[RUMOR] - Canadian PS3 Price Drop

[scythe]

According to Electronista (http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/09/28/ps3.80gb.price.drop.leak/), the Canadian PS3 is dropping by $50 and gaining a pack-in Blu-Ray remote.

Sony may be ready to bring down the price of the 80GB PlayStation 3 to replace the outgoing 60GB model, according to the latest weekly flyer for Wal-Mart Canada. A special promotion for the console would drop the price of the 80GB system by $110 Canadian to $550 as well as bundle the normally optional Blu-Ray remote. While higher than the $499 US price of the 60GB edition, the near-equality of Canadian and US dollars places it about $50 below the $599 US price for today's 80GB model while still offering extra hardware.

Here's hoping this is valid and indicates a US price drop as well... although I'm not sure how much of a difference $50 makes...

[mkelehan]

Um, it's a $110 drop, not a $50 drop. It started at $660.

[Serapth]

For ages a controller and a couple BluRay discs have been attached to PS3 sales in my area atleast.

It was Hitch and I believe War of the Worlds, plus the controller... literally taped to the box.

[jpublic]

I think that's more due to the skyrocketing Canadian Dollar. There's a sort of mental switch in Canadian shoppers that kicked in when the dollar hit parity with the US Dollar. Every single major store is scrambling to match or *beat* the US prices so they don't lose business to cross-border shoppers or internet sales.

Since a lot of analysts are claiming that we could hit as high as $1.10 US by the end of the year, WM may be trying to jump the gun.

[gzsfrk]

I think it would help quite a bit with US sales if they knocked off another $50 in the States prior to the Christmas shopping season. Of course, they REALLY need to at least get to $399 before even the marginal fence-riders will look to hop on board.

Of course, if they DO that, does anyone think that MS will respond by cutting the 360's prices any? I mean, I think they could probably wiggle the Core/Arcade SKU down to $249, the Premium down to $299, and the Elite down to $399, and the things would just fly off the shelves this Christmas.

But the question is--does MS think that they need to? If they don't think it's necessary, I imagine they would like to keep the higher prices as long as possible so that they FINALLY have some good financial news to present to their shareholders.

[silv]

The canadian dollar is worth more than the US dollar. Apart from the 15% tax why should they get gouged?

[TrackZero]

Here's hoping this is valid and indicates a US price drop as well... although I'm not sure how much of a difference $50 makes...

Highly doubtful. This is a market correction based on our currency now being more valuable than the U.S. dollar.

[Arnage]

The canadian dollar is worth more than the US dollar. Apart from the 15% tax why should they get gouged?

Because companies like to piss of smaller countries? The euro is now worth 1.41 dollar, but still they ask €599 for the 60gb PS3 over here in Holland. (and most other European countries)

[Uniqueusername]

The $1000 60GB PS3 from Australia says "Hi".

(You can get two Xbox 360s and a few games for that much)

[Orz]

Because companies like to piss of smaller countries? The euro is now worth 1.41 dollar, but still they ask €599 for the 60gb PS3 over here in Holland. (and most other European countries)

The $1000 60GB PS3 from Australia says "Hi".

(You can get two Xbox 360s and a few games for that much)

Last I checked, it was quite a drive from the Netherlands or Australia to get to the United States. It's entirely about ease of substitute purchase venues.

90% of the Canadian population lives within 100km of the border. Either companies cut prices or Canadian sales dry up. The Canadian divisions of these companies do not want that to happen. They'd best push for an equitable price. There's no such pressure in Europe or Australia, because you have no easy alternative.

[Karmakin]

Actually, as well, Wal-Mart has a huge anniversery sale going on this weekend, at least in Canada. 360's are cut 50 bucks or so as well. (I'd pick one up if my money wasn't tied up in Wii games for this holiday season).

Link to flyer (http://walmart.ca/wps-portal/storelocator/InlineLargePreview.jsp?imageId=13966&lang=) you might have to browse to page 2.

[Sloth]

Drop the price all you want, Sony won't entice me to buy one until theres some games to play on it. And to the fanboys no, the library of PS2 games don't count.

[KarmaGhost]

Wow, I never thought I would ever see this day in my entire life. The Canadian dollar is worth more than the American dollar? Incredible. *shakes head*

www.xe.com

@jpublic, is the Canadian dollar really skyrocketing or is the American dollar just doing terribly? I mean, I know the American dollar is doing really bad, but relatively speaking, how is the CAD doing?

[Switcher]

Try releasing decent software, in conjunction with a price drop, Sony.

I'm no Rockefeller, but that kinda would make good business sense.

[TrackZero]

@jpublic, is the Canadian dollar really skyrocketing or is the American dollar just doing terribly? I mean, I know the American dollar is doing really bad, but relatively speaking, how is the CAD doing?

It's a bit of both. Though more on the American side, having their dollar go down in value.

[Dirty Harry]

It's a bit of both. Though more on the American side, having their dollar go down in value.

Do you want to give us any credit and say that canadas labour industry has helped increased our dollar value?. As far as i know our dollar has increased in value over their dollar. isnt this up to american government to figure a way to increase their fincial worth of the dollar to match our canadian ecom?.

[Vanthar]

Yes fools, spend your foreign money in our country! The dollar will rise again!!!!!!

[ElectricMonk]

well right now according to amazon the price of the ps3 is exacly $50 more in cdn dollars than usd today.

a $50 price drop would normalize them.

[Ph00p]

I think that's more due to the skyrocketing Canadian Dollar. There's a sort of mental switch in Canadian shoppers that kicked in when the dollar hit parity with the US Dollar. Every single major store is scrambling to match or *beat* the US prices so they don't lose business to cross-border shoppers or internet sales.

Since a lot of analysts are claiming that we could hit as high as $1.10 US by the end of the year, WM may be trying to jump the gun.

Great theory! EXCEPT its completely wrong, the PS3 thing doesn't signal any retailers rushing to make our prices more fair here, in fact they haven't changed! Thats why us Canucks are so god damned pissed because YOUR stock of TVs and whatnot is cheaper than OUR stock of the SAME TVs.

Alot of us are getting pissed theres several major news stories that even though our dollar has been on the rise for a year we STILL suffer a 24% vig(kindaish) on EVERYTHING.

[TrackZero]

Do you want to give us any credit and say that canadas labour industry has helped increased our dollar value?. As far as i know our dollar has increased in value over their dollar. isnt this up to american government to figure a way to increase their fincial worth of the dollar to match our canadian ecom?.

The major gains have been from the U.S. dollar bottoming out, our strengthening has been secondary in this.

[jpublic]

@KarmaGhost: According to the financial records, the drop in the USD is less than the rise of the CDN - that is to say, the USD drop doesn't account for the CDN hitting parity. It's partially the drop, and partially the fact that the Canadian economy is booming,


@Phoop: Dude, I'm Canadian. Who is this 'You' you are speaking of?

@Trackzero: It depends on how you read the data, unfortunately, whether the drop in the USD is a bigger factor or the rise in the CDN. The Canadian dollar *has* boomed somewhat - anywhere from 10-15% against non-US currencies. But, considering that the Canadian dollar was at $0.60 not too long ago, I'd lean towards the US economy going to hell being the major cause.

[Chainblast]

Here's hoping this is valid and indicates a US price drop as well... although I'm not sure how much of a difference $50 makes...

More likely it's just a price equalization move by Sony to bring Canadian and US prices on par. If true it's been a long time coming.

An actual price drop could still happen. Should that happen I expect to see the Canadian tags get slashed again.

[Todeswulf]

Call me crazy, but I think that if Sony truly wants to compete with the 360 and even Nintendo at this point they are going to have to make the PS-3's price completive with the 360. I know a lot of folks that are getting WII's and 360's for Christmas, but I can't think of one person getting a PS-3, and most of my gamer friends are Die-hard Playstation gamers or at least were.

But even significant price reduction may not help, I just don't see any PS 3 exclusive title on the shelves or even in production that is going to shove systems out the door. At least not in the Western market.