Wii in stock at amazon.com

[slycrel]

best of luck, I just got one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009VXBAQ?ie=UTF8&tag=2570-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0009VXBAQ

[slycrel]

Nevermind, already gone.  Wow, it lasted all of 5 minutes...   

If anyone is still wanting one, I used wiifinder.com to find out about it.  They have RSS feeds or (what I used) a widget that will auto-notiy you when some become available.

[AlanS17]

Are they really so hard to get ahold of?

[slycrel]

They have been for me, though I don't live in a hugely population dense area.

I do know that the local targets/walmarts have a line on the days that they get them in and the vast majority of the time not even all the people in line get one.  Still.

Could be just Utah, though I doubt it's easy to get one elsewhere, you might just have more places to look for one.

[ChadTower]

In MA I see them in stores on occasion.  I do not live in a major urban center.  If that means anything here.

[Dervacumen]

My wife is picking one up at Costco as I type this.  There are a lot in stock.  Looks like a bunch of places just got them in.  Circuit city already sold out today.

[shmokes]

I see them in stock periodically in Southern Utah.  About a month and a half ago I tipped a friend off to a shipment of 22 that were going on sale at Wal-Mart at midnight.  He got one, but  said there were only 17 people in line.  I happened to be at Wal-Mart a little after 10:00 the next morning and there were still two on the shelf.  I had a strange urge to snap one up right then and there, even though I don't have one, LOL.  Frankly, I think that Nintendo's shortage is 100% fabricated at this point.

[slycrel]

I live in the south of Utah valley, so south of me is...  well, pretty much nothing.  If I were super dedicated I could have gotten one by now.  I watched a co-worker pull out all the stops and it still took him until the end of february to get one, so I've been trying to keep my eyes open but not necessarily show up at midnight at wal-mart among other things.  In the Utah valley/SLC area I knwo that people have been selling them regularly for $350 on ebay and craigslist.

Either way I've finally gotten one without most of the hassle, so maybe this is the beginning of the end...  =)

Here's to hoping nintendo picks up the pace a bit.

[Tahnok]

I honestly don't see how anyone can claim that the shortage is fabricated. The number of consoles that Nintendo has produced is record breaking. How many do you expect them to be able to make?

Anyway, I live in a large LA suburb I've yet to see a Wii on shelves. Though, I have heard more and more stories of them being on shelves for a length longer than a few hours.

[hypernova]

They're just barely starting to become available around the Cincinnati area.  They still sell out before late afternoon, but you don't have to be somewhere standing in a line anymore.  Usually just looking in Sunday's ads will be enough.

While looking at WiiHunt, and I didn't realize this, but when an ad shows a certain item, the store HAS to have at least one of those particular items in stock to sell the day the ad starts.  (Told a friend about this, and on the weekend, Meijer had an ad in Sunday's paper displaying the Wii.  He called up in the morning, and they had some still.  Managed to pick one up for himself.)

Remotes and Nunchuks have been readily available for the most part about 2-3 weeks ago.  Those were impossible to snag as well up until then.

[crashwg]

It's been a couple months now in Concord, NH that I haven't been able to go shopping to 2 or 3 stores without at least one store having a few in stock...

I suppose if someone wanted one bad enough to pay shipping I'd go buy one for them.  I hadn't realized that these were still hard to get a hold of in some areas.

[AtomSmasher]

When I was in gamestop two days ago picking up paper mario, the person in front of me in line asked the clerk if they had any Wii's in stock and the clerk laughed at them.   I've never seen any available on the shelves, but I think I live in the same town as Tahnok, so it could just be this area.

[JackTucky]

None here in southern Indiana.  Lots of the people around here don't really have much disposable income either.

=J

[Tahnok]

When I was in gamestop two days ago picking up paper mario, the person in front of me in line asked the clerk if they had any Wii's in stock and the clerk laughed at them.   I've never seen any available on the shelves, but I think I live in the same town as Tahnok, so it could just be this area.

...So you do. I'm over here in Quartz Hill. Small world (though, this valley is getting quite large).

I seem to recall someone else on this forum being in the area as well. I don't think it was you, but I could be wrong.

[AtomSmasher]

When I was in gamestop two days ago picking up paper mario, the person in front of me in line asked the clerk if they had any Wii's in stock and the clerk laughed at them.   I've never seen any available on the shelves, but I think I live in the same town as Tahnok, so it could just be this area.

...So you do. I'm over here in Quartz Hill. Small world (though, this valley is getting quite large).

I seem to recall someone else on this forum being in the area as well. I don't think it was you, but I could be wrong.

I'm in Anaverde in Palmdale (the new community on the west side of Ave S) and it wouldn't surprise me if someone else on the forum lived nearby, but I don't know of anyone who does.

[Tahnok]

When I was in gamestop two days ago picking up paper mario, the person in front of me in line asked the clerk if they had any Wii's in stock and the clerk laughed at them.   I've never seen any available on the shelves, but I think I live in the same town as Tahnok, so it could just be this area.

...So you do. I'm over here in Quartz Hill. Small world (though, this valley is getting quite large).

I seem to recall someone else on this forum being in the area as well. I don't think it was you, but I could be wrong.

I'm in Anaverde in Palmdale (the new community on the west side of Ave S) and it wouldn't surprise me if someone else on the forum lived nearby, but I don't know of anyone who does.

Ah, OK, I know exactly where you are. A couple friends of mine live shortly off of barrel springs road. I think that's right next to you.

I'm off of L and 55. A couple blocks from lane park. Probably about 20 to 25 minutes from you.

[Howard_Casto]

The shortage is NOT fabricated.  They are definately easier to get ahold of than at Xmas, but if you want to just wander into a random store and pick up a wii it ain't gonna happen unless you just happen to go in there as they are stocking their shelves.  Since I got mine I've been checking the shelves when I go into electronic stores/walmart/ect...... I haven't seen a single solitary wii, period. 

Plenty of ps3s and 360s though.  Actually there's a layer of dust on most of the ps3s. 

[shmokes]

The shortage may not be fabricated, but I fail to see how you have backed up your claim that it isn't.  You simply stated emphatically that it is not, and then proceeded to describe what store shelves would look like during a fabricated supply shortage.  Granted, they would also look like this during a legitimate shortage due to insufficient production capacity, but that's neither here nor there.

Here's something to think about.  Nintendo didn't even quite meet their sales target for fiscal year '06.  They projected 6 million sales before the end of the fiscal year, and ended up selling 5.83 million.  Are you telling me that Nintendo set a sales target that was beyond their production capacity?  I still don't buy it.  I'm not 100% convinced that it's artificial, but I have VERY strong suspicions.  Seriously, guys, in a few days we'll  be in May.  These things came out in November, more than five months ago.  There aren't high-tech boxes.  Nintendo's not going to have yield problems.  They basically retained all the same partners they had for Gamecube and N64.  The shortage is totally questionable. 

[Rachel]

The shortage may not be fabricated, but I fail to see how you have backed up your claim that it isn't.  You simply stated emphatically that it is not, and then proceeded to describe what store shelves would look like during a fabricated supply shortage.  Granted, they would also look like this during a legitimate shortage due to insufficient production capacity, but that's neither here nor there.

Here's something to think about.  Nintendo didn't even quite meet their sales target for fiscal year '06.  They projected 6 million sales before the end of the fiscal year, and ended up selling 5.83 million.  Are you telling me that Nintendo set a sales target that was beyond their production capacity?  I still don't buy it.  I'm not 100% convinced that it's artificial, but I have VERY strong suspicions.  Seriously, guys, in a few days we'll  be in May.  These things came out in November, more than five months ago.  There aren't high-tech boxes.  Nintendo's not going to have yield problems.  They basically retained all the same partners they had for Gamecube and N64.  The shortage is totally questionable. 

By that logic, the shortage Must be real. Would nintendo intentionally MISS their sales goal (ticking off investers), or would they more likely have a partner who promised more than they could deliver? Keep in mind every wii is a profit out of the box.

[shmokes]

I'm still not convinced, but that's a good point.

[Samstag]

When the first network update caused some Wiis to "brick" I read an article about Nintendo holding back a strategic reserve of units meant for sale.  I can't find the original article to back that up, though.  And I don't remember if it was someone from Nintendo saying this or reporter speculation, but it seems plausible.

[ChadTower]

I see them on shelves at random times during the week occasionally.

[HaRuMaN]

I see them on shelves at random times during the week occasionally.

you suck...  I've been trying to buy one for like the last month straight.   

[shmokes]

When the first network update caused some Wiis to "brick" I read an article about Nintendo holding back a strategic reserve of units meant for sale.  I can't find the original article to back that up, though.  And I don't remember if it was someone from Nintendo saying this or reporter speculation, but it seems plausible.

They definitely keep some for warranty service.  My little brother was having problems with his where it would very commonly freeze up when he selected a new channel from the main menu.  He called Nintendo and had a new one a couple days later, and just had to send his old one back in the same, postage-paid box.

[Rachel]

you suck...  I've been trying to buy one for like the last month straight.   

You and me both. I turned down a 20 hour camping trip on launch day thinking that with their production and how many millions of units they were rolling out in record time I'd have been able to find one by now. Oops.

[HaRuMaN]

you suck...  I've been trying to buy one for like the last month straight.   

You and me both. I turned down a 20 hour camping trip on launch day thinking that with their production and how many millions of units they were rolling out in record time I'd have been able to find one by now. Oops.

No kidding...  It drives me nuts.  Especially when there are tons of PS3's and Xbox 360's on the shelves, but no Wii's. 

[ChadTower]

I don't get that.  A person willing to camp 20 hours to get something quickly should also reasonably be expected to be willing to pay an extra $40-50 for the thing if they can't find it months later.  There are $290-300 Wiis all over the place.

[HaRuMaN]

I don't get that.  A person willing to camp 20 hours to get something quickly should also reasonably be expected to be willing to pay an extra $40-50 for the thing if they can't find it months later.  There are $290-300 Wiis all over the place.

Pffffft.  I'm not paying more than retail. 

[shardian]

Campers = lame

C'mon people, is that dag gone PS3 really that important in your life? If so, time to do some introspective thinking.

Side note, campers ruined Black Friday too.

[ChadTower]

Pffffft.  I'm not paying more than retail. 

But you would have camped out on concrete for 20 hours?  I'd rather pay a little more every time.

[Dervacumen]

I just bought my sister one on Sunday, the day that Target had a national release set for their new shipment.  Piece O' cake.  Gamestop also released their latest shipment the same day and Costco a week before that.

[HaRuMaN]

Pffffft.  I'm not paying more than retail. 

But you would have camped out on concrete for 20 hours?  I'd rather pay a little more every time.

I would not have camped out, either.

[HaRuMaN]

I just bought my sister one on Sunday, the day that Target had a national release set for their new shipment.  Piece O' cake.  Gamestop also released their latest shipment the same day and Costco a week before that.

This makes me sad...   

[Rachel]

Pffffft.  I'm not paying more than retail. 

But you would have camped out on concrete for 20 hours?  I'd rather pay a little more every time.

I'd either do without or call in favors for it. I wouldn't pay more Or camp, though. Just not important enough to me to go that route. It would still be nice if it were readily available though. 

[HaRuMaN]

Pffffft.  I'm not paying more than retail. 

But you would have camped out on concrete for 20 hours?  I'd rather pay a little more every time.

I'd either do without or call in favors for it. I wouldn't pay more Or camp, though. Just not important enough to me to go that route. It would still be nice if it were readily available though. 

Yeah no kidding.  It's been out for how long now?   

[Howard_Casto]

The shortage may not be fabricated, but I fail to see how you have backed up your claim that it isn't.  You simply stated emphatically that it is not, and then proceeded to describe what store shelves would look like during a fabricated supply shortage.  Granted, they would also look like this during a legitimate shortage due to insufficient production capacity, but that's neither here nor there.

Here's something to think about.  Nintendo didn't even quite meet their sales target for fiscal year '06.  They projected 6 million sales before the end of the fiscal year, and ended up selling 5.83 million.  Are you telling me that Nintendo set a sales target that was beyond their production capacity?  I still don't buy it.  I'm not 100% convinced that it's artificial, but I have VERY strong suspicions.  Seriously, guys, in a few days we'll  be in May.  These things came out in November, more than five months ago.  There aren't high-tech boxes.  Nintendo's not going to have yield problems.  They basically retained all the same partners they had for Gamecube and N64.  The shortage is totally questionable. 

I misunderstood what you meant.  You mean that nintendo made the shortage on purpose..... but regardless there IS a shortage, purposefully made or not, so it doesn't really matter. 

I'll agree with the peanut gallery on this one.  It'd be stupid for nintendo to hold back stock considering they missed their sales goal due to lack of supply.  Also you've gotta remember, yeah they have the same manufacturers as they did on the cube, but the cube sold horribly in comparison to the wii.  The cube had respectible sales numbers, but they still came in third, last gen... spread out over a looong time.  The demand for this gen's consoles is double that of last gen when they were new and the wii, in particular is selling a lot of units in a very short amount of time.  Look at it's sales records and remember that it isn't even 6 months old yet. 

That'd be like saying (hypothetically) that a dreamcast shortage was staged because they used the same manufacturers as the sega cd and they kept up fine.  They would have kept up fine for the cd because it sucked and nobody bought it... at least not as many as the dc. 

[Dervacumen]

@ HarumaN:

I learned of the availablity through corporate memo leaks that were revealed at www.joystiq.com.

I got in the habit of googling "wii availability" a couple times a day to find links to insider info.  Good luck, it's a fun system.

[shmokes]

Ah, okay.  That makes sense.

To be fair, though, sales goals -- especially claims at launch -- by console manufacturers are rarely (never?) met.  They seem more often to be a claim that will make their system appear popular and drive more demand than a yardstick for investors to use to measure whether the company is performing up to par.  You might notice that Nintendo's failure to hit their 6 million goal was not met with disappointment, but rather amazement that they got so close.  Nobody would suggest that the console has sold poorly based on the fact that it has technically underperformed.  Such a claim would be absurd.  It has obviously sold phenomenally well and pretty much as well as could reasonably be hoped.  In fact, Nintendo's stock has doubled since this time last year.  Nintendo knows full-well that they are in no danger of a dip in stock value by missing the target by a few hundred thousand units.  But it would be a problem if the system had only sold three or four million, which might have been the case had the machine been readily available since the Nov. 18 launch day.  The hysteria definitely drives demand and sales higher. 

So, no, I don't consider their missing of target sales numbers as a smoking gun that proves the legitimacy of the shortage.  That's simplifying the issue too much.  Obviously they would have liked to hit their target, but if they decided that manufacturing a shortage was the only way to get close to said target, it makes perfect sense that they would do it, even if it wasn't guaranteed to get them all the way there, cos 5.83 million sold is obviously better than 5.82 million or anything below that.  Inventing a shortage is not necessarily the thing that kept them from 6 million.  It might just be the thing that took them from 4 million to 5.83 million.

[Howard_Casto]

I agree, it's not the end-all proof, but what you are saying is equally "proof-less."

I think the main strike against your theory is the sheer amount of units sold despite the shortage.  Sure an artificial shortage could boost sales, but when you look at the amount of units sold in a given time period, it's much higher than say the 360 or ps3.  Since the 360, in particular, struggled to keep up with demand when it's sales first came out and it's sales over time was a much smaller ratio.  If the great m$ have have shortage issues with all it's money, a smaller company, like nintendo surely could have issues keeping up with these insaine sales they are having.  Let's say the amount they sold was 2 or 3 million... then I'd say you were on to something.  5.5 million in 6 months though.... not even hype can sell that many units, just maybe give them an extra few hundred thousand.  Since it's selling so well anyway, I don't see why they'd do that, as it's risky if anyone ever found out. 

[shmokes]

I'll admit that my position is based purely on hunch.  I base it entirely on the fact that the system was released in November and we're in May now with nary a sign of them on shelves, which is VERY unusual.  Apple hasn't had anything like this kind of supply problem with the iPod, and it's sold over 100 million in the last five years.  That's more than 1.5 million sold, every month, not for five months, but for 60 months straight!  Nintendo's practically using off-the-shelf parts here.  Nothing about their system uses any kind of advanced technology.  I just find it hard to believe that they are unable to meet demand almost six months after launch, especially considering that they had been building and stockpiling millions of units clear back at least in September, maybe earlier, to prepare for the launch, so they haven't even had to build as many as they've sold since launch.

The shortage may be real.  Maybe they just can't keep up, but six months after launch?  For a system that should pose no significant production difficulties (like the PS3 does)?  For a company that has been building consoles for more than twenty years?  For a console that has almost an identical architecture to their previous console, and uses all the same companies (companies, I might add, with loads of production capacity like IBM and ATI)?  It just doesn't add up for me.

[odysseyroc]

Doesn't the Wii run on a PowerPC chip? One of the reasons that Apple switched to Intel for it's Macs is they couldn't manufacture the chips fast enough. Maybe that has something to do with it?

[AlanS17]

Computer processors are going to be in way higher demand than console processors. Even if Mac had a shortage of PP processors, I don't know that it properly translates to Nintendo.

Of course, Macs aren't particularly popular so maybe there's some truth in it. I'd have to see some numbers before I'm convinced one way or the other.