Nintendo offers a raincheck for Wii shortage

By Yi-Wyn Yen

For all the last-minute Christmas shoppers who can’t find a Wii, Nintendo (NTDOY) is offering gift certificates that guarantee you can pick one up in January. Consumers must pay the $249 for the sold-out video game console at a GameStop (GME) on Dec. 20 and 21 and will then receive an I.O.U. to pick up the Wii after the holidays.

“We expect this to be a great way to put something underneath the tree,’” Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said during a conference call this morning. “GameStop will have many tens of thousands of rainchecks.”

Nintendo has underestimated the demand of the red-hot Wii since it launched in November 2006. The Kyoto-based company has sold more than 6 million Wiis in the U.S. since its release, and last month sold 981,000 units, more than doubling sales of the Sony (SNE) PlayStation 3 and outpacing the Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360 by 211,000, according to NPD Group. While Nintendo has increased production by 80 percent since the launch, Fils-Aime says they did not expect such a craze for the Wii.

“We went into the launch of the Wii with very high expectations. We had expected to be in the upper range of console launches,” Fils-Aime said. “But this is unheard of.”

Last holiday season, Nintendo faced a similar shortage problem with its handheld gaming system, Nintendo DS. Last month Nintendo sold a record 1.53 million units, and Fils-Aime says there will be enough of the portable consoles to go around this Christmas. “Any consumer who wants a DS this holiday will be able to find it,” he said.

While Nintendo’s raincheck system will appease some, thousands are still paying a premium on sites like eBay (EBAY), Amazon (AMZN) and boutique shops to get an actual Wii. Some retailers are packaging extra controllers and games to mark up the cost of the $249 console by more than $200-$300. “We are always disappointed if we see retailers pricing products above the MSRP,” Fils-Aime said. “The only way we can combat that type of activity is by not rewarding those retailers with excess supply of products.”

Nintendo says consoles will be available at six major retailers – Best Buy (BBY), Sears (SHLD), Target (TGT), Toys R US, Kmart, and Circuit City (CC) – this weekend.

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….. wonder if the low $ might have something to do with this. Nintendo seems to prefer € for the time being.

Posted By Daniel Masson, Frederikssund, Denmark : December 21, 2007 3:23 pm

Went today to get a raincheck. Game stop is only giving them out on the 21st and only 25 per store and was told to come in early to wait in line.

It doesn’t make sense that a year after the console has launched that the supply is still so short.

What kind of business is Nintendo running?

Posted By Terry, : December 20, 2007 4:41 pm

Only 24 rain-checks per GameStop? No problem! Buy a rain-check rain-check; it will guarantee that next time you want to wait in line and pay money to not buy a Wii, you can do so with the pleasure of knowing you have to go back later.

Posted By Kyle Duncan, Orlando FL : December 18, 2007 1:32 am

Why not just make up your own certificate that says “You’re getting a Wii, once in stock any any of the retailers…” and stick that under your tree? No need to pay the $249 up front or stand in lines. You know that come mid-January there will be Wii’s everywhere.

Posted By Joe Kamenar, Bensalem, PA : December 17, 2007 5:19 pm

If ever an American company could invent a gaming system to rival the Japanese.

Posted By sg, Chicago Illinois : December 17, 2007 2:18 pm

then you will see rainchecks on eBay. sigh

Posted By Al, Danbury, CT : December 17, 2007 12:17 pm

I have been informed of the same. I’d dont think this is really going to change anything. Its simply now people waiting in line for paper that can possibly/maybe give them a wii.

Posted By Anonymous : December 17, 2007 11:14 am

Many thanks for the info re rainchecks on Wii console. We have been trying to purchase for months now. Nonetheless I have been informed by GAMESTOP employees that they will only issue 10 rainchecks per store, is this true and how will this help? Would be nice to have shipping option direct to residence.

Posted By Gilbert, CC.Texas. : December 16, 2007 11:40 pm

Its just marketing thing. I went to local gamestop today and got info that they will have only 24 rainchecks to give away! There will be a huge line may be at 4 AM. How is it different from getting few in stocks once in a while?

Posted By Vipin, San Ramon, CA : December 16, 2007 9:02 pm

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