Demand overtook supply in the first week of the cutting edge console's release. Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has swiftly secured an additional 65,000 units to satisfy retail demand.
In the first week after the hugely successful launch of the next generation game console, sources inside Sony estimate that 30,000 Playstation 2 units have been sold in Australia.
This makes the release of the combined DVD player and games machine one of the most successful Australian consumer product launches. Fears of the supply far outstripping demand over Christmas have been answered with a surprise replenishment from the source.
Retailers who sold out of the machine in the first few days were replenished with additional deliveries. Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Australia) has successfully lobbied internally within Sony International to receive additional stock beyond the originally allocated Australian quota.
This new stock increases the total sales to retailers to over 65,000 units before Christmas. This re-allocation also gives Australia more than its fair share of the global quota. 65,000 units is approximately 11 percent of the amount allocated to the United States, yet the Australian population as a whole would consitute only 5 percent of the US population.
This makes Australian consumers especially hungry for the new games machine. Mania for the console, which doubles as a DVD video player, has hit a wide cross-section of fans who are snapping it up not only for its next-generation features, but also the promise of a future upgrade allowing Internet connectivity and Broadband support.
"Awareness and consumer anticipation for PlayStation2 has been unprecedented. We have witnessed consumers going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that they are the first to get a PlayStation 2", says Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, SCE Australia.
Approximately 5000 people queued at the midnight store opening across Australia last week and several stores actually sold out. "Our retailers are delighted with sales to date and we are continuing to support them by replenishing stocks up to Christmas to a total of 65,000 units", Ephraim said.
"We are delighted PlayStation 2 has had the most efficient and orderly roll out to market here in Australia. In just one week of sales, we have sold over four times the quantity the original PlayStation sold in a four month period from launch on November 15th 1995 to end March 1996."
By March 31st 2001, it is forecast that a record-breaking 3 million PlayStation 2 units will have shipped and sold across PAL territories. SCE expects to produce 10 million PlayStation 2 units world-wide for the 2001 fiscal year, which ends March 31st 2001, 4 million in Japan and 3 million each in Europe and North America.
