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November 2014 NPD (U.S. Hardware) Predictions - Closes December 9th

I can't believe the sales data is still released two+ weeks after the month end period. It's 2014 NPD! You should be able to crank this out in less than 24 hours after month end!
 

Ty4on

Member
So if Sony takes it...will gaf explode? Cause I still think its a possibility...
GAF loves Sony so much there will be meltdowns either way. Expected doesn't mean everyone expects it, tons of predictions here with PS4 in the lead.

It's only Amazon and one week so far, but PS4's top selling SKU down to 41st is very interesting. PS4 dropping like a rock would really cause a stir :p
 

Elandyll

Banned
So if Sony takes it...will gaf explode? Cause I still think its a possibility...

Dunno... I still give the XB1 winning November, but looking at the Amazon (updated) November rankings we never had quite such a situation before I think.

While the XB1 ACU bundle is sitting pretty at #2 for the month, it is followed by not one, or two PS4 SKUS, but FOUR, before the next XB1 SKU...

I used to think the difference would be between 100-200k tops, but now I think it very well could be under 100k.

A Sony win would be ... GAF ending level (for a bit) I think. It not only would show that the XB1 even sold at a big loss can't win a single month, but also that the Amazon ranking is really not that good at predicting sales ranks in the holiday period, and shatter what little fiath we have in it for predictions ;)

December might be even worse if things continue the way they currentyl are, because the PS4 deals are so much better elsewhere than Amazon (right now), meaning its sales can't be a reliable indicator at the moment (they do not offer a $50 GC with the 1 game free bundle).
 

NickFire

Member
GAF will explode no matter what happens. I predict someone will melt down and get banned.

I'll double that prediction. Also, the BF price disparity has to give the One the edge this month I think. I personally find the PS4 BF value far superior, but I highly doubt many parents on a budget will take the time to learn, or ever care about the differences between two AC games and GTA and LoU.
 

Kar

Member
GAF loves Sony so much there will be meltdowns either way. Expected doesn't mean everyone expects it, tons of predictions here with PS4 in the lead.

It's only Amazon and one week so far, but PS4's top selling SKU down to 41st is very interesting. PS4 dropping like a rock would really cause a stir :p
Who's GAF exactly?
 
Oh I have no doubt. Greenberg is going to be in FINE form come Thursday. I'm going to want to tear my hair out, no doubt.

It's going to be awesome and I love Aaron Greenberg. Dude knows how to push buttons and it's very entertaining. I wish more executives had fun like him.
 
But "winning" November with less than a gap of 200k on either side will be so meaningless... If one console sells 100k more than the other, it just won't matter at all. Enjoy the bans though I guess?

I can't believe the sales data is still released two+ weeks after the month end period. It's 2014 NPD! You should be able to crank this out in less than 24 hours after month end!

First, retailers have to scrub and validate their internal data.

Then retail submits that data to NPD.

NPD then has to take in all the disparate retailer feeds, map each data point from each feed for each SKU to its own master table.

New products have to be created with new mapping.

Then those totals have to be scrubbed and validated.

If there are data errors they then have to go back to the appropriate retailer to correct.

Then the totals have to be summed to ensure everything still makes sense.

The data is then uploaded for distribution to NPD customers, and all of that has to work.

You try doing all of that in less than two weeks buddy.
 
First, retailers have to scrub and validate their internal data.

Then retail submits that data to NPD.

NPD then has to take in all the disparate retailer feeds, map each data point from each feed for each SKU to its own master table.

New products have to be created with new mapping.

Then those totals have to be scrubbed and validated.

If there are data errors they then have to go back to the appropriate retailer to correct.

Then the totals have to be summed to ensure everything still makes sense.

The data is then uploaded for distribution to NPD customers, and all of that has to work.

You try doing all of that in less than two weeks buddy.
That's BS, we know weekly is possible.
 
I forgot to include performing extrapolations and adjusting the extrap methodology monthly as market trends dictate.

That's BS, we know weekly is possible.

Well then let it burn I guess. Let's be mad about stuff!

They could, you know, use computers, maybe?
Information systems can normally be interfaced quite easily...

Sounds like a market opportunity for a motivated GAF member. I, for one, welcome our new syndicated data provider overlords.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
GAF loves Sony so much there will be meltdowns either way. Expected doesn't mean everyone expects it, tons of predictions here with PS4 in the lead.

It's only Amazon and one week so far, but PS4's top selling SKU down to 41st is very interesting. PS4 dropping like a rock would really cause a stir :p

PS4 is currently at 30, 67 and 165.. XBONE is at 8 and that's it inside the top 200 or so. While XBONE is clearly outselling PS4 on Amazon, we don't by how much.

Also remember that Amazon isn't a pure hourly sales ranking. There is a lot of magic in there for velocity (aka internal marketing).
 

Cornbread78

Member
I can't wait to see how journalists will spin the articles as well.


Yeah, I expect more than a few "Return of the King" articles to be posted praising the XB1 and MS's effort to support and grow their fanbase after the all of those allegations of improper business practices last year prior to the XB1 launch. MS did the little things needed to prove they are just as powerful as the PS4 and have a much better game library to win back the gamers hearts and be victorious in a harsh environment.

- largest growth month in the past year
- Highest Sales in NA
- breaks the tyranny of the evil Japanese corp. Sony arrogance., etc, etc.


The PS4 will now lag behind and have a hard time to maintain any kind of lead in NA wth with lackluster games library and how they lied to consumers about it's power capibilities. Also, they lied to consumers about the PSX experience, therefore, they are an untrustworthy company that has "no gamezzz"



Aaron Greenberg is going to be the worst Thursday.

I also expect ps4 doom articles.


LOL, see above fora break down of the articles you will read...
 

Ty4on

Member
PS4 is currently at 30, 67 and 165.. XBONE is at 8 and that's it inside the top 200 or so. While XBONE is clearly outselling PS4 on Amazon, we don't by how much.

Also remember that Amazon isn't a pure hourly sales ranking. There is a lot of magic in there for velocity (aka internal marketing).
I was talking about the December rankings. I never use hourly. The XB1 also had two SKUs around 50th when it had its 399 and Madden month IIRC so it could be closer than it appears. That's why the yearly rankings are much better for accuracy (Destiny buddle comes to mind).

I don't live in the US so thanks for informing about bundles/deals happening elsewhere.
 
But "winning" November with less than a gap of 200k on either side will be so meaningless... If one console sells 100k more than the other, it just won't matter at all. Enjoy the bans though I guess?



First, retailers have to scrub and validate their internal data.

Then retail submits that data to NPD.

NPD then has to take in all the disparate retailer feeds, map each data point from each feed for each SKU to its own master table.

New products have to be created with new mapping.

Then those totals have to be scrubbed and validated.

If there are data errors they then have to go back to the appropriate retailer to correct.

Then the totals have to be summed to ensure everything still makes sense.

The data is then uploaded for distribution to NPD customers, and all of that has to work.

You try doing all of that in less than two weeks buddy.

I forgot to include performing extrapolations and adjusting the extrap methodology monthly as market trends dictate.



Well then let it burn I guess. Let's be mad about stuff!



Sounds like a market opportunity for a motivated GAF member. I, for one, welcome our new syndicated data provider overlords.

On the one hand, I agree...it's a ton of coordination and hard work to get it all done in a two-week time.

On the other hand, that's why The NPD Group has 1,300+ employees.


GfK is much larger (13,000+ employees), but they manage weekly data throughout Europe.

So do the Japanese trackers....and PC Data did in the USA as well before they were acquired by NPD.

So it is possible. But I don't know enough about how the company operates to know how feasible it might be to switch over to a weekly system.
 
On the one hand, I agree...it's a ton of coordination and hard work to get it all done in a two-week time.

On the other hand, that's why The NPD Group has 1,300+ employees.


GfK is much larger (13,000+ employees), but they manage weekly data throughout Europe.

So does the Japanese trackers....and PC Data did in the USA as well before they were acquired by NPD.

So it is possible. But I don't know enough about how the company operates to know how feasible it might be to switch over to a weekly system.

On second thought, don't know why I'm (if not defending) rationalizing anything NPD does.

There are so many things they're not great at, and they charge so damned much.

They should be a lot better than they are.

Oh well, digital will wipe them out eventually.
 

donny2112

Member
Oh well, digital will wipe them out eventually.

Replacement for NPD more in-line with the no-charge Japanese sales received would be welcome. Replaced with the great black hole of information that is digital sales? Don't know. Maybe that would be reason enough for digital sales holders to start releasing more data?
 
By being out of touch with his consumers and being a walking PR nightmare?

The guy is an idiot. who managed to fail upwards.

He really comes off as uninformed. Shawn Layden has the same issue, but he's not a PR nightmare. I listened to a Shawn Layden interview on Sunday and he asked, "Day Z? What's that?" The host had to tell him what kind of game it was.

Yusuf on the other hand has that same aspect, but you get to add on a layer of bullshit feeding as well. He's my least fav video game executive by far.
 
I'm actually kind of curious if MS will give sale numbers directly in their PR statement, they may decide to follow along Sony lines and simply acknowledge first place without specifics so as not to build the notion that they will be giving sales numbers in the months going forward especially considering January is just around the bend.
 
I'm actually kind of curious if MS will give sale numbers directly in their PR statement, they may decide to follow along Sony lines and simply acknowledge first place without specifics so as not to build the notion that they will be giving sales numbers in the months going forward especially considering January is just around the bend.
if they break the million they will tell us. otherwise most likely not. being in the first place is all they wanted.
 

Renzoku

Banned
He really comes off as uninformed. Shawn Layden has the same issue, but he's not a PR nightmare. I listened to a Shawn Layden interview on Sunday and he asked, "Day Z? What's that?" The host had to tell him what kind of game it was.

Yusuf on the other hand has that same aspect, but you get to add on a layer of bullshit feeding as well. He's my least fav video game executive by far.

Shawn Layden is just as much of an unlikable idiot. It's a shame that he's going to be the new face of SCEA because it's so obvious that he's also an out of touch suit.
 
I personally just can't see Sony winning November over Microsoft due to those GREAT deals from Microsoft. If Sony does win, what can Microsoft realistically do? I can't see them cutting the price to $299.

Prediction: PS4: 650,000
Xbox One: 780,000
WII U 175,000(Smash and bundles)
 
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