Between high demand and manufacturing interruptions due to the Coronavirus, Oculus Quest and Rift S have been in extremely short supply, often commanding a 150% price premiums (or more) in aftermarket sales. Those looking to pick up an Oculus headset may not have to wait too much longer; a global stock check by Road to VR appears to indicate that stock for Oculus headsets is slowly returning.
Updated – May 1st, 2020
We checked stock availability for direct purchases from Oculus.com for Quest (64GB), Quest (128GB), and Rift S across all regions where the headsets are sold. The latest shows that Quest (128GB) continues to be the most available headset, now shipping in 18 of 23 regions (within one week for all but one region).
After being available in nearly all regions just last week, Quest (64GB) is struggling to stay in stock, but it’s presently available in 4 of 23 regions.
Meanwhile, Rift S is nearly as hard to find as Quest (64GB), only currently available in 6 of 23 regions. Compared to both Quest models which were available in almost all regions early last week, not nearly as much new Rift S stock has shown up.
See chart for: 5/1/20 | 4/30/20 | 4/29/20 | 4/28/20
The reason for the disparity between the availability of Quest and Rift S isn’t clear at this time, but we’d guess that it’s related to the fact that Quest is manufactured by Oculus while Rift S is manufactured by Lenovo. It may also have to do with Facebook prioritizing Quest production given especially strong demand for the headset.
Until recently, Italy had a special note advising the potential for additional shipping delays due to the Coronavirus; that note has been removed, but it isn’t clear if this was due to a site update, or done purposefully.
Stock for direct purchases from Oculus seems to be returning more quickly than at retailers. In the US, Quest and Rift S remain sold out at all official retailers (though some like Amazon are offering the headsets from sellers charging considerably more than the MSRP).
Whether or not the latest availability represents just a small batch of headsets and a mere ‘blip’ in the overall picture, or a broader trend of availability going forward, isn’t yet clear.
Since Facebook announced back in early February that it expected the Coronavirus to impact the availability of its headsets, the company hasn’t provided any update on the situation, but we’ve reached out for comment. Shortages prompted the company to begin selling refurbished versions of the original Oculus Rift headset which it had discontinued the year prior.
Update (April 28th, 2020 – 7:50PM PT): An Oculus spokesperson shared the following regarding the availability of its headsets:
“We continue to make products available in all channels as quickly as possible for people to buy. As you’ve noted, Quest and Rift S have been intermittently in stock in some channels and regions. No specific estimate to share on future stock expectations, as the situation remains dynamic.”
The spokesperson said that in regions where headsets are out of stock, customers can use the ‘Notify Me’ option on the buy page for each headset to sign up to be alerted to new stock. Notifications will go out in order of sign-up.
According to the New York Times, China—where Oculus headsets are manufactured—has been steadily reopening its factories. “By some measures, China’s economy is getting back on track. By the end of February, most of its factories and mines had reopened, according to a variety of data, cranking out everything from steel to cellphones at a blistering pace through March. Industrial output rebounded to a near-record level,” reports Keith Bradsher, the publication’s Shanghai bureau chief.
Availability of Valve’s Index headset has also been substantially impacted by the Coronavirus, with new orders backordered by eight weeks or more across the board.
Thanks to Daniel for the tip on new headset stock!
The post Quest & Rift S Stock Check – Quest 128GB Available in 18 of 23 Regions appeared first on Road to VR.
By: Ben Lang
Title: Quest & Rift S Stock Check – Quest 128GB Available in 18 of 23 Regions
Sourced From: www.roadtovr.com/oculus-quest-rift-s-stock-check-headset-availability-shipping-countries/
Published Date: Mon, 04 May 2020 20:42:31 +0000
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