Many UK retailers have slashed Wii U prices in order to clear inventory because of very low demand from consumers. Obviously, Nintendo isn’t pleased with a price cut this early in the console’s life cycle (they’re not pleased with sales either). That’s why the company has announced that they are meeting with select UK retailers to talk about the pricing issues.
A Nintendo spokesperson told MCV:
“We’ll be speaking to our retailers directly over the next few weeks to take them through our plans for building Wii U momentum over the course of 2013”
So many retailers slashed the Wii U price that the console effectively received an unofficial price cut. Both Wii U SKUs now retail for £50 less than the suggested retail price from Nintendo. The Wii U sold just 66,000 units in February in North America, and much less in the UK.
One anonymous retailer reportedly told MCV about Nintendo:
“They’ve got to do something otherwise it is GameCube all over again.”
The GameCube underwent something very similar to what the Wii U is going through right now. Hopefully Nintendo learned from their mistakes and have a plan or two on how to build some momentum for the Wii U.
