It's PR from ATT & NOK. Looking at the sales number three months later will more accurately tell us NOK's fortune.

This is nothing surprising.

Why doesn't anyone notice its a marketing tactic, I pegged you guys smart enough for that.
Its economics 101, you can't make money without supply and demand.
Nokia isn't making (profits) money so they either have insufficient supply or insufficient demand.

They did the smoked by Lumia/WP7.5 stunt.
They did the mass marketing (Nokia's largest marketing in history).
They did the giveaway and cheap pricing.
Now Nokia nor AT&T would comment on the supply (which is interesting).

A) Nokia's supplier/factory has produced and is producing at low supply rate.
B) Nokia still doesn't have enough demand for it supply.

Now you'd think it couldn't be scenario B since NOKIA, Microsoft and AT&T all put a lot of effort behind it, but you would be wrong.
The best solution to do after the "fire sale" is to produce the illusion that demand is high (and for good reason), that way those interested would want the device even more. Its like a catalyst to create demand.

Apple does the same thing here in Australia, fact is they have many models, but they have a firm grip over the market that they don't saturate their own product.

If anyone wants proof that this is a 'marketing tactic' just go to your local AT&T store. They will act like the demand is high, they will sell you that illusion. But if you wanted to buy it, they probably can give you one right away. Otherwise have it shipped the very next day.

I'm not making this stuff up, because it actually did occur to me.