The March NPD figures that came in yesterday showed that Nintendo sold almost 400,000 3DS units in just a week’s time — a fine number. However, that number was less than what the DS sold in March (which, to be fair, benefited from a cheaper price tag, a full month of availability, and the launch of Pokemon Black and White and its combined of nearly 2.5 million). Additionally, the system reportedly wasn’t sold out at many, if any, stores; you can walk into stores and find one just about anywhere. That’s the complete opposite of what happened with the launch of the Wii, leading some to believe that the 3DS hasn’t been met with a strong reception from the public. Nintendo says it isn’t a matter of demand not being there for the system, but Nintendo being able to keep retailers’ supply from diminishing.
“I would characterize it as a launch where we learned significant lessons from the launch of Wii,” Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime told USA Today, “and we made sure to have not only ample supply in the marketplace, but we staged supply so it would not sell out.”
When the Wii was first launched, retailers around the country were unable to meet the public’s demand for it. Prices on eBay skyrocketed as a result and people were lining up at stores getting them in stock well after launch in the hopes of snagging one. The scene has been much different with the 3DS thus far; a quick trip to several local retailers since the system was launched has shown no shortage of black and aqua blue 3DSes. And that, Nintendo says, is by design.
