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IBM Ultrium Media Pricing: Told You This Story Wasn't Done
Published: July 28, 2008
by Timothy Prickett Morgan
My journalistic spidey sense is still pretty good, it looks like. Two weeks ago, I told you that IBM lowered prices on Ultrium tape cartridges by a pretty big percentage and then raised them right back up again a week later. I also said that I couldn't wait to see what IBM did on July 15 or July 22, because this story wasn't over.
Well, as it turns out, it wasn't over. Let's recap, just so we don't cause as much confusion on this as IBM has. Here are the price changes on Ultrium media announced on July 1, in announcement letter 308-800:
| IBM's July 1 Ultrium Media Price Cuts |
|
|
|
| Machine |
Feature |
|
List Price |
Price |
| type |
number |
Description |
Old |
New |
Change |
| 3573 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$349 |
$187 |
-46.4% |
| 3580 |
8301 |
Single 400 GB cartridge |
$69 |
$38 |
-44.9% |
| 3580 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$349 |
$187 |
-46.4% |
| 3589 |
0820 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,416 |
$1,172 |
-17.2% |
| 3589 |
0920 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, no labels |
$1,396 |
$1,152 |
-17.5% |
| 3589 |
1020 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, with labels |
$3,202 |
$2,584 |
-19.3% |
| 3589 |
1120 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, no labels |
$3,182 |
$2,564 |
-19.4% |
| 3589 |
2820 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$2,184 |
$1,414 |
-35.3% |
| 3589 |
2920 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$2,164 |
$1,394 |
-35.6% |
| 3589 |
3220 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$4,348 |
$3,018 |
-30.6% |
| 3589 |
3320 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$4,328 |
$2,998 |
-30.7% |
| 3589 |
6020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,026 |
$1,004 |
-2.1% |
| 3589 |
7020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, no labels |
$1,006 |
$984 |
-2.2% |
| 7212 |
8103 |
5 200 GB cartridges, plus test and cleaning |
$476 |
$396 |
-16.8% |
But, alas, IBM giveth a discount, and it taketh it away on July 8, in announcement letter 308-805:
| IBM's July 8 Ultrium Media Price
Increases |
|
|
|
| Machine |
Feature |
|
List Price |
Price |
| type |
number |
Description |
Old |
New |
Change |
| 3573 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$187 |
$349 |
86.6% |
| 3580 |
8301 |
Single 400 GB cartridge |
$38 |
$69 |
81.6% |
| 3580 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$187 |
$349 |
86.6% |
| 3589 |
0820 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,172 |
$1,416 |
20.8% |
| 3589 |
0920 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, no labels |
$1,152 |
$1,396 |
21.2% |
| 3589 |
1020 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, with labels |
$2,584 |
$3,202 |
23.9% |
| 3589 |
1120 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, no labels |
$2,564 |
$3,182 |
24.1% |
| 3589 |
2820 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$1,414 |
$2,184 |
54.5% |
| 3589 |
2920 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$1,394 |
$2,164 |
55.2% |
| 3589 |
3220 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$3,018 |
$4,348 |
44.1% |
| 3589 |
3320 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$2,998 |
$4,328 |
44.4% |
| 3589 |
6020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,004 |
$1,026 |
2.2% |
| 3589 |
7020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, no labels |
$984 |
$1,006 |
2.2% |
| 7212 |
8103 |
5 200 GB cartridges, plus test and cleaning |
$396 |
$476 |
20.2% |
On July 22, in announcement letter 308-808, IBM reduced the prices on the Ultrium media with only a few variations. Check it out:
| IBM's July 22 Ultrium Media Price
Decreases |
|
|
|
| Machine |
Feature |
|
List Price |
Price |
| type |
number |
Description |
Old |
New |
Change |
| 3573 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$349 |
$186 |
-46.7% |
| 3573 |
8405 |
Ultrium 4, 5-pack 800 GB cartridge |
$514 |
$420 |
-18.3% |
| 3580 |
8301 |
Single 400 GB cartridge |
$69 |
$37 |
-46.4% |
| 3580 |
8305 |
Data cart, 5-pack 400 GB cartridge |
$349 |
$186 |
-46.7% |
| 3580 |
8405 |
Ultrium 4, 5-pack 800 GB cartridge |
$514 |
$420 |
-18.3% |
| 3589 |
0820 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,416 |
$1,172 |
-17.2% |
| 3589 |
0920 |
20-pack 400 GB cartridges, no labels |
$1,396 |
$1,152 |
-17.5% |
| 3589 |
1020 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, with labels |
$3,202 |
$2,584 |
-19.3% |
| 3589 |
1120 |
20-pack 800 GB cartridges, no labels |
$3,182 |
$2,564 |
-19.4% |
| 3589 |
2820 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$2,184 |
$1,414 |
-35.3% |
| 3589 |
2920 |
20-pack 400 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$2,164 |
$1,394 |
-35.6% |
| 3589 |
3220 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, with labels |
$4,348 |
$3,018 |
-30.6% |
| 3589 |
3320 |
20-pack 800 GB WORM cartridges, no labels |
$4,328 |
$2,998 |
-30.7% |
| 3589 |
6020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, with labels |
$1,026 |
$1,004 |
-2.1% |
| 3589 |
7020 |
20-pack 200 GB cartridges, no labels |
$1,006 |
$984 |
-2.2% |
| 7212 |
8103 |
5 200 GB cartridges, plus test and cleaning |
$476 |
$396 |
-16.8% |
The price cuts are essentially the same as those announced on July 1, with the price going down by $1 for the 3573 feature 8305 and IBM adding price cuts on Ultrium LTO-4 five-pack cartridge bundles, which I highlighted in bold blue in the table. I would guess the price flip-flopping is done now. But we'll see. . . .
RELATED STORIES
IBM Lowers and Then Raises Ultrium Media Prices
LTO Tape Drive Sales Increased 15 Percent in 2007
LTO-5 On Course for 2009
IBM Rolls Out LTO 4 Tape Drives and Libraries
LTO Consortium Spins Ultrium 4 Tape Format with Native Encryption
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