When you start talking to people about gaming they act as if it's a choice between xboxone and ps4 and laugh when you mention you have a Wii U. Doesn't stop them enjoying a go on Super Mario 3D World but, at least until they've tried a few games, they really don't consider Nintendo as an option.

Marketing is of course a problem, but it's the price that's the bigger issue.

Nintendo has strayed from being the affordable platform with the WiiU. Right now, PS3 and and Xbox360 play more into the wheelhouse of the type of consumer Nintendo would typically win over because they priced lower and offer a competitive selection. Wii U held a lonely space as the only 8th gen console for nearly a year, and the most expensive console with the fewest games on the market at that.

UK's prices for consoles and games are always higher it seems.

Though it's not popular with folks on the forum here, I think if Nintendo were to offer a digital only wii u at $199 USD or roughly 120 British pounds (or 150, just cuz Brits pay more for no reason), they'd fare better in the marketplace because the could take back the 'value'-oriented market. It would remove a lot of cost and risk from retailers while increasing game revenues for Nintendo.

it's partly that supermarkets (a relatively common place to get games in UK at least for the more mainstream market) have been cutting back on Nintendo space and even when they stock space, they aren't really stocking the games that people would buy aside from Mario