Yes, yes it is. If we followed the "don't put people out of work" mantra we'd still have railroad break-men. Now, thankfully, they are free to pursue more useful jobs, and we are all better off. Adam Smith and all, you know?
The biggest drops in sales also measn the biggest push for salesgrunts to get out there and get the biggest slice possible of what is out here. The good news for those of us with budget to buy this summer is that the vendors will be scrapping so hard for the few sales going that they'll be offering some tasty discounts. Resellers will be desperate to maintain marketshare (never could understand their fixation with marketshare, I always thought profits should be the measure that matters?) so expect them to be just as eager. Whilst prices will probably have to go up in the long run if sales do stay flat, it will be interesting to see who blinks first.