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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Analyst WiiU GameStop sales below expectations

Viper1 on 03 January 2013
WindyCityHeat said:
Slightly disappointing would be accurate. It wasn't a MAJOR FLOP, but it hasn't done ANYTHING to capture even a single "imagination" as nintendo surely hoped lol.

The only thing the wiiu launch made me want to purchase was a PS4/720 next year.

Unless your imagination is named "single", stop being so presumptious.

BenVTrigger said:

The Wii U is not supply constrained.  Period end of story at ANY retailer.  Wal-Mart, Gamestop, Target, or Best Buy.  That doesnt mean it hasnt had a successful launch however.  It has done pretty well.  That being said calling Wii U supply constrained is a flat out lie

Anecdotal to be certain but I've seen in sold out at my local Wal-Mart every time I've looked for the past 2 weeks.

I'm not claiming that to be a chain wide situation or maybe I've just had the unfortunate luck of always showing up prior to the shelf being restocked but there have certainly been store specific sell outs for Wal-Mart (who are known to sell the bulk of Nintendo products in the US).  I agree that it's unlikely to have had enough of an impact to call it supply constrained.

 

That said, this report is far too vague to be of any real value other than use for fanboy debate fodder.



The rEVOLution is not being televised

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Jaywood2010 on 03 January 2013
HappySqurriel said:
JayWood2010 said:
Just wnt to go ahead and bring up something. Nintendo expects to sell 5m wiiU's in it's fiscal year. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that was nintendo's prediction. I don't know when it'
s fiscal year ends but I'd judge it off of that.


Nintendo's fiscal year ends March 31st ...

It is likely that as of December 31st Nintendo will have sold more than 2.5 million units, and if they sell over 150,000 units a week for the first 13 weeks of the year they should be close to meeting their shipment estimate of 5.5 million units.


ok thank you.  So it was 5.5m.  I knew it was something around that area.  That is what we are judging success off of, is that number.  




       

gergroy on 03 January 2013

I find the multi skew strategy annoying, especially when there is one sku that is much more desirable (basic vs deluxe, pro vs arcade, 80 gig vs 40 gig, etc.). I really wish hardware makers wouldnt do this. Is marketing at 300 dollars really worth it? The less desirable hardware ends up just chilling on store shelves until somebody is sick of waiting for the better sku...



Mr Khan on 03 January 2013
WindyCityHeat said:
Slightly disappointing would be accurate. It wasn't a MAJOR FLOP, but it hasn't done ANYTHING to capture even a single "imagination" as nintendo surely hoped lol.

The only thing the wiiu launch made me want to purchase was a PS4/720 next year.

You're improving, though i'd cut the second line.



Monster Hunter: pissing me off since 2010.

BenVTrigger on 03 January 2013
Viper1 said:
WindyCityHeat said:
Slightly disappointing would be accurate. It wasn't a MAJOR FLOP, but it hasn't done ANYTHING to capture even a single "imagination" as nintendo surely hoped lol.

The only thing the wiiu launch made me want to purchase was a PS4/720 next year.

Unless your imagination is named "single", stop being so presumptious.

BenVTrigger said:

The Wii U is not supply constrained.  Period end of story at ANY retailer.  Wal-Mart, Gamestop, Target, or Best Buy.  That doesnt mean it hasnt had a successful launch however.  It has done pretty well.  That being said calling Wii U supply constrained is a flat out lie

Anecdotal to be certain but I've seen in sold out at my local Wal-Mart every time I've looked for the past 2 weeks.

I'm not claiming that to be a chain wide situation or maybe I've just had the unfortunate luck of always showing up prior to the shelf being restocked but there have certainly been store specific sell outs for Wal-Mart (who are known to sell the bulk of Nintendo products in the US).  I agree that it's unlikely to have had enough of an impact to call it supply constrained.

 

That said, this report is far too vague to be of any real value other than use for fanboy debate fodder.


Like I said I think we had a misunderstanding on what he was talking about.  I thought he was like some forum members who said Wii U was sold out everywhere and would be doing huge numbers if it wasnt.

As I said Wii U stock isnt overabundant at all, its still somewhat low but most locations have a steady inventory.



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TheLastStarFighter on 03 January 2013
BenVTrigger 1 minute ago
TheLastStarFighter said:
Also Ben, you and others don't seem to realise what supply-constrained means. It doesn't mean a bunch of soccer moms beating each other up to get the last one like they did with the Wii a few years ago. It doesn't mean you don't see them on shelves. It simply means that they are leaving stores at a rate that is at least equal to the rate they are entering stores. This can take days or weeks, but it is definitely the case. We know it because the sales are on pace with Nintendo's manufacturing projection pace. I hate anecdotes, but can say personally that when I walked into a several WalMarts and Gamestops and BestBuys on the days before Christmas there were no WiiU's. Stores may and wherehouses may or may not have inventory, but it's not a growing inventory. Not yet anyway. Therefore the supply chain is supply-constrained.


I can agree that stores dont have huge stocks of Wii Us as that isnt the case. However the majority do have inventory. This isnt anywhere similar to back when the Wii launched where it was a complete sell out the moment inventory arrived.

So if your simply saying supply is constant without ever being overstocked I can certainly agree with that. It seems Nintendo is simply keeping pace with sales well. I see people on these forums at times imply the Wii U is in a similar situation to the Wii and thought you were trying to agree with them.

 

Thank you. I'm glad you get what I'm saying. I don't think WiiU demand is anywhere near Wii demand. Data pegs it at 56%.  But my point is that the demand is more than enough to sell 5 million WiiU's, and I include Europe in that.  The system is selling at a pace of what it's manufactured. If you were to analyze the supply chain, you would say the bottleneck is Nintendo's production. Now, if 5 million WiiU's were thrown on the market today it would take time for those to sell. Then the constraint would be the consumer. That will happen at some point, probably later in 2013. But right now WiiU's aren't gathering dust, not even in Europe, like some like to say.



Stefan.De.Machtige on 03 January 2013
gergroy said:
I find the multi skew strategy annoying, especially when there is one sku that is much more desirable (basic vs deluxe, pro vs arcade, 80 gig vs 40 gig, etc.). I really wish hardware makers wouldnt do this. Is marketing at 300 dollars really worth it? The less desirable hardware ends up just chilling on store shelves until somebody is sick of waiting for the better sku...

It's all about getting below that 300 number in a (post)-recession. So many companies play the *,99 game because it must be effective.



In the wilderness we go alone with our new knowledge and strength.

BenVTrigger on 03 January 2013
TheLastStarFighter said:
BenVTrigger 1 minute ago
TheLastStarFighter said:
Also Ben, you and others don't seem to realise what supply-constrained means. It doesn't mean a bunch of soccer moms beating each other up to get the last one like they did with the Wii a few years ago. It doesn't mean you don't see them on shelves. It simply means that they are leaving stores at a rate that is at least equal to the rate they are entering stores. This can take days or weeks, but it is definitely the case. We know it because the sales are on pace with Nintendo's manufacturing projection pace. I hate anecdotes, but can say personally that when I walked into a several WalMarts and Gamestops and BestBuys on the days before Christmas there were no WiiU's. Stores may and wherehouses may or may not have inventory, but it's not a growing inventory. Not yet anyway. Therefore the supply chain is supply-constrained.


I can agree that stores dont have huge stocks of Wii Us as that isnt the case. However the majority do have inventory. This isnt anywhere similar to back when the Wii launched where it was a complete sell out the moment inventory arrived.

So if your simply saying supply is constant without ever being overstocked I can certainly agree with that. It seems Nintendo is simply keeping pace with sales well. I see people on these forums at times imply the Wii U is in a similar situation to the Wii and thought you were trying to agree with them.

 

Thank you. I'm glad you get what I'm saying. I don't think WiiU demand is anywhere near Wii demand. Data pegs it at 56%.  But my point is that the demand is more than enough to sell 5 million WiiU's, and I include Europe in that.  The system is selling at a pace of what it's manufactured. If you were to analyze the supply chain, you would say the bottleneck is Nintendo's production. Now, if 5 million WiiU's were thrown on the market today it would take time for those to sell. Then the constraint would be the consumer. That will happen at some point, probably later in 2013. But right now WiiU's aren't gathering dust, not even in Europe, like some like to say.


Ah simple misunderstanding then.  As i said there have been certain members of this forum implying Wii U is a sell out which is what bother me.  And Nintendo may very well hit their goal in shipment Ive never said they wont.  Im not one of these people who predict doom for Nintendo as I want them to be hugely successful just like the entire industry as it makes my job more secure



Viper1 on 03 January 2013
BenVTrigger said:


Like I said I think we had a misunderstanding on what he was talking about.  I thought he was like some forum members who said Wii U was sold out everywhere and would be doing huge numbers if it wasnt.

As I said Wii U stock isnt overabundant at all, its still somewhat low but most locations have a steady inventory.

I know you can't provide actual numbers but can you give us an idea on the shipment rates?  I understand that Nintendo has been shipping units at a much steadier rate than they did with the Wii.   If that is indeed the case, that may explain why stock seems more accessible than with Wii.

I know Wal-Mart for certain has received Wii U's at a much steadier pace than they did the Wii.  Some stores were receiving 3 shipments per week.  They were lucky to get 1 shipment of the Wii per week (granted it was a bigger shipment too).



The rEVOLution is not being televised

superchunk on 03 January 2013

Anyone saying it hasn't sold to expectations is stupid.

Its slightly below Wii levels and well above any other console in recent history. Wii U is selling just fine at this point in its life.