HELP - need nintendo Wii

sancho

sancho

Cathlete
I'm trying to buy a Nintendo Wii for my husband for Christmas and I'm having a heck of a time finding it. I was told to check the Sun. morn ads and go to the stores with ads when they open. I did that today and there were lines at 3 places about 50 people long. Needless to say, I got nothing. Apparently, people were in line at midnight. I'm not going to camp out, or pay extra. According to the "dude" at walmart, I just need to call everyday at 12:30 to see if a shipment came in. I'm willing to do that . . . but is that really the best way? Does anyone have any other advice?
 
Nope. That's your best bet. I lucked out this week and got one, but only because a friend was persistent on my behalf. I got the last one in our area. I phoned and the store had 7. 10 minutes later they had 4. They wouldn't put one on hold and my friend offered to purchase it over the phone with his CC, but the guy at the store said no and when he got there, the last one was walking out the door. So he called the manager over and complained and they found another one and had it brought in for me. I'm incredibly lucky, I think. I'll send some good karma your way!
 
this is a hot item for the season. about every store here is out as well. its your best bet to keep checking for a shipment,my FIL is doing the same thing b/c he is getting one for our daughter if possible. he jsut can't do that campout or ebay thing so this is the only way he can keep checking. i keep saying that it can wait until her b-day when all the commotion has died down(she will more then likely be interested in the 10 care bears my mom and i hunted down on ebay anyway) then a video game, but i understand why its such a hot item. if we manage to get one i think i will mow the family over to give it a shot LOL. i loved my dance pad for game cube that i want to try something that keeps me moving yet is fun,especially during these winter months. Good Luck!!!! i hope you find one soon.

kassia
 
This same thing happened to me three years ago with the Play Station 2. My son wanted one soooo bad and I couldn't wait for Santa to bring him one. I literally wore myself out going from store to store for weeks. It was CRAZY and I wasn't willing to pay someone from e-bay who was trying to make a quick buck and charge me twice as much. So, I got him something else.

His birthday is the first week of January and low and behold on January 3rd I went to the store and their shelves were filled with Play Station 2s. (Boy, was I ticked!! So, he ended up getting it for his birthday.)

One thought would be - go out and buy a Wii game and wrap it up with home-made "coupon" for a Wii -- then shortly after the first of the year when they are avaible at stores you can go get it for him. That way, you aren't stressing for the next 3 weeks, and he still gets the Wii. (I totally would have done this for my son, however, I don't think 'Santa' leaves coupons!! ha ha!)

Best of luck,
Michelle
 
>One thought would be - go out and buy a Wii game and wrap it
>up with home-made "coupon" for a Wii -- then shortly after the
>first of the year when they are avaible at stores you can go
>get it for him. That way, you aren't stressing for the next 3
>weeks, and he still gets the Wii. (I totally would have done
>this for my son, however, I don't think 'Santa' leaves
>coupons!! ha ha!)
>
>Best of luck,
>Michelle

This is what I would do, too. I don't know if it's the fault of retailers or manufacturers, but it seems like every year they have a huge shortage of the hottest new games and game systems, and then they bundle the packages and sell them for outrageous amounts of money. I will NOT pay upwards of $500 dollars for a bundled package that may include games I don't want. We've been trying to find one for my nephew and we've given up. He's just going to have to wait until after Christmas when I suspect the store shelves will be full of them ;) x(

Good luck!
 
I found one for my husband only by ENDLESS calling. Also helps to call stores that are little bit out of the way. Instead of calling the Target in the middle of town call the one that is in the next smaller town. The ads are a bad idea because for their kids people are definitely willing to camp out and if you aren't you won't beat them. Here is a list of the stores I would call on a daily basis

1. Best Buy
2. Circuit City
3. Wal-mart
4. K-Mart
5. Sam's Club
6. Costco
7. BJ's
8 Gamestop (Electronic game store)
9. Target
10. Frye's (in Atlanta my friend lives there)

If someone tells you they have one get up and go get it because they won't hold them.


I would not buy it from an individual because they are sensitive and do stop working and you want to make sure you have the warranty.

KIM
 
Wishing you luck in finding one of these because that's what it's going to take. We ran into the same problem last year trying to find a Playstation 3 for our kids last year. Luckily a friend of ours was at a Wal-Mart when they were putting some on the shelves and bought one for us and we paid them later. I would suggest letting friends and family know what you're looking for so they can be extra eyes for you. Sometimes that's what it takes.

I'm afraid the shelves won't be full of these after Christmas. The Wii has been a hot item since it came out last year. There's always a shortage of them, not just at Christmas time. Granted it will be a little easier to find one after the holidays but they're still not in abundant supply. They are a great gaming system. Something the whole family can enjoy. We really like ours. Don't give up!
:)

Jacque
 
According to my DS, who works at Best Buy in media, it is the manufacturer limiting the supply not the store. He says they never know how many units they will get or when a supply will come in. The manufacturer decides how many units Best Buy will get and management has to distribute that number across each store.

I suppose it is the manufacturer's strategy to create a "limited supply" scenerio so a frenzy will build up and those people unable to get one for Xmas will still buy after the new year. I'm sure the store would rather sell as many units as possible.

We bought a Wii a few months ago and they are really fun. As other have posted, you really need to keep calling and hopefully you'll get lucky. I hope you find one:)

JJ
 
Thanks for all the encouragement. I really want it to be a Christmas morning present . . .if I don't get it, his birthday is in January and it may be easier then. BUT, for now, I will keep doing the calling thing. I'm finding out that you need to call Walmart at Noon and Target at 8:00. The other stores are so far from my house that I doubt I would get there before they sell out.
 
How 'bout making him a cute "gift certificate" for one and then buying it after Christmas? Hopefully it would not destroy his faith in Santa.:+ It would be a lot less stressful.

Carol F
 
Oh my gosh! I can't believe they are all sold out AGAIN this year. Last year, I helped a friend try to find one and we just had no luck. This year I decided to buy one and I bought it in October. I heard they are all sold out in my area too.

I really hope that you find one. I was informed by EB Games that they know at 10:00 a.m. what the shipment will be for the day. Then the delivery happens sometime after 2:00 p.m. Call each day.
 
I spoke with my local Toys-R-Us and found out the day they were going to receive a shipment of Wiis. I happened to be in the store the day before the shipment was to arrive and asked someone in the gaming section if the shipment was going to be there the sollowing day as planned. They actually got them in a day early, so he pulled one from the back for me. After he did that, he announced the shipment over the PA system. People came running as I was checking out. Do you have a Toys-R-Us close by? They were the most willing to give me shipment info. Good luck!

Michelle
 
I understand your desire to have a Christmas morning present, and I wish you the best of luck--it sounds like you'll need it. If all else fails, put a new negligee under the tree and tell him he'll have to wait for his 'other' gaming system.}( :)
 
It took my cousin and I about a year to get one. Call around to all the stores to see when they are coming in. My cousin just walked into a store and they had some! Good luck!
Ellen
 
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