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By Any Means Necessary: Buying a Wii

Shoppers explore varied strategies to get Nintendo's rare console

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 8, 2007 12:26 PM CST
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(Newser) – The holiday-season shortage of Nintendo’s Wii console is fostering some creative  shopping strategies, shared on a number of websites devoted to tracking down the device, the Washington Post reports. One advises Wii hopefuls not to ask store employees when the next shipment will arrive—instead, ask when the last one came in: "This is a question they can actually answer and gets the conversation going."

Sites instruct shoppers on consumer espionage, revealing a code that will supposedly yield Wii availability from Target price scanners, or advise them to drive to stores in remote areas. Others suggests a more Zen approach: "Finding a Wii was like finding a great girlfriend--I just had to stop stressing about it, and then I suddenly lucked into one at Target one day," one posting read.

Customers line-up to purchase Wii video game consoles at the Nintendo World store in New York's Rockefeller Center in this June 21, 2007 file photo. A year after its launch, the small video game console sells out almost immediately when it reaches stores, even after Nintendo Co. has ramped up...
Customers line-up to purchase Wii video game consoles at the Nintendo World store in New York's Rockefeller Center in this June 21, 2007 file photo. A year after its launch, the small video game console...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by Nintendo, Aaron Lunning, 11, of New York, reacts as his mom Rachel Cohen-Lunning is among the first in the U.S. to purchase Super Mario Galaxy for Wii, early Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, at the Nintendo World store in New York. (AP Photo/Nintendo, Diane Bondareff)
In this photo released by Nintendo, Aaron Lunning, 11, of New York, reacts as his mom Rachel Cohen-Lunning is among the first in the U.S. to purchase Super Mario Galaxy for Wii, early Monday, Nov. 12,...   (Associated Press)
A customer, right, hands over his credit card to purchase Wii video game console at the Nintendo World store in New York's Rockefeller Center in this June 21, 2007 file photo. A year after its launch, the small video game console sells out almost immediately when it reaches stores, even...
A customer, right, hands over his credit card to purchase Wii video game console at the Nintendo World store in New York's Rockefeller Center in this June 21, 2007 file photo. A year after its launch,...   (Associated Press)
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Wii Tracker--a website that lists Wii availability at several retailers
Wii Tracker

How the Wii turned around Nintendo's fortunes
Globe and Mail

Wii demand expected to continue into next year
CNN

 
Nintendo Wii • video game console • shortage • holiday shopping

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