Online demand for 360 surpasses PS3 ... Wii beats both

via joystiq

It would seem that much of the buzz Sony built for the PS3 launch is dying down; no doubt due to the system's MIA status from virtual store shelves. In a recent study, the Xbox 360's online demand has surpassed that of the PS3; the Wii has -- not surprisingly -- passed up both of them on the list of most online interest.

According to Compete.com, the interest in the Xbox 360 in major online retail outlets passed up the PS3 on November 25th, which is the same time Amazon.com offered up the $100 Xbox 360. Since October, interest in all three consoles grew at an increasing rate, but only the PS3 has suffered any sort of decline. Online demand for the PS3 is on a decline since the unit launched, most likely attributed to the fact people can't find them.

The method Compete.com used to obtain this information is a bit of a mystery. However, the data could show the dangers of trying to utilize a product's scarcity to drive demand. A hard to find product can drive the desire to have it, but make the product too difficult to find and people will just give up; which makes the competition -- who has ready supplies -- very happy.