Wii Hunt Left Me Speechless!

[chkdg8]

This is absolutely amazing. I started by driving to my local Best Buy and then I popped into Target and neither had any Wii consoles in stock so then I began my mission. When I got back home, it must've been around 3:50-4:00pm? I called every single GameStop, Kmart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Walmart, Target, Sears, Costco and in the process, I came to find out that Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100529700&N=10000003+90401+502441&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125) is now selling Nintendo Wii consoles online! I made around 115 phone calls to every store mentioned in all of South Florida and I even extended my search to Boca, West Palm Beach and some southern parts of central Florida with the chance of traveling up to 75 miles from Miami. NOBODY had them!!

My wife couldn't believe the amount of calls I placed in just 4 hours. After around the 10th call, I looked and sounded like some boiler room stock broker. Right now I'm kicking myself in the @$$ for not buying them when they were plentiful 4 months ago and now, people are making some decent money on ebay. I made the prediction that this 2007 holiday season, the Wii will be the "Craze of Christmas" and we'll witness Beanie Baby like pandemonium. You should've seen the parents complaining at Best Buy. It reminded me of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad in Jingle All The Way.

Even if Nintendo ship their hearts out during the fall, it still won't meet the demand that's currently out for this machine. And then you can't help but to read articles like:
Wii Shortages Through 2007 (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5770&Itemid=2)
Nintendo to Rule Next Gen Life Cycle (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5778&Itemid=2)
Wii Will Take First Place Very Soon (http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=16303)
20 per cent jump in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection use (http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/DS/Nintendo+Wi%2DFi+Connection/news.asp?c=3177)

At one point I thought I got lucky because the manager at one Costco location told me that a Costco all the way in BFE had 2 brand new bundles in inventory. She told me to call before I decided to go and when I called, the manager of that store told me that they were broken and that they didn't display any images. Hmm, that's funny because all Costco stores are linked through their own network and the first manager clearly stated that they were sealed bundles and that they were available for purchase. I told my friend this who worked in retail for years and he was convinced that the guy was pulling my chain and that store employees and managers reserve items for themselves all the time and then sell it on ebay. That's okay, he'll reap my wrath. Just kidding. I can't hate on someone for wanting to make some extra cheese on the side.

Walmart and GameStop should be getting shipments in this Thursday for all of South Florida. I'll take video of the circus. Stay tuned!

[Defender]

A) they were never plentiful
B) expect shortages for at least another year

[m1ndless]

A) they were never plentiful
B) expect shortages for at least another year

X2 on that.. I dont remember them ever being pleantaful.

Unless you know someone who does stock at a store, and will hold one for you, you are probably screwed. Check ebay.. if you want one bad enough you are going to have to pay more than retail.

[chkdg8]

if you want one bad enough you are going to have to pay more than retail.
That's what my friend told me. If I can't find one this week, I'll go the ebay route.

A) they were never plentiful
B) expect shortages for at least another year
I'm honored. The great Defender responded first to my thread. I've acquired bragging rights.

[m1ndless]

That's what my friend told me. If I can't find one this week, I'll go the ebay route.

Thats your best bet. I would call stores and ask when they estimate they might get another shipment in. You might find someone who knows..

[chkdg8]

Walmart and GameStop are my best bet for a Thursday shipment. The only bad part about Walmart is that they'll only sell it as a bundle as opposed to GameStop's core units.

[chkdg8]

This guy is my hero.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m288/chkdg8/wii-pyramid.jpg

[steveie]

serious question here. Look at the catalogue of games of the wii right now and honestly tell me its worth the hasstle of getting one?

[chkdg8]

steveie, I know where you're coming from and I'm just like you when it comes to serious gaming. That's what my 360 is for and my future ps3 but when it comes to good arcade type fun and titles like Super Paper Mario and Mario Party 8, you can't beat it. I know they're kiddie games but they're fun for a quick play. Also, it's something unique that my wife and I can game with.

[steveie]

yea i also LOVE Super smash bros and mario kart but they wont be out for a while yet(lets face it nintendo are knwon to contionusly push back the dates on thier titles) if im to get a wii ill wait to then becuase at the moment the wii just has no games (bar zelda) worth playing

[F34R]

my local wal-mart has them in stock daily. There were three of them yesterday.

[chkdg8]

my local wal-mart has them in stock daily. There were three of them yesterday.
Cores or bundles?

[xbx360guy]

Just saw someone buying a wii at gamestop last week...It was just a core with wii sports..

[iPizzle]

Lol, I still see several Wii's around when I visit some stores. I still haven't even opened my Wii yet from February :/. There's almost no good games for the system besides Z:TP and SPM :/. Well, I wish you good luck on your hunt.

[N1CKD]

I saw quite a few at Sams Club and Walmart near my house last month, not sure if they are there still

[chkdg8]

I know but those wholesale stores only carry bundles.

[Ll4MMA]

I camped, and I'm damn proud when people ask me: "Whered you get your Wii?" "I camped out-side at 43 degrees overnight!" It was fun too.

[Hybrid]

I've never seen the packaging in reality.

[F34R]

I camped, and I'm damn proud when people ask me: "Whered you get your Wii?" "I camped out-side at 43 degrees overnight!" It was fun too.

regular 'ol Wii systems. They don't sell bundles at my local wal-mart.

[chkdg8]

Damn. That's sweet. Usually they take advantage of limited items and sell bundles just like Costco does.

[Ceptic Tank]

Lol I have one and don't even play it anymore. I think I will install a modchip or just sell it.

[Weirdalok]

I bought mine on ebay and got it for 350 shipped(good ol ebay sniping!) and then the day after my local walmart had three shipped in when they previously told me that they werent expecting any for at least two weeks! i decided to get some money and buy it before my ebay deal went through, and two hours later when i finally get back all three had been sold. Its very hard to find wiis here, sounds like other places dont have as much of a problem though.

[chkdg8]

How in the world do these animals acquire 10-15 Wii units and sell them on ebay all the time. Where are they getting them from?

[chkdg8]

Just gave in 3 minutes ago and bought one on ebay.

Buy it now $289.99
Shipping $29.99
Insurance (required): $4.99
Total: $324.97

Super Paper Mario, here I come.

[Hockeyguy219]

You sound exactly like me, I called everywhere in Ontario within reason, and couldnt find one. I ended up getting one on eBay

[Ll4MMA]

How in the world do these animals acquire 10-15 Wii units and sell them on ebay all the time. Where are they getting them from?

Well, when I was in-line, this guy hired 6 of his friends to wait in line for him. He payed each of them 50$ so 6 Wii's with the loss of 300$ but probably made it up in re-selling. Or at wal-mart they had 4 of them and nobody camped, so he/she could buys as many as they can pay for.

[chkdg8]

Finally! I got my Wii delivered today. When I opened it up, I had that retro feeling when my Dad bought me my first NES. Good times.

[WOLF]

Let's say if they were in stock what would the price be now at lets say Walmart or the cheapest place?

[chkdg8]

It's still retail at $249.00 unless the chain stores are taking advantage and selling them as bundles. You're best bet is target and gamestop. they both sell cores.

[WOLF]

Still $249!!! How much at Target and Gamestop?

[chkdg8]

Still $249!!! How much at Target and Gamestop?
Like I mentioned before, cores are still and will always be $249.00 unless they are bundles. No matter where they sell them.

[Joseph]

I couldn't find one for a month, but I did not want to spend the extra money to buy one on ebay. So I kept checking stores everyday, and when I went to pick up pokemon early Sunday morning after I church I was surprised to find 3 Wiis at Toy R' US. I bought 2. :-)

[WOLF]

I couldn't find one for a month, but I did not want to spend the extra money to buy one on ebay. So I kept checking stores everyday, and when I went to pick up pokemon early Sunday morning after I church I was surprised to find 3 Wiis at Toy R' US. I bought 2. :-)
Why two? All anybody needs is one.

[FILTHY J NASTY]

Why two? All anybody needs is one.

Profit?


I had bought one, when they were still in high demand, *got really lucky*

Played it a week then sold it for like 350

[chkdg8]

I just spoke to an employee at blockbuster and he told me that he worked for gamestop for almost 2 years and their company policy for high demand items is "first come first serve". He told me that there were many times when he had to tell the callers that they were out of what they were looking for because they can't hold items over the phone. I asked him if employees buy consoles for profit on ebay and he was like, "all the time dude". He now owns one wii for himself and has sold 5 on ebay through his contacts at gamestop. The best way to get your hand on one is to go in person even if they tell you that they're out. We also talked about how stores are now making sick money by selling them as bundles. Trust me, if you want one really bad and the only choice you have is waiting until you find a core at retail or buying a bundle for $500, you're buying that bundle. It's only business.