Report: PSP Selling, But Not as Planned
According to at least one analyst, Sony’s PlayStation Portable may not be selling as well as the company may have expected. In a survey of 150 retail locations, American Technology Research found that only one-third of the locations had sold out. Of the remaining stores, 15 had less than three units in stock.
The PSP, which retails for $249, was expected to sell up to one million units within the first few days of launch. Sony even delayed the European launch of the device in order to ensure that enough units were available to ensure a smooth launch.
P.J. McNealy called the PSP's sales "solid but not spectacular." According to the firm's estimates, about 575,000 units sold in the first week, with an additional 300,000 units available in supply channels.
"We believe that the PSP launch, while not the blow-out event expected, will be considered successful as retailers continue to sell through existing inventory levels," he said in a note to clients.
In comparison, PSP's launch in Japan was marred by supply shortages. Sony only allotted 200,000 units for the system's debut, all of which sold out in the first day.
Since its launch in December, about 1.2 million units have been sold in total. Sony says that this number could have been much higher if it had correctly anticipated the PSP's success.