Surface RT Sales: Microsoft Surface RT Sales Disappoint

Surface RT Sales: It appears that struggles for the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface RT tablet are continuing.

In a quarter in which more than 22 million iPads were sold, several studies report that the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface RT did not even hit the million unit mark.

If these numbers are accurate, it is safe to say that the company is far from running down the tablet industry leaders.

According to a report by ZDNet, sales were quite disappointing despite the fact that the number of tablets shipped was a bit higher.

Here is a brief excerpt to help you better understand what is going on:

“Yes, more than a million of the tablets may have shipped, but that doesn’t mean they were sold. In fact, depending on which source you listen to, far fewer than a million Surface slates have been purchased.”

The information comes from two separate sources, IHS iSuppli and International Data Corporation (IDC). While they may not agree exactly on the numbers, one thing is for sure: they are seeing eye to eye when it comes to the fact that sales numbers are nowhere close to total shipments.

Here is some more information from the same article:

“IHS iSuppli told our sister site CNET that despite shipping over 1.25 million Surface units, Microsoft only sold about 700,000 of them. Even worse, return rates for the Surface RT were deemed “high,” owing perhaps to the learning curve surrounding Windows 8/RT. Analyst Rhoda Alexander did suggest, however, that the low initial sales and high returns was reminiscent of the Amazon Kindle Fire’s entry into the market.”

“Meanwhile, International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that about 900,000 Surface RTs were shipped in the fourth quarter, just missing out on reaching the top five for tablet shipments. In comparison, Apple shipped over 22 million iPads, while Samsung and Amazon shipped more than 13 million Android-based tablets. Obviously, not all of those items shipped were sold, and IDC mobile devices program manager Ryan Reith said reaction to the Surface was “muted.”

Making matters worse is the suggestion that a large number of consumers are returning the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface RT tablets.

Why do you think return numbers are so high? Are people hoping for one thing but getting another?

Check back here for more updates on Surface RT Sales.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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