Samsung Galaxy S4 ships 40m in six months

The difference between sales to retailers, and sales to end users. You know - the whole "Apple didn't really sell 9m iPhones!" thing.

Might be best to keep that debate to the other thread. This is about s4 sales.

Stuart_h · 24-10-2013, 17:38

I think the point here is that if you are going to quote figures for iPhones 'shipped' then the comparative figure would be for S4's shipped.

If you are going to measure S4s actually in the hands of consumers then you would also need the same comparative figure from Apple for iPhones.

Surely thats not tricky ??

And as for price reduction - i would guess that by reducing the price they maintain momentum on the sales rather than unit sales tailing off as the new product approaches. Its hardly a controversial sales technique

calico_pie · 24-10-2013, 17:42

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Originally Posted by swordman

Might be best to keep that debate to the other thread. This is about s4 sales.

Its not really meant to be about that - its really about the difference between sales to retailers and sales to end users.

swordman · 24-10-2013, 17:49

I really don't know what your talking about to be honest.

IslandNiles · 24-10-2013, 17:51

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I really don't know what your talking about to be honest.

You quite obviously do, but you'll never admit your ludicrous double standard (as ever). Not worth derailing another thread over.

swordman · 24-10-2013, 17:54

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Originally Posted by IslandNiles

£383 is the first price that came up on on amazon from a google search.

The point is, if they are selling strong and there is strong demand, which the figures imply, why does samsung or the retailer have to discount so much.

Although it does show that the the margin originally put on the phone is high.

I'm not seeing that price and a search through hot deals shows that Amazon are selling for more than £400. Some sellers through Amazon have it for just under £400.

In any event I don't see how it is really relevant, the s4 would not keep it's launch price for six months. The reduction in price is not necessarily a reflection of over supply, in fact I doubt very much that it is. The only relevance would be if this applied to the s4 and not generally to all phones, which is not the case.

As I said I can get the note 3 for £525 which is a lot less than the recent RRP launch price, however I would be fairly confident this is not an over supply issue.

swordman · 24-10-2013, 17:55

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You quite obviously do, but you'll never admit your ludicrous double standard (as ever). Not worth derailing another thread over.

No I don't, but whatever makes you content

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Its not really meant to be about that - its really about the difference between sales to retailers and sales to end users.

Ah I see what your saying, in some ludicrous way your are trying to claim that I said apple have not sold 9 million phones. Well to clarify they have sold that many phones I fully accept they have, don't think I have ever said they did not. I however do not accept that is a reflection of the popularity of the 5c going forward.

That however is for another thread and is only relevant to this thread if you can show evidence of s4's gathering dust on shelves like the 5c

jabbamk1 · 24-10-2013, 18:01

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The rrp was around £620.

Amazon are currently selling it for £385 ish. Bit more than £150.

Seems a big drop for a premium flagship phone.

Not quite.

RRP was £579 at launch.

It was retailers who decided to sell it for £629 (CPW only).
Some retailers sold the phone for £529 at launch.

Amazon UK are currently selling the phone at £419 with shipping included.

Third parties on Amazon are selling the phone legitimately in the UK at £385.

So £579-£419 = £160.
And £529-£385= £144

Hardly a £200+ drop.

Now lets look at Samsung Galaxy S3 history.
S3 launched in the UK at £499RRP.

Six months after launch the S3 was £100 cheaper at £400 on Amazon direct. It was being sold for around £380 via third parties.

So both phones have depreciated over time with the Galaxy S4 still above what the S3 was selling at after the same amount of time. This happens to all phones. Look at the Xperia Z for example which was seen as a huge success in the UK. It's available now for £369 from Amazon direct despite launching at £549RRP. Third parties are selling it even cheaper.

calico_pie · 24-10-2013, 18:05

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The Samsung has been out 6 months. The S3 was sold at a lower price six months after release as well. As are pretty much all android phones. It's something called depreciation.

The iPhone 5c saw a price drop after 2 weeks. That's not the same.

Nor are shipped and sold the same.

I seriously struggle to understand you sometimes. Then i remember you're an iPhone fanboy and it makes sense.

Ah! So its not just about the distinction between "sold to retailers" and "sold to end users".

But there is third category, simply "shipped".

So when stock is shipped where exactly is it going?

And why did Apple refer to them as "sold".

Help me out here, but isn't it the case that "shipped" essentially means "sold to retailers" as opposed to "sold to end customers".

And the whole brouhaha about Apple was that when they said "sold" they included units shipped / sold to retailers?

Either way, if you could just clarify the different between "shipped" and "sold to retailers" that would probably help.

jabbamk1 · 24-10-2013, 18:11

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Ah! So its not just about the distinction between "sold to retailers" and "sold to end users".

But there is third category, simply "shipped".

So when stock is shipped where exactly is it going?

And why did Apple refer to them as "sold".

Help me out here, but isn't it the case that "shipped" essentially means "sold to retailers" as opposed to "sold to end customers".

And the whole brouhaha about Apple was that when they said "sold" they included units shipped / sold to retailers?

Either way, if you could just clarify the different between "shipped" and "sold to retailers" that would probably help.

What the hell are you talking about?

Shipped= sold to retailers
sold= sold to end consumer

Apple say sold (as do Samsung) because for them it is literally what they have sold to the retailer. In real terms we use the word shipped to described this.

swordman · 24-10-2013, 18:11

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Not quite.

RRP was £579 at launch.

It was retailers who decided to sell it for £629 (CPW only).
Some retailers sold the phone for £529 at launch.

Even CPW dropped their price prior to release and they were the highest I think at 589.95

kidspud · 24-10-2013, 18:17

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Not quite.

RRP was £579 at launch.

It was retailers who decided to sell it for £629 (CPW only).
Some retailers sold the phone for £529 at launch.

Amazon UK are currently selling the phone at £419 with shipping included.

Third parties on Amazon are selling the phone legitimately in the UK at £385.

So £579-£419 = £160.
And £529-£385= £144

Hardly a £200+ drop.

Now lets look at Samsung Galaxy S3 history.
S3 launched in the UK at £499RRP.

Six months after launch the S3 was £100 cheaper at £400 on Amazon direct. It was being sold for around £380 via third parties.

So both phones have depreciated over time with the Galaxy S4 still above what the S3 was selling at after the same amount of time. This happens to all phones. Look at the Xperia Z for example which was seen as a huge success in the UK. It's available now for £369 from Amazon direct despite launching at £549RRP. Third parties are selling it even cheaper.

Nice use of selective numbers.

Using your own figures rrp £579. Can be bought on amazon for £383, so you are right, not quite £200, but £196.

I'm not sure using other phones is a good example as no other android phone sells in these sort of numbers.

I'm not questioning that it has happened before, I'm more wondering why the need for such large reductions.

jabbamk1 · 24-10-2013, 18:22

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Nice use of selective numbers.

Using your own figures rrp £579. Can be bought on amazon for £383, so you are right, not quite £200, but £196.

I'm not sure using other phones is a good example as no other android phone sells in these sort of numbers.

I'm not questioning that it has happened before, I'm more wondering why the need for such large reductions.

Selective numbers? I'm using like for like.

If you want i can compare it to the one ebay seller selling the S4 new for under £350? But that's not like for like. So i'm comparing amazon to amazon. And third party to third party. I'm not saying £385 isn't legit. It is legit and a great price for the phone. What i'm saying is that it's a third party and not amazon direct.

I don't understand why you think there is anything different going on with the S4. The price has fallen like you'd expect. If it was under £300 or cheaper than the competition (Xperia Z and HTC One) then i'd understand. But it's still the premium priced device.

Obviously newer phones will be priced higher (such as Note 3 and LG G2)/

swordman · 24-10-2013, 18:29

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Nice use of selective numbers.

Using your own figures rrp £579. Can be bought on amazon for £383, so you are right, not quite £200, but £196.

I'm not sure using other phones is a good example as no other android phone sells in these sort of numbers.

I'm not questioning that it has happened before, I'm more wondering why the need for such large reductions.

But even you can see your logic is flawed no?

If your going to quote the RRP, those charging £579 at launch they should still be used as the yardstick then? as in CPW still charge almost as much currently.

Many retailers at launch charged less than this £579 at launch, as is evidenced by the note 3 price from some sellers currently.

Taking the highest priced retailer at launch - then comparing it to the current lowest price - to give a general impression of of price reduction does give an inaccurate reflection of prices, wouldn't you agree yes/no?

calico_pie · 24-10-2013, 18:35

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What the hell are you talking about?

Shipped= sold to retailers
sold= sold to end consumer

Apple say sold (as do Samsung) because for them it is literally what they have sold to the retailer. In real terms we use the word shipped to described this.

re BIB - that's what I thought.

So when Apple "ship" 9m units, you and others are all over that pointing out the huge difference between "units shipped" and "units sold".

Effectively rubbishing the 9m figure as meaningless.

And yet here you are quite happily quoting a figure for S4's which have shipped.

Apparently citing it as an impressive figure.

Which is all well and good, but unless I'm missing something, that's one pretty huge double standard.

jabbamk1 · 24-10-2013, 18:40

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re BIB - that's what I thought.

So when Apple "ship" 9m units, you and others are all over that pointing out the huge difference between "units shipped" and "units sold".

Effectively rubbishing the 9m figure as meaningless.

And yet here you are quite happily quoting a figure for S4's which have shipped.

Apparently citing it as an impressive figure.

Which is all well and good, but unless I'm missing something, that's one pretty huge double standard.

Where have i ever said 9 million shipped isn't impressive? It's very impressive. What i'm talking about in the other thread is how retailers are having very low sell through to end consumers and how all retailers worldwide are unable to shift the units they have. Hence why prices have been slashed worldwide.

I thought you would have understood that?

kidspud · 24-10-2013, 19:59

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Where have i ever said 9 million shipped isn't impressive? It's very impressive. What i'm talking about in the other thread is how retailers are having very low sell through to end consumers and how all retailers worldwide are unable to shift the units they have. Hence why prices have been slashed worldwide.

I thought you would have understood that?

Slashed. Is that true?

Zack06 · 24-10-2013, 20:10

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Slashed. Is that true?

Carphone Warehouse is offering the 32GB variant for the price of the 16GB, and Chinese networks had to reduce their subsidies because they were making losses, so it is largely true.

For Samsung, 40m in this time frame is success. Unlike other manufacturers, the figures are an increase on the sales of previously released models.

BKM · 24-10-2013, 20:11

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