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[milanbaros]

Supply will be huge this holiday.

Did anyone read the shipment forecasts by Nintendo, they are insane.

It is a case of Nintendo finally being able to ship Wiis in massive numbers.

 

[Vinci]

They may just be talking about their personal experience. And of course the demand has dropped - but just because the demand has dropped doesn't mean the sales have gone down (the supply has caught up with demand).

Supply catching up with demand doesn't require the demand dropping. At least I don't think it does.

 

[Kinitari]

Supply catching up with demand doesn't require the demand dropping. At least I don't think it does.

Well, I'm not 100% sure if Global demand has dropped or anything, but anecdotal evidence shows me I have less people pestering me for Wii's at work.

Also, the real question is, is there new demand brewing for the Wii at the same or higher rate that people are fulfilling their demand for a Wii (i.e. Buying them).

Edit: Also I think supply and demand are catching up for two reasons. More supply being available, and less demand as people constantly buy Wii's.

 

[Caesar III]

Spoiler

Scalping consoles on ebay should be bannable per the ToS, like admitting you're a pirate.

/backseatmodding

<3

 

[road2serfdom]

but anecdotal evidence shows me I have less people pestering me for Wii's at work.

That could just mean that supply increased. If the quantity supply increased so much that it met the quantity demanded then people would stop pestering you, not because they lost interest, but because they are able to buy them in the stores without your help.

 

[LM4sure]

Correct. An increase in supply does not lead to a decrease in demand. Simple supply and demand economics.

 

[Somnia]

To give you an idea...my store had roughly 20 in when I left work yesterday and we have 43 more on the way. This is at a GameStop...imagine what the big box retailers are getting and amazon. Nintendo is flooding the market right now and it's very VERY smart.

edit: And before anyone says people aren't buying them as fast thats why they are sitting you couldn't be more wrong...toys r us in town got 51 in the other day and sold out in 1 day. We went from over 40 to under 10 in 2 days and then got restocked. The stuff is still flying off the shelves and we cannot keep wii play in stock. I've sold over 40 wii plays in the last few days alone. Be ready for a million plus wii plays in either nov. or dec. (probably dec.)

 

[cws]

3mil in december npd ?

 

[SapientWolf]

I think in the Wii's case being able to find it at any store would mean that it would no longer be worth hoarding and fighting over, which could decrease demand somewhat.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Why is it that every Wii thread needs at least one person saying "I haven't played my Wii in months" or "My Wii is a dust-collector"?

I'm so very over it GAF.

 

[Haunted]

Oh, please.

You're right, scalping is actually worse.

<3

 

[CowGirl]

It's rather ironic that nintendo finally increases their supply of Wiis just as the economic crisis hits and demand will inevitably slump.

 

[markatisu]

It's rather ironic that nintendo finally increases their supply of Wiis just as the economic crisis hits and demand will inevitably slump.

I would not be so sure about that, there are some theories that the video game industry is recession proof as more people use video games as they do movies and eating to avoid dealing with "reality"

We are in a huge economic crisis and yet the video game industry continues to break financial records across the board

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

I hope the OP gets stuck with all those Wiis and ends up gifting to a few other people.

 

[swerve]

Why is it that every Wii thread needs at least one person saying "I haven't played my Wii in months" or "My Wii is a dust-collector"?

Well, it's doubtless true for many people. Especially those people who have many friends on LIVE. LIVE has a significant pull-back effect because all my mates are always playing games on it, leading me to buy those games - the phenomenon is well understood here I guess.

It's no reflection on the success or failure of Wii, though. Just on those people's tastes.

 

[Alphahawk]

In the past month I haven't been to a store that sold out off Wii's. The local Gamestop even has a semi-permentent sighn that says "Wii's now in stock'. It's not a November 13th anomally it's just Nintendo's starting to get it's act together.

 

[Bluecondor]

Correct. An increase in supply does not lead to a decrease in demand. Simple supply and demand economics.

Sure - if we had 2007's economic conditions, this might be true...

But - in 2008 - there will be some decrease in demand due to the economy. The simple rise in unemployment means that some people who would have otherwise been interesting in buying a Wii will either be more reluctant to pay $249 for a video game system and/or literally unable to do so because they don't have the same level of income. The tightening credit market can't be helping demand either.

I think the one way that the increase in supply can help to reduce the demand is the fact that a big increase in supply may at least slightly reduce the perception among potential buyers (i.e. potential scalpers) that the Wii is a scarce good that will sell for a significant amount on Ebay or Craigs List. As soon as we start hearing stories of some jerk who bought 10 Wiis for full price, and got zero bids after listing them with a $500 minimum bid on Ebay, some of the scalpers will pull back. I still remember laughing at those stories of dudes who were stuck with a bunch of $599 PS3s after launch, because they had falsely calculated that they would be turning a huge profit on each system. While I hardly think it will be this bad, a few stories like this will make some potential resellers think twice before buying dozens of Wii systems at $249 a pop - thinking that several hundred per unit in profit is guaranteed.

I'm not willing to say that the Wii will be plentiful this Christmas, but I won't be at all surprised if it is much easier to find all the way through the holidays.

 

[BishopLamont]

I am too (in Ottawa). The Wal-Mart near me always has at least 1 in stock, and has for the last year or so. Same goes with WiiFit. Also, places like Rogers or Blockbuster almost always have a console or two.

If there really is still a shortage, I'm certainly not seeing it.

Having 1 or a few in stock constitutes no shortage now? :lol

Common conception is if Wii's aren't selling out all over the US, nobody's buying them.

Then NPD's come out, and we see a flood of "but my (insert store) has tons of them! I don't understand?!"

It's fun to watch people fail to learn the same lesson every single month.

Yeah it's either blind hate or complete ignorance that's making people think like this.

Yes, in about 3 hours or so.

Buckle up people!

 

[Kifimbo]

Why is it that every Wii thread needs at least one person saying "I haven't played my Wii in months" or "My Wii is a dust-collector"?

I'm so very over it GAF.

It just show how stupid they were when they could be selling it for a profit not too long ago.

 

[BishopLamont]

It just show how stupid they were when they could be selling it for a profit not too long ago.

Which leads me to believe half of these posts are bs and that they don't own a Wii at all. I mean really if you're interested enough in the Wii to buy one, why would you go out of your way to find any chance to cry about it. I have never seen so much hate for something that has done so much for the industry.

Edit: Ah I forget it's GAF and it's all about the games, games, games.

 

[CreatureX3]

Why is it that every Wii thread needs at least one person saying "I haven't played my Wii in months" or "My Wii is a dust-collector"?

I'm so very over it GAF.

I've never seen any proof of the Wiis collecting dust. But i have seen this:

 

[Count Dookkake]

Now every one can walk in day one, for the very first time!

 

[LevityNYC]

wow, they just ran out today after being in stock for 7 days.

 

[jrricky]

^^^^:lol :lol :lol

 

[Aaron Strife]

Now every one can walk in day one, for the very first time!

When Reggie said "Day one" he was mumbling, he actually meant "Day seven hundred and thirty one"

 

[Htown]

I bought a launch Wii and I havent turned it on in about 4 months.

This is your fault, not the Wii's.

 

[jmdajr]

best buy here in h-town had a moutain of wiis the other day

 

[tokkun]

I saw them in stock at both my local Target and Toys 'R Us on Saturday, which leads me to believe that Nintendo has decided to end the large-scale shortage, and I can't help but think that this is related to the fact that the US dollar has been increasing sharply in value. Previously it was worthwhile for Nintendo to starve the US market while keeping Wiis well-stocked in other countries where they could make more profit due to the stronger currencies.

 

[Gaborn]

I saw them in stock at both my local Target and Toys 'R Us on Saturday, which leads me to believe that Nintendo has decided to end the large-scale shortage, and I can't help but think that this is related to the fact that the US dollar has been increasing sharply in value. Previously it was worthwhile for Nintendo to starve the US market while keeping Wiis well-stocked in other countries where they could make more profit due to the stronger currencies.

Dude. Nintendo has sold more... oh why even bother, you're going to believe whatever conspiracy theory you want to regardless anyway.

 

[markatisu]

Well since last weekend when they were plentiful I have seen Target, Walmart, and Sams all sell out. Walmart has also put back out the sign that says 1 per customer and apologizes for the inconvenience of finding a Wii

Have not been to Best Buy yet, when I went last week they had 4 different piles of Wii's

Novermber NPD numbers are going to be something else

 

[LevityNYC]

Its in BB circular this Sunday, so I'd imagine them getting more in soon

 

[santouras]

I saw them in stock at both my local Target and Toys 'R Us on Saturday, which leads me to believe that Nintendo has decided to end the large-scale shortage, and I can't help but think that this is related to the fact that the US dollar has been increasing sharply in value. Previously it was worthwhile for Nintendo to starve the US market while keeping Wiis well-stocked in other countries where they could make more profit due to the stronger currencies.

 

[ZealousD]

So yesterday we had about 30 Wiis and stock and then got word we were getting another 60 today.

At GameStop, where we were used to 3-6 Wiis per week. Literally half of our back store room is filled with nothing but Wii boxes. And it sure as hell ain't because sales are slowing down.

I think it's very, very possible that the Wii in November will shatter all previous sales records for console sales in a single month. Including launch months.

 

[dyls]

I was at Best Buy yesterday trying, vainly, to get the 3 disc blu-ray of Wall-E.* When I first got there, there were 8 Wiis on the shelf. I walked through the aisle again before I left, maybe 15 minutes later, and they were all gone. On a Wednesday night at around 8:30. These things are flying.

The worst part is, the more records the Wii shatters, the more backlash it will get on GAF. Right now there are only 4 or 5 threads created to, stealthily or not, troll the Wii at any given time. By mid-January, they will cover the entire first page.




* Note to studios, please don't release so many versions of the same movie at the same time, as it only confuses everyone. Trying to explain that I didn't want the 3-disc DVD, or the 2-disc Blu-Ray, or Tropic Thunder, was nearly impossible. Not to mention that the stores clearly didn't know how many of each to order. The 3-disc blu-rays sold out immediately and I couldn't find any at the 4 stores I checked.

 

[outunderthestars]

I still, to this day, have never seen a wii on a store shelf.

 

[Link]

Previously it was worthwhile for Nintendo to starve the US market while keeping Wiis well-stocked in other countries where they could make more profit due to the stronger currencies.

Holy shit, dude. Have you looked at NPD numbers at all? I really, really wish people would stop being this damn stupid.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Holy shit, dude. Have you looked at NPD numbers at all? I really, really wish people would stop being this damn stupid.

Seriously, there is no such thing as artificial demand if the damn console sold 800,000 copies last month. The reason why the console is not on the shelf is because people are buying it.

What a concept!!! :lol

 

[The Elite]

im from canada and the wii is constantly sold out. now and then you spot a new shipment but they're gone shortly after. when i see stock it's usually at walmart. i've never seen them in stock at bestbuy/futureshop.

I'm in Toronto and constantly see new Wiis on shelves. It never seems to be sold out these days and I've actually seen a few used in stores.

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

So yesterday we had about 30 Wiis and stock and then got word we were getting another 60 today.

At GameStop, where we were used to 3-6 Wiis per week. Literally half of our back store room is filled with nothing but Wii boxes. And it sure as hell ain't because sales are slowing down.

I think it's very, very possible that the Wii in November will shatter all previous sales records for console sales in a single month. Including launch months.

:O

 

[Throwaway123456789]

Holy shit, dude. Have you looked at NPD numbers at all? I really, really wish people would stop being this damn stupid.

Actually, it's true. It was not about artificial demand - it was about how much money could they earn.

They had x amount of new Wiis to sell, and since the american dollar was extremely low at the time, they made more money by shipping the surplus consoles to Europe where the currency was more valuable and the demand just as big.

It's easy math really. Nintendo made more money by selling a million more consoles in Europe than in the US at the time. Now that the USD is on the rise again, the US is seeing more consoles.

That, and they bumped the number of consoles manufactured to insane levels.