How did you get your Wii?

[Felon]

So, I'm thinking that now that the Wii is delivering lots of great games for download, I'd like to get my hand on one of those consoles. But it looks like that ain't gonna happen any time soon. If you've got one, 'fess up and tell us how you got it. Did you luck out and find one on the shelf? Did you buy one off eBay for a couple hundred buck over the MSRP? Do you know one of those guys who buy them all up in huge batches and then sells them on eBay at a two-hundred dollar markup? Do you have a story to tell?

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I camped for mine and was the last person in line to get one...so, luck really.

As for getting one now, the best way seems to be either pure luck or taking an approach of really hunting one down. Calling stores to see when they get shipments in, getting there WHEN they do(as most won't hold the Wii), scouring the net(eBay or even Amazon or other major retailers), etc. Obviously, this requires some luck, too, and it can take a lot of time, but it should pay off.

Personally, I'd avoid eBay due to that kind of horrible markup.

[Steel_Wind]

My wife picked it up at EB Games In December 06 when the things were more impossible to find then they are now.

She simply called the nearest one. Do you have any Wiis? "Yeah - we got 6 left". "Okay be right there". And she went right over and picked it up.

*shrug*

There are plenty of Wiis available for those who want to pay for them. Because of the overall shortage, the small retailers sell them at a premium. They aren't supposed to - but they do. Have a private word with a small game store owner and ask him. Not in front of a dozen people mind you - but in a private one-on-one.

He'll set you up if you want to pay the $100 surcharge for it. I'd get a Xbox 360 instead for that money - but it's entirely up to you.

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I showed up at Toys 'r' Us about an hour before they opened on the morning they got their shipment and waited in line. Like AMG above, I was just lucky enough to get one before they were gone.

[Steve Jung]

I waited in line at a Target around 5AM on a Sunday a couple weeks before Christmas last year. There were about 30 people in line ahead of me, the first getting there at 3AM. It was a cold drizzly morning, but we had an overhang to shelter under. One of the managers, who we dubbed the Wii-master updated us on how many they had (90!). At 7, he handed out tickets with a number, like at a deli counter. We all left and came back when the store opened at 8. Then we waiting in line at the electronics counter according to our number and bought our Wiis. The first ones raised ther arms in triumph as they passed the line.

[fba827]

Places like ebgames/gamestop and walmart sell them in bundles online (only) for (what I consider to be) "too high" of a price -- it's the console a couple accessories and a couple games.

Or they let you buy just the console version from the stores - wbut finding it in stock is impossible where I am.

So, how did I get mine? Truth is, still waiting to get my hands on one.... I MAY eventually break down and get one of the bundles from egames online, but I want to see how my tax refund for taxes will shape up before I get that extravagent.

[Alzrius]

I checked the internet every day for several weeks towards the end of '06. Finally, they announced the day that stores in my area were taking reservations for Wiis, and I marked that day.

I showed up at my local store (a GameStop) over an hour before it opened, and got in line. They were only reserving fourteen Wiis, and I was the twelfth person in line, so I was lucky. Once I placed my reservation, I showed up at midnight on the day they were released, purchased mine, and that's all she wrote.

[John Crichton]

These are places you can use:

http://www.itrackr.com/
http://www.nowinstock.net/

I didn't end up using one of those. Off an internet tip (can't recall from where), I found out that Circuit City & Best Buy get their shipments on Sunday morning, of all times. I wasn't going to pay a premium or bust my back to get one so I figured I'd give CC a call at opening time the next week.

They had 3 in stock. 20 minutes later, I had one. The problem in January of last year was finding Wiimotes.

[Bront]

I showed up in line and got the last 1 on opening day.

I was in line for less than 5 minutes.

I then got the 5th one because everyone else got out of line to get coffee, LOL.

[TogaMario]

I had someone in Wal-Mart called me a few minutes before they stocked 3 of them. I got there and bought 2 (one for me and one for my best friend as a wedding gift.)

[LightPhoenix]

A friend (well, roomie) of a friend works at EB, and put it on reserve for me.

[Lord Tirian]

Got ours Mid-August 07... in a German-store (because I'm home during vacation). But right now, here in the UK, they're pretty rare as well.

Cheers, LT.

[Agamon]

Got mine in April on eBay. It was more expensive than normal, but came with 2 extra controllers and Zelda, so the extra cost was really just in the shipping.

In June, I walked into a local grocery store and saw one sitting on the shelf in electronics. I blinked a couple times and grabbed it as a X-mas present for my nephews. It's the only one I've ever seen sitting on a shelf.

[Max]

I walked into Costco, not even looking for a Wii and saw one sitting there. One left out of what was clearly a huge display of them. Grabbed immediately, of course. Pure luck.

[Galethorn]

My roomie got one off the rack at Fred Meyer a few days after we moved into this apartment in November. I noticed that they still have a big pile of them in the tech department when I ventured in for light bulbs last week.