I found this article, and they are using VGChartz to dispute Sony! Obviously this reporter isn't very informed about the subject, but I think this just illustrates the general ignorance about sales figures in the press and public. 

http://www.product-reviews.net/2007/09/24/kazuo-hirai-sony-president-claims-we%E2%80%99ll-reach-11-million-ps3-target-in-time-for-march-2008-deadline/

Kazuo Hirai Sony President Claims: We’ll Reach 11 Million PS3 Target In Time For March 2008 Deadline
September 24th, 2007 by JP

Kazuo Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment is adament that the company will achieve its predicted sales target of selling 11 million units of the PlayStation 3 in the fiscal year which ends next march.

However, it seems that VG Chartz has other ideas. VG Chartz claims to be ‘the most comprehensive videogames chart in the world’. It’s figures show that the PS3 has only managed to shift 4.64 million units to date, that’s according to data from their charts covering Japan, America and other territories around the world.
Taking these figures into account it seems highly unbelievable that the performance the PS3 is currently putting in will ensure the 11 million target is reached - especially without that much-rumoured price cut.

Earlier this week it was reported that Sony is prepping a 40GB entry-level PS3 that would retail for around $400 and in the UK for around £300.
Hirai seemed to rule out the chance of a price cut in his speech at the Tokyo Games Show, but he did acknowledge that a future reduction in price was ‘possible’

A cheaper unit would bring Sony back into the next-gen console race and Hirai’s confidence in light of the recent poor sales figures shows that he knows it.

I dont get it why would sony track how many ps3's were sold before(to there warehouses? That means they didnt sell it..)

Sony used to track anything that left the production line as a sale, even before they were sold. They did this to inflate their sales numbers.

@fishy joe

Ahh I see, so when M$ says they sold 11.6million it means they shipped it to retail? Ive always heard sony(before they switched there methods) say "We have sold" Not "We have produced.

In Sony's Q1 addendum, Sony states:

The method of reporting hardware and software sales has been changed from production shipments to recorded sales.

They also revised their FY06 PS3 number from 5.5 million to 3.57 million. Amazing how they sneak this stuff in. Eventually these shenanigans catch up with you though.

Each PS3 that is made will be sold, so i don't see how they were not telling the truth.

Lets not forget the most important thing:

- The 11m Sony is quoting is for the financial year - April '07 to March '08.

It is ADDITIONAL to the 4-5m shipped at launch (i.e. up to April '07).

So for Sony to reach their target, they will to ship a TOTAL of around 16m PS3s by end of March '08 (i.e. from launch).

This also implies around 12-13m PS3s SOLD in total by April '08. And the only way Sony can do that (if 7-8m sold by 1st Jan '08) is a major price cut + software release schedule from the start of '08.

Every console made is sold. Yes but shipments are based on what you and I demand.  Since demand for PS3 is fairly low right now, Sony is producing.

If you over produce, then stores stop ordering to clear out inventory, which I guess would mean every console is sold.  Although in rare cases stores have to get rid of so much inventory that the supplier have to buy back their own product and store it in their own warehouse at their own expense. 

lol we're more reliable than sony

wait, that's news?