Wii shortages expected through holidays...again

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Don't get your hopes up.

In an interview with Gamedaily, GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo predicted a third straight year of holiday shortages for Nintendo's stark white Wii console.

"I've never seen this type of demand before," he said. "I know they're making more, but we're still short like everybody else. I think we'll have a continued shortage this Christmas."

DeMatteo goes on to claim that even with the increase in console production, sales are still outpacing manufacturing.

"I don't see a near-term end in sight for Wii shortages, not unless they really ramp up supply. I think they've ramped it up 20 percent or so, but Nintendo is fairly cautious by nature. They ramped it up 20 and it's still evaporating."

If this all sounds eerily familiar, it should. Released in November 2006, the Wii has yet to meet consumer demand. Big box retailers like Best Buy and Target still claim to be entirely sold out of stock both online and in-store, leaving many aspiring Wii owners to simply pass on Nintendo's family-friendly console and instead pick up a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 (which, incidentally, is now the cheapest of the three).

Still determined to buy a Wii? Then consider these tips when hunting down Nintendo's white whale:

Three tips to finding a Wii

• Skip the stores and head for eBay or Craigslist
  Some people are already over the Wii, so take advantage of their disinterest by buying a used system. The prices are all over the map -- a quick scan of eBay's recent completed listings place the console between about $275 and $450 -- but at least you'll have a fair shot at scoring one.

• Wake up early and hit the streets
  If any nearby retailer happens to have any hardware in stock, they'll often tell the world by blitzing the Sunday paper circulars. Sacrifice some of your weekend sleep by slurping down some daybreak coffee and scanning the ad section of your local rag.

• Try tracking
  Many sites provide RSS feeds that will allow you to track down Wiis as they become available at various retailers. Though they're not always accurate, consider WiiTracker or NowInStock if this sounds appealing.

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