Well, apparently the Wii isn't impossible to find... sales numbers, you see. Lol that was shameless. Anyway, stockpiling or not, the product is hard to find. (I got mine at launch).   Wii shipments happen at 4 p.m. on ideal days at my local retailers, and usually they only get 3-5 units each *that's three gamestops, two wal-marts, a target, and two eb games* 

      It's a shame that the demand cannot be met, but realistically, would the demand be met if the big N actually shipped a "stockpiled" load? Sure, Nintendo probably (and most likely) has a store of Wii units to be held over for special occasions. But think, would the number of units they take out of the production runs really be that cripplingly high? How many more consumers would get a Wii in their hands each month if Nintendo were not stockpiling? 

      We don't know. That's the thing. Good business move, Ninty!

I understand it's a good business move and I already said that. But don't tell me they are doing this for the good of the consumer cause that is crazy talk ;)

No, but I think most of us understand that it's not Nintendo's fault that everybody wants their console...we can forgive shortages now if it means more later.

 Then what would be for the good of the consumer?

Shipping all stock now and still not meeting demand or ensuring a much better Christmas for those desiring a Wii?

 I'd rather there be stock for more people during Christmas especially given the big titles to be released than marginally helping some relief to demand over the already slow summer period.

Nintendo has three choices:

1) Release all produced units into the market leading to a massive shortage in during the holidays.

2) Release very few units into the market leading to a current large shortage but being fully supplied for the holidays.

3) Release a decent amount of units into the market now but saving some for the winter leaving a slight shortage now and during the holidays.

#1 is bad for holiday consumers. #2 is bad for summer consumers.

I'd say #3 is best for most consumers, which is probably what Nintendo is doing.

No, ckmlb is right, Nintendo is not doing this for the people currently looking for Wiis. They are doing it so that they can dominate holiday sales, not only a financially beneficial move in the immediate future but also a major long term victory. Completly dominating holiday sales will give a huge boost in the Wii's positive image in both mass media and the gaming market, as well as 3rd parties.

Most stores hold wii's so they can have 20+ in stores at once, it would be stupid for them to just toss one or two on shelfs at a time, so some weeks it looks like Nintendo is holding wii's but its the stores just holding them for larger sales at weekends, most stores have sales every other week.

The interesting part here is that I was under the impression that Nintendo had straightened out their Wii production problems. Mainly because over here in The Netherlands (small market I know) I can now go into a number of stores and pick up a Wii without any trouble.

Which I promptly did of course thinking I got lucky and beat the shortages at last. Having great fun too :)

To my surprise however, it's now been over a month without Wii shortages where I live. The local Media Markt (one of the bigger European retailers - at least on the continent) has literally stacks of them now and has had stacks of them for a month*.

*) And I really do mean stacks. At least 50 in the store I frequent and yes, thats all actual consoles and not just cardboard boxes.

 Lets just hope that there are enough copies of Mario and SSBB to pick up.

Explain to me again how this suggests they're stockpiling Wiis? What business sense does stockpiling Wiis make? Nintendo knows that the holiday season is critical, and I'm sure they're doing what they can to satiate demand, but stockpiling Wiis isn't going to address any issues and it would cost Nintendo way too much money. It would hurt their profits, and they'd have to answer to their investors for a foolish business decision.

Oh, wait, if they stockpile Wiis do they multiply in the warehouses so that everyone who wants one can have one during the holidays? Or will Nintendo be able to meet demand with the same number of units that wouldn't normally meet demand.

People keep suggesting that if Nintendo stockpiles for the holidays they'll have a better chance of meeting demand. They're not going to have *more* units than if they were just releasing regularly. Releasing the same number of units and meeting demand is obviously less desirable than releasing that number of units and still having demand.

The holiday quarter is seen as the most important of the year in the US because there are more shoppers than the usual time.  Businesses compete extra hard for those customers because it's their best chance to sell the most units.  If you can't meet demand, it doesn't matter *when* you sell your product.  For Nintendo, it has been the holidays since launch.  Sales aren't magically more valuable in Q4.

This is a mislabeled thread. Nowhere in there is there 'proof' that Nintendo is stockpiling Wiis. Only someone who wanted it to be true would claim this even suggests they're stockpiling.