[Thrillhouse17]

I was in Wal-Mart yesterday I decided to swing by the game section, where I found a huge surprise:


They were having a clearance sale on PS3s! All models were 50 dollars off, and they were slapped with 'these models only' stickers.


My advice to you: if you want a PS3 or a blu-ray player check your local Wal-Marts and see if they're doing the same. I was shocked when I saw it. I wonder if maybe it was an individual store problem (maybe they over estimated post-Christmas demand) or a nation-wide chain problem.


Either way checking doesn't hurt.

 

[William Mapstone]

Did you notice any discount on games? Thanks!

 

[nbuubu]

Could be that particular Wal-Mart had a ton of people buy systems with the intent to resell on ebay, then got a bunch returned when the ebay market crumbled. Dunno. Really doubt it's nationwide ... probably a manager trying to clear inventory or something.


It's extremely odd to see any console getting that heavily discounted by a retailer. Game hardware, especially near launch, has next to no margin for the stores which is why many force bundles on people. Don't know the exact PS3 wholesale price, but at $50 off I'd have to assume Wal-Mart was losing money.

 

[Thrillhouse17]

No discount on games, just the consoles. It is kind of wierd seeing a collection of PS3s sitting there with clearance stickers on them. Especially this soon after launch.


They were new, unopened systems. No 'open merchandise' offer.

 

[spwolf]

probably returned items, considering that most stores still dont have them in stock...

I am sure they had at least 5x-6x more PS2's in stock than PS3's...

 

[smack]



Quote:
Originally Posted by spwolf /forum/post/0


probably returned items, considering that most stores still dont have them in stock...

I am sure they had at least 5x-6x more PS2's in stock than PS3's...

I am a big PS fan myself, but don't be fooled. These units are readily available at everystore I go to. Target, Wal-mart, Best Buy, Circuit City EB Games etc.


I am surprised they are on clearance though because I think sony has some sales agreements as far as MSRP goes.

 

[c_d_j]

Like others have stated, I'd guess that these are returned models.


Though, it could also be a way to try and get customers to pick up a system and a game/controller. The $50 price drop will convince some that it is akin to buying a system and getting either a game/controller for free. The few times I've looked at PS3 accessories/games in-stores, they seem to have quite a few games sitting there, with only Resistance a little low on supply. They may be hoping to push some games/accessories out the door.

 

[footbag]

I'm not surprised.

I just witnessed a couple gamestop employees try a hard sell on a kid who seemed surprised that there was a PS3 in stock. He was a lot less interested when he heard he could actually have one.


That said, seeing an out of stock PS3 is rarer then seeing an in stock one in my area. Northest PA.


My feeling is that Sony nailed the supply aspect, they're just having trouble with the whole demand thing.

 

[joeblow]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Thrillhouse17 /forum/post/0


I was in Wal-Mart yesterday I decided to swing by the game section, where I found a huge surprise:


They were having a clearance sale on PS3s! All models were 50 dollars off, and they were slapped with 'these models only' stickers.


My advice to you: if you want a PS3 or a blu-ray player check your local Wal-Marts and see if they're doing the same. I was shocked when I saw it. I wonder if maybe it was an individual store problem (maybe they over estimated post-Christmas demand) or a nation-wide chain problem.


Either way checking doesn't hurt.

Which Walmart exactly?

 

[spwolf]



Quote:
Originally Posted by smack /forum/post/0


I am a big PS fan myself, but don't be fooled. These units are readily available at everystore I go to. Target, Wal-mart, Best Buy, Circuit City EB Games etc.


I am surprised they are on clearance though because I think sony has some sales agreements as far as MSRP goes.

yet they are sold out at amazon.com and bestbuy.com.


They are not as easily available. Readily available means 20 units in every store.


Recently Gamestop CEO said PS3 was in good supply (as an good point), saying how they have it in few hundred, out of 3,400 stores.


Also, keep in mind that Sony managed to ship more PS3's than PS2's during first holiday season.

 

[thecrazykevy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by spwolf /forum/post/0


yet they are sold out at amazon.com and bestbuy.com.

They did take a few days to sell out at amazon.com and about a week for bestbuy.com though. Also, circuitcity.com and newegg.com still has them in stock.

 

[awdorrin]

My Walmart didn't have PS3's on discount - but they did have 'Full Auto 2' on sale for $48.00; think it might end today (1/13)

 

[footbag]

I don't know if the stock status would be considered readily available or not, but I don't think there is anyone left who has $600 ,wants a PS3 and cannot find one.


I wan't one, but $600 is a bit too much for me. I did pay $810 for my 360, though.

 

[gamelover360]

They're clearly returns (already opened). I got mine December 26 or 7th, and I called all around the where I am. After 45 minutes I had only found two, but they were returns. One was returned twice because the second guy found files left on it! Yeah, like I want to buy that one.


Who wants a return? Not me. You never know how the joker handled the beautiful peice of technical machinery that is the PS3. Finally found a Gamestop with one is stock. I floored it down there and got it.

 

[Matt-05]

Samething here at the Walmert in Glenmont NY.....Ps3 clearence as I saw it there today. 8 systems in the case whth more in the back....20's and 60's...sales clerk said they were "stacking up"

 

[spwolf]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gamelover360 /forum/post/0


They're clearly returns (already opened). I got mine December 26 or 7th, and I called all around the where I am. After 45 minutes I had only found two, but they were returns. One was returned twice because the second guy found files left on it! Yeah, like I want to buy that one.


Who wants a return? Not me. You never know how the joker handled the beautiful peice of technical machinery that is the PS3. Finally found a Gamestop with one is stock. I floored it down there and got it.

really, some people here would make you think they were giving them away .


Sales numbers are in, PS3 sold 490k in December while Wii did only 600k. PS2 1.4mil and xbox 1.1mil.

 

[spwolf]



Quote:
Originally Posted by StringsTheory /forum/post/0


Probably because the PS3 is over priced and has a soon to be obsolete BD player. Why would you want another Betamax?

i thought you guys were busy watching porn these days?


))))))))

 

[footbag]



Quote:
Originally Posted by spwolf /forum/post/0


in, PS3 sold 490k in December while Wii did only 600k. PS2 1.4mil and xbox 1.1mil.

Where'd you get those figures? All of the figures I looked at had the Wii @ 3X the volume of PS3. And the Wii is @ 4 mil worldwide. That would mean they sold 1.5m in both Novemeber and January. Somethings not Kosher with those #'s. I think that 490,000 was the # of PS3s shipped in Dec, but Wii's easily doubled that estimate.

 

[BigDaddy]

HW Sales (month and LTD)

Nintendo DS 1.6 mm 9.2 mm

PS2 1.4 mm 37.1 mm

GBA 850.7 K 35.1 mm

Xbox 360 1.1 mm 4.5 mm

Wii 604.2 K 1.1 mm

PSP 953.2 K 6.7 mm

PS3 490.7 K 687.3 K



These are the numbers I have seen. Seems to be the same as above.

 

[Jonathan Hickey]

My local Best Buy is sold out of PS2's, but has had over 40 PS3's for a week.