The Wii Shortage Saga

[Xaroxantu Zero]

Be sure to read the comments too at the site. Really interesting points.


I have never been a huge video gamer but, having run into the Nintendo Wii a few times in the past couple of months, I can see why it is beloved.

But here’s the question: why is the Wii, which was famously scarce before Christmas this year, still so hard to buy?

Paul Kimmelman, a technical architect who has guest-blogged here before, poses this question and walks through some of the various wrinkles:

You guys may be interested in the Nintendo Wii and its serious availability issues. They released this in Nov 2006, and have not been able to supply properly to this day. The national availability runs around 2-5%, with most stores out of them most of the time, and no legit online retailer carrying them at all. This has had two effects: the average price paid has been around 150% to 180% of retail price, with none of that going to retailers or the manufacturer. Only scalpers are profiting. It is interesting to me for 5 reasons:

1. Nintendo clearly made a colossal blunder in setting up their manufacturing. Even if they assumed it would not do very well, their inability to ramp up production in 4 months is pretty unusual in this industry. Note that there are no known parts shortages.

2. Retailers are benefiting in extra store traffic, as people come to check to see if they have it available. So, even if they lose potential sales of this device, they probably make up much more in sales to people who are in the store looking for one. Perhaps the retailers are paying Nintendo not to ship them to the US?

3. Game vendors (including Nintendo) are hurt by this, since their TAM/CAM is held artificially lower. Since shelf life of a game is very much based on release date, this hurts the game developers.

4. It is unclear how much this has pushed sales of XBox360, PS3, PS2, and even older Gamecube devices. Since Wii has a quite different controller design, people are attracted to it. Normally, this would have benefited their competitors a lot according to economic theory.

5. Nintendo has not addressed this issue publicly at all. No apologies, no status reports, nothing to say what they are doing about it. Surprising for a company in this situation. It is unclear if they feel this shortage is a PR advantage or problem.
Source: Freakonomics Blog (http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/2007/04/19/we-want-a-wii-still/)

[triver525]

I'd bet they feel it's a PR advantage.

[Mr_John]

I'm glad they had a shortage or I'd probably be kicking myself for owning the Wii. Good system but I'm glad I got my 360 instead.

[Anton]

Since I decided to get one, I was able to find one within 1.5 days of looking for it. It's not readily available but it's definitely not hard to find IMO.

P.S. Kick ass system...

[cityhunter2501]

I was actually at Best Buy Sunridge an hour ago, and saw 3-4 Wii, was tempted to buy one but I knew I wouldnt end up playing it anyway.

so if someone wants a Wii, go now while they are still there

[GQBalla]

shoulda bought it and sold it on ebay.

[tsi_neal]

ive been looking for 3 days and got one this morning... best buy had 50+ so yea its not a walk in and walk out item but wasnt terrible to get

[HRD2PLZ]

If anyone is looking, Toys R Us in Market Mall has 40 Wii's available with another 40 coming in for the 16th. I got mine this afternoon and LOVE it!

[KRyn]

I have mine and I am very very happy with this purchase.

[Barlow]

just pi ked it up..... hooking it up now.

[heavyD]

Of course it's artificial. I believe even Gamestop mentioned it. I'm not interested in the Wii but I'm not big on the whole artificial shortage thing as misleading customers just isn't good business. On the other hand it is good business for Nintendo because the shortages have caused alot of the hype that they system offers something different even if it really doesn't. I mean people can't be lining up for that library of games as after Zelda it it rather pathetic.

[DJ Lazy]

I think I have used mine more for surfing the net, than I have for gaming.. like right now, i am posting from my Wii..:rofl:

[adamc]

^ check your pms dj lazy

[Ed the SOHC]

I love my wii (sounds weird when you say it out loud). The week I got it, I had it modded and started playing "backed up" games. I think this is the best system for the Non-Hard Core gamer like myself.

[Kamen]

I just picked one up today finally from HMV. Sweet :bigpimp:

[Kamen]

Here is my post from Wii Opera. :) I love this thing.

[kongaj]

I think I may sell my 360 for it. Not sure though.
Was over at a friends house last night and was amazed at the weather channel, internet and news channel.
soo sweet

[jdmakkord]

I just picked one up Friday night from Superstore in Airdrie...fun so far.

[Donmega]

Originally posted by Ed the SOHC
I love my wii (sounds weird when you say it out loud). The week I got it, I had it modded and started playing "backed up" games. I think this is the best system for the Non-Hard Core gamer like myself. pm me some info about how u modded ur wii

[ricefarmer]

need a Wii right now! anyone know who has them in stock?

[saiyajin]

Originally posted by ricefarmer
need a Wii right now! anyone know who has them in stock?

have one for sale if you are interested

[hampstor]

the Superstore up on 64th Avenue NE / Metis Trail has a cart full of them. I was up there this morning and the girl had them behind the counter.

[kongaj]

Anyone see any wii's in the south of Calgary?

[cityhunter2501]

there were like 12 Wii in sunridge BB thursday when I went there.

[USHER]

went to a bunch of places today adn they are sold out neone know where they have some

[sl888]

Check out EB Games thats where I got mine a few days ago.

[VT777]

check out costco in the NE. they have about 50

[Trini]

went to the toys r us in market mall got one had 2 left that was friday

[bluetek]

anyone have any updates??? can't seem to find one so any help would be appreciated.

[SilverRex]

i was lucky that superstore had them when I shopped there and they happened to have the 30 dollar off cupon as well so I jumped at it.

thankfully, I got one now as I hear there is a new version of the D2C chipset that renders the wii unmodable,

so the older wii release will be in hot market until the modding community cracks the new chip, imagine they cant. haha

what was the stat, for everyone one ps3, they sell 6 wiis off the shelf.

clearly nintnedo has won this console war.

;)

[lowryder99]

Originally posted by SilverRex

clearly nintnedo has won this console war.


Hahaha....I seriously hope that was a joke....look at the number of xbox 360's sold to the number of wii's sold....

[accordboi_02]

Originally posted by lowryder99


Hahaha....I seriously hope that was a joke....look at the number of xbox 360's sold to the number of wii's sold....
According to this site: http://www.vgchartz.com/
The Wii is only 220,000 units behind the 360 worldwide, and that was done in one less year.

Xbox doesn't sell worth crap in Japan.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by lowryder99


Hahaha....I seriously hope that was a joke....look at the number of xbox 360's sold to the number of wii's sold....

Wii world wide is about 1M short of 360 world wide. Given 360 is on the market for extra year, one can see that Wii is selling twice as fast as 360.

But I'm slowly seeing there isn't enough good titles to sustain the Wii growth. Japan has already slowed down. And Metroid 3 graphic is down right embarrassing for a next gen FPS. Looks like Wii will have to stick with social aspect of gaming, not hardcore.

[SilverRex]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Wii world wide is about 1M short of 360 world wide. Given 360 is on the market for extra year, one can see that Wii is selling twice as fast as 360.

But I'm slowly seeing there isn't enough good titles to sustain the Wii growth. Japan has already slowed down. And Metroid 3 graphic is down right embarrassing for a next gen FPS. Looks like Wii will have to stick with social aspect of gaming, not hardcore.

I dun think title is a problem as long as wii push out a great title once and awhile that will be enough.

my wife have been playing the tennis game every since wii came out and she is just addicted to it.

the swinging action is what draws the crowds.

i cant wait till lucasarts release a saber dual action game for the wii....

[beecue]

Originally posted by SilverRex

i cant wait till lucasarts release a saber dual action game for the wii....

:werd: ... that will be sick .. I bought my wii for mario kart ... 12 player online :D ... once that hits .. anyone who was undecided will probably buy one ... got madden 08 ... its pretty fun too .. online is lag free :)

[bluetek]

Just picked up one from Wal Mart in Okotoks. If anybody is looking they had 3 left as of this morning.

[Ferio_vti]

I just returned on to TD HMV downtown an hour ago. Bought it last week, didnt' do anything with it. I like playing Wii (at friends' place), but I don't have time for video games.

[Pihsiak]

Wii at BB in the NE. About 50 of them

[kongaj]

Bought one today when I was at HMV in West Ed