Nintendo Promises to Ship More of Wii for Holidays
With the start of the holiday shopping season only weeks away, Nintendo on Thursday said it was increasing shipments of its popular Wii video game machine in an effort to avoid the supply problems that cost the company sales last year.
Demand for Wii machines was so high during the last two Decembers that customers resorted to creative shopping strategies like holding all-night vigils at stores and stalking delivery trucks. In the end, many shoppers were disappointed, and Nintendo was widely criticized for its inability to meet demand two years in a row.
This year, Nintendo executives said there would be a "significant increase" in Wiis in stores, though they stopped short of promising that the company would be able meet demand entirely. "Will there be enough to meet demand?" Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, said. "Ask me in January."
Mr. Fils-Aime also said that stores were still selling out of Wii machines as soon as new ones were delivered.
Despite shortages, Nintendo's net profit in its last fiscal year surged 47.7 percent to $2.5 billion.
Demand for Wii machines was so high during the last two Decembers that customers resorted to creative shopping strategies like holding all-night vigils at stores and stalking delivery trucks. In the end, many shoppers were disappointed, and Nintendo was widely criticized for its inability to meet demand two years in a row.
This year, Nintendo executives said there would be a "significant increase" in Wiis in stores, though they stopped short of promising that the company would be able meet demand entirely. "Will there be enough to meet demand?" Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, said. "Ask me in January."
Mr. Fils-Aime also said that stores were still selling out of Wii machines as soon as new ones were delivered.
Despite shortages, Nintendo's net profit in its last fiscal year surged 47.7 percent to $2.5 billion.