View Full Version : Should Sony Lower PSP to $150 Core / $180 Bundle?
Should Sony lower the price of the PSP this year to $150 for the Core & $180 for their bundles? (Currently at $170 & $200 respectively). This is not a huge loss at $20 per system, also PSP is selling well but not huge numbers so it won't be a big loss in terms of amount times the lowered price, i.e. $20X175,000 (without cut) - 300,000 (with cut) per month. Reasoning I see for a price cut is to get even more handheld marketshare, which will get more games for PSP in the future, as well as help build interest in a PSP2 when it arrives in the coming years.
SynGamer
02-28-2009, 11:54 PM
Personally, I think at it's current price point, Sony just needs to bundle new/popular games with the PSP to keep it attractive. At $169.99, that's a pretty good deal considering what you are getting, especially with the games announced recently. I can see Sony cutting the price to $149.99 for the 2009 holiday season, though.
Lawyers Guns N Money
03-01-2009, 12:32 AM
Price cut would definitely get more PSPs out there, which would encourage developers to develop for it.
It's been at the $170 price for a while, you have to figure they're making a profit. I could see them dropping it.
FriskyTanuki
03-01-2009, 12:43 AM
Where's "No, it's fine where it's at?"
Where's "No, it's fine where it's at?"
IMO that falls under option 2. Sure it's fine where its at but with PSP sales in JAN even lower than expected, a horrible economy, and the DSi coming soon Sony may want to increase sales for the reasons I gave
- increase marketshare
- get more developers making games
- get interest at a high level for the release of PSP2
I don't think making a small amount more of money is better than having less marketshare, less games, less people having confidence in the PSP brand. It's not like we're talking about a $50-$100 price drop on a system that is already being sold at a loss.
Just for reference:
$250------------March 24, 2005
$200 Core Pack--March 22, 2006
$170 Core Pack-----April 3, 2007
So it has also been almost 2 years since the last price drop. I think it is in their best interests to drop the price no later than November, but earlier may be most advantageous. They may strike when DSi releases or they may see how PSP fares and play the waiting game. Or Perhaps even a new model with big changes, such as slide out screen, may come in the Fall, and older models given a fake price cut.
SynGamer
03-01-2009, 03:04 AM
Wait for E3. I'd imagine Sony has been able to reduce manufacturing costs a bit more since 2007. And even then i believe they were already making a profit. At this point Sony has about 30% marketshare which is damn good. They already have a lot of games in the pipeline for the PSP thanks to the Slims release which spurred a big jump in hardware sales and with AAA games coming out, the PSP should be fine for 2009 and 2010. I would imagine 2011 is when we'll see the PSP2 starting to pop up as a successor.
BreakingPoint
03-01-2009, 03:27 PM
I think we'll see the PSP stay at the price point it's at for a little while longer. $170 isn't a bad deal. And with the DSi clocking in at around the same price it puts it in almost direct competition. Would I like to see it reduced? To me, it doesn't matter. I already have mine and am happy with it. Do they need it? No, they're doing fine as it is with 30% market share
KingBroly
03-01-2009, 03:33 PM
I don't think they should drop the price of the PSP. It's selling respectably here. The problem is that the software doesn't sell. Well, it's pirated mostly. But that's something Sony has to figure out how to handle.
Ryuukishi
03-02-2009, 06:07 PM
Yeah, the problem doesn't seem to be selling systems. It's selling more than a couple of games to the consumer after they buy the system. They need to focus on getting people more excited about new games.
yukine
03-02-2009, 06:46 PM
We're CAGs, so should they? Absolutely! But will they? Probably not.
I think since the DSi is coming out they should price cut the PSP a little bit, and entice those people who still don't have on even more. Sony announcing a bunch of new games helps as well.
xycury
03-02-2009, 07:10 PM
250------------March 24, 2005
wow... can't beleive it was that much.. no wonder I don't have one.
but yeah, if it was a little bit lower I could see myself inch closer to one... it does alot more than a DS so justifying that extra 50 bucks.. just seems like alot to me... but granted it IS more too.
Ya it was pricey at first, although it came with the following (italics not in Core):
- 32 MB Memory Stick Duo
-headphones with remote control
-battery pack
-AC adaptor
-soft case
-hand strap and cleaning cloth
-movie/music/game video sampler UMD disc including multiple non-interactive game demos
-film Spider-Man 2 (first million PSPs)
FroMann
03-03-2009, 11:43 PM
It would help if they dropped price on PSP when the DSi comes out.
shlby
03-08-2009, 09:51 AM
Price point in fine. A $20 price reduction is too much of a loss until Sony can manufacture the psp at a cheaper rate.
Just doing basic math, if the psp sold 46,549 unit in Feb. 2009, then a $20 price reduction means a potential loss of $930,980. That's a good chunk of revenue for Sony especially in this kind of economic climate.
If anything, I think it would be cheaper for Sony to focus on their software division and distribution channels (PSN store or whatever it's called) and put out some notable games.
To be perfectly honest, I rather see a reduction in game price than a reduction in system price. When your software can compete, the system can then compete.
They're making a profit on PSP hardware so I think it's worth the pluses it will bring even with lost profit: more marketshare, which will get more games for PSP, build interest in a PSP2 when it arrives in the future. PSP games cost quite a bit more to develop than DS games, they can't really afford to drop the price of those, especially when most people pirate them. The hardware will always sell so they should push trying to get people to buy it, work on anti piracy efforts, ensure more games are made so that some sales are made.
Intruudir
03-08-2009, 06:18 PM
why would anyone vote against this......duh!!!
ItsMeMark
03-09-2009, 05:10 AM
Man I paid 250 for mine back then. Sold it a year later at $20 loss. Not bad.
Monsta Mack
03-10-2009, 02:03 PM
I got one and sold it back two months later to the same guy who sold it to me. lol. PSP seems like a much better system then it was years ago but I still like the DS choices more. I would say $150 for the Core system is what they should aim at and $180 for a game and system.