Scalpers' delight: Wii price surges to $500-600 on ebay, amazon marketplace

[gkrykewy]

The prices being seen today are (I think) higher than at any other point, including post-launch last year.

Amazon Marketplace current lowest price is $583 and change: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...6104174&sr=8-1

Recent completed ebay listing for $550 + $35 for shipping: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Nintendo-Wii... QcmdZViewItem

Are any NYC gaffers going to start lining up at the Nintendo World Store each morning to buy a Wii for resale? I'm sure some will (not gaffers, necessarily).

This is staggering, and cannot be entirely explained by Canadian vultures swooping in to take advantage of the recently deceased US dollar.

[dark10x]

People want to play Wii Sports!

[Firewire]

Umm Canadian vultures?

[BenjaminBirdie]

Unbelievable.

[AstroLad]

Fucking Canadians. First Rock Band, now this. We need some stricter laws/enforcement against this kind of BULLSHIT. Drives up prices for people here for whom the consoles are intended. Total garbage.

[gkrykewy]

Umm Canadian vultures?

Well, they're smart vultures: I think my last three auctions have been won by Canadians (not scalping Wiis though). Would you prefer sage opportunists?

[Tieno]

So how fad is the Wii?

[BlueTsunami]

I'll fucken stab any Parent I hear talking about how they had to pay $500 off EBay just so their little spawn could spaz out on Mario Party 8

[Count Dookkake]

Huh. How are things looking for the enterprising PS3 scalpers out there?

[disappeared]

So how fad is the Wii?

So fad.

On a side note, I'm really tempted to take a put a couple Wiis on my Visa and make some nice bonus Christmas cash.

[Speevy]

I'd do this if I weren't playing Super Mario Galaxy.

Damn you games!

[Mithos Yggdrasill]

So how fad is the Wii?

Enough for the GAF in any case.

[viakado]

i can't imagine when wii fits cometh.

[Evlar]

There goes the theory that people won't pay $600 for a game machine.

[Gigglepoo]

I'd only sell my Wii for massive profits if I buy one for $250 in January.

[AstroLad]

There goes the theory that people won't pay $600 for a game machine.

Oh the ironing. And I really wanted Nintendo to do a price boost for the holidays. Hell, they could have added a controller slot or something, called it Wii+, and sold it for $500 and obviously it still would have sold out.

[exarkun]

There goes the theory that people won't pay $600 for a game machine.

Too true, too true. But who woulda thought the Wii woulda been the one to prove it.

[Firewire]

Fucking Canadians. First Rock Band, now this. We need some stricter laws/enforcement against this kind of BULLSHIT. Drives up prices for people here for whom the consoles are intended. Total garbage.

Hey! Back off! We give you good quality beer at way lower prices than what us Canadians damn well pay for the stuff!

[Scalpel Knight]

Don't worry, a few months from launch you'll be able to walk into your local game retailer and snatch one up with no trouble.

[FIREBABY]

I'd so do this. If it hadn't taken me a year to get one. And yeah Mario Galaxy is the shit.

[BlueTsunami]

You people already with a Wii should seriously sell yours off. You've already had fun with SMG, I'm sure a month without the lil' guy wouldn't hurt you. You would make at least double the amount you spent on the thing. Its a no brainer.

Thats a cool $250 pocket change, nearly enough to get you a 360 :>

[Spire]

The Wii's success is mindboggling.

[bill0527]

Wonder if I should sell mine and then pick one up after the holidays.

Even though its used, I've only had it 3 months, still have all the factory packaging and manuals. And I could carefully wrap it all back up to make it look brand new. Of course, I would advertised it as used, but some parent might want it for their kid and they would never know it wasn't brand new.

I turn mine on maybe once a month. I do want to play Super Mario Galaxy, but GH III, CoD4, and Mass Effect will keep me busy for the next couple of months, so I could definately live without the Wii.

[reilo]

Can't believe people would spend $500 on the Wii. Wow.

[DeaconKnowledge]

Now THIS is ironic.

[OuterWorldVoice]

wtf. I could sell mine and get a huge LCD TV.


I might just at that.

[BlueTsunami]

Even though its used, I've only had it 3 months, still have all the factory packaging and manuals. And I could carefully wrap it all back up to make it look brand new. Of course, I would advertised it as used, but some parent might want it for their kid and they would never know it wasn't brand new.

I would take some pictures with the date written on something alongside the Wii (to prove that its yours). Though, parents will obviously hittup scalpers with new unopened boxes first but I'm sure that will run dry at some point.

[Green Shinobi]

At least when the NES, PS1 and PS2 were dominating, they had unarguably the best software lineup on the market.

The sight of a console with far and away the worst software lineup enjoying similar dominance is just a complete travesty.

[SickBoy]

Fucking Canadians. First Rock Band, now this. We need some stricter laws/enforcement against this kind of BULLSHIT. Drives up prices for people here for whom the consoles are intended. Total garbage.

joke post? (especially re: Rock Band?)

BTW, I can't believe the Wii is still generating this much of a premium... I've seen them "in the wild" on probably a dozen occasions (although not recently).

[Chipopo]

There goes the theory that people won't pay $600 for a game machine.

[reilo]

At least when the NES, PS1 and PS2 were dominating, they had unarguably the best software lineup on the market. The sight of a console with far and away the worst software lineup enjoying similar dominance is just a complete travesty.

Not to mention the complete cluster fuck that people view the PS3 as inferior and won't spend $400-500 on it [especially the games, which is total bullshit], yet they'd gladly pay $500+ for a machine that should cost no more than $200.

I keep telling myself to never underestimate consumer idiocy, but I keep doing it.

[FIREBABY]

You people already with a Wii should seriously sell yours off. You've already had fun with SMG, I'm sure a month without the lil' guy wouldn't hurt you. You would make at least double the amount you spent on the thing. Its a no brainer. Thats a cool $250 pocket change, nearly enough to get you a 360 :>

As tempting as it may seem, I just can't do it. It took to long to get one. But damn, the crazy thing is that they will actaully sell for that much.

[Link1110]

Must you tempt me EBay? My Wii has been sitting on a shelf for the last 3 months pending something earth shattering to play on it. It's tempting to sell it, and buy another one when the earth shattering game comes out.

And no, I'm not being a fanboy. For the record, my 360 is sharing a similar fate, and I don't have a ps3.

[Hcoregamer00]

Not to mention the complete cluster fuck that people view the PS3 as inferior and won't spend $400-500 on it [especially the games, which is total bullshit], yet they'd gladly pay $500+ for a machine that should cost no more than $200. I keep telling myself to never underestimate consumer idiocy, but I keep doing it.

Well, one has more demand than supply, the other has more supply than demand.

Pretty darn simple if you ask me.

[CreatureX3]

Too true, too true. But who woulda thought the Wii woulda been the one to prove it.

Wii wins "Next-Gen"!

[AstroLad]

If this is consumers falling for Reggie's "OMG there won't be enough, get your Wii now!" hype, can it really be considered "true demand"? Seems more like a house of cards than a strong castle....

[Kaako]

Jesus Wiizuz.
This is pretty crazy and kinda sad. I know couple of people who just camped out to buy multiple Wiis and put them online. Is this really healthy for the industry?

[Captain Blood]

do you guys think the shortage will continue or that Nintendo will have quite a few stored up to feed the fires come closer to Christmas?

[Stumpokapow]

Not to mention the complete cluster fuck that people view the PS3 as inferior and won't spend $400-500 on it [especially the games, which is total bullshit], yet they'd gladly pay $500+ for a machine that should cost no more than $200. I keep telling myself to never underestimate consumer idiocy, but I keep doing it.

I love the assumption that if consumers prefer the Wii to the PS3, it must be because they're idiots.

[BlueTsunami]

my 360 is sharing a similar fate, and I don't have a ps3.

Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, COD4, Mass Effect, Bioshock? COME ON MANG!

[Jirotrom]

Must you tempt me EBay? My Wii has been sitting on a shelf for the last 3 months pending something earth shattering to play on it. It's tempting to sell it, and buy another one when the earth shattering game comes out. And no, I'm not being a fanboy. For the record, my 360 is sharing a similar fate, and I don't have a ps3.

i think you are just jaded, because for once I feel overwhelmed gaming wise. For Wii I have SMG, FE, MLBpower pros, Geo wars, Trauma CNB, and Z&W to play. For 360, Mass E, GH3, RB, Ace C6, VF5, COD4, and Overlord to play.

If this is consumers falling for Reggie's "OMG there won't be enough, get your Wii now!" hype, can it really be considered "true demand"? Seems more like a house of cards than a strong castle....

how many consumers actually pay attention to Reggie?

[Firewire]

Shit my EB had some last week! I went to pre-order UT3 and a lady was buying a Wii.

[Booda]

Not to mention the complete cluster fuck that people view the PS3 as inferior and won't spend $400-500 on it [especially the games, which is total bullshit], yet they'd gladly pay $500+ for a machine that should cost no more than $200. I keep telling myself to never underestimate consumer idiocy, but I keep doing it.

Yeah! How dare people decide for themselves how much relative value they place on game consoles? I guess the unwashed masses are just too stupid to realize they should run all of their purchasing decisions past Gaf before they buy anything.

[slaughterking]

It's a fair price to pay to get some Galaxy.

[Fatghost]

Fucking Canadians. First Rock Band, now this. We need some stricter laws/enforcement against this kind of BULLSHIT. Drives up prices for people here for whom the consoles are intended. Total garbage.

Not our fault your dollar is worthless now.

[Linkzg]

I have a boxed unopened Wii sitting in my closet right now.

it is tempting, but I am holding it as a gift for someone.

[Hcoregamer00]

If this is consumers falling for Reggie's "OMG there won't be enough, get your Wii now!" hype, can it really be considered "true demand." Seems more like a house of cards than a strong castle....

No, from the looks of the people buying the Wii, it is more like "OMG, we need to buy this for christmas."

The demand for the Wii is real, especially here and in England. The question that we gamers should be more concerned with is whether that means more quality games? Looking at the JPN announcements I could say with zero hesitation that a software shift is occurring.

I also see a transformation in the market when I see a 50+ year old woman buying mario galaxy because she wants a "game that will last a lot longer than Wii Sports" (direct quote).

[Awntawn]

I love the assumption that if consumers prefer the Wii to the PS3, it must be because they're idiots.

At the same price point, you have to be. Just like you're an idiot if you pay a BMW's price for a Honda, no matter how much you love Hondas.

[jay]

At the same price point, you have to be. Just like you're an idiot if you pay a BMW's price for a Honda, no matter how much you love Hondas.

Flawless analogy.

[Gigglepoo]

Yeah! How dare people decide for themselves how much relative value they place on game consoles? I guess the unwashed masses are just too stupid to realize they should run all of their purchasing decisions past Gaf before they buy anything.

I would never pay two times MSRP for anything. Patience is a virtue!