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Nintendo kills Wii ads due to console shortage

But eBay's got plenty

Nintendo is replacing a series of ads for its Wii console this Christmas, despite the games machine being the subject of the most searched for term on eBay.

A spokesman for the company told Marketing Week that demand for the console is already too high and that it wants to take a “responsible stance this Christmas and not fuel demand”.

The adverts, scheduled to run on TV and in print, will be replaced with ones for its DS Lite handheld console.

eBay’s UK website last week logged nearly 30,000 searches for the terms ‘Wii’ and ‘Nintendo Wii’ and, while we were writing this, the website had consoles for sale with prices ranging from about £150 to £500.

However, if you’ve really got money to burn, then one intrepid seller has even been trying to make the most of the Wii shortage and offload his console for a staggering £1m.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime recently claimed that the company wasn’t limiting availability of consoles to keep demand high. "Anyone who suggests that a shortage is good for business really doesn’t understand business," he told MSNBC. Apparently, it’s just “highly unfortunate that consumers cannot find a Wii to purchase”.

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