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GoNintendo: "Getting the switch at gamestop might be a bit of a difficult endeavor"

As someone who's never preordered a console and has owned every console day one, not worried. I'll be able to walk into any store and grab it day one. Just like with every console in history.

This is very much a YMMV situation. Whether demand is sustained or not, I don't think it's ever that unexpected for new gadgets like this to sell out just because there's always going to be an audience that wants the latest and greatest thing on day one. I mentioned this not too long ago, but I want to again reiterate that for about 2 - 4 weeks, the Wii U appeared to be selling out in many locations, and it wasn't just due to artificial scarcity as the console was breaking previous sales records.

With new tech I think there's a couple of factors. One is just that it takes a bit to ramp up production to mass produce a device that can meet the demand. Two is that you definitely don't want to overdo it and wind up sitting on a mountain of inventory that you can't sell.
 
So, is this on Nintendo for not making enough units, or Gamestop for not ordering enough?

I thought I read somewhere that limited stock was due to the retailer not ordering enough. Is that true?
 

Rappy

Member
You just gotta know where to go to lineup. Weirder stores like Costco always get a stock with no line. Ezpz to walk up and buy whatever.
No, do they not. Having worked for Costco, every warehouse is different. And having interest in many systems day 1, very few or no Costcos around my area has ever had a day 1 release. The world's a big place, not everyone has it as easy as you.
 

Steiner

Banned
We tasked my mother in law to look for them because she lives near like 4 Gamestops. She went into one that had Wii display boxes stacked in front of the window and asked for one. When they told her they didn't and had no idea when they would she destroyed their display.

Holy shit what a boss.
 
They can be hit or miss on whether they carry Nintendo hardware at all, or just through third party sellers.

Any reason not to consider other online options like Best Buy? Just as reliable in my experience, free release date shipping etc.

The big thing with Amazon is that they don't charge you until the item ships. Best Buy puts a hold on your account upfront.
 

Kenai

Member
I've heard so many stories about game stores getting 2 Wiis with every shipment. The store would request thirty, they would get 2. They would request 50, they would get 2. I got mine on launch day, but most other people I knew couldn't get them at regular retail stores for years. There was a sign on every Target window saying "WE HAVE NO NINTENDO WIIS". Having one was exciting because it seemed like nobody else did.

Just an anecdote.

I actually started browsing GAF because I got a Wii and was enjoying it (I NEEDED Twilight Princess and they delayed the GC release like bastards) but kept hearing people complain about how Nintendo wasn't shipping enough, and GAF was the first place I found with legitimate sales data.

It was established that Wii sold record breaking numbers and shipped more than any console prior in history. Yet, people still accuse them of artificially under shipping that console to this day.
 
Only thing selling directly could help re: supply is making it a tad easier to cut down on scalplers. Limit to one per address/credit card. Vs. a lot of retailers that just don't give a shit as a sale is a sale, with even the most dilligent generally doing nothing but limiting to one per shipment. So yeah, probably not worth it.

I also wonder, in addition to just underestimating demand, how much internal worry they had about a successful NES classic killing potentially more profitable future Switch VC game sales. Why pay $5 a pop on their when you can get 30 that cover most peoples wants for $2 a pop by buying a Classic?

I just don't get the idea that the NES Classic was gemuinely held back. If they intended on selling it in capacities of the demand I dont see why it never got a massive restock.

There are so many reasons why they as a company could have seen the demand and been like fuck it. They almost assuredly had not committed to serving that level of demand period given it is a novelty item and not a mainstay product.

I also really doubt they held it back becauae of VC. The category of people who would want this product in the NES format would never go and download 30 individual games. The whole idea is it's a cheap ass plug and play.
 

Rizific

Member
I know I'm probably 14 pages late, but uhhh Gamestop isn't the only retailer that will sell the switch. Non issue (for me, at least)
 

ultrazilla

Member
Just called my local GameStop. Oh boy. Things will be interesting Thursday night/Friday morning. They've been told to expect VERY limited quantities. Preorders go live Friday.
 
Just called my local GameStop. Oh boy. Things will be interesting Thursday night/Friday morning. They've been told to expect VERY limited quantities. Preorders go live Friday.

I'm honestly not trying to be overly cynical here or accuse anyone of lying. Part of me just can't help but chuckle because what else are they going to say? "I called up my local GameStop and the guy told me that they're going to have truckloads of these things and pre-ordering was a waste of time." Again, that's not me suggesting that supply will be plentiful or that the person was lying to you.
 

//ARCANUM

Member
Just called my local GameStop. Oh boy. Things will be interesting Thursday night/Friday morning. They've been told to expect VERY limited quantities. Preorders go live Friday.

to be fair, gamestop will tell you this about ANY product. "oh you want the new assassin's creed? better pre-order it! limited supply!" lol.

But for real, I think the 10-15 units per store that has been rumored sounds about right. that's still few, but not quite NES Classic 2-3 per store few.
 
So how early do you think we should go in Friday Morning to Gamestop? I was thinking about showing up at 9am, an hour before they open.
 

Peltz

Member
I'll grab one at Nintendo's store in NYC. The line will likely go on for blocks on launch night, but will probably shrink to about an hour wait by the next morning (like with the Wii U).
 

Kindekuma

Banned
I remember camping out in front of a Target at 4am in the beginning of December for a Wii right when it came out. Hopefully getting a Switch won't be as bad.
 

WadeitOut

Member
I haven't had problems getting a console at launch online since the Wii.

It's really not that complicated. There are so many stock alerts/websites to preorder from.
 
So how soon should we expect Amazon to open pre-orders? As soon as the presentation is over (i.e. in the middle of the night on the east coast)? Sometime during the next day?
 
I don't see Nintendo doing a holdback to generate hype. But I do see Nintendo being more conservative with release numbers after what happened with the WiiU not moving units as quickly at launch.

We will only know how things are once it officially releases.
 
I'm definitely expecting pictures of you not waiting in line and buying a switch.

Well, it's possible that he's not lying. Again, I just think it's clearly a YMMV situation. In a connected world where we have inventory trackers and up-to-the-minute updates about availability and profitable reselling all over the place, it's obviously just silly though to think that somehow during every other console launch when systems are hard to come by and there's a tidy profit to be made scalping a unit on eBay, Costco has flown completely under the radar in all their locations as a place to buy gaming hardware.
 

meanspartan

Member
Nope. Fuck off Nintendo. Stock your shit or I'll be perfectly fine with my Ps4.

I am done rewarding them for their phony supply issues.

I don't mean the first few weeks - obviously it is normal to expect supply issues then. But if 1-2 months out I can't buy one (as with the NES classic), I'm not sure I ever will.
 

meanspartan

Member
Well, personally, I think people are really overestimating how profitable an NES Classic really is. I'm not saying that it isn't profitable. But I do think that perhaps there's a little more to the costs than just assuming it's all cheap parts and calling it a day. I think there are several things to consider: distribution costs, retail cut, third party licensing fees, and so on. Also, this does sort of undercut $5 a pop Virtual Console games. Further, there's no path to further monetize this thing. It's a one-and-done product.

My personal opinion is that this was conceived as a more niche product than people assume and that they had no big plans for it. I don't think there's a real master plan here. It was just a product to have out there at Christmas time.

Then why did they even bother? I doubt it was "just a product to have out there", that isn't really the Nintendo MO.
 

ultrazilla

Member
I'm honestly not trying to be overly cynical here or accuse anyone of lying. Part of me just can't help but chuckle because what else are they going to say? "I called up my local GameStop and the guy told me that they're going to have truckloads of these things and pre-ordering was a waste of time." Again, that's not me suggesting that supply will be plentiful or that the person was lying to you.

I can assure you I'm not lying nor was he. No reason whatsoever to do so. I want Nintendo to have millions available for demand.

It was a manager with store/lead/district manager present while he talked to me.

Said they were told to expect only between 10-20 max. I'm sure as word spreads, my posts will be backed up with additional
confirmations. He told me he had literally just gotten word and they are actively trying to figure out how to handle Friday with promotions and such.
 
I also really doubt they held it back becauae of VC. The category of people who would want this product in the NES format would never go and download 30 individual games. The whole idea is it's a cheap ass plug and play.

Yeah, I'm not saying it's a big factor. I just am not completely ignoring the possibility of it being a factor. More to the point, I'm curious to see if they have a better Virtual Console strategy in place for the Switch. If they think that there's a potentially strong marketplace to sell NES games on a tablet/console hybrid platform and their previous precedent is to charge $5 a game, I don't know if the presence of a wildly popular and easy to obtain machine like the NES Classic helps with the VC games pitch. But I also understand that the audience for the NES Classic and the Switch isn't necessarily the same.

I mentioned it last because I wanted it to be clear that this isn't my number one reason for thinking they undershipped the NES Classic. Just something in the back of my mind.
 
Then why did they even bother? I doubt it was "just a product to have out there", that isn't really the Nintendo MO.

Well, initially the idea was to get the Switch out for holiday release, but it got delayed. The Wii U had nothing to market. The pickings on the 3DS were pretty slim. There really wasn't all that much to get excited about Nintendo-wise.

Now, I'm just some jackass on the internet speculating here. I haven't conversed with a single person at Nintendo, so I may be way off base here. I'm just saying that I completely believe that I can easily understand why having a product to market would be beneficial to them even if they didn't regard said product as very important in the long term.
 

Josh5890

Member
Maybe I wait in line a couple hours earlier than expected on Friday. My big thing is that I was going to pre order a Switch for the GF. If they limit me to one pre-order then I'll have to hope I can get one online somewhere.
 

trixx

Member
Not a big deal, maybe problematic for a month, will get one eventually getting zelda on wii u anyways.

I'm living in the US for a few months and I wasn't planning to buy my Switch at Gamestop. Aren't Walmart and Best Buy better?

most likely, ill probably be able to get one at launch at local best buy anyways lol
 
friend of mine also confirmed pre-orders for friday morning at gamestop i know im getting there 2 hrs early to try and get mine secured.
 
D

Deleted member 752119

Unconfirmed Member
The big thing with Amazon is that they don't charge you until the item ships. Best Buy puts a hold on your account upfront.

True. Though not a big deal if you're using a credit card though as it won't actually go on your bill until it's actually charged and shipped.

Really, though, using a debit card online is just asking for trouble given the much bigger hassle in dealing with a debit/bank account getting fraudulent charges (money's out of your checking, some banks take a while to put back), vs. a credit card where you can just dispute the charges. Though I get some can't get credit cards and thus have no choice.
 

LogN

Member
Stores will be posting allocations on their front doors after close. So around 9, 9:15pm local time you'll see what hat store will have posted on the door.
 

UCBooties

Member
This shit again? Fuck off Nintendo.

If you're going to make it a pain in the ass to get at launch, I'm just not going to bother. I'll get one a year later after the inevitable price drop. Worked out great for me with the Wii U, not sure it worked out so well for you though...
 

DonShula

Member
Stores will be posting allocations on their front doors after close. So around 9, 9:15pm local time you'll see what hat store will have posted on the door.

Wow, that seems like a pretty customer-centric thing to do, considering the company we're talking about.
 

EloquentM

aka Mannny
Stores will be posting allocations on their front doors after close. So around 9, 9:15pm local time you'll see what hat store will have posted on the door.
Do you know anything about amazon? I'm not familiar with your connections.
 

Vardhan

Member
I have never preordered a game console before; can I usually preorder them on GameStop.com or do I have to go to one of their stores?
 
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