Nintendo has confirmed that it is to increase the trade price of its Wii console for UK retailers, a move that could lead to the console’s price rising on the UK High Street. The platform holder, however, is not set to increase the Wii’s RRP of £179.99. Retailers are being told that trade prices for Wii will increase by around £16.50, or around £19 including VAT. As a result retailers face making virtually no money on each machine sold if they stick to the current RRP. “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,” a Nintendo UK spokesperson said. “The price that they then offer to consumers is, of course, up to the retailers. We are only – reluctantly – raising our trade price now to retailers due to unprecedented and sustained depreciation of the pound. This is a problem brought about by extreme currency fluctuations that are a symptom of the global economic situation.” The move puts increasing pressure on UK indies, who will face the choice of swallowing the sharp drop in profit per machine or upping their prices – something that national retailers and supermarkets are unlikely to do. The move follows similar price hikes from the likes of Apple and Dell. MCV UK
What a joke, the Wii was the only console this generation to make profit on hardware from day one if I remember correctly. If the Xbox 360 Arcade can be sold at a profit for £125 and the 60gb 360 premium at £160 Nintendo must be making so much on the sale of each Wii, now they want to up the price... if anything it needs a price reduction, Think about the hardware inside the Wii then the hardware inside the 360...
I agree Nutter. The Wii should have a price reduction especially because here in the US, a 360 arcade is only $200 and a Wii is $250. The 360 hardware is much more complex than the Wii's. I used to have a Wii but got rid of it due to the fact that it did not have too many games that interest me. I want to get another one tho because they finally released a great adult game called Mad World. It looks suprisingly great for being a Wii title.