All:

After weeks of searching, I finally found my Wii. This forum (especially the "Still on the search for a Wii" thread) and the members here are the reason I was successful. With that in mind, I wanted to give back to this forum, and possibly help some newbies get their Wiis.

Hopefully, soon Wiis will be readily available everywhere. Until that time, I hope this thread helps. With any luck the thread will get stickied.


Tips & Tricks:

• First and foremost, get an itrackr account. More information below.
• I am told that Using the wiialerts website is extremely useful. More information below.
• Wiis have been coming in via UPS for the last few weeks. Find out when UPS delivers to a store, and start calling or visiting the store each day during UPS delivery times.
• If you want to know what days each delivery service take off for holidays, check here:
  UPS
  FedEx
  DHL
• With the above said, more and more Wiis are coming via traditional overnight store trucks. Target in particular is getting nightly shipments in fairly regularly.
• If you are asking help in finding a Wii from Wiichat.com forum members, put your location in your profile.
• The code "207-25-0001" can be punched in at one of those price-check dealies at your local Target; it will tell you if the store has any Wiis in the back room. Read more about it here.
• Early Bestbuy / Target / Circuit City fliers can be found in this forum.
  A member named speedy1961 posts the coming week's fliers early in the week (Monday/Tuesday). Posts always look similar to the following, titled something like "Target Prices: January 14 - January 20, 2007":
• TRU deliveries come via DHL.

When asking about Wii availability:

• Be courteous
• Realize that store employees are being asked about the Wii 40,000 times a day.
• Don't ask when the next shipment will come in. 99% of the time the employees do not know.
• Instead ask "Could you please tell me when your last shipment of wiis was?" (this is a question they can actually answer and gets the conversation going)
• Ask how their wiis were delivered
• Ask what time that carrier usually comes and if there are weekend deliveries
• Ask about rumors you have heard (i.e. holding wiis for such and such dates)

Back door Inventory Links:

Target Back Door: (Console) (Remote) (Nunchuck) - Very reliable. To use this you have to view the page source and ctrl+f your city name/zip and look below it to see the availability status.

Target Back door #2 - Alternative to above; do not have to view page source.

Gamestop Back Door: (Console) (Classic Controller) (Nunchuck) (Remote) - Not completely reliable

Circuit City Backdoor: (Console) (Remote) (Nunchuck) - Reliable

Comp USA Backdoor: (Console) (Remote) (Nunchuck) - Unknown reliability



Online Tools:

WiiAlerts.com - Very similar to iTrackr, however it alerts you by cell phone txt message when an online store has Wiis in stock (iTrackr is for stores in your area).

Wiiseeker - Handy for finding eBay Wii auctions around your area (save money on shipping). Also lists stores in the area & lists when Wii inventory will be in stock. This information is based on internet rumors for the most part. Sometimes it is accurate, sometimes it is way off.

iTrackr - Get this!!!! #1 way to get ahold of a Wii. Free to sign up. If you want alerts via email and/or SMS text message to your cell, it costs $1.99 for up to 10 stores.

Refresh Thing - Shows availability at online retailers. Good if you are willing to pay for one of the more expensive Wii bundles & don't mind waiting for shipping.

xpbargins - Similar to refreshthing.

Notifywire - Unfamiliar with this site.

Zoolert - Unfamiliar with this site.

Instockonline - Unfamiliar with this site.

Wiifind.co.uk - UK Site.

stocknetwork.co.uk - Another UK site.

WiiPreorder.co.uk - Another UK site.

Craigslist - Go to the section of craigslist for your state, then look in the for sale section. Folks often sell Wiis there.

Amazon.com - If you are willing to pay the scalpers.



Itrackr tips:

• itrackr DEFINITELY works for target.
• itrackr sometimes works for EBGames/Gamestop. Especially reliable if the notification comes overnight.
• itrackr sometimes works for Circuit City. More reliable than EBGames/Gamestop in my opinion.
• If stores in your area haven't shown activity in days or weeks, it is because the stores are not getting Wii consoles in stock (not because itrackr isn't working). *** Note: This only applies to Circuit City & Target, as EBGames & Gamestop are unreliable.

Other forums for Wii searchers:

Slickdeals Wii Availability Forum

Fatwallet Wii Availability Forum

Amazon.com Nintendo Wii Forum


-Merc

P.S. If you have something you would like to add to this, please PM me with the details. I'm more than happy to edit the post to include more helpful info.

Not true. My local EB games has according to Itrackr been out of stock for 23 days. I was just there today and they said they got 3 in earlier in the day. They also told me they are recieveing fairly regular midweek shipments.

Despite all the praise Itrackr is getting, I just want people to know that it might not work for you.

I have the same experience with iTrackr. No alerts even though these stores had them.

Is Target Back door #2 reliable? I haven't tried the first one, but from checking inventory using #2, it says that Wii are available in the Targets in my area. Is it updated constantly?

No idea. When you check Target #1, does it give the same result?

-Merc

I don't really know how to use Target #1. Do you have to enter the zip code/city/state first, click search, then press ctrl-F, or when you click on the link to Target #1 just press ctrl-F?

You have to enter your zip code first. Then you need to view the source of the resulting page. You can do that in your browser via the "View" Menu. It should have a "Page Source" option. You then search through the source code (ctrl-f brings up the search window).

-Merc

Thanks, but it isn't working for me. I'm using Firefox if that makes any difference. After entering my zip code, clicking search, viewing the source, and using ctrl-F to search, my zip code isn't showing up, same goes for the city I live in.

Read this article.

http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_4992512

It's quite good and will give you renewed strength!

Think of the wii hunt as a real-world Zelda quest!

http://www.xpbargains.com/wii_locator.php

This one is good for CC, etc. It does not pick up TRU. Use wiitracker for TRU.

Oh and itrackr also tracks remotes and chuks, just go to "Hot Items" then "Game Consoles" then "Console Accessories". Apparently you can now track these for free.

Has anyone every had any luck on a Saturday? Do stores even get shipments in on Saturdays?

That's become a difficult question to answer. If your stores are still getting their wiis drop shipment, then likely no. But if your stores get them on their big trucks with everything else, then maybe yes. I believe that all EBgames and GameStops get their wiis via UPS, so there probably is no use checking there.

For the record, I'm really starting to believe this Target holding for the 21st rumor. There are multiple Targets in my area that have been "in stock" on itrackr for some time. These stores update reliably and usually go "out of stock" quickly. The only conclusion that I can draw is that they do have wiis, but they are being held.

In my area of Texas, the local gamestops get shipments Mondays and Fridays at 11:00 am to 2:00pm in a brown ups truck.

When me and my mom were waiting in frount of the store for the truck we finally gave up and when she backed up she almost hit the truck we were waiting for!

Yea, im pretty sure the Target on the 21st thing is true...I was just at my Target yesterday, and while in the Wii aisle, I was asked if I needed any help, I replied not inless you have the Wii, and they told me the 21st.

Now, the question I have is whats going on with Best Buy? Wiiseeker says the 21st, but I was hoping for either Tomorrow or Monday?

It sounds to me like maybe they were considering the 15th, but then decided to also do the 21st (there was that letter than somebody posted on the other thread), either because they couldn't get enough wiis in time or to go head-to-head with Target.

Yea, so I guess the question now is if they are holding all their units for a bigger release on the 21st, or are still going to be releasing some on monday.

I wouldn't hold my breath for Monday. They'll probably have to hold everything they get in order to have 20+ for all stores on the 21st.

At least you know to focus on TRU and CC this week!

And I would def check a stores ad next weekend before heading over. I doubt that ALL stores will be having the sales.

Bumping this thread for the Weekend Wii-Hunt Warriors...

Also wanted to point out that itrackr.com can be used to find controllers as well. Sign up (free) and go to "Hot Items" followed by "Game Consoles" and finally "Game Accessories".

Happy hunting!

Appears to have been confirmed. Look on p.6 of next week's Target flyer to see if it's happening in your area.

Plan to get there E-A-R-L-Y, lots of people will know about this one!

Target is go for wii's on the 21st.

Here is a link to a preview of the flyer. Wii's are listed at $249.99 on page six.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=489562

Prepare to campout (or at least get there reeeeaaallllly early). Good luck!!

There are a couple threads here about finding Wii's at Target and Compusa...

http://www.wiisort.com/viewforum.php?f=4

For all of you guys looking for Wiimotes and Nunchucks I have them and willing to let them go for what I got them for. IF you guys pay the 3% paypal fee so im not losing money. I paid $39.99+8.25% tax+$7 shipping for each Wiimote. $19.99+8.25% tax+$7 shipping each nunchuck. Let me know. They are just sitting here. I have quite a few left of each. Im paypal verified with 100% ebay feedback.