Thousands Of Scalpers Auction Wii U Only To Break Even

November 19, 2012

The Wii U may have quickly sold out on its first day, but online auctions show that there's more to the formula than meets the eye.

Since the Wii U's launch in North America yesterday, thousands of consoles have ended up on auctions such as Amazon and eBay. On eBay in particular there are currently over 3,800 different sellers with units posted, with many sitting unsold in the $600 – $2,000 dollar range.

What's most interesting is despite the console selling out in stores, recent auctions of the Wii U Deluxe 32GB package have completed for between $396 – $420. When you consider their MSRP of $349 and weigh in the tax and seller fees, scalpers are almost turning a loss.

Maybe this is just due to Nintendo manufacturing enough units to meet demand, or perhaps the demand just isn't there, yet. Whatever the case, until the holiday rush begins we won't really know if the Wii U becomes the scalper item of the season, or if Nintendo has a long road ahead.

Although Jonathan Leack began covering the gaming industry in 2009, his earliest roots date back to 2004 when he wrote his first of many reviews to come. Equipped with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and several information technology certifications, he provides a unique perspective that is technological and business conscious. Having acquired the role of Executive Editor in 2016, his mission is to make GameRevolution a gaming site that thoughtfully considers the consumer perspective, and has a knowledgeable presence of PC gaming, console, hardware, and eSports coverage.