To say that the Playstation 4 system, (PS4), as an remains an in-demand item would be an understatement. Depending on what part of the country you lived in, many markets did not have units readily available until months after release and even then it was a couple of units here or there.
For the most part roughly 16 months after launch in the U.S. the console can be found in most retail locales, but this can be largely based on geography combined with some patience and luck.
For example, we recently went to a Costco in Chandler, AZ twice in a week and could not find one single console anywhere. The store had a pallet piled high with Xbox One units but did not have, and has not been able to keep the PS4 systems in stock.
This is not to say that there are no PS4 units in the market, as they were available at select Target, Best Buy, Walmarts, and online retail outlets.
Checking on Nowinstock.net also confirms units but shows that bundles are out of stock in most locales and that online retailers such as Amazon are the best option to find a variety of options.
Now the same site shows the Xbox One as out of stock when I can go into just about any retail outlet in the greater Phoenix and Seattle areas and find tons of consoles available.
While retail outlets have enjoyed a greater supply of consoles it still is often hit and miss for folks looking to obtain a system in certain parts of the country which makes online ordering the best option for many as who wants to run from store to store trying to find a console when they can simply order online and know at the time of order if there is stock on hand?
So why does the Xbox One seem to have greater availability that the PS 4? The answer is supply and demand. Microsoft was able to put a large number of units into retail and did not have the demand to cover the units it was producing while Sony had a demand greater than their ability to produce. Microsoft enjoyed good sales over the Holiday Season thanks to a price cut and as such kept the units flowing to the stores which combined with stock on hand, allowed some stores to have an abundance of units.
In the end while Sony still enjoys a greater demand than Microsoft for their units, both companies have done a good job improving the supply of units to retail outlets but as always, geography can make one appear to be in abundance and another scarce as online shopping remains the best option to find the unit of your choice.
(Image From Chandler, AZ Costco on 3-7-15)
