Oh, I just remember one thing other companies do to. They won't tell you how many units are still in the channel but not in consumer's hands - instead they will tell you how many weeks shippings are ahead, like 6 or 8 weeks until the channel would run out of stock if the factories stopped shipping. Sony could do that, though I still don't think they have to and all required information is on the table right now.

reverie, I don't have to wait until the next quarter to know, I know now that consumer sales are slow. Sales have been dropping week after week with no sign of going up. So what if shelves are full? They are full of other products as well. How is that a feat? The real feat is having to restock those shelves week after week. I would want to know the exact user base of the system so I know the potential sales of software, the only source of income for the PS3 right now. There is no real convincing argument that the PS3 is going to start selling soon. All I hear is wait. Wait for Gundam, wait for Virtua Fighter 5, wait for Motorstorm, wait for Hot Shots Golf, wait for Home, wait for MG4 (delayed), wait for FFXIII (delayed), wait for next quarter. Smart investors want concrete evidence that it will start to sell, not just wait. I say "smart investors" since there are some investors that will buy into all the "wait" agrument.

Keep in mind according to Sega they had shipped roughly 30-million DreamCast's by the time they discontinued it. Well in all reality the DreamCast only sold 10-million units when it was discontinued for North America it is rumoured that it went on to sell another  million in the Japanese market since where it was only discontinued officially last year.

 So that being said Sega did better the Sony is, keep in mind DreamCast sold over 10-million units launch year didn't it. I remember it broke records all over and then the PS2 crushed it the following year. DreamCast had a 3-year lifespan starting in 99-01. During which time over 10-million hardware units were sold and according to Sega over tripple the amount of sold was officially shipped and sitting in the backs of stores. That was said in Sega's official Magazines final issue.

So DreamCast lasted 3-years and sold 10-million shipping about 40-million because three times 10x3 - million units. So then look at Sony's 3-million PS3's sold so far in half a year and times by 6 ad we get 18-million units sold. In other words PS3 is DreamCasting. 

 I mean PS3 is weaker out of the gate the DreamCast was and it looks like its not getting any stronger!So if PS3 is doing worse then DreamCast was at this point in its lifespan that should signal something to you! DreamCast was actually a better selling console then PS3 is currently!

AH someone understands! Sold to retailers without context to sold to customers is a worthless stat because it's not a true sign of success. Channel stuffing happens because they overship product to fool investors that project is going well. And the lies get printed in the media to fool both investors and customers.

It is NOT a feat to say "I packed those stores full of stock" if no one is buying said stock. That's dishonest if one tries to separate the context like that.

Everyone should know these numbers and they CAN be tracked. IRS counts every last dollar you make. Sales trackers can easily track sales if they really wanted to. I don't buy that argument for a minute.

That's right, mancandy. The difference between an investor and a SMART investor. You understand EXACTLY what I'm saying. And the sad thing is people accept corps' cock and bull practices without question.

ALWAYS question, my friend. ESPECIALLY with THEM.

John Lucas 

Sure, but videogame consoles are a very cyclical industry. About half of all console sales take place in the holiday season (Oct-Dec). My guess is, with something as complex as the PS3, Sony is probably under the gun to stockpile as many PS3s for the holiday season as possible. The 5.5 million shipped/ 3.1 million sold makes sense, from this point of view. Since PS3s are fairly hefty, they have to be shipped via ocean freighter, which takes 24-48 days to reach its destination. Global demand is about 200,000 units per month, maybe a little more, so Sony probably has 400,000 to 500,000 units in transit. The rest -- about 2 million -- are being held back for the holiday season.  

But this is just a guess. Can anyone with logistics experience confirm/deny this?

No, they are not stockpiling for the December holiday in March. I can't believe I even have to say that.

If they are stockpiling, then they are doing a damn fine job.

johnlucas,

But they DIDNT fill the shelves with "plenty of stock" They missed all estimates for shipments, and the only reason there IS stock, is due to the absolute flop the Sales have been so far.

¿? Their "shipped" projection was 6 million units, and they have "shipped" 5.5 million, which is pretty close. What estimate are you referring to?