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There were claims that Samsung had sold 2 million Galaxy Tabs so far. Now, we’ve learned the total is a much less sanguine 1.5 million and that Samsung expects to have sold 2 million sometime soon. Why the disappointing sales? ITG Investment Research, which tracked point-of-sale data from nearly 6,000 wireless stores in the US from the Galaxy Tab’s November debut through January 15, has found at least part of the reason — returns, a lot of them.

ITG says that the Galaxy Tab has an unusually high return rate and, according to its estimates, cumulative return rates for the device through December of 2010 were about 13 percent. However, that percentage is growing as holiday purchases are returned and the final rate through January 15 was 16 percent, which is very, very not good.

Sounds like Samsung stuffed the channel with 2 million units and they’re waiting to see how many will be sent back unsold by retailers or returned by dissatisfied buyers. To date, they only seem sure enough to say that 1.5 million have sold and another 500,000 are out their somewhere in the ether in a still undetermined state of sold, unsold or returned.

By comparison, the return rate for Apple’s iPad is just 2 percent and the company has had difficulty meeting demand. Food for thought…

What’s your take?

via News.com and All Things D

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