Restocking Keeps Xbox Rockin! Another spin on current sales numbers (1 Viewer)

[pitchman]

Microsoft's ability to restock faster than Nintendo has an impact on total console sales according to this new report.
Gary

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Actually, the X-Box is restocking fewer more frequently, so MS is getting around the same amount of units in stores per week as Nintendo, if not a little less.

Nintendo launched with 700k and is supposed to have 1.3 million out by the end of the year. MS launched with 400k and should have 1.1 million by the end of the year.

 

[RyanM]

Morgan: Can you cite any source for your claims? They appear to directly contradict the article Gary pointed out.

Ryan

 

[Peter Loan]

Speaking for the Best Buy that I work at, we've gotten 96 Gamecube in and get this...around 260 Xbox units. We're getting Xbox every week or so and in quantity. The controllers and DVD packs are always in demand and currently sold out. I haven't seen the HD pack since the system's launch. The games are enjoying brisk sales to say the least.

 

[Joseph S]

Speaking for the Best Buy that I work at

That's the store with the MSN Logo plastered all over the store instead of its own, right?? No, I do not want 20 years of internet service at $50 a month with the purchase of this DVD.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

That's the store with the MSN Logo plastered all over the store instead of its own, right??

Joseph,

Are you implying that Nintendo is short-shipping Best Buy, or that Best Buy doesn't like making money of Nintendo, or something else?

Just curious.

 

[Joseph S]

Are you implying that Nintendo is short-shipping Best Buy, or that Best Buy doesn't like making money of Nintendo, or something else?

I believe that MS is shipping more units to Best Buy just like Sony did last year with PS2. I think they've done some sort of deal with MS to have more than the rest and likely Nintendo didn't want to do the same.

 

[Jason Handy]

Well, I don't think that making a deal with MS or Sony is bad business practice at all. After all, those of us who like Pepsi are hard pressed to find it at McDonalds
Plus, in my local Wal-Mart, I have seen many more GC than Xboxen, so perhaps there is a reverse trend here?

 

[Dave F]

Best Buy received far and away the largest percentage of the original shipment of Xboxen. I don't think it's a strech to imagine that they have a favored retailer status with MS.

(In my town, Best Buy received over 100 Xboxen, Wal-mart received 15)

-Dave

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Ryan-

I know that GameSpot has some articles about Nintendo pushing the number of units shipped this year from 1.1 to 1.3 million (the X-Box was 1.2 million, my mistake) but I don't have the link, so maybe I'll get it later.

 

[David Head]

The Gamespot article states that Nintendo has shipped 1.1 million (just posted Friday). It states that they will ship 100,00 a week for the rest of the year, so 1.3 to 1.4 million units total.
Gamespot also posted this article last Monday that states that Microsoft had shipped 1.1 million units already, with an additional 300,00 more before the end of the year. That would make 1.4 million units.
The PS2 sales figures are still better than either the GC or Xbox, but that's still a lot of sales for both new consoles.
David

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think the GCN and XB are seeing the quickest restocking and selling of any console ever. Good for them! I like to see the competition get tougher!

 

[Butch Smith]

Why do you all constantly go back and forth about this? What is it to you that Console X or Console Y sold more last week? Are you seeing any of that money?

To me, it just sounds like a slick way to perpetuate the fanboy BS. And don't tell me you're interested in sales trends... It doesn't make your console any better.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Doesn't it though? More sales of console A means a bigger install base, which is a major element in a developer's decision of which platform to develop for. Plus, for those of us who have spent $850 in the last week on the Xbox, it feels good to be reassured that a)we're not alone, and b)that we're on the winning team. I have to say that had ANYONE but Microsoft launched the Xbox I probably wouldn't have bought one, thinking it was going to go the way of the Jaguar or 3DO. However it was launched my MS, who has nore money than God-hopefully assuring some measure of success...

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Hell, we've even entered a new era of truly meaningless sales stats.
I could sell 10 million of a PS2 or XBox, and a year later 50 percent of them might be just playing DVDs, with the buyers not really getting into the gaming aspect (but they felt they were getting a good deal in a combo unit).
Wait a year and watch the software sales are.

 

[Camp]

Best Buy absolutely has a partnership with Microsoft. They received between 10% and 15% of all Xboxen in the US. That's a pretty huge split.

TRU has a similar deal with Nintendo. I could spit out inventory numbers that would be just as lopsided in favor of the Gamecube over Xbox (from my TRU perspective).

We have days that feel like I couldn't give an Xbox away. Gamecube shipments sell out on the same day. PS2 is really moving well too -outselling the new consoles without effort.

 

[Camp]

I could sell 10 million of a PS2 or XBox, and a year later 50 percent of them might be just playing DVDs, with the buyers not really getting into the gaming aspect (but they felt they were getting a good deal in a combo unit).

Michael,

I feel that was a fair arguement a year ago when DVD players were $300. Now that $99 DVD players are common I don't think that point has nearly as much merit.

However, your main point about software sales is a good one. That's what keeps the console business afloat.

I can guarantee you Sony is selling more software. Gamecube should be next followed by Xbox.

 

[pitchman]

Why do you all constantly go back and forth about this? What is it to you that Console X or Console Y sold more last week? Are you seeing any of that money?

To me, it just sounds like a slick way to perpetuate the fanboy BS. And don't tell me you're interested in sales trends... It doesn't make your console any better.

The reason I am interested in sales numbers right now is that I think we are all bearing witness to an unprecedented industry event.

For over a year, analysts and pundits have been predicting a hardware shakeout, saying that the business can't support three major players. So far, that is not happening and all three systems are thriving.

If this continues, I think it will have a dramatic impact on the number of and kinds of games we'll be seeing down the road. i.e., if Microsoft continues to succeed in the marketplace, online gaming will happen sooner than if it was left up to Sony and Nintendo.

I guess I just see this as an industry changing event-in-the-making and worthy of noting.

Gary

 

[BrianB]

For over a year, analysts and pundits have been predicting a hardware shakeout, saying that the business can't support three major players. So far, that is not happening and all three systems are thriving.

No, for over a year analysts & pundits have said initial sales don't mean a thing in the long run - it's this time /next year/ that matters.

I thought everyone expected GC & XBox to sell extrememely well this Christmas...

 

[pitchman]

No, for over a year analysts & pundits have said initial sales don't mean a thing in the long run - it's this time /next year/ that matters.

I thought everyone expected GC & XBox to sell extrememely well this Christmas...

I agree completely with the first part of your statement, Brian. I am not so sure about the second part, though.

I think from last year's E3 right up until its launch, there was more than a little speculatuion surrounding Microsoft's ability to successfully market the Xbox. At least so far, they have succeeded tremendously!

Maybe I'm way off base here, but as someone who works works in marketing, I find significance in these early sales numbers and believe they may be indicative of a trend.

Gary