3 replies to this topic

[kool kitty89]

http://jeremyreimer....ostman/node/329

This site had been brought up in a few discussions in the past on AA, some questioning its accuracy (or at least the many apparent omissions), but I don't recall ever seeing a definitive validation for its accuracy or inaccuracy.

So does anyone know how accurate these figures actually are? (and if the inaccuracies are mainly omissions, or actual errors -the Atari 8-bit sales seem to be missing all XL/XE sales, the CoCo is missing, TRS-80 isn't mentioned by model -and Model 1 and 2 are totally separate lines, VIC-20 and PET are missing, as are the Sinclair/Timex machines, Amstrad, MSX, or a breakdown of PC clones isn't provided -especially at least separating Tandy 1000 sales -and it's not mentioned if its strictly US sales, international, or some incomplete conglomeration of different regions -and obviously doesn't have a break-down by region in any case)

[JamesD]

A lot of stuff is missing.

[high voltage]

Yeah, don't use that list like it is carved in stone, over inflated sales figures exist on all systems. As proven by Nintendo and Sega (Book Game Over), both companies over inflated their hardware sales figures by a huge margin.
Many companies used 'sold' already when shipped from their warehoues to retail shops, this is common practice.
Look here for the record industry how sales figures are 'made up'.
http://en.wikipedia....g_music_artists

Edited by high voltage, Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:56 AM.

[kool kitty89]

high voltage, on Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:43 AM, said:

Yeah, don't use that list like it is carved in stone, over inflated sales figures exist on all systems. As proven by Nintendo and Sega (Book Game Over), both companies over inflated their hardware sales figures by a huge margin.
Many companies used 'sold' already when shipped from their warehoues to retail shops, this is common practice.
Look here for the record industry how sales figures are 'made up'.
http://en.wikipedia....g_music_artists

Yes, sales figures based on retail/distributor unit purchases vs consumer purchases can obscure actual market share for a given time period (though it shouldn't have much problem for overall sales -unless you get odd cases where huge amounts are returned unsold).

In Sega's case, there's no solid sales figure documents in general . . . Nintendo and Sony both posted annual sales breakdowns for their various systems, but Sega never has, so there's more general/vague data to goon from various reports in newspapers/magazines of the time. (it's a shame there aren't more cases like what Curt found with the 7800 -highly detailed documents of all distributors/retailers with precise dates on sales with all returns accounted for -albeit that still omits actual sales to consumers since lack of returns to Atari doesn't mean a sale 100% of the time -ie said retailer could retain the stock and sell it later)



In any case, on the computer market share site, it seems to be more an issue with missing figures than anything else . . . and lack of details on the figures that are present. (which may be reasonably accurate, but need more detail/context for what they represent)