 go for (wait for it...) $10.00 + $50.00 for shipping.   Nothing says reversal of fortune quite like getting less than the shelf price for the 'oh so coveted' PS3.  I think most folks are like me - I could care less about Blu Ray OR HD-DVD, so paying extra for the 'honor' of owning a Blu-Ray player with a whipping shelfspace of 15 titles isn't exactly spinning my crank.

[Soulchilde]

Bottom fell out already?  I think the 360 marlet from last year helped fuel what you are seeing with the PS3.  With the 360 out for a full year the PS# has actual competition.  I think someone at MS just got a raise if the PS3 looks like a failure after this launch

[Jumangi]

People will still make money off of them, just not the super high profits they were probably thinking of while standing in line for 3 days.

[unbreakable]

I'll bet that guy with his 100 "Yakuza" PS3s is crapping his pants right now.

At least some homeless people made out good from this.

[Knightshade Dragon]

I'll bet that guy with his 100 "Yakuza" PS3s is crapping his pants right now.

At least some homeless people made out good from this.

Horray for the homeless!   I'm sure that Dentist isn't happy either...

 

[Kobra]

Is this why I am already seeing PS3's being sold on Ebay for nearly NORMAL RETAIL PRICE after only a couple days?!?!

[Knightshade Dragon]

Is this why I am already seeing PS3's being sold on Ebay for nearly NORMAL RETAIL PRICE after only a couple days?!?!

Pretty much.  I think that people are quickly realizing that the launch lineup is pretty thin and that people are willing to wait for the supply channel to normalize.  Clearly there will be people out there that HAVE to get the system early, but many of us are willing to wait.

[Zinfan]

I'll bet that guy with his 100 "Yakuza" PS3s is crapping his pants right now.

At least some homeless people made out good from this.

Horray for the homeless!   I'm sure that Dentist isn't happy either...

 

I believe the dentist pulled his "people" out of line after the news got hold of the story.

[Calvin]

Is this why I am already seeing PS3's being sold on Ebay for nearly NORMAL RETAIL PRICE after only a couple days?!?!

Pretty much.  I think that people are quickly realizing that the launch lineup is pretty thin and that people are willing to wait for the supply channel to normalize.  Clearly there will be people out there that HAVE to get the system early, but many of us are willing to wait.

Man if I had the money I would buy one at normal retail price. Why not? Its NEW AND SHINY!!

[Knightshade Dragon]

Is this why I am already seeing PS3's being sold on Ebay for nearly NORMAL RETAIL PRICE after only a couple days?!?!

Pretty much.  I think that people are quickly realizing that the launch lineup is pretty thin and that people are willing to wait for the supply channel to normalize.  Clearly there will be people out there that HAVE to get the system early, but many of us are willing to wait.

Man if I had the money I would buy one at normal retail price. Why not? Its NEW AND SHINY!!

That is one thing that it certainly is - shiny.  It also is heavy like a dense star.  Now we can restart all the "Xbox is teh hueg!" jokes but drop in PS3 instead.

[ATB]

Well, I still have my preorder and supposedtly will have one in a few weeks...maybe as christmas draws nearer and if the supply is still short, I can make some money. If not, oh well back to the store it will go.

Looks like they're still going for between 800 and 1000- so that still not too shabby.

[warning]

Maybe the Ebayers are proving one thing.  Ken Kutaragi was right when he said "The PS3 will instill discipline in our children and adults alike. Everyone will know discipline."

[Calvin]

Maybe the Ebayers are proving one thing.  Ken Kutaragi was right when he said "The PS3 will instill discipline in our children and adults alike. Everyone will know discipline."

He's not real, right? I mean, hes a creation by the idiotic PR suits at Sony that think they can garner favor with the public by presenting their president as the most out of touch, wierd, delusional, insane, possibly schizophrenic? I mean, someone tell me I'm right.

[spigot]

Maybe the Ebayers are proving one thing.  Ken Kutaragi was right when he said "The PS3 will instill discipline in our children and adults alike. Everyone will know discipline."

He's not real, right? I mean, hes a creation by the idiotic PR suits at Sony that think they can garner favor with the public by presenting their president as the most out of touch, wierd, delusional, insane, possibly schizophrenic? I mean, someone tell me I'm right.

Sadly, he is as real as you or I, but 10x more bats**t crazy.

[Dante Rising]

Aren't another 100,000 units due next week? That should drive prices down even further.

<edit> I still see systems going for over $1200. Making a 100% profit isn't bad at all. (although with purchasing tax, shipping and insurance the profit is probably around $500)

[pingwrx]

Aren't another 100,000 units due next week? That should drive prices down even further.

<edit> I still see systems going for over $1200. Making a 100% profit isn't bad at all. (although with purchasing tax, shipping and insurance the profit is probably around $500)

Yea but to stand in line for 2 days for some people that really isn't that much profit.

[EddieA]

This was probably inevitable after people had so much success ebaying the 360.  I doubt it has anything to do with the PS3 or the 360 themselves.  If the PS3 had launched first, people would have gone crazy trying to profit off the 360 launch and the same thing would have happened with it.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

The launch is a wreck, that's for sure, but every unit will sell, and every unit of subsequent shipments will sell, probably into the Spring.

Sony has nothing to worry about in terms of hardware sales.

[CeeKay]

Well, I still have my preorder and supposedtly will have one in a few weeks...maybe as christmas draws nearer and if the supply is still short, I can make some money. If not, oh well back to the store it will go.

Looks like they're still going for between 800 and 1000- so that still not too shabby.

The market seemed to fall out on 360's a few weeks after they were released, so who knows?

[gellar]

The launch is a wreck, that's for sure, but every unit will sell, and every unit of subsequent shipments will sell, probably into the Spring.

Sony has nothing to worry about in terms of hardware sales.

Indeed.  The Playstation name certainly carries enough weight to sell the initial lot (speculators or no).

gellar

[IkeVandergraaf]

The launch is a wreck, that's for sure, but every unit will sell, and every unit of subsequent shipments will sell, probably into the Spring.

Sony has nothing to worry about in terms of hardware sales.

Indeed.  The Playstation name certainly carries enough weight to sell the initial lot (speculators or no).

gellar

Yes, but, Sony loses money on every PS3 sold.  Sony needs to make that back on software and blu-ray movies sold.  The real question is whether there will be sufficient supplies of those commodities moved to make the PS3 a success.