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I have to agree somewhat with Mayor Menino here. Sony knew that they were only going to stock a small number of PS3s but made it sound like everyone who wanted one would get one. The retailers are also to blame here too. They knew that they only had a handful of units in stock but did nothing to abate the crowds that gathered outside of the stores.

I don't understand why the stores couldn't have used some sort of ticket system instead. They give tickets to the first 20 or so in line for each unit they have to sell and then tell the other people to go home.

Actually, on further review, if Sony wanted "to fill the pockets of their stockholders," why only 400k units? The demand was obviously far greater and, based on the ebay sales, a far higher price could have been asked. Why, the Sony stockholders should be up in arms about this failure to fill their pockets sufficiently.

How many units must a company make before putting them on sale? If they chose to stock each store to the gills, wouldn't that cause an even greater stampede as everybody thought they could get one?

"I don't understand why the stores couldn't have used some sort of ticket system instead. They give tickets to the first 20 or so in line for each unit they have to sell and then tell the other people to go home"

Because thy are idoits! Thats exactly what they did here at Wal Mart and Target stores in Texas.

I don't understand why the stores couldn't have used some sort of ticket system instead.

Because the stores love the 'buzz' and the local media is only all to willing to play up such silliness. It makes for easy reporting. No research, no investigation; just point a couple of cameras at the crowd and give an interview or two.

I don't see how that would work any better because when do they hand out the tickets? Right before you come in the door for the sale? The mob is still going to show up hoping to somehow get to the front of the line to get a ticket. If I owned a store I'd just have a lottery for them. Anyone that came in the store the day before the sale could get a ticket and on the day of the sale I'd just pull the tickets out of the hat. The person would have to be in the store for the drawing and pay for it on the spot. If they weren't there or couldn't pay you just go ahead and draw the next name. No one would have to camp out or stand in line. Just be there and be lucky.

I really think that Sony is partly to blame for launching the sales before they had enough units to come anywhere near meeting the large demand.