Slashdot Mirror
Where are Wii?
WirePosted writes "Santa is in trouble, it looks like supplying the Christmas need for a Nintendo Wii game console is in jeopardy as stocks wither under constant and heavy demand. Conspiracy believers suggest this is an orchestrated move on behalf of Nintendo." Since this happens to be what I want for Christmas, I hope they work it out, or my loving wife has already found one.
It's not like Wiis are that cheap to begin with, at least not the way most people set them up.
Wii - $250
Wii Play w/Wiimote - $50
Two more Wiimotes - $80
An extra Nunchuk - $20
Component Video Cable - $20
And you're at $420 without buying any meaningful games, at regular retail price.
Sort of.
I am nearly your exact config (just add 2 classic controllers). But it probably took me 6 months before I had 4 Wii Remotes. (Although I actually had my "1st" Wii Remote, component cable, and spare nunchuk a full 4 months before I actually managed to get the Wii.
[At launch even the accessories were impossible to get, so I grabbed what I could, when I could.]
But while that might be how MANY Wii's end up, you can put a $300 box under the tree, if that's your budget, and still have something entertaining. If your buying it for someone over 15 they can accessorize it themselves.
That budget factor important to a lot of people. You can always add the other stuff later. And you definitely don't -need- 4 wii remotes on day one.
I'd say most people spring for a 2nd wii remote via Wii Play pretty quick, but it can take a while before they add more / finish it up. My parents, for example, got a Wii in the summer; and have added a second wii remote (wii play) and nunchuk, but that's it. They haven't bothered with the component cable either (their 32" TV can take component, but its SD, and for them its just not a priority. I doubt they are even really aware that they could upgrade the cable.)
Beyond that, I just don't buy the argument that a 360 or a PS3 is a true competitor to the Wii. People who buy the Wii want it for the innovative game play, and nothing else satisfies that demand.
Yeah, a BIG part of the market for the Wii only is interested in the Wii. For people who ultimately want both a Wii and either an xbox or ps3 (or all three) are going to get one of the other two, but yeah, a big part of the market just has no interest in the other two consoles.
My parents again, haven't got the slightest interest in either the xbox or ps3, at any price.
Craig's list!
Set up their RSS feeds and watch it. I got 2 Wiis for UNDER cost. One was from a kid bored with it selling it for a new BMX bike. No box, but everything was there plus 3-4 extra games $250 cash. Cheaper than if taxed in Illinois.
The second one... was an amazing find.
Wii
2 Full controllers (Not 4 controllers!!!! 2 nunchucks + 2 controllers as advertised everywhere else)
5 games
Rechargeable battery packs AND charger.
Component video.
All for $300. Foreign student moving back to his homeland. I e-mailed him with in 10 minutes of it being listed. I haven't added everything up but it looks like $450 worth of stuff no tax for $300.
One's going to my brother one I'm keeping.
This in the same are that I can't find one at any walmart anywhere. Where I've seen people selling them on Craig's list for
$600 with
4 controllers [sic] (2 controllers 2 nunchucks]
10 games [Wii sports + Wii Play added together]
etc.
For kicks I setup an auction exactly like the one I bought, in downtown chicago, same price.
5 e-mails in 6 hours.
The thing driving up prices is everyone seeing the prices being driven up which when they get their, they list it for $10 more...
I'd suggest these stores instate a "no returns" policy on gaming consoles, or tack on a fat restocking fee (like 30%), at least during the holiday season - anything to deter the bottom-feeders who are openly abusing the store's (supposed) goodwill return policy.
I tried a little experiment last week, I posted a (fake) Wii for sale on a local board. Within minutes I had a dozen replies offering $400-450 (retail price is ~$300 Canadian tax-in). Using their email addys, I looked them up on the sale boards and realized they were all resellers tacking on another $100 and re-flipping Wiis.
At that point I was EXTREMELY tempted to lure them to a remote area and beat them senseless with a Colecovision.
Sure, Christmas is little more than a sales event (sorry, Jesus freaks!), but this is just outright hateful greed.
-Billco, Fnarg.com