AfterDawn: News

Retailers expect Wii shortages this Christmas

Despite word this week from Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime that there will be ample Wii supply for the holiday season, giant video game retailer Gamestop believes differently.

David Carlson, Gamestop CFO, said he expects the retailer to be out of Wiis before Christmas and also expects to have little to no supply of Wii Fit or the full band versions of Guitar Hero World Tour.

"Wii Fit is in very, very short supply. It sells through as quickly as it hits the stores," added Carlson. "And although the Wii hardware is in very good supply right now we believe it may as well be out of stock by the holiday season."



Despite ramp ups in production, the Wii remains in short supply thanks to high demand that does not reflect the overall economic downturn.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 22 Nov 2008 0:17

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• 12 comments

• Leningrad

  Wow a shortage of a inferior product... as i mentioned a few articles back go outside and exercise there not in front of a box.

  22.11.2008 08:53 #1

• varnull

  Nice bit of trolling lenin.. are you sure you aren't just jealous because it's well and truly beaten the pants off the "big 2"
  
  We tried to buy 10, to be told.. 2 per customer maximum. Shortages loom.. Get 'em now if you want one for xmas.
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. The flower of carnage-shura no hana..
  10th International Transgender Day of Remembrance 20/11/08

  22.11.2008 08:56 #2

• Leningrad

  Originally posted by varnull: Nice bit of trolling lenin.. are you sure you aren't just jealous because it's well and truly beaten the pants off the "big 2"
  
  We tried to buy 10, to be told.. 2 per customer maximum. Shortages loom.. Get 'em now if you want one for xmas.
  im not jealous, i dont have the time nor the energy to deal with these contraptions. honestly im not mad at anybody for doing their thing, but these kind of stuff dont appeal to me. now dont get me wrong, i just thing this is the wrong direction for the public to take if they want to embark on a healthier life style.

  22.11.2008 10:16 #3

• tavek

  Theres a whole bunch of wii's on craigslist.
  Problem solved.

  22.11.2008 14:43 #4

• Leningrad

  whats craiglist?

  22.11.2008 15:00 #5

• Jake_C

  I wish people would get off the wii's back, just because it's not as powerful as the 360 or PS3. At the end of the day its what people want and so it's selling.
  
  Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan boy, I have a Wii and a 360 and I probably play both the same, just pick the sort of mood I'm in.
  
  Anyway back to the topic I think Wii will sell out because millions of people who really want one just cant get one, even though its almost 2 years later.

  22.11.2008 15:23 #6

• snowlock

  i'm guessing there will still be shortages.
  the difference is they did ramp up production, and i saw it at the store i work at.
  i've recently noticed we are regularly holding a backstock of 30-40 + wii consoles.
  backstock is held until ads or promotion is run, then sold in its entirety.
  
  they go quick, but there are many more than there have been before.
  
  wii fit, on the other hand, is in extreme short supply.
  it is far more difficult to keep those bundles on hand.
  
  
  
  
  tendo has done it, in spite of all the hatred from "core gamers" who feel "slighted."
  i, for one, see more games for wii worth buying than either other console.
  here's a hint: wii fit isn't one of them.
  there may be lots of shovelware, but there is plenty of that for ps2 as well.
  far more releases means far more worthless releases.

  22.11.2008 15:54 #7

• borhan9

  Maybe this will be a good chance for Sony and Microsoft to catch up on the numbers sold :) I doubt that this little shortage will make a vast difference.

  23.11.2008 00:05 #8

• ydkjman

  The store I work at has 120 Wii's right now for the Black Friday ad that runs next week. We don't have a problem selling them or getting them in.

  23.11.2008 01:02 #9

• NexGen76

  Originally posted by Jake_C: I wish people would get off the wii's back, just because it's not as powerful as the 360 or PS3. At the end of the day its what people want and so it's selling.
  
  Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan boy, I have a Wii and a 360 and I probably play both the same, just pick the sort of mood I'm in.
  
  Anyway back to the topic I think Wii will sell out because millions of people who really want one just cant get one, even though its almost 2 years later.
  Its has nothing to do with power its the simple fact that 1. there isn't any good games on that system 2. it get very boring really quick.I got my son one last Christmas he played it for 2 months & hasn't played it since Feb this year its collecting dust because of the two issues that i just pointed out he spend alot more time on his PS3.Just about everyone i know who had or have one share the same feeling.Its a nice little console but the WOW factor wear out really quick.

  23.11.2008 14:09 #10

• joepet200

  S.S.D.D.
  Same S--t Different Day
  
  Either Nintendo is giving us the marketing baloney by creating a false demand or they are really incompetent supplying their market with goods.
  Xmas in less than 6 weeks and there aren't ANY WiiFIT ANYwhere to be found. Ask a dealer about availability and they snicker and look at me like "Are you serious? If I can't get any what makes you think you're gonna get one!" Same story this Xmas as it was last Xmas. Too much demand and no supply. I'll have to buy another product for Xmas presents so you can take all the time you need Mr.Reggie Fils-Aime.
  I'm tired of waiting, I'm selling my Wii.
  
  Merry Xmas.

  24.11.2008 08:58 #11

• dawicf

  The company I work for has plenty of WII fit I brought in a truck
  with a 1010 fits in the back 3days ago.

  26.11.2008 02:09 #12