ShopTo: Nintendo will meet DSi demand

By Robert Purchese Published 31 March, 2009

Retailer predicts left-overs.

ShopTo has told Eurogamer that with the DSi, Nintendo has finally managed to make enough day-one stock to meet consumer demand.

The slightly redesigned handheld launches on Friday for GBP 149. ShopTo reckons there will even be stock to spare after the initial stampede.

"The pre-orders for the DSi are going very well considering the current economy," ShopTo's Igor Cipolletta told us. "We've had a good allocation from Nintendo and will be able to have loose units for day-one release.

"I believe that this time Nintendo has managed to predict sell-out units and manufacture the right quantity for day-one."

Cipolletta was unable to offer a comparison between DS Lite and DSi demand as ShopTo was significantly smaller when the former launched in June 2006.

Sources close to Nintendo, however, have told us that demand for the DSi is three times higher than for the DS Lite.

But, added Cipolletta, DSi pre-orders at ShopTo have been "much less" than for the Wii.

Despite demand for the DSi, Nintendo has decided not to hold an official launch event. The platform holder told us this was to position the DSi as an evolution of the hardware and not a replacement.

Nintendo, historically, has struggled to provide enough Wiis to retailers at busy times of year. As a result, the console was the most searched-for item on the whole of eBay over Black Friday. Eventually, 3171 units changed hands, each around USD 100 over the standard RRP.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Brodie #1 3 years ago

    The demand for this is nowhere near the DS Lite.

    It's not quite GB Micro levels of apathy, but it's certainly not gonna sell out.

  • BadBoyBonner #2 3 years ago

    DSi=Meh

  • bluem4gic #3 3 years ago

    £149 NO NINTENDO!

  • Eraysor #4 3 years ago

    They'll have to drop the price by at least £30 before I even consider it.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #5 3 years ago

    There will be plenty of apathy towards this device until it becomes useful. At the price point of £150 and given that it does not much more than the regular lite at the moment, its chances of selling out are slim to nonexistent.

    That being said, as soon as the dsi store starts to get some AAA software, you may see sales pick up a little bit. But until that happens, I forsee most people saving their money and using the lite. The difference isn't important enough to require an immediate upgrade for most people.

  • b00n #6 3 years ago

    But that's the thing. Nintendo doesn't need high sales on Day 1. Developers will continue developing for the DS (which works on the DSi) and can then slowly move to the DSi when the consumer base moves also. And they will move slowly to the DSi anyway, just not in the first few months.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #7 3 years ago

    Untill there is loads of good games on the wiiware store i dont think most people would upgrade, but anyone buying DS for the first time will prolly pay the extra for the new DSI and there is still alot of new buyers judging by the weekly sales of the DS lite.

  • mattyduk #8 3 years ago

    my local Gamestation only have 8 people on it's pre order list, including me. The only reason I'm doing it is that I'm trading in my DS lite.

  • Thunderbolt #9 3 years ago

    If you want true gamer apathy look no further than the Virtual Boy.

  • Santino #10 3 years ago

    yeah i'm trading in the lite against this, mostly for dsi ware. i have lots of credit at my work and since madworld and sf4 have came out there isnt much i can see me spending it on. after trading in the lite should be almost a straight swap.

  • stevetuck #11 3 years ago

    Another advert article on Eurogamers front page :D

  • neonemesis #12 3 years ago

    I hope that it doesn't sell as much as Nintendo hopes actually. I know there are some new possibilities for games with the cameras and everything but it's a lazy, overpriced update as far as I'm concerned.

  • byron_hinson #13 3 years ago

    How much are places doing it for with trade in?

  • marconie #14 3 years ago

    Igor Cipolletta!

  • Kafeen #15 3 years ago

    I think £149 is bit much for them but I've just managed to order one for £ 119.77 - 8% Quidco which should knock it down to about £110ish.

    Its from Littlewoods Direct with voucher code ZG754 for -£30, code only works for new customers though. If anyone else wants one at a knocked down price.

    I never got the DS Lite, still, my DS phat is still going strong.

  • amv71 #16 3 years ago

    for those in leeds - game, albion street, trade in your ds lite and get a dsi for £55....

    oh and today only.
    Edited by 1 at 01/04/09 @ 13:32