I live in Orlando FL, a HUGE consumer sales area so I took an inventory of Local stores. The stores were not that busy because I went at 1:30 friday afternoon.
1. I went to best Buy Best, they had 100-110 PS3'3(60GB and 80GB), around 50 Xbox 360's(all types), and of course no Wii's to be found... They had plenty of DS's but were out of black. While I was in there a woman came in and bought 3 DS's and 2 games for each, she also bought cases for each, I guess I can kinda see why the massive sales are coming from. Also I finally figured out how actually buys cooking mama... a middle age looking woman was walking though the DS aisle she did not look like she was going to stop, then she did and pick up Cooking Mama 2, and then moved on. I don't know if it was for here or her daughter but I almost wanted to snag it out of her hand and give her NSMB or something. Oh, I might add that there were stacks EVERYWHERE for the PS2, I counted at least 130, could have been stacks I missed for all I know. There was 1 gamecube... but um who cares right?
The next thing I checked was software stock, I checked several key software titles. The DS seemed very picked though there many empty spots but as far as I could see there were no sell outs. The next thing I checked was SMG, I was SHOCKED to find only 7 copies. When I went a smaller Best Buy in Jackson MS, 2 weeks ago there were 90-100 compies of SMG spread over several shelves. Guiter Hero III for Wii was sold out at Best Buy, 360 had decent amount but they looked relativly scarce also, there were some very pretty stacks of the PS3 version to be found sadly. I was sad to find TONS of Copies of Uncharted on the shelves, they has at least 10 spots packed full of copies. Pokemon DS was pretty picked though only found a couple of copies. Mass Effect also seemed in short supply (about 15-20).
2. I went to Super Target next(it was right next door) to get a taste of how the more casual games are selling (My theory is that most casual type gamers get games at Target, Wal-Mart, and Toy's R Us... although a core gamers my occasionaly get a game there). The thing I was most shocked to find was that they were SOLD OUT of DS's!!! even the pink one.... The DS shelf was fairly naked, and the Wii's looked slightly depleted too. It also looked to me like the X360 has been doing well, becuase there shelves were looking similiar to the Wii's. They had PS3's and 360's in stock, but I can't give a total number becuause I assume they have more in the back(can only fit 4-6 at a time in the glass) Also the prime display spot where they had Mario was almost empty they had 2 compies left in it, there were about 5 more in the main area where they keep all of the other games. Brain Training 1 and 2 looked be selling well from the scarce amount of stock they had left. Overall I was very happy with what I found at Target, especially the DS sellout. And one more thing I almost forgot, They had a full shelf of GHIII for Wii, I am guessing that they had just gotten a shipment in, I had trouble finding it everywhere else.
3. I also went to Gamespot, but I did not get much good info since you really cant tell how games are being sold by looking at the shelves.
In conclusion I wan't you to know I realise that maybe it was the timing of the shipments that made certain things look like they were selling bad and other well, I understand that but there is no way to tell, I was not going to poll the workers at each store. Also I was amazed at Both Nintendo platorms, both selling like mad. I was also suprise by how much lower the stock of 360 stuff was than PS3.... I actually prefer the PS3, but I must confess from what I saw it was getting spanked!
Also, if you guys like reading this I may do it a couple times a week, and maybe stop at a few more stores(the other best buy, walmart, EB, etc)
psn- tokila
add me, the more the merrier.
