Wesley Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 "With the British pound continuing to depreciate, Nintendo has announced that they will be increasing the price they offer the Nintendo Wii to UK retailers, who could pass the increase on to consumers. While the recommended retail price of the Nintendo Wii in the United Kingdom will remain at £179.99, Nintendo is increasing the price they charge retailers to stock the console by £18-20. "Due to the severe and continuing depreciation of the pound, we are, unfortunately, having to raise our trade price to UK retailers of Wii hardware," said the company. "The price that they then offer to consumers is, of course, up to the retailers." Video game consoles have traditionally been very low profit margin items, with retailers relying on sales of software or bundled items to increase their margins. Nintendo has left it up to the retailers whether or not they raise the price of the console accordingly. Now retailers have a choice: raises the price to raise their margins, possibly alienating customers, or sucking up the lost profit and bravely soldiering on. I suppose Nintendo can hardly be blamed for adjusting in the face of the global economic situation, but they could have taken a bit of the pressure off of the retailers by hiking the retail price accordingly. I guess we all have to do what we have to do to survive in these rough times." - Kotaku http://kotaku.com/5168136/nintendo-raising-uk-wii-trade-price This also means that the trade-in value of the Wii would probably increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I would have thought that Nintendo was making around £80+ on each console by now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shino Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Only recently did I notice how absurdly CHEAP games and consoles are in the UK. When the pound reaches parity with the Euro, we'll be effectively paying more 70£ than you guys for a console. Many games are 30£ which equals approximately to 30€, the average price here is 50€. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choze Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Well well Nintendo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) a well contains a bucket and water. Edited March 11, 2009 by Dante Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choze Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Nintendo also looking at increasing software prices: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-warns-software-trade-prices-may-also-rise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lillster Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I've got quite a few games to complete already, I have no need for new games. Used game market is where it's at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Captain Falcon Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Nintendo also looking at increasing software prices: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-warns-software-trade-prices-may-also-rise Just when they were starting to increase their output too. And also just when they are putting the finishing touches to their guaranteed mega hit Wii Sport Resort - they can't risk shipping that at a lower value. At least this goes someway to explaining the over inflated DSi price tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jordan Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I'm sorry but, if Nintendo thinks they can charge the same amount as a 360 or PS3 game, they are taking the piss. They're making HUGE profits on each console, using what is technically very old but very 'new' technology. This is quite a joke. How about this Nintendo, how about you lose some of your massive profits for once? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-project Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 What an absolute joke. Nintendo makes a phenomenal profit on everything they make. They cannot justify the price rise on any grounds. It's profiteering - don't even mention the so-called "credit crunch" and the media driven "state of the economy". What a con. On the plus side, the trade-in/eBay price of the Wii will rise, so every cloud and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.dakota Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 its like every other industry, Nintendo will open up the door to price increases across the whole industry. Watch, both Sony and Microsoft will follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Guy Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 As has been said, Nintendo must be making enough profit on these things. These companies must realise that raising prices will decrease sales. How exactly does that help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookiablo Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 What an absolute bunch of cunts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-project Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 its like every other industry, Nintendo will open up the door to price increases across the whole industry. Watch, both Sony and Microsoft will follow. You know what? I think you're wrong, and Microsoft and Sony will seek to bolster their users with this news instead, by either keeping them the same or even lowering them. The truth is, Nintendo can do this because the console is phenomenally successful. Would they have done this if we were still on the GC? No, because no-one cared about it and weren't buying it anyway. Here's a console that's selling like wildfire. Upping the price can be sneakily justified because of the current media fears about the economy, and Nintendo can get away with it while seeming all altruistic at the same time. A price rise for the Xbox 360 wouldn't look so bad anyway as the console is reasonably priced, but a PS3 price rise would be disastrous for Sony. Nobody will even care that the Wii is now £200, and they'll buy them anyway. Nintendo know that. Supply and demand. We are what, two years into the Wii's lifespan and it still flies off the shelf. You can't even buy Wii Fit anywhere. It's nothing to do with the credit crunch, and everything to do with profiteering while the going's good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Captain Falcon Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 What an absolute bunch of cunts. Get off the fence Pook and tell us what you really think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-project Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 What an absolute bunch of cunts. Hahahaha! Couldn't have put it better myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookiablo Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 You know what? I think you're wrong, and Microsoft and Sony will seek to bolster their users with this news instead, by either keeping them the same or even lowering them. The truth is, Nintendo can do this because the console is phenomenally successful. Would they have done this if we were still on the GC? No, because no-one cared about it and weren't buying it anyway. Here's a console that's selling like wildfire. Upping the price can be sneakily justified because of the current media fears about the economy, and Nintendo can get away with it while seeming all altruistic at the same time. A price rise for the Xbox 360 wouldn't look so bad anyway as the console is reasonably priced, but a PS3 price rise would be disastrous for Sony. Nobody will even care that the Wii is now £200, and they'll buy them anyway. Nintendo know that. Supply and demand. We are what, two years into the Wii's lifespan and it still flies off the shelf. You can't even buy Wii Fit anywhere. It's nothing to do with the credit crunch, and everything to do with profiteering while the going's good. Agreed - there's no real reason for it other than making profit - if they were earning a loss as a result of the crunch then I could understand (except I reckon they wouldn't do anything in that scenario as that'd mean it wasn't in much demand). They love their money, simple as. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-project Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Agreed - there's no real reason for it other than making profit - if they were earning a loss as a result of the crunch then I could understand (except I reckon they wouldn't do anything in that scenario as that'd mean it wasn't in much demand). They love their money, simple as. Hey, you know, I'm all for them making money. But profiteering? That's another thing entirely isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookiablo Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hey, you know, I'm all for them making money. But profiteering? That's another thing entirely isn't it? I imagine their argument will be - a dip in profits will equate to a dip in the amount of money they invest in future projects but they're not exactly helping their consumer base with a move like this. Either it means that the Wii stays in short supply as the retailers won't buy as many of them to sell or we see an increase in the retail price eventually as the retailers will too want to make a profit of some description. Who knows, perhaps it'll just stay the same. Either way, it's a dick move on their behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Ford, Opel, Sony, Samsung have done it as well because of the collapse in sterling since September but Nintendo only has their gaming side. Sony and MS has other brands to fall back upon (MS - their OS and server tools, Sony their electronic brand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shino Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I don't think you realise how much of a good price it still is. Sure they're being greedy but a 180£ only made sense when 1£=2$. A 200£ Wii over here would make people run to the stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Funny how Nintendo slyly just raised the trade price and not the retail price. Put pressure on the retailers. Nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-project Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Funny how Nintendo slyly just raised the trade price and not the retail price. Put pressure on the retailers. Nice. But the retailers won't suffer this. They'll pass this on to the consumer toot sweet. It's a dangerous game really. People's wages are freezing, many are losing their jobs. A £20 price rise might not sound so bad right now, but soon enough it could mean a great deal, and if everyone decides to stop spending money they simply can't afford because prices have risen uncontrollably, well it just makes things worse doesn't it, and the spiral goes down. I just think its a crazy attitude to defend this move. Especially when you factor in how much less Nintendo will be manufacturing the Wii for compared to when it was launched. To me, it has more to do with simple supply and demand, rather than global economics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teppo Holmqvist Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I would have thought that Nintendo was making around £80+ on each console by now... Hardly. So far as components go, after certain point, you really can't reduce unit price no matter how old the component is. I would guess that Nintendo gets 20 pounds per console, at tops, after you calculate research, marketing, and logistics into price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 But the retailers won't suffer this. They'll pass this on to the consumer toot sweet. I'm just saying that the retailers are going to cop the negative PR. It's just a way of Nintendo washing their hands. To be honest, as long as it's still selling, they've done the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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