Admit it Nintendo NES Classic fans, the chances of having 2016's most coveted gaming gadget are next to zero. It's already 2017 and many are still hoping that they could have the opportunity to unbox their first NES Mini. Getting the toy is like gambling with bad odds. So starting this year, why not get a life and forget the retro gaming console?
The craze over the NES Mini was phenomenal. Packed with 30 of Nintendo's most popular retro games, the console sold like hotcakes at brick-and-mortar stores and at online platforms. Minutes after its launch last November 11, units the NES Classic were literally wiped out from the shelves.
This high demand resulted in low inventory and no inventory at all. Retailers such as Amazon, Toys R Us, Target, and BestBuy had occasional new shipments but they were gone as they hit the store shelves. Meijer was the last retailer to restock the Mini NES in late December.
Many enterprising souls online benefited from the low supply of the Nintendo NES Classic. Hoarders at eBay and Craiglist marked the console as high as $20,000. Desperate individuals reportedly paid hundreds to thousands just to have the prized toy, which was originally priced at $59.99.
According to Forbes magazine, the NES Classic Edition shortage could have been avoided by Nintendo by releasing more stock. However, the Japanese gaming giant did it on purpose as a marketing ploy. Shortage of stock furthered consumers' interest in the product. But many left empty-handed and are still searching for the toy as of this writing.
Nintendo artificially constrained supply to create an illusion that the NES Classic is one coveted toy. The company succeeded at the expense of thousands of crazed buyers. But enough is enough. Nintendo has lost so many customers by employing sales tactics that only benefited the company.
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