Are Nintendo Wii's still out of stock everywhere?

[snes_collector]

I saw a used Wii sitting in GameStops glass case yesterday, almost had to double take as at first I didn't realize what it was!

[DARK ANDY]

It is very rare here in Toronto.

[jonjandran]

In Columbus, Georgia and Montgomery , Alabama they are on the shelves at all the major stores.

Must be a regional thing now.

[Daniel Thomas]

Don't worry. Nintendo's going to keep this up through the end of the year, easily. They'll ship enough units so stocks sell out, and there's still a slight demand. It's a hard needle to thread, but I have to admit, they've really pulled it off.

And the crazy thing is that when you actually see a Wii box, you have this sudden urge to grab it immediately and run. That conditioning has set in, the idea that it's fleeting and about to disappear forever. For me, this goes all the way back to the Cabbage Patch Doll craze of 1984, in which parents were nearly killing one another for one of those stupid dolls.

Predictably, there were eventually more than enough to go around. This happens all the time, and the consumer continues to be suckered again and again.

Just be patient. Don't freeze yourself for 500 years or anything.

[Lothars]

I see Wii's all over the place, it's pretty interesting but basically any store I go to has a Ton of Wii's and has been like that for around 3 months now.

[Hwj_Chim]

the wii is very common around here also. So I think it is a reign thing.

[theoakwoody]

Why does everyone keep talking about how Nintendo is purposely holding back inventory and that they should be able to pump Wii's out faster. If they had no idea how successful the Wii would be how would they know they would have to manufacture 11 million Wii's in the first 9 months it was available. I really don't see how that benefits them to hold back inventory. If anything they'd want to sell as many systems as possible while the Wii is "hot and "trendy".

[cyberfluxor]

It's still pretty dry around here, although I haven't really been searching for one. I'm sure if I wondered around on Tuesday mornings to all of the Best Buys, Circuit Citys, Walmarts and Targets I'd eventually find one.

[Rob2600]

The Wii is selling at a pace of almost half a million units per month. The demand is insane!

[Icarus Moonsight]

Why does everyone keep talking about how Nintendo is purposely holding back inventory and that they should be able to pump Wii's out faster. If they had no idea how successful the Wii would be how would they know they would have to manufacture 11 million Wii's in the first 9 months it was available. I really don't see how that benefits them to hold back inventory. If anything they'd want to sell as many systems as possible while the Wii is "hot and "trendy".

QTF. A whole year of sales behind the 360 and they managed to sell more by holding stock? WTF!? I know the issue of Japan sales will come up and all I got to say about that is...

While I haven't seen Wii's on shelf anywhere I have been to stores that have them. They keep them hidden in a back or store room and the only way to know if they have any is to ask for one. The only reason I know this is I've seen people asking for one and the clerk goes to the room and grabs one. I'm guessing because they sell so damn fast why bother moving a shipment to the case every week. You can put another product on display with less demand.

The Walmarts around here have pulled some Wii peripherals from the aisle hang pegs to the case. I asked why and it seems that Wii remotes/nunchucks are very shopliftable. They were finding the outter plastic cases all over the place. Some pant saggin' brat could easily stash 4 or 5 in each pocket. No doubt to wind up on eBay. More dubious is Granny filing her purse for a Wii Sports tourney at the old folks home.

[WanganRunner]

I still have yet to see one on a store shelf here in DC.

Honestly, in cities where this is still the case, the only way to get one is to go to Circuit City or Best Buy at opening on a Sunday morning and hope for the best. Do this for 2-3 weeks and you'll be sure to get one.

This will likely continue to be the case until after the 2008 holiday season, as while demand is high right now, it will skyrocket as we again get closer to Xmas.

All those people who passed on buying Wii's last year because it was impossible to get one will be out in force to purchase them this year.

If you want one, camp for it. No chance otherwise, at least not if you're in DC/LA/NYC (maybe also ATL and Chicago, dunno)

[Nintendork]

I got tired of not seeing a Wii anywhere I went (Souderton, outside of Philadelphia) so I tried one of those sites where you can get one for free after signning up for a couple offers and getting seven referrals. So far I've only mustered one referral and completed my two free offers. Seeing as nobody is helping me out and they apparently are making their ways back into stores, my wife and I are just going to pick one up after Christmas sometime.

[Sanriostar]

If you want one, camp for it. No chance otherwise, at least not if you're in DC/LA/NYC (maybe also ATL and Chicago, dunno)

I finally started a Wii hunt yesterday; I should have one by the end of the week if my inquiries come to fruition.

EDIT:
Just got a Wii this afternoon! Took 2 days of searching, and that's it!

[norkusa]

QTF. A whole year of sales behind the 360 and they managed to sell more by holding stock? WTF!? I know the issue of Japan sales will come up and all I got to say about that is...

Yeah, you're right. It's not like Nintendo has done this before or anything.

[neogamer]

If anyone here seriously believes that Nintendo held Wii systems back, you certainly have a problem understanding busines basics! It just does not work that way.

Nintendo did their very best getting Wii systems out there. Anyone who wanted one and was willing to hunt a little, did get one. I have friends, clients, and contacts, all around the country, and they all agree.

All you really had to do was go to your local Toys R Us, Best Buy, or Circuit City store on a Sunday morning, line up at the door, and hope for the best.

If that did not work, you could always try the next weekend (or even eBay). The point is, when you see both the production numbers and the sell through numbers that Nintendo reported, it is impossible to prove or even attempt to conspire that Nintendo held units back.

Second, it makes no business sense! Sony and Microsoft were each accused of the same type of business practices. In this day and age, that type of practice does not work and it ended many years ago.

The only market were this type of practice works, is when you have a monopoly. Remember the infamous "chip shortage" that caused the death of games like Kid Icarus. Nintendo claimed that they did not have enough chips to produce the amount of games needed to make demand, back when the NES was king. The company stopped production of Kid Icarus and a few other titles to increase demand. This is an example of business practices that are used when you have a monopoly. This does not work in the given market environment. Nintendo now needs to build market share fast. They have built as many units as they possibly could. I think everyone here is smart enough to understand that. And just for the record, I love all three systems equally (although Microsoft is starting to get on my nerves). Point being, I could care less who has the better market share or system. I just want cool games! In the end, does hardware even matter?

[GM80]

I finally found mine at Target last month, and have since seen them get a shipment twice.

Hadn't seen one before that, or anywhere else since then.

[Gamingking]

It was hard to find mine, but my Wal-mart get a few in every now in then.

[8bitgamer]

I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and every time I go to Target, Gamestop, etc., there are no Wiis in stock.

http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/

[Neil Koch]

The Walmarts around here have pulled some Wii peripherals from the aisle hang pegs to the case. I asked why and it seems that Wii remotes/nunchucks are very shopliftable. They were finding the outter plastic cases all over the place. Some pant saggin' brat could easily stash 4 or 5 in each pocket. No doubt to wind up on eBay. More dubious is Granny filing her purse for a Wii Sports tourney at the old folks home.

I used to do some security and actually it was about half and half between the oldsters and kids as to who shoplifted the most. Anyway, most of the stores around here were putting the Wiimotes and Nunchucks in display cases since day 1...

FYI for those in the Minneapolis area who are looking for a Wii - a good place to try is the Target on Nicollet Mall. It's usually pretty dead on the weekends (especially Saturday afternoons) and I picked up one a few weeks ago.

[Poofta!]

i dont think ive ever seen a wii on shelves for sale here in nyc. maybe one at a pc shop but thats about it. my friend camped for his on launch day in pittsburg while he went to school there and got me one as well.