Gamestop and Nintendo guarantee wii's in January

[Biscuit]

Don't know if this has been posted elsewhere.  Just thought I'd share what with all the discussion about the shortages.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071214/tc_nm/nintendo_wii_dc_4

Too little too late?

[ChadTower]

Too late.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG9-X3q5yis[/youtube]

[Malacus]

didnt read the article, but i was just in gamestop and they said "We dont know how many we'll be getting and you have to pay in full to guarantee one"

Also said it starts Friday for those actually interested (was first in line day one at target O_o)

-Mal

[knave]

It's thinks like this that make me really glad I kept my eye on CL and scored one for $200 with a game...

That said if you are set on picking one up, there's nothing wrong with a rain check.  Jan 23 is it...not that far away...

[ChadTower]

This is Gamestop's way of securing a short term massive loan without interest.  Thousands of people pay $250 each for no reason and they don't have to deliver any goods for a month.

[shmokes]

And, of course, they get to include all these sales on 4th quarter financial statements, while the costs won't be incurred until 2008!!!   

[odysseyroc]

Maybe they'll buy people's vouchers back for a fraction of the cost and sell them as "refurbished"

[DaveMMR]

Sounds like a raw deal.  Normally, you get a raincheck and pay for an item when you pick it up.  They want people to pay for it now with no guaranteed delivery date.  And what happens if you lose the raincheck, find a Wii somewhere else while waiting until January, etc.?   

It is a good idea from Gamestop's financial standpoint, (and Nintendo's too) but it is also a tad evil. 

[somunny]

And what happens if you lose the raincheck, find a Wii somewhere else while waiting until January, etc.?   

You don't need a receipt to pick up a game that you have 'reserved' (which is essentially what you'd be doing).  They have your name on file and you show them your DL.  If you decide you don't want it, you go down to the store and get your money back (don't need a receipt for that, either). 

[danny_galaga]

Maybe they'll buy people's vouchers back for a fraction of the cost and sell them as "refurbished"

 

[DaveMMR]

And what happens if you lose the raincheck, find a Wii somewhere else while waiting until January, etc.?   

You don't need a receipt to pick up a game that you have 'reserved' (which is essentially what you'd be doing).  They have your name on file and you show them your DL.  If you decide you don't want it, you go down to the store and get your money back (don't need a receipt for that, either). 

Yeah, I've never really "reserved" games - except for Wind Waker, and only because I got the limited edition Zelda bundle disc. But I remembered showing a receipt (it wasn't Gamestop though).  Thus my reservations. 

By the way, I read that each customer is "tied" to a specific Wii (they don't get one off a pile, they are assigned one).    From this source:

"A certificate needs to be matched to a specific Wii which needs to be matched to a specific store. Only this retailer has the ability to pull off such a program," said Fils-Aime in regards to why GameStop will be the exclusive partner for this initiative.

It sounds good in theory, but is there something stopping a clerk from accidentally selling it to someone else by accident?   Still sounds like a raw deal. 

[ChadTower]

The bigger question is why the hell would they need to do that in the first place?

[knave]

Playing a little bit of devil's advocate here...

...one reason a consumer might want to go through this would be to have something to give w/o paying through the nose on Ebay or CL.  This way Grandma can mail little jonny his Wii cert. and he can go pick it up.  Jonny can handle a 26 day wait.

I wouldn't do it unless I Needed to.  But it seems better than paying $350 on CL for a $250 item.

[ChadTower]

It has been possible to get them... I just got one friday that should be arriving in the mail this week.  Sure hasn't been easy, though.