The "If XXX console came out at $yyy.yy price argument", and why its WRONG.

[Words Of Wisdom]

Sqrl said:

Sorry I haven't been able to get into this thread again sooner been busy...

Anyways, on to the responses....

@"Words of Wisdom" & ChichiriMuyo,

If you guys can provide a situation where this line of reasoning adds any value to a conversation about reality please let me know, but the fact is that it's only useful when used in a conversation based entirely on a "what if" scenario. This concept is brought up on a regular basis for people who are trying to mitigate poor sales situations. And the reality of it is that people hear it and believe it and repeat it. Which is exactly why I created this thread.

From the moment you say "If..." or "What if..." you are speculating.  Once you begin speculating, you are changing the subject of the conversation.  It's alright to say "That doesn't matter in relation to what we were just talking about" and "What you've suggested is incorrect" but treating these two statements as the same is a mistake.

All other things being equal, if the PS3 was dirt cheap and the Wii was hideously overpriced then the sales numbers would change.  There's nothing about this statement that is incorrect, however real constraints prevent it from ever being relevant.  Of course, hasty judgments about relevancy lead to mistakes (remember the opinions going around when the Revolution was first renamed to the Wii...).

Back to the point, does this add value to a conversation?  Maybe, maybe not.  It is amusing that people presenting this line of reasoning are actually devaluing their position.  When you posit that sales would dramatically increase with a sizable pricecut you acknowledge that the utility of the good is below its price.  A self-defeating argument for the enthusiast that makes this claim.