Strategies for getting a WII

F

FireWater

CAG Veteran
ey all,

I'm kinda new to the board, and I have a question to anyone here who has bought a Wii.

HOW DID YOU DO IT? I want one, and I convinced my girlfriend to get me one for Christmas, and I need to help her figure out a way to get it before Christmas.

I guess my main question is, what stores get the most shipments, and when do they usually get them? Is it possible to reserve one? For anyone who works retail at a store that sells games, how many units do you usually get in a shipment?

I'm sorry if this is a pain in the *** question, I just don't want my girlfriend to **** this up.
 
I got mine by sitting out in front of Target for 15 hours on launch day. :lol:

Recently I've seen Wiis at Target on Sunday afternoons, but never Mondays. Get there when they open on a Sunday when the Wii is in the ad and you should be good.
 
Gamestop seems to get small shipments on a regular basis, maybe as much as twice a week. Talking to your local store, you might be able to find out when they figure the next one MIGHT be. Then you ask what time their truck comes and stalk it.
 
[quote name='FireWater']I'm sorry if this is a pain in the *** question, I just don't want my girlfriend to **** this up.[/QUOTE]

I regret to inform you that such a mindset will only lead to continual "lessons learned" for the remainder of your life.
 
GameCrazy gets em Wednesdays and Fridays whenever they come in. Employees have little to no notice ahead of time.
 
I just got one today at Target. I saw on here yesterday that they were getting them in and then just went there when they opened today. I think I was the first to get one there. They had a good 10 or so behind the counter waiting for someone like me to sell them too and in the case there were a bunch in there as well.

Just go on a Sunday morning when you know in advance they'll have them. It helps that the Target I went to was in an area that isn't shopped as much as another one close by as well.
 
I would imagine today would have been a good day to get them. I'm guessing Nintendo would probably have thrown out a good-sized shipment with the eminent release of Mario.
 
give your walmart guys 10.00. Tell them to call you when one comes in. Worked for me. They called I went and got and said thank you. How cool is that. You'd be shocked on what ten bucks can get ya
 
I work at a target and they get them every few weeks. They ALWAYS hold them untill the sunday add comes out. We are told to lie saying we don't have any on the week of shipment. Look for wii's on sunday at all boxes stores, because thats when the add comes out. Or scan the bar code on the wii's label at one of the price scaners to see if they have it in the backroom hiding(the price scanners will tell you if it's in the stack room!)-Complain untill you get one.Happy hunting!
 
Just watch the sunday ads to see when they are in stock. Go at opening. Problem solved. I never understood why people have such a hard time finding a Wii. I tried one time to get one, and was successful. Surely everyone has at least one Sunday morning available over the course of a couple months.
 
If it helps... like someone said, GS and EB get small shipments are varying times throughout the week. However, if an EB or GS is close to another, they'll ALL get them on the same day. If a clerk tells you you just missed them, haul ass to another one right away.

That's how I got mine. I figured that out, then that the one in the mall got their shipments later (around 1pm)... so I called up the early one around 11am, was told they sold out already, and then waited an hour and went to the mall and picked one up 10 minutes after they delivered them. The best part was that I called the one in the mall 15 minutes before I got there and was told that they didn't have any. So, like someone said, GS and EB employees literally have NO idea when they'll show up.

That may not help you, but it's something to keep in mind.
 
I got mine by checking at wal-mart sporadically. There's really no set time as to how often or when they'll get them, so I guess it was just good luck.
 
I worked as a "R-Zone" associate for Toys 'R' Us for 2 1/2 years. When pre-orders started for the Wii, I was able to get one pretty easily (obviously).

Retail stinks. I do not suggest this method :)

When I did work there, I suggested for people to check their local classifieds (ex. Craigslist.org). Many times families would come back telling me their success stories of getting the Wii (complete) with several games for cheaper than retail. I'm sure as we get closer to Thanksgiving/X-mas though, the prices on sites like Craig's List won't be forgiving.
 
Sunday mornings at TRU or Target should do the job. They seem to get quite frequent shipments these days. And fairly large ones. Just call around to your local stores and you should get someone who knows. It's not like a few months ago when they would just say "I don't know". There is a larger supply now and they usually know when they are coming.
 
went to a mall near my college...which had 2 ebgames and 1 gamestop...asked the high volume store if there was a shipment in and he said yes but not at his store..told me to check the low volume ebgames store..and low and behold they had 3. I got one and bought MP 3.

id say try to go to a low volume store and keep checking in ....your bound to find one.
 
Wii systems are out there, but I wouldn't wait until Black Friday or afterwards. You may be screwed then. I've been in Target and Wal-Marts in the evening and seen systems sitting there, nary a screaming mom or two. So, really, you can luck out if you call around and really, really want one.
 
All these people who keep going back in to check, etc. are wasting their time:

Scan the weekly ads for an appearance of the Wii. If the Wii is in the ad, that means they'll have a certain number there in the AM when the store opens on Sunday. Be at that store a few minutes before opening (or an hour if you really want to be safe) and you'll get a Wii.
 
In my area, camping out in front of a store to get a Wii is like buying a ticket to the lottery. Just because you are there, doesn't mean you're going to get one. We got a shipment of Wiis in at work and they all sold out before my shift started at 10 (and I believe the store opens at 8). Of course Nintendo wanted to get more Wiis out there for Mario, but it's getting pretty close to Christmas, and there won't be too many more shipments coming into the stores, so if oyu go this route, you may strike out and end up waiting until after Christmas to get one.

I'd suck it up and buy a bundle online from Walmart.com or EBGames.com. I bought mine from Walmart (but it was also $100 cheaper at the time) and I took back all the items that they either over charged me for or didn't want and I didn't have any problems. I'm not sure if EB Games/Gamestop would be so generous, but I think their bundle packages are a bit more attractive at this point.
 
Look for a Toys R Us that advertises them. A lot of people overlook Toys R Us when it comes to video games so if you get there relatively early on Sunday morning, you should be able to get one. At least that's how i got mine back in May. Might be more difficult now that the holidays are upon us.
 
According to the TRU deals posted in the deals thread (the one with Super Mario Galaxy Purchase = $25 Gift Card for FREE) there are Wiis listed on the bottom of the ad. So go get one at TRU, and get Super Mario Galaxy Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure!
 
[quote name='mykevermin']I regret to inform you that such a mindset will only lead to continual "lessons learned" for the remainder of your life.[/quote]

Um lol with the Ametuer Psychology.

Anyways, to all of those who have been useful I appreciate the responses. I know some of you posted information about target, does Best Buy and Circuit City do similar things with regards to placing the Wiis out on Sunday?

Gotta keep my options open just in case.
 
*cough* I've got one selling on eBay... */cough*

Anyway, I got my original on launch day after waiting 19 hours in the cold. The second I got on Amazon about a week ago after getting a tip from WiiFanboy.com.

Check out the internet, usually people are pretty good at posting when some are available.
 
i got mine from amazon.com back in march. and i didn't even have to pay tax or shipping :D

my advice to u is just search online every day and u'll eventually get lucky. happened to me.
 
When I got my Wii last year being to hours before opening of gamestop on black friday I was the first one out the door black friday is a place where you can get one for sure.
 
I got one at GameRush (Blockbuster). I basically bought it on a whim. I had like $380 in credit and I asked expecting a NO, but he said YES. So I took it. It's still not opened....but I will hook it up soon.
 
I got pretty lucky, I got mine the day after the first day they started selling them. I think yesterday (or maybe even today) was my one year Wiiniversary!! I love you baby!

I basically put two local Gamestops numbers in my cell phone and called and called an called. Luckily I also put a store in there called the Exchange which is a local chain of trade-in type electronics stores. I called the day after they released and the guy said "yep, we have one" And I begged and pleaded and offered to give him my cred card # to hold it for me but no go. I was eating lunch with my father and sister at the time and they said they would drive me (about 10 mins away). I actually hopped out of the car before they parked (tough to find parking there) and ran in and they had it. I felt so pyched, and elite, and nerdy to get one the second day they were available.

SO yeah, take my advice, enter a couple stores' numbers in your phone (whatevers close, target, EB/GS, Walmart, Bestbuy) and just keep callling. It saves you alot of gas and runnign around.

EDIT: It turns out they released Nov. 19th so not quite a year yet. I got mine on the 20th.
 
When I was at TRU yesterday getting SMG they kept announcing on the loudspeaker to come to the R zone to get wiis.

I got mine nov.19 2006
 
i've been in target (meriden, CT) the past two weeks at like 10am on sunday and they've had like 10 wii's each time. i've thought about picking one or two up and then reselling them but it's just not worth the effort.
 
When I got Mario at toys r us yesterday some dude bought one at 2:30. They always keep them in the back, so if you don't see any make sure to ask. Camping out for one is borderline retarded at this point in the game.
 
I actually was able to purchase one today, and my girlfriend will reimburse me the money.

Gamestops have their black friday stock in NOW. The one I bought was SUPPOSED to be sold on black friday, but the manager made a mistake. BLACk FRIDAY STOCK IS IN NOW
 
I got mine ordered from Gamestop.com. It's a bundle including Wii Play, Zelda:TP Metroid 3, an extra nunchaku, charge station and a 1 GB memory card. I would buy these things anyway, so I got the bundle. I ordered it on SUnday with a "coming soon" date of 11/30. I checked on the order every day on the website, and all items said ready to ship except the charge station. Today all of the statuses changed to "Processing" I hope it ships tonight!
 
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