Where can I get a Wii?
 

Ok, so I got a gift card for Xmas and I really want to get a Wii... went to a couple of stores and no one has one.

So I was wondering if anybody out there in the know (someone who works for a store or something) can tell me when it's expected for Wiis to be back on the shelves?

Wiis have been consistently selling out since launch. Hopefully, with the holiday things should be a bit easier now. I would just keep checking stores.

Definitely have to be lucky. I happened to be in a Best Buy when they started rolling them out on a little cart. I couldn't believe I was able to get one though.

I'd also pay attention to the Bargains forum here. Ususally if stores have a Wii, they'll be advertised for that Sunday. Since we see them early, you can plan to hit a store early for one.

I don't own a Wii, but I have seen a few during some late night shopping. You just have to check often or pay some minimum wage store clerk $50 to hold one for you next time they get one in.

I am trying to find one also, asked for one for xmas but no go. I mentioned to a friend I was looking for one and he tells me I should have told him. He found 2 at Target by chance and kept one and ebayed the other.

Still amazing to me that over a year after launch, the Wii is hard to find...

I've seen a couple here and there around September but I think from now till April, it will be tough to find one.

if there are enough people that want one on these boards, it would be beneficial for anyone who spots one to pick it up and help us fellow dvdtalkers out. worse case scenario you can put it on ebay. but it sounds like we have a few people looking here including me.

Found one at BB the day after Xmas. They got a shipment of 60 in that day and they still had 20 or so left. My sister found one at Toys R us where they had 20 or so in stock which they also must have just received.

I was at Best Buy yesterday and they had a large pile of them.

I used a tracker(nowinstock.net) when I needed to buy one for a Christmas present. There are a few that are very good. They send e-mail and text alerts when sites list them in stock.

You have to be willing to wait in a line, and go and pick up the wii at strange times of the week (There are usually shipments on tuesdays at 11am, strange times)

yikes, 4 backorders, the only 2 instock are giant bundles (10+ games, 600-700$)

everything else is sold out.

Craigslist.

That's where I got mine back in Feb. I lucked out and only paid $290, which wasn't bad considering LA sales tax is 8.25% - which would have meant it would cost me $271. So I only paid $20 over retail without having to wait in line.

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4986/20071228sy0.png

www.duelinganalogs.com

Been looking there here in Chicago and the lowest I've found is $350. And they're not bundles.

FOUND ONE! Called all around town and Toys 'R' Us had gotten a 6 p.m. shipment of about 10 yesterday. Picked one up right before they closed last night and stayed up all night playing Super Mario Galaxy. Can't... stop... playing...

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

damn you (congrats!)

While this is true, it is risky, you have no support from craigslist if this happens to be a box of spare parts or a Wii that is broken.

Wow congrats :)

Sort of how I got mine...except I had a friend that works at gamestop, and they called me :), they even hid one for me, so I could get it before it sold out.

For anyone else still struggling to get one, I have three suggestions. (The first two worked for me, and I'm sure the third would've worked as well but I don't have enough family members to justify buying three Wiis.)

1. Order the bundles that frequently are available on Walmart.com (preferably one with low shipping). You will be forced to purchase a bunch of extra stuff you most likely don't need, but you can always return what you don't want to your local b&m store.

2. See if a person in the video game section at your local Walmart will put you on a waiting list so they can hold one for you whenever they receive a shipment. YMMV with this strategy, since it depends on which Walmart you go to and how lazy (or non-lazy) the person working there may be.

3. Every Sunday morning check your weekly Best Buy ad. Best Buy frequently hordes their Wii stock so they can guarantee in their Sunday ad when they will have (for example) 10 available. Whenever you see such a promotion, race over to your local BB and wait outside the door for them to open.

And, come to think of it, there is one more thing you can try. (No, not Thieve-Bay.) Keep checking cheapassgamer, because kind souls on that site frequently post when Wiis are available at Toys R Us, etc. I notice they typically post these in the gaming deals forum rather than the Wii forum.

So they will just take back the games and stuff? Even if you show a receipt that says its a bundle? I don't want to get stuck with stuff I don't want or need.

I showed my receipt showing it was a bundle, and the girl behind the counter got out her calculator to figure out how much of a credit I was owed. I think she was new, because she even refunded my shipping! The only weird thing is that there was a steering wheel with a UPC code not entered in their system, so I had to keep that.

I understand your concern (because the same thought occurred to me before trying it), but I really don't see how they can refuse a return of the items when their policy clearly states I can return merchandise purchased online to their store. If they want to be jerks about it, just tell them you'll return the whole bundle for a full refund, then make them sell you back the Wii right there on the spot! :)

But personally, I think dilligently checking the BB ads every Sunday morning is the least amount of hassle unless you absolutely have to buy one ASAP.