http://kotaku.com/gaming/japan/xbox-360-elite-selling-out-at-multiple-stores-310680.php

Strange if true that a *few* places have sold out (as well as Amazon).

This could be rather interesting if true.

shipments were 5k according to Y-koron, so this isn't strange.

With shipments around 5K and not selling out everywhere points to a lauch of the Elite around 3.5K or 4K .

+ premiums and cores selling another 1,000-1,250 could mean a 5k week for the X360.

Which would be pretty decent. Maybe this could keep sales up for a few weeks, enough till AC6 debuts?

Well hardly a glowing success, I have to concur with MrStickBall. If the Elite is selling out, even with only a 5k shipment, it will lead to much higher than normal 360 hardware sales. MS needs to keep 360 sales up much as possible in Japan. The 360 won't catch the PS3, but they need to continue to build a consumer base for the 360's follow up console.

Unlike the original X-box, the 360 is garnering games that appeal to the Japanese audience. This will make it easier for the follow up system to the 360 as it wont be as hard of a sell to the Japanese consumer. The original X-box in my view was actually so bad in Japan that it hurt the 360's initial sales there.

I'd love to know what's the excuse for only shipping 5K consoles (if it's true)... Couldn't they do a decent shipment so that it wouldn't sell out?

It's not like it would be a big risk, in the worst case they just wait a few weeks/months to do the next shipment!

shipments were 5k according to Y-koron, so this isn't strange.

==> + 10 for Neos for doing the job of kotaku.com

Talking about "sold out" without mentionning the shipments ...

Maybe retailer pre-orders for Elites were lower than expected, and sales were higher than anticipated?

It seems like the Japanese have gotten into a casual rut when it comes to sales: they buy only a few copies of various games, sell out, then slowly buy more copies. For many games, however, by that time, the major rush of sales are over, used copies are hitting the shelves, and developers/publishers don't get to ship many more copies.

Forza Motorsports 2, Folklore, Dragon Quest Swords, and a few others have been very telling of this: they sell out week 1, then totally go DOA afterwards.

Hopefully retailers start wising up and realizing "hey, maybe we should all stock copies of a given game" because not every store is most likely stocking elites, allowing those that actually have them (like Amazon) to make a good profit.

Why ship more then 5K when you hadn't had sales of 5K in nearly a half year?  And selling out is good publicity in the short term. 

 Most people will never hear how many were actually shipped so it generates the "gee, maybe I should get one since everyone is buying one" feeling...

Not an excuse... Just a good marketing move... 

X360 has sold more than 5k/wk twice in 4 months.

7.5k with Trusty Bell in mid-June, and 5.2k with Halo 3.

Also, Oblivion launched @ 4.5k h/w sales.