Topic: What's going on with 3DS sales?

[ejamer]

Can someone explain this to me? Last year there were reduced prices for Black Friday, and my understanding was that was supposed to become the new "normal"... but here in Canada it's still $240+tax for a New 3DS XL, while the normal-sized units aren't really that much cheaper.  There also seems to be a limited amount of stock available, with it being common to find shortages both online and in stores over the past few months.


Is this pricing scheme in place to drive interest for Switch, since that much money is almost certainly better spent there?  Are the New 3DS units just selling so poorly that they are afraid to discount them, or maybe so well that they don't feel any need?


I've been keen to replace my broken unit, but not when the cost is so high. Should I continue waiting for a sale, or just bite the bullet?  Maybe I should grab a 2DS system now (since they are much more affordable) and hope to upgrade to a New 3DS later?


Ugh...

[Fatty The Hutt]

Canadian pricing is borked across the board. I think Nintendo are shooting themselves in the foot keeping the prices so high. I know it has to do with currency exchanges but they should eat some of that disparity in favour of better sales volumes, I think.

I mean what are we here, Australia?

[Shaymin]

If I had to guess, Nintendo was focusing on Switch production and the mania over Pokemon at the end of last year caused New 3DSs to sell out for months. It's only now coming back into regular supply for me locally.

We'll hopefully see some deals starting next month.

[ejamer]

Maybe worth noting that the https://store.nintendo.com site has a few good sale prices for 3DS/Wii U games.
I'm keen on Bravely Second End Layer and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (w/Amiibo) for $26 each - but can't get the site to let me log in so will probably pass. Nintendo making it hard to give them your money, not a first. 

[Mop it up]

I think Nintendo are being careful with stock so that they don't have to discount them, or clearance them off at some point. I would be tempted to get a NEW 3DS XL for $100, but I wouldn't go over that so it probably won't happen. It would mostly be for a backup as there isn't really anything exclusive to NEW 3DS that I'd want and I don't really care about 3D.

[leahsdad]

I also have to wonder how big an impact all the IPS screen hunting is having on sales.   It's hard to figure out just how many units circulate because of this stuff, but from what I hear, the buy-return-buy-return cycle has got to push units off shelves.   I'm guessing that's the reason why in the US the supply of used New 3DS XL's, especially special editions, are suprisingly high--  people selling off units that they discovered are dual TN's or something.

[Khushrenada]

Dual TN? What do you mean by that?

[leahsdad]

So basically, there is weirdness with the manufacturing of 3DS screens.   There are 2 kinds of screens you can get with your 3DS, particularly the New 3DS XL.   You may get an IPS screen, which are brighter and don't "get fuzzy" when you look at the screen from an angle.   Or you may get a TN screen, which are oh-so-slightly dimmer, have less contrast, and "get fuzzy" when you look at it at an angle.


There has been A LOT of speculation about which New 3DS XL models have which screen, whether Special Editions, the Red, the Black, which production run, etc... but no one has found a reliable or consistent pattern.   We do know that your a more likely to get the top screen as IPS and bottom screen as TN, rather than both screens being IPS (or "Dual IPS") which is very rare and, if you look on ebay, goes at a premium.   And of course, you are MOST LIKELY if you by a New 3DS XL today to get both the top screen and bottom screen as TN ("Dual TN")

[Wah]

Canadian pricing is borked across the board. I think Nintendo are shooting themselves in the foot keeping the prices so high. I know it has to do with currency exchanges but they should eat some of that disparity in favour of better sales volumes, I think.

I mean what are we here, Australia?

oi m8 1v1 me c***