July sales figures

[JackAxe]

That's what happens then the supply line is crippled and stores are only getting 2-3 at a time 9 months after launch.

Anyone still want to argue that Nintendo is not purposely creating shortages? 🙄

Yes. 😛

It took MS until January of this year to ship over 10 million 360s. 13 months. So if Nintendo did so in 9 months, what does that say? 😛

This isn't the diamond industry. Nintendo hasn't gained a monopoly and is now intentionally limiting Wii's to keep the price high. 🙂 That's generally why you limit something, to keep prices artificially high, not to deprive consumers of an affordable system that want it. 😉

<]=)

 

[zero2dash]

So your argument is that the only reason the Wii is still selling so well is because Nintendo is crippling the supply line, and that all of these sales should have been made months ago?

It's a valid argument, but do you know for a fact that Nintendo is crippling the supply line or is it just an educated guess?

Unless you know for a fact how many Wii's are being produced in contrast to how many are being released to retailers, it's just an opinion.

Yep.

Nope.

True. But a common sense opinion at that. I find it hard to believe that if everyone who wanted a Wii already had one (with higher supply) that they wouldn't be sitting on shelves just like every other system.

Common sense and past history of every other video game system shows that at this stage of the game - they should be readily available. I bet that at 9 months, the Ps2 had stronger sales numbers than the Wii at 9 months, yet...Ps2s were readily available a few months after launch, let alone 9 months.

That's ok though. I'll take my common sense argument elsewhere, I'm not too thirsty for kool-aid right now. 😎

This isn't the diamond industry. Nintendo hasn't gained a monopoly and is now intentionally limiting Wii's to keep the price high. 🙂 That's generally why you limit something, to keep prices artificially high, not to deprive consumers of an affordable system that want it. 😉

They haven't limited it to keep prices high; they've limited it to keep it at the top of sales charts and keep the hype going.

***********

You know, what's hilarious about this is if this were Sony (or Microsoft) in their shoes, all you guys (*cough* Jimmi *cough*) would be probably banned at this point for posting so much anti-Sony ranting. Yet it's Nintendo, so they're immune. 🙄

...there's plenty of kool-aid to go around guys, help yourselves. 🙄

 

[thegreatunknown]

So your argument is that the only reason the Wii is still selling so well is because Nintendo is crippling the supply line, and that all of these sales should have been made months ago?

It's a valid argument, but do you know for a fact that Nintendo is crippling the supply line or is it just an educated guess?

Unless you know for a fact how many Wii's are being produced in contrast to how many are being released to retailers, it's just an opinion.

if this strategy was true, wouldn't the number of Wii's continually SOLD be much less than the other consoles? Or is Nintendo producing so much more than all the other companies that they can hold some back but still sell way more than the other companies?

 

[michaelltd]

I guess whether or not Nintendo is purposely creating a shortage doesn't seem to matter too much since they're outselling the competition, huh? 😉

At any rate, I better be seeing some more good games for the system in the near future.

 

[thegreatunknown]

I guess whether or not Nintendo is purposely creating a shortage doesn't seem to matter too much since they're outselling the competition, huh? 😉

THANK YOU. for a second there I thought my logic was messed up.

 

[echeck]

I guess whether or not Nintendo is purposely creating a shortage doesn't seem to matter too much since they're outselling the competition, huh? 😉

His argument is that crippled supply is why sales are still good. He's saying that all the Wii's should have sold months ago so that the number of sold units now would be much lower because demand should have already been nearly met. Right, zero?

That's ok though. I'll take my common sense argument elsewhere, I'm not too thirsty for kool-aid right now. 😎

No need. Just don't be upset when other opinions vary from your own opinion.

 

[JackAxe]

They haven't limited it to keep prices high; they've limited it to keep it at the top of sales charts and keep the hype going.:

But Nintendo shipped 10 million Wii's in 9 months. Microsoft took 13 months to do so. 😀

So if I were to say someone was limiting supplies, I would have to lean towards MS, not Nintendo. 😛

It took Sony 12 months to ship 10 million PS2s.

So Nintendo, whom you accuse of intentionally limiting supplies, has sold more units in less time than Sony's golden PS2 did in its first year.

So do you still believe Nintendo is holding back supplies? They could always rush them out the door and have them failing a bit too often like some other company. 😱

<]=)

 

[zero2dash]

His argument is that crippled supply is why sales are still good. He's saying that all the Wii's should have sold months ago so that the number of sold units now would be much lower because demand should have already been nearly met. Right, zero?

Right.
Wait, no.
They should be readily available on store shelves is what I'm saying. But they're not.
(Doesn't matter to me either way, I've already got mine. 😉)

Sales figures and percentages aside - I cannot swallow that they have been mass producing the system for more than a year now (since obviously production started before launch, and launch was 9 months ago) and it's still nearly impossible to find.

If they were readily stocking them on shelves, sales could be more, could be less, or could be the same. I doubt they'd be more though, personally.

No need. Just don't be upset when other opinions vary from your own opinion.

I'm far from upset. Likewise I don't think everyone should share my opinion nor do I forcefully sling it around.
Don't think I can say the same for others. 😱

Sorry, I don't get upset over petty arguments like this.
I've got more important things to worry about. 🙂
Again - I don't think I can say the same for others. 😎

 

[0098386]

the Ps2 had stronger sales numbers than the Wii at 9 months, yet...Ps2s were readily available a few months after launch, let alone 9 months.

Sorry, it didn't.

What's this Cool Aid you keep talking about? Does it stop you interpreting numbers?

 

[echeck]

Sorry, I don't get upset over petty arguments like this.
I've got more important things to worry about. 🙂

Me too, like what movie I should take my wife to this evening. It's been ages since we've been able to have a nice night out on our own without our son or other various family. 😉

 

[JackAxe]

Sorry, it didn't.

What's this Cool Aid you keep talking about? Does it stop you interpreting numbers?

I quoted you so that zero2dash would have a harder time ignoring this bit of info, which pretty much debunks his whole point. 🙂

<]=)

 

[bobber205]

Yep.


They haven't limited it to keep prices high; they've limited it to keep it at the top of sales charts and keep the hype going.

Lawl. 🙄

Do you realize how silly that statement is? Limiting the number they sell to make sure they sell more than the competition. Seriously that is retarded.

How many customers see a Wii in the store and go "Hey. This aren't selling out ALL THE TIME!?! WTF?! ON NOEZ! I can't buy one of those pos!"

Please.
You are either a Sony/360 fanboy or some one who has stock in either.

The Wii is doing incredibly well. That's the whole story.

 

[Antares]

Common sense is a fallacy. It's a single minded association that has no basis in the true nature of reality.

Anyway, short of hard figures on Nintendo's manufactured units versus physically shipped units and manufacturing capacity, you can only speculate on what is actually happening with the supply. I'll eat a cookie if I'm wrong but...I seriously don't think that Nintendo would cripple their supply on purpose. Being able to say that "all units are sold out" does not impress stakeholders as much as actual high sales numbers. If we completely sold out of Widget X but sold less widgets than our competitors, that will not be as good as if we outsold our competitors, on every level, but still have unsold units in the supply chain. The bottom line is really the most important thing.

You can talk about consumer psychology... If Wii's are always sold out and you see one on the shelf, you'll be more likely to buy a Wii on impulse...because you may not get that chance again. However, it would otherwise be a differed purchase. If Wii's are readily available, you don't have that same sense of urgency. However, like I said before, unless you are a speculator, you are not going to buy a Wii unless you already want one. If you don't want a Wii, you are not going to suddenly buy one just because it is rare and you see it on the shelf.

The only thing that I could possibly see happening, in the supply situation, is that Nintendo may be holding out on manufactured units long enough to ship in a bulk quantity. It is far cheaper to ship and distribute units in large numbers than in tiny batches. Nintendo can get bulk units out to the "local" warehouses and then distribute a steady, albeit small, stream from there. It's much more profitable to use that distribution model.

 

[0098386]

I quoted you so that zero2dash would have a harder time ignoring this bit of info, which pretty much debunks his whole point. 🙂

<]=)

Yup, the PS2 has never outsold the Wii.

And I'm quoting you for the same reason 🙂

Numbers aside - I want Super Metroid ASAP.

 

[iLunar]

Right.
Wait, no.
They should be readily available on store shelves is what I'm saying. But they're not.
(Doesn't matter to me either way, I've already got mine. 😉)

I don't get it. I guess I am illogical. They aren't readily available because they are limiting supply and still selling over 400,000 units? It couldn't just be that the Wii is high in demand? Occam's Razor and all...the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.

You just have to look at the NDP to see what is in demand. Those sales numbers can't be manipulated for 9 months straight.

As for production, that is only one thing in a supply chain. Supply chain is NOT an exact science, there are so many factors. If it were so easy, companies would not spend millions of dollars to get it right.

At this point, it'd be foolish for Nintendo to hold back its supply. It just makes no logical sense. They are out-selling their competition, plain and simple.

 

[ChrisK018]

Nice that Nintendo is using that brilliant strategy of making "hype" more important than making a thing businesses like to call "profit" by selling as many units as they can. How does one even quantify hype? A common sense arguement indeed. More like a strange conspiracy theory concocted in one's parents' basement.

I had no idea that there were so many cutting edge forum posters that get to sit in on Nintendo board marketing meetings and what not. Enough with the conjecture.

I praise Nintendo for selling so many units and surpassing the 360 in worldwide sales. I wish Sony would get it together and sell more units too. I want more cool games!

 

[zero2dash]

Does it stop you interpreting numbers?

Nope, sure doesn't. Nice chart. Looks like the Wii outsold it after all, congrats.

Still doesn't excuse the fact [that has no excuse] which is that the system is absent from store shelves.

Me too, like what movie I should take my wife to this evening. It's been ages since we've been able to have a nice night out on our own without our son or other various family. 😉

Friend of mine said Superbad was the best and most hilarious movie he'd seen all year (and he has seen the Simpsons movie). Said SB had him laughing throughout the entire movie...may want to check that out.

Eventually my wife and I will get to drop our daughter off somewhere and enjoy a movie for a change as well. Prob go see SB. 🙂

I quoted you so that zero2dash would have a harder time ignoring this bit of info, which pretty much debunks his whole point. 🙂

I don't have a hard time ignoring anything.
'cept kool-aid drinkers. 😛

And, no it doesn't. Should I quote what I replied to Jimmi just in case you ignore it?

Lawl. 🙄

Do you realize how silly that statement is? Limiting the number they sell to make sure they sell more than the competition. Seriously that is retarded.

Do you realize how silly it is that 9 months after the system launched, they're as impossible to find now as they were the day they came out?

No? See my point? Yeah - thought so. 🙄

Please.
You are either a Sony/360 fanboy or some one who has stock in either.

The Wii is doing incredibly well. That's the whole story.

I LAWLZ
Son I guarantee I've owned more systems and more games by more companies in my lifetime than you have.

You want to throw around the "fanboy" tagline - go do it elsewhere in a realm it applies, like Gamefaqs. I'm as far from a fanboy as a gamer ever will be. 😎

 

[Sky Blue]

I don't get it. I guess I am illogical. They aren't readily available because they are limiting supply and still selling over 400,000 units? It couldn't just be that the Wii is high in demand?

I don't get it either....

 

[zero2dash]

Guess maybe we won't have to worry about this after all

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pachter-wii-supplies-being-diverted-to-us-from-japan/

Pachter: Wii supplies being diverted to US from Japan

34 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Aug 24th 2007 2:45PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Business

Japan doesn't need their Wiis like those ravenous all-consuming Americans, and Nintendo knows this according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter. While crunching the NPD numbers for July, and trying to figure out where he went wrong, he noticed that the US Wii sales numbers were a bit confusing -- they were high. That's not confusing on the demand side of things, but the supply shouldn't have been there to sell.

Pachter says, "Wii sales remain strong, with an apparent increase in supply during the quarter. This increase is inconsistent with reports that Nintendo has had difficulty in increasing its manufacturing capacity ... suggesting to us that the company has diverted supply from other areas (perhaps Japan) to the U.S." Finally, our societal lack of patience pays off! We want our Wiis and we want them now! There will be "murder, death, kill" if mothers don't get their little ones a Wii by this Christmas.

 

[zap2]

They should be readily available on store shelves is what I'm saying. But they're not.

We get that...you think that, but your not giving a reason. People have sited how long it took MS and Sony to get 10M of there most recent console(that have gotten to 10M shipped)....yet some how Nintendo, who's smaller, should be able to do it better then them.


Oh wait, Nintendo has shipped 10M faster then MS or Sony did with 360/PS2.

 

[e²Studios]

Nintendo is feeding the media hype created fad, they are playing on the "they are rare" stock by limiting production and giving stores 2 or 3 units per shipment. See here, people like to think what they are getting is rare, or at least isnt something that a lot of other people can get but that others in their social circle want (see FAD). If they were readily available on the shelves that psychological feeling goes away (which is a VERY important marketing perspective), Nintendo knows this, hence Zero's logic makes a lot of sense since limiting the supply chain would make it seems as if it were hard to get and/or a rare item. Zero isn't saying it didnt sell, he is questioning their supply chain. That kool-aid must blind people, shield from logic, and give the drinker a not so clear view of common business practices and marketing. 🙄

Ed

 

[Ninden]

It could be that Nintendo is evil and is simply not producing more to keep demand high. Or, more realistically, there could be an actual reason for there being a Wii shortage...

Due to the tight supply of components such as IC chips and PCBs, Nintendo's plans to expand production of its Wii games console, originally set for June, have been delayed, according to Taiwan-based component makers."

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070816PD217.html

 

[Antares]

Still doesn't excuse the fact [that has no excuse] which is that the system is absent from store shelves.

Santa Miyamoto can't just pull more Wii's out of his magic sack....

 

[michaelltd]

Santa Miyamoto can't just pull more Wii's out of his magic sack....

If he could, I'd be very afraid. 😛

 

[BoyBach]

Nintendo is feeding the media hype created fad, they are playing on the "they are rare" stock by limiting production and giving stores 2 or 3 units per shipment. See here, people like to think what they are getting is rare, or at least isnt something that a lot of other people can get. If they were readily available on the shelves that psychological feeling goes away (which is a VERY important marketing perspective), Nintendo knows this, hence Zero's logic makes a lot of sense since limiting the supply chain would make it seems as if it were hard to get and/or a rare item. Zero isn't saying it didnt sell, he is questioning their supply chain. That kool-aid must blind people, shield from logic, and give the drinker a not so clear view of common business practices and marketing. 🙄

Ed

So how is it that I ordered thirty Wii's last week in work and they were delivered the very next day? And as I said earlier, I work in small town in south Wales in a small electronics shop that just happens to sell games consoles.

Are Nintendo deliberately diverting stock to a small south Wales town instead of Curry's, Comet, Game, Amazon, etc? I've just done a quick check and it appears that these high street shops also have Wii's in stock, so it would appear that the answer is no.

It was selling well when stock was limited and it has continued to sell well now that they are beginning to be freely available.

Which leads me to ask, why are people finding it so difficult to accept that the Wii is a success and is outselling the other consoles at the moment?


(A true story, an 'older' woman bought a Wii from us this week because her friend owns one and they had spent an entire night having one family versus the other on Wii Sports. I can't remember ever selling a PlayStation, DS, PSP or Xbox to someone in a similar situation for the same reason. The Wii is attractive to a completely new demographic of shopper and it appears that the sales figures reflect this trend.)