Ongoing PS4 Shortages resulting in lost sales

Ongoing PS4 shortages resulting in lost sales, Sony admits

by Luke Johnson 19 June 2014 | Go to comments

Share: Tweet94Email0Share82

Sony has spoken out on the continued PS4 stock shortages, admitting it has lost sales as a result of its ongoing supply chain woes.

Despite PS4 sales having dominated those of the rival Xbox One since both consoles landed last November, Sony’s next-gen console has been hampered by low stock levels since launch – an issue which continues to persist.

Now, talking with TrustedReviews, Sony has spoken out on its PS4 stock shortages, suggesting that seven months on from launch, it is finally nearing a full production run.

“We haven’t yet caught up with the initial demand across Europe.” Fergal Gara, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK told us during E3 2014. “We are still dealing with the day one market.”

He added: “We are very close to being in a full supply situation, but we are not quite there yet.”

Although describing the PS4 supply chain as being “close” to clearing the backlog, Gara admitted the issues continue to result in lost sales.

“We may have lost some sales,” the PlayStation UK head said. He added: “There is no update on PS4 sales figures right now, but suffice to say it is still selling, and selling very well.”

Looking at areas worst affected by the continuing PS4 stock shortages, Gara suggested that the UK is actually faring better than most.

“We are in a bit better shape in the UK, but there are countries that are still selling out every last unit that drops into the market on a weekly basis,” he told us.

“A good example at the moment would be Germany who had phenomenal sales figures last week, but they just haven’t had enough stock so far.”

Although having lost PS4 sales due to a lack of stock – and potentially pushing consumers to the abundantly available and price reduced Xbox One – Gara has highlighted the impending festive period as way of recouping lost sales.

“We have spent a lot of time at E3 talking about the plan for Christmas and I think we’ve got enough exciting content to be able to rekindle that interest,” he said.

“Anyone who may have said ‘forget about it, I will leave it for a while’, I think we have enough of a story now to say to them that they should reassess.”

Did you struggle to get your hands on a PS4? Did you wait it out or switch allegiances to Xbox? Let us know via the comments section below.

The thirst is real.

Some are speculating that Sony may be nearing the 10 million mark by now. Pretty insane situation to be in where you can't make a product fast enough. Could face a situation where they are short-stocked for the Holidays this year, even.

I had a very difficult time finding a PS4 a couple of months back. When I finally did find one the sales clerk was shocked. She thought for sure I had mistaken a PS3 for a PS4.

Then again though, I had an even more difficult time finding a Wii and that was much further after its initial launch.

lmao, no shortage at all in the UK.

Here we go with anecdotal stories:

"I went to 3 stores and they are in full supply, total BS story"

This is the only reason why Europeans buy xbone or wiiu

Yep, says it clearly in the article.

They are available here....

PR Fluff

Stores have even been selling PS4s in the clearance sections

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ps4-for-299-99-argos-clearance-bargains-stanley-1876938

and that was 2 months ago. No shortage at all LOL

Everything has been available here since Feb. I feel bad for anyone that is still having trouble finding a PS4. That sucks!

Makes sense since they've been the #1 selling console since its launch.

Sounds like they are close to getting all territories properly stocked. It's happening a hellluva lot quicker than with the Wii that's for sure.

'resulting in lost sales'

ok so there are humans out there who waited so long that it put them completely off the ps4, and now they won't buy one?

that's bollocks.

No shortages here. Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and military exchanges have 8th-gen consoles in stock.

Is it a shortage or are people realizing the damn thing isn't worth it with no games and the more recent embarrassment of no AAA games?

Bold words from a fan of 77kBone.

Because the XBone has oodles of AAA exclusive games in its catalog.

Such as Forza... and... uhh... hmm... what about... no... uhh... Help..?

Where is here? I'm not trying to discredit the three of you or anything, but the article is referring to Europe.

My bad. I thought it was a shortage in general. No problems with finding units here in the US.

I live in washington state and they'll all sold out where i live

@Shewgenja: i can walk right down the street and buy 5 if I want. They're always there.

Do you even Europe bro?

There is no shortage anymore. They are just trying to use the psychological principle of scarcity to influence people. I've seen PS4s available in every store that I've gone to since at least March and they are available on all the major online retailers.

Just get it on amazon uk.

Link

Yeaaaaaaaaa, no

I didn't have any trouble getting a ps4...

They are selling again in my city in Canada. For a while all the stores in my city had sold out of PS4s but they recently received more again.

No, totally fine. A lot of people on here so far are pretty much saying the same thing "I can find them 'here' at these stores" without realizing the article is specifically about Europe. It would be nice to see from some of our European brethren if there is some credence or not to the story (even the article mentions that UK has been faring better in the supply side than the mainland European nations).

Yep, I live in Central Illinois, and I have not seen one in a store within an hour and a half of where I live since the console released. Now the X1 on the other hand? Everywhere....

Now, I don't know if this is a common occurrence or not, but that's the way it is here.

a ton of them in the local pawn shops in town 299 each

I still find it crazy how after 7 months its still very hard to find a PS4 in stores, to this day its pretty hard finding a system in stock.. boy how the demand is pretty epic for the PS4

Well, that sucks for people that want it but can't get it. I don't see a shortage here though, I could go buy like 20 tomorrow if I had the money. That's the thing with a strained supply though, they got to have them in stock where they're in most demand. Hell, there's like 15 Best Buy's nearby within a short drive radius that have the Killzone Shadow Fall Bundle still in stock, selling for like $419.99.

At this point, who needs one so bad. If you don't got one I'd put a pre-order down on that new White LE PS4 bundled with Destiny.

I'm somewhat suspicious there isn't a supply shortage though, I mean I can see it still flying off the shelf and being in demand, but a limited supply going around? I kind of doubt that anybody who wants one can't get one without at least putting in a little effort in maybe calling a few stores or checking major retailer sites online to see if local stores have them in stock. I kind of think, and I wouldn't put it past them, that Sony is just saying there is a shortage to make it look more popular and drive up demand... like that whole fake Velveeta Cheese Super Bowl demand creating shortage that was totally bogus... like when YouTube found out Sony was using bots to create fake video hits and likes on YouTube to make their music look more popular (and rip it off for ad revenues)... so no, I wouldn't put it past them.

Xbox One has the same problems, PS4 has more games right now, and are even getting your exclusive game aswel, truly embarrassment when X1 has no AAA games either to bad, multiplats it is for everyone

What about the Xbone stock problems, it still hasn't released in so many countries XD

I am, and I can do that too. Ofcourse some stores don't. When I visited the UK they had alot of them, In belgium they have in the right store ALOT of them, in France at the border in the north they just throw them at your face.

So you didn't read Yoshida's comments about the PS4 is not going to be getting many AAA due to cost? God man get with it.

STFU PS4 WILL GET BETTER GAMES HE ONLY GETTIN UR HOPES UP LEM

Lining up on store shelves in the dozens here in Lincolnshire.

I think people here are losing interest in games. I only know 2 people with a PS4 and nobody with a XBone, Wii u, 3DS or PSVita.

Nothing seems to sell out now.

Maybe they should have released in fewer territories initially.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/192-5637026-7899440?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ps4

are you really this bad of a troll?

Just can't get enough of dem indies I guess. :P

No shortages here...there are PS4s everywhere. Surprising the Xbones are the ones sold out...guess the $399 price drop helped this month. Doubt it will last though.

That news release does have preemptive strike written all over it though...we haven't complained about shortages for months, but now in June the Bone has a price drop and is selling well so we want to save face.

This PS4 phenomenon is just bonkers. It's been made very clear that the masses don't care about software. Sure the PS4 will pick up in that regard later on, but why are so many hopping on so prematurely? Why clamor for something that is so baron right now and the near future?

There's a shortage? They've been readily available online and in stores for months now. :?

are you in the US? this seems like mainly an issue for Europe

California, to be exact.

I remember how much trouble the Wii had keeping stock in stores when it first came out. I was walking to my job and decided to stop by the Nintendo store on the way and as a goof figured I'd stand in the relatively short line in the front of the store. I was in and out of the store in 20 minutes. This was a few days after it launched. People we offering to buy it from me all goddamn day. Lol.

They're fairly readily available where I live

I feel as if anyone is having trouble finding one it is because they refuse to shop online and only visit the one store nearest to them once a week the day before a new shipment arrives.

If Kinect Sports Rivals (lol kinect) is a lemmings, or microsofts definition of AAA - keep them.

PS. don't try to predict the future - they already trolled microsoft and lemmings once with the reveal, do you ever learn? I suppose not - Cloud, SDK, DX11.2, DX12, Dedicated servers, Titanfall, Overclock, Kinect Overhead, stacked gpus, etc etc.