Oh My Goodness!!!@!

How many times does this conversation have to take place???  In SO SO SO many different threads too... Usually it's the same people over and over again who can't seem to grasp such a simple explination.

When a Company quotes "SOLD" they mean shipped. (in other words, to retail)

When a Company quotes "SOLD TO CUSTOMERS" they mean shipped. (in other words, to retail)

When a COMPANY quotes "SOLD TO CONSUMERS" or Spacifically quotes a source (NPD), that tracks Sold to Consumers, they mean sold to us. 

Now to clear this up.  "SOLD TO CUSTOMERS" is not CONSUMERS!!! WE are not their customer!  Retail outlets are their customers... we are the retail outlets customers. 

Companies do this all the time.  They will quote Sold to Customers and provide a source (NPD) -showing actual sell through to Consumers, then they will say "sold to customers" but not quote a source because they are stating Sold to THEIR customers, which are the retail outlets (Or Distributors), NOT Consumers.  This is a deliberate attempt by companies, which practice these tactics all the time, to make shareholders/customers/consumers think a product is greater then what it really is.  They are not lying or making false claims, it's just that many people jump to conclusion and miss quote what has actually been said.

And One last thing... to prove what I have said, just go back a look at past articles that claim sold to customers...(One that doesn't use a source such as NPD - even if that company has in the past), then find a follow up claim (data from NPD) at it will show you the company was actually stating SOLD TO THEIR COSTOMERS (retail) not SOLD TO CONSUMERS.

Okay kid :).

This man speaks the truth. I had to clear it up *again* in the Spain sales thread.

The GFK numbers have been added to the ps3. Good.. I expect 60k for UK this week.

Well said, Magera.

Also to note, Prior to Q1 2008 Sony reported manufactured units as 'Sold'. They didn't even have to be shipped yet. They could be manufactured at Foxconn and held in a warehouse for a year but it would get reported as Sold. They have now changed to the industry standard reporting method of 'sold to retail'.

At one point during the first year of PSP release, Sony had 'sold' (manufactured) 8 million more than had actually been sold from retail to consumers but of course with Sony touting the far higher number, rabid gamers refused to accept the facts that 8 million less had actually been bought by consumers.

Ummm.... thanks? ;)

so, does that mean shipped to retailers means not manufactured yet?

/ducks

It should be noted that 1.9 million of the consoles "sold" according to the prior method will be "sold" again thanks to the accounting switch. This means Sony could claim 5.5 million sold last year and 11.0 sold this year, but would actually have sold 14.6 million total sold to retailers (as opposed to the 16.5 million you'd get by adding the two numbers).

Many people suspect this was intentional strategy used to confuse investors who'd gloss over the report and think the PS3 was doing significantly better than it actually was.  It would make sense for Sony to retroactively apply the new method (for the sake of clarity) but it seems they're more interested in misleading.

 LOL!  Makes me wonder if Sony will sometime early in the new year, revert back to reporting to "Sold" (Shipped to wharehouses) to again confuse shareholders and make out as if the PS3 has done significantly better then what it has...

Well I'm suspecting that Sony could do something like this.  They most likely wont but if they do I wouldn't be suprised as it's the type of tacktics (Playing dirty) Sony have used in the past.

Alrighty than I'll keep that in mind.