nephilimdj
Member
Even the PSP they added features and better screens every 1-2 years due to costs coming down.
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ASDA no longer stocking/selling the Wii U in stores, won't restock this year
- Thread starter Nibel
- Start date
Even the PSP they added features and better screens every 1-2 years due to costs coming down.
My local Sainsbury's:
Hardware...
Software...
There are 6 'sections'. One 360, one PS3, one mixed PS3 / 360 sales stuff, one 3DS, one for XBone / PS4 preorders and then the one I snapped above. Poor Vita was dropped about a month ago, it used to take up one shelf in the PS3 section.
Hardware...
Love the 'Mario Games' banner and the £249 basic.
Software...
Pikmin 3 must've sold gangbusters!
There are 6 'sections'. One 360, one PS3, one mixed PS3 / 360 sales stuff, one 3DS, one for XBone / PS4 preorders and then the one I snapped above. Poor Vita was dropped about a month ago, it used to take up one shelf in the PS3 section.
KnockOneOff
Banned
Well if they made Nintendo Direct alittle more exciting... instead of an asian dude in a suit and a white room with a desk and no idea...
Think he could be over due a trip to disney land
Think he could be over due a trip to disney land
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
A retailer exists to generate profit, not wait foe nintendo to save a failing console.
Same thing will happen with Sony and the Vita, but I think vita software at least sells. Somewhat.
michaelius
Banned
Wii U can only dream about having PSP like sales even during the slow years.
My favourite is the "Under 25?" one xD
It's normally "we may ask for ID" but is that one "you shouldn't buy this?" :x
Portugeezer
Member
ASDA is irrelevant
just like the Wii U?
Back in the day Harvey Norman, a major electrical retail in Australia stopped stocking Nintendo's stock around the GBA/Gamecube era.
They were extremely sore about it when the Wii was selling embarrassingly huge amounts.
They were extremely sore about it when the Wii was selling embarrassingly huge amounts.
Opus Angelorum
Member
It kinda highlights a problem when they are still more Wii games on the shelf than Wii U.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
The PSP shipped 10m units in a slow year. The Wii U wishes it was the PSP!
Law Abiding Stranger
Banned
Hahaha, it almost seems like they are listing "Mario Game 1","Mario Game 2", etc.
Bulbagarden
Member
And they brought it on themselves. They apparently went to Nintendo and demanded that they be given a substantial discount on the wholesale price of the Wii, peripherals, and 1st party games. Nintendo said no, so HN refused to stock it at launch....only to go crawling back on their hands and knees to Nintendo after the first Christmas.
a lot of people here are from america and will look at this through an american perspective. some of our regional supermarket chains have twice as many locations as ASDA. not to mention only a fragment of those were carrying this in the first place, they're still carrying it online, and they could probably start carrying it again into the future if need be. it's still a big deal, just much less of a deal than people from america would instantly expect after reading the OP
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Asda is the second largest supermarket by market share in the UK (around 16%). It would be like one of Target or Costco deciding to stop stocking the Wii U.
maybe i don't exactly get what ASDA is. from the looks of their revenue, it was primarily a grocery store. target isn't primarily a grocery store. they just sell general goods. i bet 95-100% of target locations stock the wii u, not 20% like ASDA. the chain also has apparently 3X more locations. it isn't anywhere near the same scale from what i see. it's still a big deal, like i said, just one much smaller than someone from america might think at first glance.
The Horror the horror
Banned
This is the sort of tactics and level of vindictiveness that detracts businesses and publishers from having relations with Nintendo. While it isn't exclusive to them, Nintendo needs to understand that they don't have the same market presence as its competitors (they're exclusively games) and therefore have less leverage to work with. Instead of exacting revenge/control on those businesses that have wronged them in the past, they should adopt a more turn the next cheek policy.
The funniest part is that the number one Mario game is Professor Layton.
shinra-bansho
Member
Where are you getting these numbers? What are you even basing them on?
Why are you talking about the relative scale of Target and ASDA to each other rather than the size of the local market and their own major competitors?
Why are you focusing on what it was, when it is the 4th largest by marketshare retailer of entertainment goods in the UK?
The comparison made wasn't that ASDA and Target are the same, it's that they hold similar position within their markets and, thus, the impact on their respective markets is similar.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
I don't know where you get the 20% stocking levels from.
Again, you don't really get the market differentials, the UK is 67m people, the US is 300m people. In relative terms Asda is a much larger operation than anything in the US bar Wal-Mart (their parent company).
they already did their damage control apparently i get the market differentials very much, UK is a much smaller territory. that wasn't what i was talking about. just saying why people from america would instantly assume this was a bigger deal until reading the finer details. if publix started carrying wii us at 100 locations in florida, i don't think the impact would be enough to spell success on the wii u either.
Little Old Man
Member
Grocery stores in the UK (aka supermarkets) have very diversified product ranges on offer (seemingly compared to the US) since they concluded that the margins on what they traditionally sell were increasingly slashed by intense competition. Hence why you can walk into Asda, buy food, insurance, get an eye test, pick up a TV and this weeks latest AAA game (though surely you can do all of that in Walmart stores?).
The importance of these retail giants is the exposure they provide to products they sell, given the vast majority of the population shop in one of more of these chains every week. the same can be said for books or CDs, which are purchased whilst people buy groceries.
So given that outside of special offers (or launch day offers like for COD), the majority of game and system purchases in supermarkets are made by people who don't keep up with gaming news, nor read GAF then by dropping the WiiU Asda has removed an avenue for the system to enter shopper's mindset (out of sight, out of mind). A significant proportion of Asda's customer base are families- the same ones who jumped onto the Wii, and the same group now who believe the WiiU is an add-on, if they are aware of its existence at all.
Given that we already know that Tesco and Sainsbury's are ever marginalising their WiiU offerings, it's very important Nintendo actually market the system, and ASAP put out titles which will sell the system.
depends not only on market share but also what percentage coverage they give consoles etc in the different chains. What is Asda's market share of gaming in the UK?
edit: http://www.retail-week.com/city-and-finance/mergers-and-acquisitions/asda-and-hmv-the-pros-and-cons-of-a-potential-acquisition/5047209.article
Arc Christelle
Member
I might just need two Wii U's. One for myself, and one to sell once the value increases.
coinoperatedboy
Banned
I'm still not sure how this isn't ironic. They held on to the wii u just until before it could try and turn it around.
I wouldn't say it was planed per say as it was just sense.
That's... quite optimistic. You do know we're talking 5M+ sales here, and that's probably the very lowest end of the spectrum for TLoU.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Then those people from the US would be wrong. It is a big deal, the fourth largest entertainment retailer and second largest retailer in general has dropped Nintendo's flagship product in the run up to Christmas. Seriously, you have basically zero understanding of markets outside of the US, just because you don't get it, don't tar other people in your country with the same brush, they are in this thread and seem to understand it fully.
D
Deleted member 13876
Unconfirmed Member
Didn't that happen with the GameCube? It was way later in its lifespan, so this already seems troubling and a sign other retailers might make a move earlier.
"I don't need their groceries anyway. If I want food, I wait for Nintendo to provide it."
mangochutney
Member
Others have covered other points on where you're misled, but I also wanted to add that if ASDA as the 4th biggest entertainment seller decides the Wii U can't turn them a profit then how long until the 3rd takes the same path and then the 2nd...
I'm sure they know what they are doing in this regard. If they don't stand firm in certain cases, like not dealing with a retailer who threatened not to stock their stuff, more and more retailers would start taking advantage of them.
Or maybe they don't know.
TheDrowningMan
Member
The 20% (actually 18%) is in the fucking OP article. I've already re-posted it, that very pertinent information about Asda having NEVER rolled the console out in the majority of its stores.
Asda also has NOT stocked any new software since launch. Those who write articles about the chain not stocking Pikmin 3 as though it's a shocking development should be given a very wide berth. They have not taken any new software since launch. Since launch. That includes online.
To add more context, something I'm sure will go ignored, Asda did not take any newly released 3DS software from December until around a month after Luigi's Mansion's launch, at which point they started up again and got some of the older stuff in, too.
Why are facts much more difficult for people than tabloid-esque hysteria?
Here is a suggestion: why shouldn't Nintendo just rename the Wii U to the Mario Machine (with the eventual follow-up being the Super Mario Machine)?
I'm only half joking here because at some point it might actually make sense for them start to blatantly link the hardware to the games that most people already associate with it. It's already by far their strongest brand, so why not use it even more (just like the Sainsbury's store did) to sell hardware as well?
What do you guys think: would something like this be a good idea, or would it only put Nintendo in a corner even more (and limit them from developing any other franchises)?
I expect that this is just the beginning and other stores will follow. And as crazy as it may sound it might help Nintendo finally realize of how much of a predicament they're in and start doing something. They (should) have so much freaking money. Buy more studios, develop some RPGs, convince developers to bring some beloved handheld series over to the big screen. Something. Anything.
prag16
Banned
I think the point is that Asda used to stock the Wii U. It may not have been in all branches, but it was a product stocked and sold by Asda. Asda are also responsible for the bulk of the £199 / £149 firesales that have actually moved Wii U consoles. They've probably shifted a disproportionate number of units for their size, even if they didn't stock in every branch. Asda no longer sell the Wii U at all, anywhere.
A week ago, you could buy a Wii U from Asda. Now you cannot. That is significant whether you think so or not.
There is no hysteria, merely people recognising that this is another indicator that a failing console is most certainly failing.You're a man drowning in the sea of hysteria found in this topic.
prag16
Banned
The article now linked at the top of the OP states that the Wii U (and 3DS) will continue to be available online from Asda, but are temporarily sold out due to price promotions.
Nobody said it's completely insignificant that it'll no longer be available in the 18% of brick and mortar stores that used to stock it, but it also seems to be getting blown way out of proportion for doom/gloom/drama purposes.
I don't think we're reading the same thread.
that definitely put Nintendo in a corner even more.
People on the internet are overdramatizing about this... just like they did with the PS3 and the 3DS.
Wii U will be fine. It won't make the insane wii numbers, but it will be fine, once the good software gets released.
DragonSworne
Banned
When I see tbis thread, I keep thinking back to the kid I met on BLOPS2 for Wii U and how he told me he saved up all his money working over the summer around his neighborhood so he could buy the Wii U.
It's really sad to think he might not get his moneys worth.
It's really sad to think he might not get his moneys worth.
Aquamarine
Member
Specifically:
Nintendo initially projected 5.5 million shipments from launch until March 31st.
THEN, in January, seeing as they only managed 3.06 million shipments from November-December, Nintendo revised their Wii U projections downward from 5.5 million to 4 million total from launch until March 31st.
THEN, in April, Nintendo missed their 4 million projection with only 3.45 million shipped. To inspire confidence in investors, Iwata then announced that by March 2014, the Wii U would have 12.45 million lifetime shipments.
It's widely expected that tomorrow, Iwata is going to announce another downward revision of Wii U hardware targets.
You're right---Nintendo's internal expectations have always been high-volume.
Considering their original target was 5.5 million Wii U units shipped, I'm willing to take the bet that the 5.5 million figure was central to initial agreements with key suppliers.
With an estimated 4 million consoles shipped as of June 30th, I'm certain that Nintendo hasn't sufficiently fulfilled initial supply contracts. And given the twice-revised projections, I don't think suppliers are particularly thrilled at rewriting contracts with Nintendo to significantly undercut their current prices.
Like you said, this puts Nintendo into a conundrum. If they would want to lower their prices, they'd have to orient themselves firmly as a loss-leader. Taking that kind of strategy drains their capital and needs to be sufficiently made up with in royalties and software sales...neither of which are particularly strong for the Wii U. And then there's that pesky ¥100 billion operating profit goal that investors are expecting...
Based on what metrics, exactly? Because they already have a 2D Mario game out for the system (27.8 million shipped on Wii, 30.38 million shipped on DS) that hasn't significantly pushed consoles at all post-launch.
This sets a trend that traditional Nintendo IPs will not have the same kind of pull when released on the Wii U (cf. GameCube).
Nikodemos
Member
Sure, if by 'fine' you mean 'Gamecube numbers'.
it has 10% of the market, thats not small, but it isn't a titan either. Asda (and other supermarkets) tend to have a very up/down relationship with games, often cutting back on shelf space and then increasing it again 6-9 months later. It isn't surprising to see them cutting back during the summer on a slow moving item. What perhaps is surprising is Nintendo not seemingly doing anything to incentivise Asda to keep their product visible on the shelf.
It's a good life lesson. The money I saved up and wasted on the Sega CD and 32X helped make me the man I am today.
I see no reason to believe so, PS3 and 3DS suffered from rough starts that they overcame, Wii U is in a much more dire state in comparison.
Wickerbasket
Member
I wouldn't worry about him. Kids always think they're getting their moneys worth, they can play the same games over and over again.
Source: owning a N64 and Gamecube as my main consoles.
Fixed. We love 3DS in the UK. Living in London I have over 200 streetpasses and have had over 60 homes in my Animal Crossing showcase to put things in to perspective! The Wii U fails on so many different levels and I'm hugely disappointed cause I love Nintendo. It can't even be compared to the GameCube or Dreamcast cause they had so many amazing games and at least appealed to hardcore gamers, if not casual players.
I REALLY do want to crave a Wii U and love it like I do my 3DS, but everything to do with it just seems so cheap and low budget from the Gamepad to the software. New Super Mario Bros being rehashed for the FORTH time was a joke (even starting off in that fucking mushroom kingdom level with those awful Wah-Wah noises!) Donkey Kong Country and Mario 3D World could easily be done on the 3DS, Wind Waker is just a GameCube remake and Pikmin is hardly a classic Nintendo series or system seller. Smash Brothers look nice but the will be out on 3DS too and Mario Kart looks like business as usual... like NSMB it's starting to lack imagination when it comes to music and level design.
They need to pull out the big guns like a big budget Zelda, Metroid and Mario... and by Mario I mean a sequel to Mario 64/Sunshine/Galaxy, NOT Mario 3D Land. But with all the above stuff to get through it seems like it'll be ages for even one such title to be shown and by then, I fear it will be far too late, especially as PS4 and Xbone will be out and filling up the shelves!
When I think of the incredible effort and polish Nintendo used to put in their games back in the N64 days and I look at some of the cheap and lazy software development today it just makes me sad. Yamauchi must be rolling in his grave.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
Well the autumn winter catalogue is already out and its very rare they discontinue a big product mid season. But I don't think the Wii Us place in the Spring Summer Catalogue (published in January) is guaranteed. If Sales remain slow up until a small bump at Xmas, I expect the Wii U to be moved to online only which for Argos, unlike Asda, is basically discontinued.