I've seen this comment around here a lot, and every time I see it I tell myself WTF?. I just don't see the logic behind that. It seems this assumption is quite popular in VGC, so I'm here to try to debunk it.

Let's put a simple example. Console A and console B.

Console A expects to sell 10m consoles in 3 countries.

Country 1=5m

Country 2=3m

Country 3=2m

Country B aslo expects to sell 10m, but in 6 countries.

Country 1=3m

Country 2=2m

Country 3=2m

Country 4=1m

Country 5=1m

Country 6=1m

Let's say that in each country needs 10% extra stock for the coming month. Small markets will have enough with 0.1m for a month, but the big one needs 0.5m:

Console A= 0.5m + 0.3m + 0.2m = 1m extra stock.

Console B= 0.3 + 0.2 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 1m extra stock.

So, yes, console B ships to more countries, but if the amount of consoles sold is the same, the stock is going to be the same. Small markets need a bit of stock, but on the other hand that is negated by needing quite less stock in big markets.

PS3 ships to more small markets, but that is negated because X360 needs much more stock in America, enough stock for, say, 10 much smaller markets

So, obviously, it's the number you expect to sell that's important, not how sales are spread between different markets. You may expect Sony to ship more, but that would be because, thanks to the extra markets, it sells more overall, not because of the extra markets per se. If the number of units moved WW is expected to be the same, the stock should be similar.

If I am missing something and making an ass of myself let me know, but I think this is the case.

first ask yourself if sony and ms have the same targeted shipped numbers. if yes, you are correct and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back, if no, then you just made an ass of yourself. you be the judge.

I said in the OP that this would be the case if they expect to ship the same, and that if PS3 needs more stock it's because they expect to ship more thanks to the extra markets, not because of the extra markets per se. So I'm fully aware of what you're saying and I addressed it.

All I say is, if they expect to ship a similar number, then having those units more spread has nothing to do with it, which is something many people seem to be confused about.

LOL WUT.

you should post this in sales discussion

wow T.W. i'm really not sure how to approach this. what your saying makes allot of since, but i'm not sure if i can help?

where's CGI when you need him?

I know, I screwed up...

If a mod could move it, I would appreciate it.

Don't worry. Whenever you see someone saying 'PS3 has more stock because it ships to more countries' then give them a link to this page!

What you say makes a lot of sense and i have been thinking it for years.

The only counter argument that ever really comes to mind is that it would take longer for the PS3 to get distributed around all those smaller markets.

so they may make extra PS3's to send over and store to cut down on shipping costs. I mean it would be pointless shipping 10,000 PS3's over like 3,000 miles.

they would probably try and get as many over at one given time

will do. the promotion for my new thread in my sig ends tomrrow so i'll the link to this one.