I ended up going the eBay route. $450 for a premium system with NBA2k6, media remote and play and charge kit. Better than I would have paid retail.

That is a great deal. Even forgetting the game, all that stuff would have been more then $450 retail + tax.

I bet in the days following the 360 launch, that auction would have netted over $1000.

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.p...5&page=1&pp=50


downward trend in hardware sales for x360; shortages are fun aren't they?

I tend to go to Best Buy a lot and I still have yet to ANY systems out on the floor, and this has been pretty consistant over all of CT. Anyone seen them out anywhere in CT? I work a regular 9-5 job so usually by the time I'm out and about they're gone. I wish they would put some out at 5pm so the regular folks could stand a chance. I'm not in too much of a rush though but hopefully I'll have one in time for "Dead Rising". If they haven't made enough by June then they've really got problems!

Wow! These figures amaze me on several levels!

How so?
They seem pretty typical to me.

Not too surprising. And if you're looking at 360 sales and comparing with other comperable systems, you shoud ignore the DS and PSP sales as those are in a different market then the 360.

But it does make sense with the 360, XBox, PS2 and GCN numbers.
360 is still fairly hard to find. PS2 makes up the bulk of the sales. Xbox is outdated hardware, and GCN is always the last place console.

Well for one, who would've thought that they made over 10,000 Xbox 360 units!?!?! (I'm not trying to be a smartass. )

Secondly, PSP AND PS2 are outselling the Xbox 360!??!?!

Wow!

Yeah but had 299,001 xbox 360s been available they would've outsold the PS2.

And that's why I call this a failed launch!

A failed launch would mean that no one is buying the systems and they are sitting on the shelf gathering dust.
That is far from the case. The launch units sold out immedieatly. When a store gets a shipment in, they sell our very quick. People are still anxious to get the system.
I would grant that the launch isn't 100% success, and that it could have been handled better. But it is far, far from a failed launch.

As I've said many times in this thread, I'd buy an Xbox 360 in a heartbeat if I could find a non-bundled version. There is no difficulty finding PSPs and PS2s.

I understand we're dealing with an established piece of hardware and a set manufacturing process, but it's interesting to me that the Xbox 360 is in such "high demand" they can't keep it on the shelves, but they can sell MORE PS2s and PSPs while keeping shelves stocked at all times.

So, it seems pretty clear to me that Microsoft isn't making enough of the things.

OR way too many people are left wanting a unit. The law of supply and demand. It works both ways.

High supply, no demand = failed launch.

High demand, no supply = failed launch. This is what we have with the Xbox 360.

The Best Buys I've been in either have them behind the Customer Service counter or keep them in the back. Always ask if they have any when you go in.

Circuit City also keeps them permanently in the back. You have to ask them and they look it up in the computer. They are the only store I've seen that has had them at night and/or on the weekend.

Best Buy seems to get them in the morning between Tues-Thurs of each week. And they are usually gone in a couple of hours.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/gener...arriage=befree

Bundles available at CC.com. You can remove the extra stuff.

By your definition the PS/2 was a failed launch. If I remember correctly it took two months for the PS/2 to be readily available.

Besides with the supposed delay of the PS/3 this is becoming a moot point.

We're quickly approaching 4 months since the 360 launch and shortages have eased only slightly... at least in my area. What makes the 360 launch shortages more serious was that even in spite of known shortages before the launch date, Microsoft did nothing to "soften" the launch. Try to bring demand down closer to supply.

I don't remember Sony having the massive media campaign that Microsoft did.

But in the end, the success or failure of a console launch is only a single data point and doesn't guarantee future viability. You want to consider the 360 launch a success? That's okay. But if supply remains short, what happened at launch won't matter.

How is a PS3 delay making this a moot point? :hscratch:

I got a PS2 on Black Friday, a few weeks or so after it launched. I have yet to see an Xbox 360 on a shelf anywhere.

I really don't understand the fact of stating a launch is a failure or sucess. I tried for months to get a PS/2 in the beginning to finally giving up. I see a console success being based on more of a long term goal. Look at the Dreamcast it sold well the first month, but in the long run it failed.

I am confuse by your statement of "known shortages before launch" every console launch I have seen always have a blur about supply shortages. I agree with you the shortage dones suck, but I have begin to more 360 on the market.

My statement about the supposed PS/3 delay making this a moot point could be true. The longer the PS/3 is held off the market only strenghten Microsoft position. But this is only my opinion.

The final opinion is left to the buying public and they vote over time.

Speaking of launches:

I don't remember having any problems getting a Dreamcast near launch. I even remenber TRU, of all places, had a trade in deal, where you could trade in a PS1 and some games for a discount on a DC. In fact, the first shortage I remember was the PS2 (when the Gamecube and Xbox came out later, I decided to wait because of how hard it was to get a PS2).

Microsoft knew before the launch date that they weren't going to make their projected targets. Microsoft in their desperation, left reputable game shops high-and-dry by cutting back on promised preorder allocations to improve launch day availability. These shops who played by the rules and only took preorders for what MS promised them, found themselves having to tell preorder customers that they WOULDN'T be receiving the machine they paid for on launch day. From the customers' perspective these game shops appeared as sleazy as those who deliberately oversold preorders.

Instead of scaling back their "worldwide release", Microsoft said "F it" and went full steam ahead anyways.

Again, we're approaching the 4 month mark since the 360 release and systems are still scarce. Were PS2's still this scarce 4 months later?


It only strengthens Microsoft's position if they can make product available to consumers. Looking at the sales figures, PS2s are still outselling 360's and XBox's combined. Lack of a PS3 is NOT hurting Sony and in the long run, if they wait long enough, the PS3 will be perceived as the "next gen beyond the 360".... leapfrogging the 360 in the eyes of consumers.

The game shops were sleazy in this situation. I recall very well ebgames not being able to fill all the preorders but they had enough systems to make bundles right away. That isn't MS's fault.


Anyone who thinks the lack of a ps3 isn't hurting Sony is crazy. PS2s are still selling and that is cool, but Sony is looking like a bunch of morons right now what with all the dishonest talk about still being on track for a spring release. Personally I am glad the PS3 is delayed, now I don't have to worry about trying to get one right now. All my money is going to the 360 and I still can't get all the games I want. All of you MS haters out there who find so much time to argue about how much a failure the launch was for 360, have fun. I am off to play my next-gen 360 on my HDTV and have a great time while you guys keep trying to make yourselves feel better about no PS3. Personally, I think you guys are nuts, there is room for both companies in the business and I can't wait for a little competition to bring prices down. Anyone want to buy my plasma, blood not the tv, so I can save up for GRAW? :)

Nice broad brush ya got there. Not every game shop was sleazy in overselling preorders.


Sony makes a profit on every PS2 sold. That's a good thing for them. And while you may think that Sony looks like a bunch of morons, there are many Sony fans who are so accustomed to delays and deceptions that they are simply shrugging off this latest news and continuing to wait. There will be little to no repercussions from this delay.

If we're going to talk about companies being dishonest about their game consoles, we have to look towards all of Microsoft's broken promises regarding the 360. They all do it, so let's not imply that only Sony is underhanded.

That is a pretty simplistic attitude. I own a 360 and love it. But I can see that the 360 launch was a failure. I can see that Microsoft did not keep its promises about the capabilities of the 360. That doesn't mean I'm an MS-hater. It means that I can see things in perspective.

And there we have it. :rolleyes:

The only time that's ever happened is with the Dreamcast.

Yes. Yes it was. But it was not a drastic, horrible failure. Just a failure. Four months after launch no one can get a 360!

Lots of people have a 360, both boughten on launch day and past.
Four months after launch and some people are having problems finding a system would be a better statement to make.

How many of those do you think got a non-bundled or non-eBay version?

I'm really curious about that. I've checked the Best Buy Store Finder every day for the past three weeks and I've seen Premiums show up ONCE at ONE store near me and they were gone within an hour or so.

That's a bit bigger than "having problems finding a system" - I CAN'T find a system.

It is bigger, but the poster I quoted made it sound like no one at all could find a system. That just isn't true.
I walked into a Best Buy in the Detroit suburbs. It was a Wednesday and she said that ysterday they got in about 10 systems, 3 core and 7 premium. They sold out, of course. But said that it seems they get in some on Tuesdays. Sure enough, next Tuesday, I called around 2pm and they had gotten in systems and had 1 premium system left. I was able to drive up there and get that system.

It does happen. I can't begin to state why the Best Buy hear you hasn't gotten any since launch. Maybe employees are holding them for friends before they get put into general stock. maybe employees are tyring to make a quick buck on ebay or some other way. I can't say.
But people are finding systems.
I've gotten two systems. One on launch that I waited 10 hours for. And the one a few weeks ago.
Well, the one a few weeks ago is for the roommate, but I drove up to the store and picked it up.

I tried for 2-3 weeks tops to get a Premium non-bundled system and eventually found one sitting on a shelf (I was calling ahead each day - it took maybe 10-15 minutes a day to check). Within 40 minutes of me I found about 17 unbundled Core systems continually in stock at least 4 of the 6 days i called. Granted i live in a rural area but that also means i have 1 Circuit City and 5 Wal-Marts within 40 minutes of me. That is it. No Best Buys, Frys or anything else.

I was getting frustrated I couldn't find one and think the launch could have been better but I think classifying it as a failure based on units is a little inaccurate (in my opinion). Classifying it a failure based on launch title games i htink would be a much more convincing argument due to them really not having something for everyone at launch.

ok, now we're getting into semantics here. I guess I should have said "Hardly anyone can get a system" rather than "No one can get a system". geez!

Not to try to piss you off or anything but there are many people here who do have them so I would say "Many" people where able to get them, I think more the problem is that you are looking at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think people are still casually buying them if they see them because they are still "hard to find" therefore the people who really want them are still having problems. The fact that people are able to get them at reasonable prices on ebay now is a statement to that effect.

The way I got mine was underhanded and it may be what's happening to you, the lady that is the manager of the electronics department at the local K-mart called me and told me that they had one, but I had to hurry and come pick it up, this was not a preorder but more of a favor paid to me. She kept it so hush hush that the next time I went there to buy a game the girl that was working back there said "you actually own a 360??!!" I said umm yeah I bought it here, she had no idea they had ever even gotten any.

Fair enough - I know other people have been more successful than I am.

Who knows what's going on with Best Buy? It does seem weird to me that the 5 BBs near my house (including the one that is within sight of the corporate office) haven't gotten 360s in in weeks. I also have a problem asking at the counter when looking, since it's usually busy after work (the only time I can go) and I hate to be one of "those" customers.

I guess that means I haven't been trying hard enough, but when I wanted a PS2, I got one. Same with the Gamecube. When I wanted a Dreamcast, I got one. When I wanted a PSP and a DS, I got one. All right around their launch times. I never had to ask someone for it. I shouldn't have to, actually.

The problem is most likely that you're going only after work. I know it's a hassle to go in the morning when they open or even during your lunch break, but that's most likely when they'll put them out. I know I went to a local BB a few weeks back at lunchtime to pick a DVD up, and they had some cores... but they would have been all gone by 5pm.

I agree that there is still a supply problem, though, as there still aren't readily available on store shelves across the country.

I'm pretty sure Best Buy is getting them in, you are just missing them. I have seen Cores and Premiums but it's usually over lunch hour during the week. By evening they are probably wiped out. And to think the mods wanted to shut down this thread weeks and weeks ago. Yet, here we are......

Oh I forgot to add that Nebraska Furniture Mart here in Omaha(OMFG HUGE furniture/electronics, one of the biggest non-franchise stores in USA) has had pallets of the Cores for sale in the last 2 weeks.

I have yet to see on in a Best Buy since launch.

Draven, have you gone to Kmart? Go there during the day and check. Or even better, just go there and talk to the person who works in electronics during the day. Ask them to hold the next one for you and give them your info. I know my Kmart does that for people. I also know they ALWAYS have cores in stock and almost always are getting the premiums in too.

By the same token my local Kmart never got any in. Not a single one from launch to mid-January according to a worker bee there.

K-Mart is a possibility. I'll have to track one down. Thanks for the suggestion!

It's extremely hard to get away to a Best Buy during the day, even over a lunch hour. Traffic makes it tough to make it. I'll keep at it though.

If youreally want to know why there's no 360's then look at this

http://listings.ebay.com/_W0QQsocmdZ...t=a10244%2Ca14

I hate to say but I blame Microsoft for allot of this. High demand has caused nothing but greed while leaving true gamers out in the cold. They need to step up and assure those wanting a 360 they're working on getting more units to market. As long as a few units come in and go in less than an hour then you'll continue to see it all on e-bay. Flat out "BU## SH*$"


Kenny J.

I hate to say it, but most people buying the system aren't true gamers. All they are doing is buying them and putting them on ebay to turn a quick profit. I think the only way to fix this problem is the Microsoft needs to quadruple production to exceed demand. That way there will be no market for the machine on ebay or any online auction site. Also, what is up with these bundles going for 700-1000 dollars? I'd rather buy the 399.00 system and gradually add games I want than thrown stuff I won't play.

I've been to Best Buy in Cerritos, Culver City, West Los Angeles and Lakewood and have yet to see one on the shelf.