Pi Zero Availability

[gizmo1990]

I feel this question must surely be asked continually, but apart from the sticky from 2017 there doesn't appear to be anything covering this subject. If I've just been daft and there's loads of discussion about it please accept my apologies!

So yes, the Pi Zero, I can't buy it anywhere! Except in expensive bundles I have no use for or off ebay for exorbitant prices. Could someone tell me why it's still out of stock everywhere?? And when it will become available again? The last I heard was that Raspberry had commited to creating the Zero till 2026? It just seems bizarre that there's still stock issues for this device.

Again, apologies if this has been asked recently.

[W. H. Heydt]

It's probably a lack of manufacturing capacity due to the demand for Pi4B boards. If any of them are made in China, there may be production problems due to current world events...and issues with parts production could affect production anywhere.

[gizmo1990]

Thanks for the reply. Is there that much demand for the Pi4 though? It's in stock everywhere and has even had the recent price reduction. Perhaps the fact that it is in stock everywhere points to the production bias for the 4 but I dunno, it doesn't logical to me. I remember having the same issues mid last year when I was trying to buy a Zero.

[bensimmo]

I thought that the Zeros had their own machine(s) and they have them over in Japan too.

[jamesh]

Thanks for the reply. Is there that much demand for the Pi4 though? It's in stock everywhere and has even had the recent price reduction. Perhaps the fact that it is in stock everywhere points to the production bias for the 4 but I dunno, it doesn't logical to me. I remember having the same issues mid last year when I was trying to buy a Zero.

Huge Pi4 demand, we've sold a few million already.

It's not just the Pi4 though, all other models are still in production. Because the Pi0 is such a low margin product, its tends to get left a bit behind I guess!

[gizmo1990]

Thanks for clearing that up @jamesh

I can appreciate both points but as well as frustration it also doesn't make any business sense, imo at least. The Zero has proven a high seller, so give it the production quotas it demands. It's a low margin product, then increase its price slightly or simply cease production of it.

Keeping quantities so low of this product is just driving high demand and customer frustration. Such that when it is in stock it's bulk bought and just as quickly out of stock again, with yet another high lead time. It's a vicious circle, but one which should be managable by the Raspberry Foundation.

A good comparison would be Nintendo's constraining of their mini console line. Thankfully they saw the light and manufactured the consoles' to sufficient levels for the market. Stock is now stable, Nintendo is making good money and people can actually buy their product. I really don't see why Raspberry can't do the same, on what is and will continue to be a constant seller for them. If only they'd make enough of them!?

Sorry, but as you can tell I'm a bit frustrated about this!

[rpdom]

I can appreciate both points but as well as frustration it also doesn't make any business sense, imo at least. The Zero has proven a high seller, so give it the production quotas it demands. It's a low margin product, then increase its price slightly or simply cease production of it.

The Zero was not sold at that low price for business sense. It was sold at that price to make it affordable for education. As long as it doesn't make a loss it is good.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a Charity after all, with education as its foremost aim.

[jamesh]

I'm not familiar with current stock levels, but is the Zero WH (the mass purchase one) available, or are you talking about all models of the Zero?

[gizmo1990]

I can appreciate both points but as well as frustration it also doesn't make any business sense, imo at least. The Zero has proven a high seller, so give it the production quotas it demands. It's a low margin product, then increase its price slightly or simply cease production of it.

The Zero was not sold at that low price for business sense. It was sold at that price to make it affordable for education. As long as it doesn't make a loss it is good.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a Charity after all, with education as its foremost aim.

Absolutely and I applaud it for it. I want another currently for its educational use in fact. It seems to me though that if its unable to actually be purchased then it's failing on part of that remit then. However, I doubt that even the £5 Zero is sold at an actual loss, just a very slight profit margin. The WH is surely more profitable too.

@Jamesh it's all models afaik. There's just none around currently. It's the W or WH I'm after.

[rin67630]

Zero availability is the right term...

[ejolson]

Zero availability is the right term...

They are available at my favourite store, so the lack of availability at other retail outlets may not imply a new quad-core version to be announced on Pi Day in a few weeks. Thus, if not for the impending quarantine, I would recommend a fun shopping trip to Micro Center in the United States to scoop some Zeros up.

[gizmo1990]

Zero availability is the right term...

They are available at my favourite store, so the lack of availability at other retail outlets may not imply a new quad-core version to be announced on Pi Day in a few weeks. Thus, if not for the impending quarantine, I would recommend a fun shopping trip to Micro Center in the United States to scoop some Zeros up.

An impending update has been mooted before. It would obviously be fantastic but I wouldn't get my hopes up, even with Raspberry's legendary ability to keep these things secret. I'd also question the ability to supply demand of any newer version, given the Zeros past and present shortages. You'd probably have to sign up for Rolex like waiting lists!

It's so odd. They have a fantastic product. I truly believe the Zero is still their best product, bar the original Pi. Tiny form factor, cheap with 'just enough' power is everything. But they just seem unwilling to really get behind the product.

[fruitoftheloom]

Zero availability is the right term...

They are available at my favourite store, so the lack of availability at other retail outlets may not imply a new quad-core version to be announced on Pi Day in a few weeks. Thus, if not for the impending quarantine, I would recommend a fun shopping trip to Micro Center in the United States to scoop some Zeros up.

An impending update has been mooted before. It would obviously be fantastic but I wouldn't get my hopes up, even with Raspberry's legendary ability to keep these things secret. I'd also question the ability to supply demand of any newer version, given the Zeros past and present shortages. You'd probably have to sign up for Rolex like waiting lists!

It's so odd. They have a fantastic product. I truly believe the Zero is still their best product, bar the original Pi. Tiny form factor, cheap with 'just enough' power is everything. But they just seem unwilling to really get behind the product.

Raspberry Pi Trading do not release a publicly available road map, any hints about a replacement or new model is nothing more than speculation and wishful thinking from Users who have absolutely Zero idea about development and manufacturing of a Single Board Computer.

[jamesh]

Zero availability is the right term...

They are available at my favourite store, so the lack of availability at other retail outlets may not imply a new quad-core version to be announced on Pi Day in a few weeks. Thus, if not for the impending quarantine, I would recommend a fun shopping trip to Micro Center in the United States to scoop some Zeros up.

An impending update has been mooted before. It would obviously be fantastic but I wouldn't get my hopes up, even with Raspberry's legendary ability to keep these things secret. I'd also question the ability to supply demand of any newer version, given the Zeros past and present shortages. You'd probably have to sign up for Rolex like waiting lists!

It's so odd. They have a fantastic product. I truly believe the Zero is still their best product, bar the original Pi. Tiny form factor, cheap with 'just enough' power is everything. But they just seem unwilling to really get behind the product.

Odd thing to say when we have sold multiple millions of them. The ZeroWh should be widely available. Currently waiting for info on what the holdup is.

[jamesh]

OK, had a chat. It sounds like a cliche, but we are in a period of "Unprecedented demand"! I was told some figures, which I cannot repeat, but my chin dropped in amazement at the numbers involved.

The recommendation is to use official resellers (see our website). They may be out of stock at the moment, but are the first people to be restocked.

Sorry, but is really is such a popular product that keeping up is difficult.

(And before anyone asks, the shortages have nothing to do with Covid-19)

[rpdom]

OK, had a chat. It sounds like a cliche, but we are in a period of "Unprecedented demand"! I was told some figures, which I cannot repeat, but my chin dropped in amazement at the numbers involved.

The recommendation is to use official resellers (see our website). They may be out of stock at the moment, but are the first people to be restocked.

Sorry, but is really is such a popular product that keeping up is difficult.

(And before anyone asks, the shortages have nothing to do with Covid-19)

If demand keeps growing at the rate you seem to hinting at (for all Pi models), it may soon be worth getting a Fab plant in the UK and more Assembly plants.

[jamesh]

OK, had a chat. It sounds like a cliche, but we are in a period of "Unprecedented demand"! I was told some figures, which I cannot repeat, but my chin dropped in amazement at the numbers involved.

The recommendation is to use official resellers (see our website). They may be out of stock at the moment, but are the first people to be restocked.

Sorry, but is really is such a popular product that keeping up is difficult.

(And before anyone asks, the shortages have nothing to do with Covid-19)

If demand keeps growing at the rate you seem to hinting at (for all Pi models), it may soon be worth getting a Fab plant in the UK and more Assembly plants.

$4B minimum to build a fab. We just buy the chips in from Brcm, we don't make them ourselves (or own the design). Even Brcm are fabless, they contract the manufacture out to TSMC or similar, who really are the experts at making chips.

Assembly plants would be easier, but I know of no plans to increase capacity on that respect, we may even be limited by the fabs output speed, I really have no idea of that.

[W. H. Heydt]

OK, had a chat. It sounds like a cliche, but we are in a period of "Unprecedented demand"! I was told some figures, which I cannot repeat, but my chin dropped in amazement at the numbers involved.

The recommendation is to use official resellers (see our website). They may be out of stock at the moment, but are the first people to be restocked.

Sorry, but is really is such a popular product that keeping up is difficult.

(And before anyone asks, the shortages have nothing to do with Covid-19)

If demand keeps growing at the rate you seem to hinting at (for all Pi models), it may soon be worth getting a Fab plant in the UK and more Assembly plants.

Rather than another assembly *plant*, perhaps an additional assembly *line* at the existing plant. Alternatively, given recent events, assembly lines in other places, such as somewhere in the EU or US.

[jamesh]

Always assuming the bottleneck is the assembly line.

Anyway, off topic and a bit grandmother, here's how to suck an egg.

[TomTOm123]

Do we have any idea on even a rough ballpark for new stock? Days / Weeks ... More?

[jamesh]

Do we have any idea on even a rough ballpark for new stock? Days / Weeks ... More?

Constantly in production I believe. A LOT in the current batch so hopefully not too long.

[gizmo1990]

They are available at my favourite store, so the lack of availability at other retail outlets may not imply a new quad-core version to be announced on Pi Day in a few weeks. Thus, if not for the impending quarantine, I would recommend a fun shopping trip to Micro Center in the United States to scoop some Zeros up.

An impending update has been mooted before. It would obviously be fantastic but I wouldn't get my hopes up, even with Raspberry's legendary ability to keep these things secret. I'd also question the ability to supply demand of any newer version, given the Zeros past and present shortages. You'd probably have to sign up for Rolex like waiting lists!

It's so odd. They have a fantastic product. I truly believe the Zero is still their best product, bar the original Pi. Tiny form factor, cheap with 'just enough' power is everything. But they just seem unwilling to really get behind the product.

Odd thing to say when we have sold multiple millions of them. The ZeroWh should be widely available. Currently waiting for info on what the holdup is.

If you mean my comment about not getting behind the product, then that's because that is how it seems from the outside, I'm afraid. When was it first released, 2015/16? Since that period I've had stock issues every time I've tried to buy one. I'm up to about 5 now and probably purchased them fairly spread out, one at a time.

If there's unprecedented demand, I can understand why. Like I said, I believe the Zero to be, by some margin, Raspberry's best product. It's fantastic. Its community is fantastic. But to have a near 5 year old product still have (it seems to me at least) constant stock shortages, points to an issue somewhere? If margins are too slight to meet such demand, then maybe add a quid etc onto it. It would still be exceptional value and perhaps allow Raspberry to invest in bigger runs to satisfy demand?

Anyway, I'm glad to hear there will be a big delivery soon. Funds allowing, I'm likely going to buy at least an extra one or two though, so that I'm not in this situation again. And I surely won't be the only one, given the history of shortages. And that's annoying because I would presume that might bring about another shortage! Gah!

[jamesh]

Unfortunately I cannot give accurate numbers, but to get a customer come and say they want 20000 is not unusual. Hopefully that gives you some idea of demand. And its quite spiky as well.

The pi4 is the best product!

[gizmo1990]

The pi4 is the best product!

Your sales and stock shortages seem to suggest otherwise!

The Pi4 is awesome, but stacked against the Zero's price/performance/size, I'd say that is the Foundation's greatest creation, imo of course.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to when these come in so I can get on with my project. One other relavent question here, will big retailers (Pimoroni etc) be told to restrict purchases to single or x amounts? The thought of having to go to multiple retailers and pay postage x times would be really annoying.

[W. H. Heydt]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to when these come in so I can get on with my project. One other relavent question here, will big retailers (Pimoroni etc) be told to restrict purchases to single or x amounts? The thought of having to go to multiple retailers and pay postage x times would be really annoying.

For Pi0/Pi0W? No indication that that policy will change. For Pi4B? Again, no indications that the policy will change (buy as many as you want).