Retailer slashes PS3 price

PS3 News | Just five days after PAL launch.

As post-launch price cuts go, this must surely be one of the quickest in the gaming industry's history. Just five days after it launched in PAL regions, UK retailer Aria has knocked the price of the PlayStation 3 down from £425 (AU$1,033 / €626) to £399.95 (AU$970 / €588), a price drop of six per cent.

"We're running a promotion to create market awareness. This offer will only run for a limited period, and we have a limited quantity of machines available at this price," explained Aria founder and managing director Aria Taheri to GamesIndustry.biz. "Rather than put money into marketing, we like to keep prices low - so the money is passed on and our customers are happy."

Taheri also deflected questions regarding PlayStation 3 sales to date, commenting that, "We mainly sell computer components and we have around 2,500 products, so I couldn't tell you - we have a lot to keep track of." So, could this be a sign of things to come, the start of a price war between high street retailers? "We may end the promotion next week, or it could be two weeks or in a month's time," said Taheri. "It all just depends on how things go."

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15 Comments

Karai Pantsu

2 years ago

Wow... so will they be offering refunds to any people who bought a PS3 off them in the last few days? It being a 'limited promotion' leads me to think that they won't. I'd be pretty steamed if I'd favored them with my custom and didn't get a refund.

ittekimasu

2 years ago

actually if they did the same thing here i wouldnt be that upset anyway, i'm happy with my purchase as it is and i already got a discount by mistake on top of the discount to begin with >.> lol

admeister

2 years ago

It's only about a $30 discount, it's not exactly major. We pay $1000 here, it's been dropped to $970. Sure they'll sell a few more units now, but it will take more than this to get most people interested in the PS3. It will take an official price drop from Sony to give it a kick start, but that won't happen for a while.

renegadesx

2 years ago

admeister wrote

I agree, $30 off $1000 is not a price slash. $100-$200 will start getting more people into the PS3. If I were Sony I would find a way to bring the production costs down to be able to sell it for $799 this Christmas, they would really reap the benefits.

canetoad

2 years ago

Yeah, it is hardly anything, Big W or someone were selling their PS3s for $950 or something like that, better than a $30 drop. It's definitely not a slash, maybe a hundred or two off would be but not $30.

sonicwired

2 years ago

admeister wrote

Actually £25 is closer to $60AU, enough to buy another controller or 66% of a PS3 game.

canetoad

2 years ago

sonicwired wrote

admeister wrote

Actually £25 is closer to $60AU, enough to buy another controller or 66% of a PS3 game.

Oh, ok, I just read the earlier posts that said it was $30AU, $60 is getting pretty good though.

?oe?oe

2 years ago

Don't think it will be an exact number judging on the exchange rate. $950 is my guess.

admeister

2 years ago

sonicwired wrote

admeister wrote

Actually £25 is closer to $60AU, enough to buy another controller or 66% of a PS3 game.

$60AU won't get you another controller. They cost $80!

sonicwired

2 years ago

admeister wrote

$60AU won't get you another controller. They cost $80!

I was going by UK prices, Amazon has SIXAXIS controllers for £27.99.

Maikii

2 years ago

Talk about a grabbing headline - I wouldn't call 6% a price 'slash', especially given it's from a 'rogue online' retailer well known for promos.

Does that mean in Aus a retailer could effectively sell a PS3 for about $940 (with little profit)? Does anyone know the cost price?

Karai Pantsu

2 years ago

admeister wrote

It's only about a $30 discount, it's not exactly major.

As Sonicwired has already said, the discount works out to more than that.
Anyway, 'small' price cut or no I'd want a refund of some description. "We only ripped you off by a little bit mate, don't sweat it." wouldn't cut it with me

bennobee

2 years ago

I have seen a shop in Melbourne (on Elizabeth Street near JB HI) that is selling the Australian version of the console for 900 bucks. Its in their front window.

admeister

2 years ago

bennobee wrote

I have seen a shop in Melbourne (on Elizabeth Street near JB HI) that is selling the Australian version of the console for 900 bucks. Its in their front window.

Really? Which shop is that (I haven't seen it, and I go down near JB a lot)? Which JB is it near, the Elizabeth one or the Bourke street one?

bennobee

2 years ago

Yup elizabeth street one. Its that crappy pc shop next to the dvd place. almost next door. when your facing its window it was in the bottom right corner with a sign saying ozzie ps3 $900. think its mega pc or something like that.

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