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Gamestop Cancelling Wii U Waiting List (retroactively)

G

grimshawish

Banned
Posting this as a thread so people don't miss it and end up wasting their time.

http://gengame.net/2012/11/gamestop-cancelling-wii-u-waiting-list/

As expected, the Wii U is pretty much sold out at all retailers. While Nintendo is doing the best they can to meet the demand and avoid the shortages that the Wii sold, it’s undoubtedly going to be a long wait for many consumers. GameStop, having experienced the problem of taking more pre-order requests than what they could commit to, had previously attempted to alleviate the shortage problems by opening up a “waiting list” SKU.

Once more Wii U units arrived in store, those on the waiting list would be called, and they would have an opportunity to come pick up their Wii U similar to a normal reserve for a limited time. However, likely due to the extreme demand for the system, local GameStop management has confirmed that company is discontinuing the waiting list. Read on for the details.
Click to expand...

With such a high number of pre-orders for the Wii U, there’s simply no way retailers like GameStop can keep up with the demand at this point. GameStop’s waiting list SKU was meant to help people make sure they could get the console as soon as it became available again, but the demand is too great even for that strategy. If you are on the Wii U waiting list and you have not already received a call from GameStop informing you of the change, you likely will soon, as the Wii U will soon only be available on a first come first serve basis.
Click to expand...

So if your on the Waiting List for Gamestop - your not.
Check other retailers instead of waiting about for them to call.

Also like the Gamestop thread before it may be helpful if others could post their own stock findings.

According to their shop at the time of posting, for the deluxe:
Next shipment is expected in 3 days.
Click to expand...
 
F

fluffydelusions

Member
Anyone can take a reservation, but you have to hold the reservation
Seinfeld+rental+car.jpg
 
Davey Cakes

Davey Cakes

Member
The demand seems high, but not THAT high. Most people who live near a Gamestop probably also live near a Best Buy, Walmart, Target and/or other such store where supplies are fine.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
fluffydelusions said:
Anyone can take a reservation, but you have to hold the reservation
Seinfeld+rental+car.jpg
Click to expand...
Hahahaha, well done.

And I've now seen the Wii U sitting on shelves multiple places / times. Doesn't seem all that hard to come by where I'm at.
 
B

Baconsammy

Banned
Wii Us aren't hard to find. You don't need to go to a store. Check their website and see if they have stock at individual stores. Half the Targets near me are showing stock on either or unit or both in some cases.
 
O

out0v0rder

Member
its better for a business to sell high demand items immediately then to wait for slow people to pick up their wait-listed items, sometimes they never even pick it up.
 
N

netBuff

Member
GarthVaderUK said:
Why would you scrap the waiting list if demand is high? Isn't that the whole point of having a waiting list?
Click to expand...

The likely explanation: They are doing this because demand isn't that high and a large percentage of the waiting list so far aren't interested in picking up their reserved Wii U anymore. There's more money to be made in selling stock directly to consumers.
 
P

Penguin

Member
GarthVaderUK said:
Why would you scrap the waiting list if demand is high? Isn't that the whole point of having a waiting list?
Click to expand...

Money.

Say you have 5 in stock, and call people on your waiting list and no one shows up.. means you can't sell those 5 to 5 random people who come into the store wanting one right now
 
M

Malvingt2

Member
netBuff said:
The likely explanation: They are doing this because demand isn't that high and a large percentage of the waiting list so far aren't interested in picking up their reserved Wii U anymore. There's more money to be made in selling stock directly to consumers.
Click to expand...
no

Penguin said:
Money.

Say you have 5 in stock, and call people on your waiting list and no one shows up.. means you can't sell those 5 to 5 random people who come into the store wanting one right now
Click to expand...
this!!
 
J

Joeshabadoo

Member
Baconsammy said:
Wii Us aren't hard to find. You don't need to go to a store. Check their website and see if they have stock at individual stores. Half the Targets near me are showing stock on either or unit or both in some cases.
Click to expand...

oh right, because checking retailer websites for in-store inventory information is completely reliable, yielding accurate information
 
M

markatisu

Member
netBuff said:
The likely explanation: They are doing this because demand isn't that high and a large percentage of the waiting list so far aren't interested in picking up their reserved Wii U anymore.
Click to expand...

No

There's more money to be made in selling stock directly to consumers.
Click to expand...

Yes

You were 1/2 right

Its not the people are not interested, its you don't want to take the chance to wait for them. If you work retail its a simple concept, preorders and wait list are retail death if the item is new
 
B

bluehat9

Member
Because they were automatically signing up anyone with a rewards card even if the person didn't want a wiiu whenever they made a purchase. You could be buying a used 360 game, show your card, and now you're on the WiiU waitlist. If they called 100 people, who knows how many actually wanted a system. The whole setup was stupid.
 
Y

yon61

Member
Plenty of Wii Us going unsold on ebay, so it doesn't seem people want one enough to pay $50 or so more extra than at retail.
 
Z_Y

Z_Y

Member
GarthVaderUK said:
Why would you scrap the waiting list if demand is high? Isn't that the whole point of having a waiting list?
Click to expand...

Because of this:

DR2K said:
A lot easier and quicker to sell it first come first serve.
Click to expand...

If they are waiting on Joe Schmoe to come and pick up his WiiU then they may lose a potential customer who may be in the store right then willing to buy. Meanwhile Joe Schmoe picks one up at Target and neglects to tell Gamestop to take him off the list.

It is really the only thing they can do at this point. Demand is high but if you are actively looking you will find one. I've bought two at my local TRU. First a standard on launch then a deluxe on black Friday. Took the standard back.
 
1

1-D_FTW

Member
GarthVaderUK said:
Why would you scrap the waiting list if demand is high? Isn't that the whole point of having a waiting list?
Click to expand...

Not sure if it's true, but someone mentioned they couldn't order more stock from Nintendo unless they were out of stock. And abandoned pre-orders are considered stock. So they need to flush these guys to break the logjam. Probably flippers just hoping the market suddenly ignites on ebay.
 
T

thirty

Banned
i dont like how PR can control news. seems like nintendo is purposely trying to make it seem like its hard to find when its not. understandable tho.
 
B

Baconsammy

Banned
Joeshabadoo said:
oh right, because checking retailer websites for in-store inventory information is completely reliable, yielding accurate information
Click to expand...

Yes, that's correct.

yon61 said:
Plenty of Wii Us going unsold on ebay, so it doesn't seem people want one enough to pay $50 or so more extra than at retail.
Click to expand...

Same on Amazon. They're not hard to get if you want one. When the Ebay and Amazon prices jump up, then there's an availability issue. Right now the prices are dropping.
 
T

TheExodu5

Banned
netBuff said:
The likely explanation: They are doing this because demand isn't that high and a large percentage of the waiting list so far aren't interested in picking up their reserved Wii U anymore. There's more money to be made in selling stock directly to consumers.
Click to expand...

That's my thinking as well.
 
G

grimshawish

Banned
Yeah if you go around all the shops that might stock it you should find one. Gamespotstop obviously getting more demand.
Online heavier for them too I guess.

GarthVaderUK said:
Why would you scrap the waiting list if demand is high? Isn't that the whole point of having a waiting list?
Click to expand...

Their sitting waiting for people to come pick them up when other stores have them in stock.
People will go to those other stores in the meantime Gamestop is waiting for waiting list people to show up.

Theres a point where the waiting list just grows to not be sustainable. If people are on the bottom of that list they might not get a WiiU despite stock available elsewhere.
This looks bad for Gamestop.

Plus if they are experiencing stock problems whilst other people aren't. You'd buy from their competitors, meaning that Gamestop are then sitting on stock 'waiting' for you.


Its more a logistics thing than X meets Y. This just allows them a bit more fluidity between stores and day to day sales.
 
B

Baconsammy

Banned
Gamestop isn't doing this because demand is crazy and supply is short. They're doing it because you make more money selling a console than you do holding a console for someone that may never show up.

moai said:
Poor wii u, gaf really hates it. Every news about this console gets a negative spin.
Click to expand...

It's only negative if you were of the mind that the Wii U could only be successful if it was impossible to find. For everyone else it just means they can get a Wii U if they want one.
 
K

kitschykitty

Member
This is kind of dirty, but it makes sense, I bet they were wasting tons of money holding onto stock and calling maybe 10-30 people every single time they got a shipment in, then if they don't pick the console up having to go down the list for an hour every day, recalling people and calling new people which must have been annoying, especially during the holiday rush
 
D

Double D

Member
Strange. I actually went to several stores late in the day on Black Friday and every place I went to had at least 10. Maybe the demand isn't that high around here.
 
S

Stabby McSter

Member
Double D said:
Strange. I actually went to several stores late in the day on Black Friday and every place I went to had at least 10. Maybe the demand isn't that high around here.
Click to expand...

I'm in a kinda-sorta major city (Sacramento, CA) and I saw a lot of Wii U's at the Best Buy's I went to. But maybe that's because no one shops at Best Buy? It's hard to tell.
 
B

Baron_Calamity

Member
I preordered my 360 the first day it was available for preorder. I was #46 on the list. My preorder came in April after the launch. I bought one from Toy R Us four months before. I'm amazed anyone still preorders from Gamestop.
 
Z_Y

Z_Y

Member
moai said:
Poor wii u, gaf really hates it. Every news about this console gets a negative spin.
Click to expand...

Nothing negative about being able to pick up a WiiU if you want one or that scalpers are not netting any profits.

All I know is my girls will be happy on Christmas morning. And so will I...I'm anxious to fire it up.
 
G

grimshawish

Banned
Cloudy said:
That can't be a good sign. Gamecube and wii were selling at a premium after launch.
Click to expand...

Wii was supply fucked.
Gamecube was a different era for the online market place; its much easier and more competitive now. More products being sold online now from more sources; prices fall.

Wii U is generally findable. Just in some areas its tighter than others; but I've not heard anyone whose not found one after visiting like 2 or 3 shops.
 
B

Bgamer90

Banned
So much spin.

They are cancelling it so that people can actually get the system instead of them being kept due to people with pre-orders not picking them up.

Many signs of the Wii U not having the same interest as the Wii... many stores still have decent amounts of them. Wii U's are being sold on Ebay for only $10-50 more than regular price; highest I've seen so far has been $500 and nothing more than that. Some of them (especially the non deluxe versions) aren't being sold on Ebay at all.

It's good & bad. Good since people can get them if they really want them without having to deal with prices that are way more than MSRP. Bad since (again) it's a sign that the system doesn't have as much hype as the Wii did. That fact isn't surprising though.
 
S

shinobi602

Member
All the Wal-Marts around me are sold out.

Went to a few Targets and each had maybe 1 or 2 in stock, and the reps were telling me they're selling out every time they get a shipment.
 
D

DrXym

Member
Gauge demand by using a waiting list, cancel waiting list, flog the same console in expensive bundles for extra $$$
 
G

grimshawish

Banned
shinobi602 said:
All the Wal-Marts around me are sold out.

Went to a few Targets and each had maybe 1 or 2 in stock, and the reps were telling me they're selling out every time they get a shipment.
Click to expand...

Stop that spin. Your just trying to manipulate Bgamer90's young mind!

kitschykitty said:
This is kind of dirty, but it makes sense, I bet they were wasting tons of money holding onto stock and calling maybe 10-30 people every single time they got a shipment in, then if they don't pick the console up having to go down the list for an hour every day, recalling people and calling new people which must have been annoying, especially during the holiday rush
Click to expand...

I bet the waiting list was broken during the holiday rush. They obviously had a ratio of 'Waiting List' to 'Shelf Sales'; guess one worked out more than the other.
No point in a waiting list if your competitors aren't doing it; and are stealing people that are number #40 on your list because your out of stock whilst your busy holding stock for #20 whose bought his when you were calling #10.
 
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