Nintendo dismisses accusations of failing to deliver Wii units

[wraggster]

via gamesindustry

Nintendo has refuted claims that it failed to deliver the number of Wii units promised to Virgin Megastores for the console's launch on December 8.
The claims emerged after Virgin began taking pre-orders for PlayStation 3 last week. As GamesIndustry.biz discovered after contacting stores across the country, customers enquiring about the pre-order system are told that they can secure a console for GBP 50 - but are warned that they won't neccessarily receive their machine on March 23.

They're told that they may have to wait days or even weeks for their machine to arrive, with one customer service representative stating, "We can't make a commitment to the 23rd because Sony hasn't made a commitment to us."

All the representatives GI.biz spoke to said that Virgin was keen to avoid a repeat of the situation which occurred with the launch of the Wii, claiming that Nintendo failed to deliver the number of consoles promised for day one.

"It's because there was an issue with the Wii. Some stores didn't get the allocation they were promised until the next day after launch," one representative said.

Another claimed, "The full amount of stock we were promised never turned up," while other representatives said that the total launch allocation wasn't received until several weeks after launch.

Nintendo has disputed the claims with a spokesperson telling GI.biz, "All UK retailers were notified of their initial day one Wii allocations in October 2006, some six to eight weeks before launch.

"Nintendo delivered exactly what we said we would to retailers for day one and in many instances over delivered against the initial numbers retailers were expecting."

In addition, the spokesperson said, "Nintendo made multiple and regular deliveries to retailers across the UK in the days following launch to try and meet the huge demand for Wii as much as possible."

Virgin Megastores has yet to respond to requests for comment.

[Shrygue]

I see that Virgin Megastores are taking pre-orders for the PS3 now. Let's see if anyone who choose to do this will get their machines right on the day and hope that the delays experienced with the Wii back 2 months ago don't happen.

[justinswood]

In the UK there is still no Wiis for sale in shops or on the internet, unless you happen to be in a shop when they have a meagre delivery.

In fact I ordered one through complett.co.uk (the only place that would except an order without paying silly money) at the start of January for the dispatch date of the end of Jan, then I got an e-mail that it had gone back to the mid Febuary, and now they have e-mailed me to say it will not be until March.

It is very frustrating that a console that came out in last year isn't readily available months later.

Nintendo needs to get their act together an ship a load more to meet the demand.

[iniquitous_beast]

Nintendo's factories are still running full-throttle. Demand is just so high throughout japan, America, and Europe. The only way they could catch up would be to build more factories.

Along those lines, I expect that console makers should eventually realize that building the consoles in Asia and shipping them globally is horribly inefficient. They should just set up production plants in each of the three main regions. There would be no trouble getting a hold on a locally-made console.

[Xiofire]

When will game start PS3 preorders? Ive been waiting for the email to tell me they are forever.
-Xiofire

[Accordion]

Nintendo's factories are still running full-throttle. Demand is just so high throughout japan, America, and Europe. The only way they could catch up would be to build more factories.

Along those lines, I expect that console makers should eventually realize that building the consoles in Asia and shipping them globally is horribly inefficient. They should just set up production plants in each of the three main regions. There would be no trouble getting a hold on a locally-made console.

yes there would be more units produced...put the consumer would have to pay for the set up costs, legal crap, and the general fact that it costs more to employ people in other regions...

Things are produced in Aisa becuase it is cheaper.

[curt_grymala]

I obviously know nothing about the Wii stock in the UK, but I've noticed that they are becoming much more readily available here in the states.

I saw one or two for sale on the shelves at Walmart a week or two ago, but they didn't seem to be there this past weekend. So, they're out there, and you don't have to wait in line for them anymore, but they are still selling out.

[acn010]

i want a wii so bad, lol, so this means that wii are still selling as it came out

[VampDude]

i want a wii so bad, lol, so this means that wii are still selling as it came out

go and get one then, just do as I did and wait outside the shop until it opens and secure yourself a Wii - I did this 2 days in a row and got 2 Wii's which one ended up on ebay and selling for £250!