tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post2754869760668917548..comments2008-07-03T14:40:21.397-06:00JJ Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10255138459888881579noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-33430382442004325392008-07-03T14:40:00.000-06:002008-07-03T14:40:00.000-06:00Doug. Thanks for the questions.<BR/><BR/>The reason I showed the prices from last May compared to this May is to help eliminate some of those other factors you mentioned. Last May school got out and summer started but prices continued dropping (the red line). Seasonality wise, everything is the same this year but prices increased. <BR/><BR/>My claim is that it is related to the stimulus checks because the boost happened so soon afterwards. <BR/><BR/>It could be caused by other factors, but with the April prices matching almost exactly and then the prices diverging less than a week after the checks are mailed makes me think the stimulus checks are the cause.<BR/><BR/>Regarding your question:<BR/>"Any evidence that the video game price jump was any greater than the average good for the same time period?"<BR/>- I don't claim people only bought video games with their checks or bought video games more than other goods. I am trying to show that the stimulus checks had a boost on the video game market. My guess is other products would show similar boosts in price, but I don't have any data about that.JJ Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10255138459888881579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-64649067107240501972008-07-02T15:46:00.000-06:002008-07-02T15:46:00.000-06:00Ok, I see the correlation, but I don't see the causality. Any evidence that the ones receiving the rebate checks are the ones buying the games? Any evidence that the video game price jump was any greater than the average good for the same time period?<BR/><BR/>Could it be that it's the end of the school year, and students are looking for something to do with their free time now that summer is upon us? Most colleges are getting out around the first week of May.Dougnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-79148653839493545472008-07-02T13:23:00.000-06:002008-07-02T13:23:00.000-06:00I don't think GTA IV's release matters. This is resell. A used GTA copy wouldn't sell for more than a new copy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-55641980727206669502008-07-02T12:02:00.000-06:002008-07-02T12:02:00.000-06:00I would be willing to guess that the jump in game sales in 2008 had a lot more to do with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV on the 29th of April than it did with stimulus checks arriving.<BR/><BR/>Do some research - GTAIV was the largest video game release of ALL TIME (and debateably the largest entertainment IP release).benwnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-86879935717343063142008-06-24T11:15:00.000-06:002008-06-24T11:15:00.000-06:00Sam, not sure what you mean "how does WiiFit fit into this?" I'm sure some people bought WiiFit with their stimulus checks too, but the analysis I was doing was looking at used video games and their resale prices.JJ Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10255138459888881579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-68451941073789239852008-06-18T21:27:00.000-06:002008-06-18T21:27:00.000-06:00How does Wii Fit fit into this?Samhttp://www.murmurband.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5166264252243602432.post-36494348419836486062008-06-18T09:26:00.000-06:002008-06-18T09:26:00.000-06:00This is a great find. I wonder well this chart represents the chart for the entire economy. I would imagine it is fairly close, but then again, the video game industry as a whole has appeared to be quite recession-proof thus far. It will be interesting to see how long the increase lasts.<BR/><BR/>Good stuff.TanookiTravishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14703742490513802482noreply@blogger.com