Japanese 60GB PS3 “open-priced,” but fair

When Sony Japan reportedly declared that the 60GB PS3 pricing would be left “open,” or left up to retailers to mark up, Kotaku started wondering (with growing nervousness) just exactly how much they’d have to pay for their 60GB PS3. After all, if you were the retailer, how much would you want to charge for the PS3 you’ll be selling? A tip from one of their readers calmed them down, somewhat.

Japanese retailer Momotaru Okhoku has marked their high-end PS3s for 62,800 yen, or $525 at current exchange rates. Not so bad after all, concludes Kotaku. As one of their commenters have pointed out, it’s a bit similar to the MSRP (minimum suggested retail price) that’s usually used stateside. Except, as another commenter pointed out, Sony Japan hasn’t even suggested any MSRPs for the 60GB, and just left it open.

Of course, Kotaku revealed the catch: they reserved their PS3 at another store. They’re hoping that other retailers would follow suit. We think they likely would. Even given the short supply/heavy demand scenario for PS3 dales in Japan (or elsewhere, for that matter), it’s not likely that shops would choose to endanger their customer relations by squeezing them for every yen they’ve got.

Of course, they could choose to make a killing, but everyone knows what people do to snake oil vendors, right? (Tip, it doesn’t involve Solid Snake, but it does involve the use of his SOCOM .45, his M-16, his AK-47, half the arsenal of Metal Gear – and Raiden’s vibroblade. Bloody.)

The 20GB PS3 is still marked up at the slashed price of 49,980 yen. So far, with MSRP’s declared in the US and elsewhere, major retailers might not be planning on making a killing with either model either – unless you count Ebay resales. And let’s hope production can pick up to absorb all the unmet demand.

When Sony Japan reportedly declared that the 60GB PS3 pricing would be left “open,” or left up to retailers to mark up, Kotaku started wondering (with growing nervousness) just exactly how much they’d have to pay for their 60GB PS3. After all, if you were the retailer, how much would you want to charge for the PS3 you’ll be selling? A tip from one of their readers calmed them down, somewhat.

Japanese retailer Momotaru Okhoku has marked their high-end PS3s for 62,800 yen, or $525 at current exchange rates. Not so bad after all, concludes Kotaku. As one of their commenters have pointed out, it’s a bit similar to the MSRP (minimum suggested retail price) that’s usually used stateside. Except, as another commenter pointed out, Sony Japan hasn’t even suggested any MSRPs for the 60GB, and just left it open.

Of course, Kotaku revealed the catch: they reserved their PS3 at another store. They’re hoping that other retailers would follow suit. We think they likely would. Even given the short supply/heavy demand scenario for PS3 dales in Japan (or elsewhere, for that matter), it’s not likely that shops would choose to endanger their customer relations by squeezing them for every yen they’ve got.

Of course, they could choose to make a killing, but everyone knows what people do to snake oil vendors, right? (Tip, it doesn’t involve Solid Snake, but it does involve the use of his SOCOM .45, his M-16, his AK-47, half the arsenal of Metal Gear – and Raiden’s vibroblade. Bloody.)

The 20GB PS3 is still marked up at the slashed price of 49,980 yen. So far, with MSRP’s declared in the US and elsewhere, major retailers might not be planning on making a killing with either model either – unless you count Ebay resales. And let’s hope production can pick up to absorb all the unmet demand.