Wii hardware shortages continue down under

Nintendo Australia rep confirms units are selling faster than the factory can ship them; some customers forced to wait until March for retailer rainchecks to be honoured.

It's not exactly a stretch to say that the world has embraced Nintendo and its products this generation. Both the Wii and DS dominated hardware sales charts in 2007. Due to the Wii's runaway success, the console seems to be an elusive beast to catch in the wild, with numerous Australian specialty gaming and electronic retailers still struggling to satisfy consumer demand. Nintendo Australia says that Australian demand is "still outstripping supply," despite recently shipping 20,000 Wiis into the country.

Nintendo Australia public-relations coordinator Heather Murphy told GameSpot AU that the company was continually attempting to bring new Wii supplies into the country. "We put 10,000 units of Wii hardware into the market in the first week of January, and that sold through almost immediately, as retailers were still filling Christmas demand," Murphy said. "We are also shipping out 10,000 units of Wii hardware from today and then again later this week. We also have more stock arriving in late February and then more shipments in March and April. We are continually putting stock into the market, but the demand from consumers is still outstripping supply."

GameSpot AU contacted retailers such as EB Games, JB Hi-Fi, Myer, and Target, and they all had a consistent message about the Wii, with most stores claiming they had no idea when to expect the next shipment of the elusive console. Some stores had reportedly received as few as six units per store (half the expected hardware shipment) in their last delivery, leaving gamers with empty hands and money burning holes in their pockets. Some Target stores are also now displaying signs reading: "Due to supplier non-delivery, rainchecks taken from the 3rd of January will not be honoured until late March". Asked when they expected more stock, staff told GameSpot AU they were "waiting on a shipment from overseas, but it could be late March before we get more."

It's no real surprise that the hardware is in such high demand, given that both the Wii and DS dominated hardware sales charts last year. Down under, the DS sold over half a million units, while its big brother the Wii smashed records to become the fastest console to pass 100,000, 200,000, and recently 300,000 units sold nationally in the year since it launched here. However, the Big N's juggernaut doesn't end there; the company put its name on six of the top 10 software titles sold throughout '07. Included in the list are the popular Pokémon and Brain Training franchises, as well as the latest installation from plumber protagonist Mario in his space adventures on the Wii.

21 Comments

  • Maractor

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 3:58 am PT

    It's just as hard trying to get some Wii - Motes by themselves. I want awesome 4 player action now!

  • Shaun832

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 1:02 am PT

    There's popular but there is too much popularity!

  • GFM711

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 3:32 pm PT

    these wii shortages around the world are personally p!ssing me off,
    just thought I'd share that

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:46 am PT

    is the Wii just selling that huge to where Nintendo can't keep up or they just not making enough to handle the need?

  • brittoss

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 9:42 pm PT

    All Nintendo needs to do is send this letter to solve their supply problems:

    Dear Santa,
    Can we borrow your workshop Elves and sleigh to meet the demand of the Wii?
    Nintendo

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 9:40 am PT

    Down under? that's kinda silly ... maybe the "far east" should refer the US as the "far west" and north pole as "up and over"

  • Darth_Tyrranus

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 9:24 am PT

    Gamespot, can you please stop always referring to Australia as "down under"?

  • lebanese_boy

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 8:42 am PT

    All those shortages..... it's a good thing I've got my Wii now .

  • andjeff

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 7:39 am PT

    Wii's Are The BEST!!!

  • TryMe01

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 5:29 am PT

    i received 24 wiis today and 4 were sold within the hour. ouch

  • snakes2solid

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 4:59 am PT

    hyped up story !!!.. there's plenty if you look around!!..more dribble from gamespot and the like!!

  • olthof

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 2:44 am PT

    The big N are killing it! nice work.. just try to pump more out. its not like they can make another factory's though as by the time its ready (1-2 years) the demand would have slowed and would not be required

  • -CheeseEater-

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 2:10 am PT

    What the bloody heck...sorry lads, I don't beleive any of this, I just walked into my EB and JB Hi Fi both of which had about 12 Wii's...never have I seen a Wii shortage and I seriously disbeleive this...

  • selbie

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 1:23 am PT

    I thought Australia managed to avoid the shortages but apparently I'm wrong Nintendo really needs to crank up the supply this year.

  • lotsofgunfire

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 1:14 am PT

    i walked by EB and they had a piece of A4 paper stuck to the wii boxes saying next shipment ?mid feb?

  • sickside6

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 1:00 am PT

    Yeah well they are doing pretty good but they still won't win

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 12:04 am PT

    DocGonzo1971, the reason it is hard to produce enough Wii and DS units is because Nintendo had to close so many of it's production factories after the dismal sales of the Gamecube. Now they are expected to produce a crazy amount of consoles with just those existing factories. Why do you think Nintendo would hold back supply? That would mean that less people would be buying Wii and DS units and not buying software. So Nintendo would just be losing a lot of money. Can you, in your opinion, tell me where the sense in that lies? Because I sure as hell dont see it.

  • DocGonzo1971

    Posted Feb 4, 2008 11:01 pm PT

    I never have understood why Nintendo does this. It seems they always purposely hold back supply. Unless they still are have trouble with manufacturing after 2-3 years of making Wii and DS units. Which in either case, its lame. Come on, Nintendo! I want to buy a DS Lite but no stores near me haver them >

  • SirSpudly

    Posted Feb 4, 2008 10:41 pm PT

    This just proves how outdated regional consoles are. If there were the option to buy hardware from across the globe then all Nintendo would have to do is supply constant amounts to areas and let demand decide how much the good costs. But the way Nintendo did it, almost 1/4 of the christmas demand was scalped for 2X the value. Support region-free platforms like the DS, PSP, and PS3.

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