Topic: Nintendo February Sales Data

[mouse_clicker]

You completely missed the entire point of my comment, Mario- the point is, there are shortages of Gamecubes because there is such huge demand (before the shortage the Gamecube almost outsold the PS2). I don't see how Nintendo can be blamed for not expecting Gamecubes to sell so well- in retrospect we can see that demand was huge, but at the time Nintendo did the best thing they could have done. I think people are just constantly looking for reasons to fault Nintendo and this is one of those cases. Yes, it's a problem, but I think it's a much better problem than low Gamecube sales due to NO demand.

[couchmonkey]

But whether or not the demand for GameCube is actually "huge" is impossible to tell, since Nintendo isn't producing enough units!   Considering that you can still buy them for $70 on Ebay, I'd say that the demand is nowhere near the insane level the PS2 achieved when it was launched.  

I only have one more thing to add: who here has actually noticed a shortage of GameCubes where they live?  There was a shortage here in January, but every retailer I've visited in my city in the past several weeks has had an ample supply of Cubes.

[vudu]

yeah, that's a fair comparison ... the gamecube 2.5 years after launch compared with the ps2 2.5 weeks after launch.

[mouse_clicker]

Quote
But whether or not the demand for GameCube is actually "huge" is impossible to tell, since Nintendo isn't producing enough units!

Perhaps you missed something, but the simple fact that half of Nintendo's retailers are sold out of Gamecube shows that there's huge demand.

[Mario]

*sigh*

No it doesn't. Prove to me that there are hundreds of thousands of people who want GCNs but can't buy them. More people are buying Xbox's and PS2s, and whether or not that's because they can't, or don't want to buy a GCN, is not easily determined, and you can't assume that everyone wants a GCN and can't get one. I don't believe the demand for GCN is huge, or ever has been.

[mouse_clicker]

So the Gamecube sold out at 50% of the places carrying it because people didn't want to buy it?

Look, I'm not saying demand for the Gamecube right now is bigger than the PS2's, or anywhere near it. And I'm certainly not saying the shortage itself is a good thing. What I AM saying is the reason for the shortage is good because it shows that so many people want a Gamecube that many places don't have any left.  

[Nintendork SP]

It could also be an intentional attempt by Nintendo, that is sort of like the Firarri technique.  More than likely Nintendo still doesn't have any bills on the GC like when it started.  Well then Nintendo can just intensionally limit the units to insure money, rather than over providing and outweighing sales.  This is a sit back everything is fine technique realistically.  But of course you could be right.  Also this technique gives the idea that it is the popular system so they can throw out articles like that, and when people at the stores say "well GC stalk is low, so it is selling great" to potential customers, ect.  

[Kairon]

Simply put, they didn't start production back up soon enough.

Early last year they stopped GC production because they were building up too much inventory, too much stuff taking up space, too much stock they couldn't move at the time. But with this price-drop, holiday season, etc., it seems that Nintendo may not have started up production soon enough to meet demand.

Sure, the GC is obviously selling now. But let's not forget that One GC customer with a GC now is better than Two when that supposed "high-demand-must-buy-GC-now-or-I-will-die" MIGHT (read: won't) happen.

So in essence...Nintendo should've started production sooner and anticipated this.

Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com  

[mouse_clicker]

Actually, I believe Nintendo started back up production before they dropped the price- the problem is they didn't produce enough Gamecubes to meet demand. The price drop was designed primarily to clear out full warehouses, too- I doubt anyone could have foreseen the price drop working this well. Like I said, in retrospect, yes, we can see that Nintendo should have produced more Gamecubes, but at the time that wasn't the best decision. It's like when you fold a hand in poker that started off bad but would have ended up winning- don't feel bad that you made the best decision at the time. You can't fault Nintendo for doing just that.  

[Kairon]

Yeah, don't feel bad. But the next time a situation comes around, don't deny that it could've turned out better too.

Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[mouse_clicker]

It could have turned out better, yes, but only in retrospect. I don't think Nintendo will be quite as conservative with their estimates if this happens again.