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NES Classic Edition: Nintendo’s New-Old Mini System Is Sold Out Everywhere, Here Is How You Can Get One For Christmas

By Danny Cox
Published on: 06:24 PST, Nov 11, 2016

Early in the morning of November 11, 2016, retailers across the country started selling the NES Classic Edition mini system from Nintendo. Within a few minutes of opening, most locations were completely sold out. Ever since the reveal of the new system this summer, anticipation has been extremely great, and Nintendo appears to have underestimated how popular it would be. Still, it’s possible to get one.

Yes, many went out on Friday morning to try and pick up an NES Classic of their own, but some were sent home with empty hands. Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Kmart, GameStop, and numerous other retailers sold out in quick fashion, and many employees simply answered the phone by saying, “We sold out in less than five minutes, dude.”

According to Polygon, Nintendo should have realized the popularity and excitement of the new system when they announced it four months ago. Some believe it would have been easy and expected for the company to ship out enough of the NES Classic Edition systems so they could get them to all consumers.

Meanwhile, some locations had no more than 10 units to sell. Some had just six or even five, but all hope is not lost. As reported by CNET, Amazon is going to give fans a chance to pick up an NES Classic Edition of their very own on launch day, but they will need to work fast.

At 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET, Amazon will open availability for the $60 mini Nintendo system that is packed with 30 old-school games such as Metroid, Super Mario Bros., and the original Legend of Zelda. Amazon is making sure that everyone gets a fair shot at it too, and that is why they didn’t accept pre-orders.

[Image by Nintendo]

Amazon sent out emails to anyone who said they were interested in the NES Classic Edition and gave them the instructions for landing one on launch day. There will be “very limited quantities” according to Amazon, but again, they’re making this an open and fair game.

One-click ordering has been turned off by Amazon, and they are limiting sales to just one per customer for the time being. They urge everyone to have their credit card and billing address information up to date so the process can be completed in a quick fashion.

The short supply has brought out those looking to profit from Nintendo’s decision to release the system in small numbers. A lot of people have purchased multiple amounts of the NES Classic Edition and are selling them on online auction sites for double and triple the price, and some have had price tags as high as $1,000.

If you don’t get one from Amazon later today and don’t wish to spend hundreds of dollars for one, there are other ways to prepare yourself for the next wave of NES Classic Edition systems.

  • Sign up for email alerts – Target, Best Buy, Toys R’ Us, and other retailers allow you to sign up for alerts that will email you when an item becomes available.
  • Check daily – One never knows when new shipments will come in, so check online availability and call stores every day.
  • Never trust one response – As quickly as the systems were flying off the shelves on Friday, many online systems couldn’t keep up. Target’s website and app kept showing availability at stores when there were no longer any in stock. If a store shows some in stock online, call first to be sure before driving out.

With more than a month to go until Christmas, there will still be numerous chances to get an NES Classic Edition mini system from Nintendo. Stores will have them back in stock, but you’re still going to have to move quickly if you want one now. Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and others will give you more opportunities, and your best bet right now is to sign up for alerts and be prepared when your phone buzzes.

[Featured Image by Nintendo]

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