Posted Dec 25, 2006 at 02:38PM by Max F. Listed in: Opinions & Analysis Tags: Christmas, Sony, Nintendo Company Ltd., TMX
Ó

iTrackr keeps track of hard-to-find products in stores near your ZIP code. If you're a member, you get alerts through email. It's a nice service if you want to know which retailers have what (and that's a good thing to know before you camp out).

Let's look at the iTrackr data for the three hardest-to-find toys:

  • The PS3's national availability is 7%. There are 1036 users tracking the PS3.
  • Elmo's national availability is 4%. There are 32 users tracking Elmo.
  • The Wii's national availability is 2%. There are 922 users tracking the Wii.
  • The data is for 8,578 retail stores across the U.S. There are 15,578 iTrackr members.

iTrackr - Image 1iTrackr - Image 2iTrackr - Image 3

How is it possible that the Wii, which ships in huge quantities, is less available than the PS3, which ships in very limited quantities? We're going to have to follow this up (probably when we're not so distracted by all the Christmas left-overs), but already this seems to indicate that the Wii is getting sold out as well as the PS3 (or better), and/or the Wii ships in bigger numbers but to less locations (so it's less available to people out in the boonies), and/or the Wii has a more spread-out market.

I also tested iTrackr. I found out that there are 13 iTrackr members near my zip code (a 10-mile radius). As for product searches, iTrackr says 0 out of 2 retailers in my area have the PS3 in stock, while 0 out of 2 have the Wii, and the single retailer that should have Tickle Me Elmo "x-treme" (TMX) doesn't have it in stock. (I don't care - there are plenty of cakes and pies from Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee, and that's what matters because Christmas is all about gluttony.)


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23 Comments


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   by nbZ (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » hmm

"How is it possible that the Wii, which ships in huge quantities, is less available than the PS3, which ships in very limited quantities?"

easy..

there is much more demand for the Wii than the PS3 because the word on the streets is that the PS3 is overhyped and overpriced, and that "the Wii is soooo coooool".


   Re: ahha (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » ahahha

Ya the PS3 is basically crap. I had one... for 2 days. Sold it. It's Garb.

   Re: Yvette (Unregistered) - 2006-12-28
 » "Wi Availability"

I agree the Wii is most definately less available than the PS 3. I had been in constant contact with the Manager of the FYE in Whitestone, NY. He only got one initial shipment of 22 and none up to today 12/27. This is definately something thats should be looked at in more depth. I am pretty confident that nintendo snowed alot of people with the Wii release.
   by bigshynepo (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » PS3s in stock

1000 PS3s just went online for sale to Canadian Buyers at Futureshop.ca!!!
Get em while they're hot!

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10075271&catid=24714


   Re: Mr. Common Sense (Unregistered) - 2006-12-26
 » they're everywhere

They're not hot anymore. Apparently that's the only thing causing them to sell. Mr. Common Sense is right again!
   by BULL3TPR00F (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » lol

i have a TMX :)

got it yesterday :)

   by DBLAZE - 2006-12-25
 » BOOOO

I was just about to use the site to track a Wii, and you have to pay freakin $1.99 for each track! I'm not doing it! I'll make my phone calls or trips to the store...

   by uhm... yea im pretty sure someone did their math w (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » retards

if 1036 ppl are tracking ps3 that means ps3s availability is less than 2% if theres less than 1k ppl tracking wii and its at 2% availabilty, and lmfao theres more wiis than ps3s out there


   Re: Advertising -


   Re: ... (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » umm yeah.

you are looking at those figures entirely wrong...
   by ContrAss - 2006-12-25
 » isn't everyone a saint

Everyone criticizes Sony for releasing so few PS3s but nobody cares to question Nintendo's pathetic 1 million Wii sales. Really, what is your excuse to that? It's not hi-tech, it's not big, and it's not even expensive to manufacture! Psh, You’re seeing PS3s on store shelves because Sony's putting them there. You’re not seeing Wii’s because Nintendo isn’t getting them out. Nintendo’s excuse to the dumb public: “The DVD drive and gamecube chip are hard to mass produce, we’re producing Wii’s as fast as we can.” Everyone cheer for Nintendo’s determination! Hurray!


   Re: range (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » read wii qj column

read wii qj column that Big N is producing high volumes of wii and still outselling ps3 in this site. Ps3 and wii came out at the time. Wii has 1.9million units , ps3 has sold only around 700,000 units even doubled that still less than wii.
   by ha ha ha (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » Sony in 3rd

http://wii.qj.net/NexGen-Wars-Update-Xbox-360-leads-Wii-catching-up/pg/49/aid/77306

Wii is catching up to 360 and blowing PS3 out the water just face it. PS3 is a bust! Nobody wants it. G4 said it sucks, Wall street journal said it sucks, obvisouly consumers siad it sucks, EGM magazine picked the Wii over PS3. Numbers don't lie!!! Funny now that the tide has change all these Sony fanboys are defensive as hell.

Fact is Sonys is in 3rd place, not even to Wii or 360. PS3 getting nothing but bad press.

http://wii.qj.net/NexGen-Wars-Update-Xbox-360-leads-Wii-catching-up/pg/49/aid/77306

54%pick Wii 1st
28%360 2nd
17%PS3 3rd
fact!!!

And if you look at the graph Wii has higher Market share than PS3. Retailers say Wii is outselling PS# 3 to 1, look it up.

facts facts facts FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


   Re: Amish.Gramish - 2006-12-26
 » Dumbass

First, the PS3 is a million times harder to make than the Wii, so there are fewer of them being made available.
Second, the majority of consumers want a PS3, but many don't want to spend $600 on one, so the demand is smaller than it would be at a smaller price.
Third, the Wii is outselling the PS3 by 2 and 1/2 to 1.
Fourth, people who own PS3s or PS2s are too busy playing games, so they can't crawl the internet for all the different forums to say how much they like the PS3. That's what the Wii and 360 fans are doing, because they just don't play games as much as PS3 or PS2 fans.
Fifth, the reason the PS3 has been getting mainly, not all, bad press is because people like you are afraid that Sony will win a third console war, becoming the first and only company to do so, beating out Nintendo and beating up Microsoft even more.

The only people in my school that want to get Wiis are either "casual" players or Nintendo fanboys (and there's only five NFs, and they are my friends). The only people in my school that want to get 360s, well, there's two of them. And I've heard at least 20 people talk about how they want a PS3, and at least four people already have PS3s in my school.
4 PS3s, 2 Wiis, 2 360s.
From asking people in school and off the street, a lot, a lot of people are excited about the Wii, but most of them will use it as an add-on for cheap laughs, and they'll break out the PS3 or 360 to get the party started. A lot more people are excited about the PS3 though, but, from what I can tell, an extremely large portion of them don't go on the internet very much, so they can't defend the PS3.
From what I can about the people that own Wiis or 360s, they generally go on the internet a lot, so all they do is bash the PS3.

Here's another thing:
On the last day of school before the Christmas break, our Entrepreneurship class played games.
The PS2 had Guitar Hero II, and was on a 20 inch TV.
The Wii had Wii Sports, Red Steel, and another game (they switched them), and was being projected on the projector screen.
The PS2, being outdated and on a tiny TV, had about 10 people around it (2 players)
The Wii, being brand new and having a giant picture, had five people around it (2 players)
A couple of the students requested that another student should bring his PS3 so they could play it in class. He couldn't.
Only two people in that classroom go on the internet a lot, a Nintendo fanboy and me (I read news, like how the Pope was hit by an asteroid, LOL).

Don't kid yourself.
The PS3 has a more quiet support than the Wii, mainly because people fear the PS3 will win and because people that own or want to own PS3s play games or are in sports.

   Re: Amish.Gramish - 2006-12-26
 » Pizazz

The pizazz of the Wii will fall out quickly, and people will stop buying it.
The PS3 will start to get better games, when the Wii will only get Mario games.
Just look at the DS and the PSP, the PSP has had a lot more AAA games in the past year than the DS, but the DS is beating the PSP because Nintendo fanboys are buying tons of different DSs. Why do you think Nintendo is making so many different colors?

Also, Nintendo has always dominated the portable market, so many people go for Nintendo when they see a portable, I find it amazing how the PSP has made so much of a dent in the DSs sales.

With the PS3 being the third Sony console, many people will buy it because it's a Sony, many people will buy it because it has a BD player, many people will buy it because it has free online, many people will buy it because they think of it as a real system.

The most of the people I've talked to who want a Wii will use it as an add on for a PS3 or a 360. Just for cheap laughs.

   Re: Amish Gramish (Unregistered) - 2006-12-27
 » Sorry that came out wrong

The pizazz of the Playstation 3 will fall out quickly, and people will stop buying it.
The PS3 could start to get better games if people still actually want and can afford to buy one a year from now when it only has first party support for exclusive titles.
First, the PS3 is slightly harder to make than the XBOX 360, and there are fewer of them being made available, intentionally by Sony to increase demand.
Second, the majority of consumers want an XBOX 360, but some don't want to spend $300 on one, so the demand is smaller than it would be at a smaller price.
Third, the Wii is outselling the PS3 by 2 and 1/2 to 1, while the XBOX 360 is outselling the PS3 by 9 million to 800,000.
Fourth, people who own XBOX 360s, XBOXes or PS2s are too busy playing games, so they can't crawl the internet for all the different forums to say how much they like the XBOX 360. That's what the Wii and PS3 fans are doing, because they just don't play games as much as XBOX 360, XBOX, or PS2 fans.
Fifth, the reason the XBOX 360 has been getting mainly, if not all, bad press is because people like you are afraid that Microsoft will win this console war, becoming the first to beat out Sony and their arrogance.
The only people in my school that want to get PS3s are either spoiled rich snobs or Sony fanboys (and there's only one PS3 fanboy, I wish I had friends). There are only 2 people in my school that want to get PS3s, but neither can afford it. And I've heard at least 20 people talk about how they want a XBOX 360, and at least four people already have XBOX 360s in my school.
0 PS3s, 4 Wiis, 11 360s.
From asking people in school and off the street, a lot, a lot of people are excited about the PS3, but most of them will use it as an add-on for cheap laughs, and they'll break out the 360 to get the party started. A lot more people are excited about the XBOX 360 though, but, from what I can tell, an extremely large portion of them don't go on the internet very much, so they can't defend the XBOX 360.
From what I can tell about the people that own a Wii or PS3, they generally go on the internet a lot, so all they do is bash the PS3.
   by Sam the Man (Unregistered) - 2006-12-25
 » Kept mine for a week and sold it

I kept my PS3 for a week, played around with it, then lost interest when I got my Wii - especially now that the wii has internet! Ever watched youtube on your TV? It's so awesome (although there were a few problems the first day, but Ninty fixed them in like 12 hours).

I'm starting to see what all those Nintendo fanboys are talking about, Nintendo really does care about their gamers, and Sony really is stuck-up.

Well, anyway, i used the money I got on reselling my PS3 to buy the rest of the Wii launch titles and all the extras. I'm a nintendo fan now. Screw Sony.


   Re: Amish.Gramish - 2006-12-26
 » You are also stupid.

The PS3 had internet before the Wii did. You could have watched YouTube on it, idiot.

Isn't it amazing how much more Sony cares about it's customers than Nintendo?

A lot smaller percentage of PS3s were defective than Wiis, and Wiis are just souped up GCNs.

I'm tired.
That's enough yelling at stupid Nintendo fanboys for today.

   Re: Advertising -


   Re: Mr. Common Sense (Unregistered) - 2006-12-27
 » The Amish don't know jack about gaming

The PC and Mac had the internet first and are still the best way to browse the web. Since most people have a computer, WTF do you need to do it on a TV for? Also, the only thing $ony cares about is how to move money from your pocket to theirs. Awww isn't sony nice?
   by comedy - 2006-12-25
 » sad to see so much hate

it's christmas day! actually, no it isn't, but i've not gone to sleep yet - so it's still xmas.

look the launch for wii had the best game which will ever grace the system : zelda. so of course it's going to sell well, but the novelty will wear off and N will most likely see a large drop in their sales as ps3 hits its stride (and some actually worthwhile games come out)... but that could take nearly a year, and N will have sold a massive amount of wii by then.

i'm in the uk and have the benefit of being able to watch from the sidelines, it is an agonising wait (wii is scarce over here) but it has its advantages.


i like the idea of tracking these things but lets see what happens after january or so... i still can't wait for mgs4 and ff13 on ps3, i wasn't up for rfom as it's just another fps.

it's nice to see the bottom hasn't fallen out of x360 either - then my xna work would be totally useless!


   Re: Mr. Common Sense (Unregistered) - 2006-12-26
 » I don't hate the PS3 or its fanboys, I pity them

I'd be mad too if I bought a $600 PS3 only to see it dying already. Unlike pathetic fanboys like Spector, Broken Hero, Amish Gramish, and friends, I wouldn't be trying to find any excuse I could to defend it. PS3 will die a slow, horrible death along with any developers foolish enough to invest in it. The PS3 will go down in history as the console that could have been, had they just stayed with a game only console for a reasonable price. PS2 is keeping sony alive, but for how long?
   by ogawa (Unregistered) - 2006-12-26
 » hmmm

wow i dont know you guys. i played a ps3, i have to admit it was pretty da.mn cool. the graphics are unreal...true. but ill still take twilight princess over mgs4 anyday. i think you shouldnt bash another system unless you have played it. i bought a wii. i fu,ckin love it. i have played the ps3 it was cool. would i buy it? no. why? i like the wii better, i love the games. see.. wasnt that easy? i said my piece and didnt bash anybody. but really ps3 sucks balls. there now i bashed.lol. im tired of lookin on the internet im gonna go play zelda.

   by honk me extreme (Unregistered) - 2006-12-26
 » emo

i want elmo

   by hmmm (Unregistered) - 2006-12-27
 » i see ps3's EVERYWHERE

my local walmart gets a shipment of ps3's every week or so and they get about 10. people walk past them constanty at best buy because the only reason people were buying them in the first place was to sell (and currently nintendo ds's have a higher profit than the ps3's on ebay) i just dont see the big deal with the ps3's since the 360's games look better (its not just me, the critics and reviewers agree. and dont give me that "ohh but the 360 is in its 2nd generation of games" because the ps3 got delayed so that makes their first generation of games equivent to the 2nd generation of 360 games.



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