Sony raises PS3 price in Canada?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 26, 2007 2:44 pm PT

Source: A short story at Gamers Reports pointing to product listings at the online stores of Best Buy and Future Shop. What we heard: When Sony revealed that the price of the PlayStation 3 would be higher than any of its competitors, some thrifty gamers swore they would wait to pick up the machine...

Source: A short story at Gamers Reports pointing to product listings at the online stores of Best Buy and Future Shop.

What we heard: When Sony revealed that the price of the PlayStation 3 would be higher than any of its competitors, some thrifty gamers swore they would wait to pick up the machine until it dropped in price. Those gamers might have been surprised today to hear that the price of the PS3 had actually gone up.

Canadian online stores for Best Buy and Future Shop (which is owned by Best Buy) are currently listing the 60GB PS3's price as C$699.99 ($593), up from its original sale price of C$659.99 ($560). Assuming both stores didn't repeat the same typo on the same product at the same time, there's obviously some truth to the news. The question for prospective PS3 owners then became which is more unusual: reputable retailers like Best Buy and Future Shop charging a scalper's premium on desired products, or Sony embittering and driving away potential customers for the sake of a C$40 (more than $33) markup on recently released hardware.

A representative with GameStop offered some solace to northerners, stating, "Our EB Games locations in Canada will hold their current PS3 prices...C$549.99 for the 20GB and C$659.99 for the 60GB." So clearly not everyone is jacking up the price on the hardware, but that leaves the questions of whether or not Sony asked them to and why the price hikes are happening in the first place.

The official story: "Although the suggested retail price (SRP) of the PlayStation 3 in Canada has not changed, some Canadian retailers have chosen to increase their retail price as a result of the weaker Canadian dollar. This increase is solely at the discretion of the retailer, as Sony Computer Entertainment Canada has not issued a price increase."--An SCEC representative.

Bogus or not bogus?: Sony raising the price? Bogus. That the price has gone up at some stores? Not bogus.

202 Comments

  • GamerzVoice

    Posted Jul 19, 2007 5:25 pm PT

    awww, no cheap prices in Canada

  • RealXBoxKiller

    Posted Mar 22, 2007 9:09 pm PT

    We always get screwed when it comes to video games. I remember when the PS1 was king, it was normal to see games released at ridiculous prices like 59.99, 69.99 or even 79.99. And then there's the n64 games, almost every game I saw was priced at 100 bucks. Even if someone lived in a border city like Windsor and went to Michigan, they'd still save money after the exchange rate and gas money to get there.

  • Tremblay343

    Posted Mar 19, 2007 1:17 pm PT

    This is the first time i have to say the canadians or getting the short end o fthe stick... i think. But we also don't have jack thompson or people trying to take our games away from us, cause you know, we're not insane

  • RiceCake

    Posted Mar 16, 2007 10:16 pm PT

    There are like no PS3's where I live. In Calgary, Alberta I cant find one anywhere! I already have one (got it launch day) but they sell out in less than a day. The reason for so few sales is so few shipments.

  • Crabs_234

    Posted Mar 15, 2007 8:37 pm PT

    Best buy and Future Shop.. That have "Why buy an x360" areas to their web sites, and already have banners and pre-orders for halo 3 up. Many stores of which have rather large X360 displays in store, some of which actually have dedicated x360 staff... Odd that they should raise the ps3's price. :\

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Mar 15, 2007 7:46 pm PT

    ps3s sell prety well in canada for a game system that is hard to come by

  • _Sam_

    Posted Feb 10, 2007 3:22 pm PT

    thankfully I don't live in canada then

  • MARIOJAY450

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 7:55 pm PT

    this is why sony's days at the top are numbered. microtransactions anybody?

  • Skiggy80

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 7:59 pm PT

    This is probably true. They are probably selling it for more there so they can make up for their crappy holiday. I used to love Sony and the Playstation brand, but after this whole launch and holiday season, I am not interested at all anymore. I didnt need a blu ray player. My friends Xbox360 doesnt have blu ray and it plays awesome! This time around I think Microsoft is getting my hard earned cash. Plus Xbox Live is awesome and I will GLADLY spend the $50 a year for it. its so robust and has soo many features. My friend downloaded a few UFC fights in High Def the other night. Awesome

  • Trebor_Newman

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:41 pm PT

    Even Toysrus in Canada raised the price of the PS3 60GB to $699.99!

  • mammyboy

    Posted Feb 3, 2007 9:21 am PT

    THATS BULLSH*T

  • ranman1990

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 2:14 pm PT

    lol it doesnt matter to me i dont want a ps3 ,, and i wouldnt blame the best country in the world i would blame the cheap skates at bestbuy for jakin up the prices

  • ReaperXxxx

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 1:35 pm PT

    Wow, the PS3s are just sitting on the shelves around here (Philly, PA). It's the Wii that you still can't find anywhere.

  • jaefrmbk2k

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 1:27 pm PT

    Nah, it's tru. the Canadian dollar IZ really weak. poor, poor Canadians...they're trying to save up enuff money to retire their Mounties old horses so they can upgrade them all to horseless carriages by 2057

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 11:31 am PT

    Not good for the PS3

  • fauljosh

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 10:47 am PT

    Still cheaper than the US.

  • alonw

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 10:39 am PT

    It could be worse. The PS3 will cost here in Israel 1050$.
    Yes, one thousand and fifty dollars!

  • Ori88

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 10:25 am PT

    Well at least its far cheaper than a PS3 will cost in the uk - £425 for the 60Gig model (which is about $835)...

  • interstate78

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 9:48 am PT

    It's true. I saw it at Microplay for 699.99$

  • Glazkrak

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 9:47 am PT

    Many Canadians are buying Xbox 360's because they continue to think that there are none in stock. As for the price rising, that is purely the retailers fault. Supposedly they're losing money on each console hence why they raised the price. All major .ca franchises have higher prices since they're the leader. BestBuy and FutureShop being partner stores and not independent from one another and Amazon.ca are always more expensive than other places. They're the largest selling here. .com stores are listed cheaper, (then again, what isn't cheaper in the U.S.A. vs Canada?) but then we have to take the currency in consideration. It is doing the best it ever has for this past year. All in all the pricing of these stores is utter bs. As for all the Canadian bashing, that doesn't make you look any better.

  • LexLas

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 9:15 am PT

    Ouch !! I can't believe it an extra 40 ! Dam.. I really feel if for Canadians, not cool at all. I hope this is bogus.

  • cancer_777

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 8:32 am PT

    Well if they raised the price due to exchage rate issues then its just regular economic practice (I know this concept sopunds strange for north americans but is an every day reality for countries with weaker currencies)

  • cancer_777

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 8:31 am PT

    Well if they raised the price due to exchage rate issues then its just regular economic practice (I know this concept sopunds strange for north americans but is an every day reality for countries with weaker currencies)

  • idzack

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 8:10 am PT

    Its normal Futureshop and Best buy both raised their prices, both are propreties of the same company. Everytime one of these site makes a mistake the other too makes it. I am not surprised they raise prices, its easy to make a buck with people rich enough to waste money on a too expensive system. Whatever the price they will pay it just to say they have the latest gadget.

  • Mobius007

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 6:59 am PT

    dont blame sony, instead blame best buy..

  • rkruss

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 6:43 am PT

    Not surprise. Future Shop is owned by Best Buy.

  • judge__judy

    Posted Jan 29, 2007 1:42 am PT

    Instead of lowering the price, they increase it? BLAME CANADA BLAME CANADA.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 9:02 pm PT

    and I just Finished watching the SP movie

  • crazy_boy166

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 7:24 pm PT

    wow they r just loosing more custumers

  • FilthyYamBag

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 5:57 pm PT

    weak canadian dollar............bwahahahahaha

  • BoomStickJonny

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 1:21 pm PT

    actually if u think about it it might be a very crafty marketing ploy by BB and Future Shop. Consider this, if every retailer in canada is selling them at the same price the consumer has more retailers to choose from therefore reducing the chance of sales from BB or Future Shop. Both BB and Future Shop have a lowest price gauruntee. So if they raise the price by $40 dollars, the consumer will beleive that if they bring in a flyer from another store quoting a lower price they will get a better deal, therefore, in theory, influencing the consumers choice and enabling BB and Future Shop to sell more units of a heinously overpiced system. Just my 2cents on the issue.

    Ps. XBOX 360 with HD DVD player is still cheaper than PS3.

  • the_junk

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 12:29 pm PT

    systems go down in price, not up, this just isnt normal. haha. when has this ever happened? seriously, if anybody knows, i'd like to as well.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 9:23 am PT

    Thats expensive ey!

  • jcam432002

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 8:33 am PT

    the real winner here is Nintendo and Microsoft. Furthering the gap between the console prices can only help their cause. Not that they needed it. I manage a major video game store (let's call it "be-be grames) and the PS3 launch was an unprecedented bust. When we get our shipments of PS3's they take several days to sell. Wii's and 360 sell before we get them out of the box.

  • suprsolider

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 8:27 am PT

    Canada is from from stupid.

    1) Our education system in Canada is much better than America's - FACT
    2) Most of the oil America uses comes from Canada - FACT
    3) We also import fresh water, fish, lumber, natural gas, uranium, and many other commodities to America - FACT

    Now on to PS3. Who cares? I don't have a Best Buy in my city (although I wouldn't mind one) also I hate shopping a Futureshop. Futureshop overcharges for everything. To the point where I can go anywhere else and get the same thing at the normal retail price. Futureshop where I live charges up to $15 dollars more.

  • kakashi_00x000

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 6:21 am PT

    Blame Canada for what? Being multicultural?

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 5:12 am PT

    That's stupid, what's to prevent Canooks from simply getting their systems down here? How is that helping the Canadian dollar? Idiots. For once Gamestop retains it's senses.

  • robbiej93

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 5:07 am PT

    Weak Canadian dollar/? is a load of bull S*** . everything thing else is the same price LCD TVs Ipods Blueray players hd players xbox 360 is the same price so weak dollar? BULL S*** thats all i have to say !!! and last time i looked the dollar has not drop that much.

  • Drklght

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 3:18 am PT

    Well At Least Canadians don't need to buy PS3 by importing it -.-. We Brazilians Need to Import it and end up with a $3000! Dollars! Console In everythe few shops that have it -.-

  • pcmacro

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 10:31 pm PT

    The canadian money isn't weak, so that makes no sense. It's actually getting stronger while the US money is getting weaker. Bizarre.

  • insane_metalist

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 10:20 pm PT

    too bad for canada. at least they didnt raise here in US cuz thats where im about to buy my ps3

  • chemwizard

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 9:20 pm PT

    Great, lol, chalk up another reason not to buy a PS3 at the moment.

  • garhart

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 8:49 pm PT

    They can buy it from the US and get them shipped to Canada. Stores around here have PS3s in stock.

  • magc_82

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 7:07 pm PT

    Yeah, it's gone up. I work at a Best Buy in Canada, and we got an internal memo that told about the price increases, and that we should expect the new signage soon.

  • sheep_go_meep

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    BestBuy and Future Shop are owned by the same company. This explains why they are the only two to raise their prices, and why it happened at the same time.

  • vibdiv

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 6:35 pm PT

    it's true the price now on both website futureshop and Bestbuy is 699.99 CAD..i think the reason behind it not the dollar fluctuation but resale to other market since it's cheaper in canada..even PS2 been raised also to 139.99 Cad Best buy website..

  • Hir0_N

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 5:02 pm PT

    Rofl theyll sell more ps3s roflrofl.

  • aznbenjiman

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 4:56 pm PT

    canadians greedy???

    i thought that was a american thing only....

  • mido275

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 4:21 pm PT

    High demand, limited supply

    prices go up

    Economics 101

  • horioricorious

    Posted Jan 27, 2007 3:46 pm PT

    Wouldn't it be great if Msoft lowered the 360's price in canada right about now? (and here and everywhere else as a matter of fact!)

    maybe theres something horribly, HORRIBLY wrong with my logic, but it seems to me that the 360 is an infintely better deal. heres why:

    i would buy a Playstation 3 because it has potential.

    on the other hand, i would get a 360 because it has GAMES. for crying out loud...

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