Wii pre-orders snapped up on Amazon
by Alisha Karabinus 
{ Sep 18th 2006 at 9:01AM }
On September 15th, Amazon began taking preorders for the Wii ... and on September 15th, Amazon stopped taking preorders for the Wii. No, Nintendo didn't announce manufacturing troubles or delays. They didn't move the release date back. There was no crisis reported.They simply sold out.
Analysts, both armchair and professional, have been all over the place when it comes to the Wii since the revolutionary new console was first announced. Predictions have ranged to impossibly enthusiastic to cautiously optimistic ... and down to those who swore the concept was too gimmicky and the Wii would fail. Even fans reacted to the recent announcements of price points and world launch dates in a somewhat lukewarm fashion, and even so, people are still rabid to ensure they'll get a copy of the system on launch day.
Wiiii! Here's to the "underdog." Looks like Nintendo is moving up in the world.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jadnice @ Sep 18th 2006 9:31AM
Very interesting...I wonder who are the early pre-order group. Is it hardcore gamers (since at the time Nintendo have shown little of they hardcore games) or is it the new market buyers they are going after?
Draracle @ Sep 18th 2006 9:49AM
#1... fanboys. Fanboys who will be very disappointed when they realise that Amazon can't ship until the launch day, Sunday, and that they won't ship on a Sunday. Which means if they do ship on time it won't be until Monday. Then it will take at least until the Tuesday to arrive. And from what I have seen of pre-orders from Amazon for hyped up launches -- getting the order two days after the actual release date is... well... a miracle. So much for being first in line.
MrD @ Sep 18th 2006 9:50AM
#1
The casual gamer will probably pick up one when they're just searching through a store, so I'm saying it's more likely the hardcore crowd.
Matt @ Sep 18th 2006 10:01AM
I'm gonna pre-order mine from a high street store, if I can, to avoid delivery nightmares...
nodnetni @ Sep 18th 2006 5:18PM
How many 360's where there in the us at launch? Is it going to be the same kind of numbers for the Wii, or is it going to be more abundant numbers?
idioteraser @ Sep 18th 2006 10:15AM
It will be more the next week after launch then the xbox360. Nintendo is shipping four million Wiis worldwide from launch to the end of the year with a great many going to NA and Japan. That is twice as many as the PS3 and more then the xbox 360.
Neko Tsukimi @ Sep 18th 2006 10:57AM
I got in my pre-order early in the morning at Amazon (around 7:30 AM central)... I spread the word a little bit for anyone who wanted a chance... But it's mostly a backup plan for me, I'm queueing at midnight.
flashstash @ Sep 18th 2006 10:57AM
I'm one of those pre-order buyers from Amazon. I didn't want to have to deal with the hassle of getting one on launch day, and there was no tax, which covered the one-day shipping that will get it to me on Monday.
Dracula Jones @ Sep 18th 2006 11:12AM
Anybody know if Best Buy is taking pre-orders yet? Gotta get on that.
Adrian vG @ Sep 19th 2006 1:57AM
Umm.. what's with the cat?
SuperDave @ Sep 18th 2006 11:41AM
Hmm. I haven't preordered a console before. If I don't, do you guys think I'll be able to find a Wii launch day or I will I be able to waltz in a store of my choosing on launch day and pick one up like I did with the DS Lite?
Now that I think about it, I think the last home console I got on launch day was the Dreamcast. Or was it launch week? Hmm. I have Monday November 20 scheduled off for some additional alone time with my Wii *ahem*. If I don't have the console by then I will be pretty upset.
Wii @ Sep 18th 2006 12:05PM
I will have to wait in line at gamestop, 8am baby
Anticrawl @ Sep 18th 2006 12:14PM
At #11 You mean 8am the day before it launches you'll be waiting in line. Fuck 8am the day of the launch, I'm gonna be getting it the second it turns 12:00 at midnight. Will be first in line.
Anticrawl
P.S. Your gamestop must hate you, our game stores stay open from the day before up until the day of the launch without closing for consoles and certain video games (Halo 2/Blitz 2000).
Julian Weisser @ Sep 18th 2006 12:25PM
I am #1 on the list at FYE and I signed up YESTERDAY (put down $50). No one went there because EB is right next to it!!!
GlitchCog @ Sep 20th 2006 8:16AM
How about WalMart at 12:01?
Modano @ Sep 18th 2006 8:49PM
I signed up 2 different email addresses for Amazon to notify me about pre-orders. I never got an email at either. Thanks a lot, jerks!
reefdog @ Sep 18th 2006 3:55PM
@Draracle: I'm not entirely sure that's true. Online retailers -- especially those as big as Amazon -- often are allowed to ship items pre-launch, for arrival on the launch day. My direct-from-Sony order of Pearl Jam's new album arrived the day-of-release, and my Arrested Development Season 3 DVDs arrived from Amazon a day before release. Nintendo may indeed embargo Amazon from shipping until 11/19, but I wouldn't take that as a given.
Granted, people still won't be receiving them on Sunday, but it might not take as long as you think.
Wolfkin @ Sep 18th 2006 9:41PM
"How many 360's where there in the us at launch? Is it going to be the same kind of numbers for the Wii, or is it going to be more abundant numbers?"
Nothing near. 360s launched world wide simultaneously which was why they had such shortages if I recall correctly. Nintendo and presumably Sony will have NO such problems. There may be sell outs but nothing like the 360 situation where months in you still couldn't get one.
Wolfkin @ Sep 18th 2006 10:00PM
"15. I signed up 2 different email addresses for Amazon to notify me about pre-orders. I never got an email at either. Thanks a lot, jerks!"
There is an explanation
from Amazon
http://no-long.com/4mgsy
"For a brief period on Friday, we did offer pre-orders for the Wii, however, the rate at which pre-orders came in dramatically outpaced what we had anticipated, so we suspended pre-orders until we are able to get a firmer commitment from Nintendo regarding how many units we'll have for sale.
Because the pre-order window was so brief, the e-mail many of you signed up for notifying you that pre-orders were available was never triggered to send out. We apologize and have fixed the system to ensure pre-order e-mail notifications are sent in advance."
Jp @ Sep 19th 2006 2:11AM
I managed to pre-order at the Nintendo store in NYC on Sunday. I don't know how many they'll have available but the people behind me in line were all there for pre-orders as well. I put down $50 just for the console and I would be able to pick it up at the store the day of release.
rabidMike @ Sep 19th 2006 10:42AM
I love the cat. mew!
but yeah, I'm wondering if I should preorder as well. I've been gaming off and on since the early 80's - still have my Intellevision II but have never bought anything at launch. Whether or not my parents did is a different story. I guess I should look into reserving a system.