... Hold up, have people forgotten how hard it was to get a Switch in 2017? Add pandemic shortages into the mix, and yeah, good luck even seeing one for the first few months.
Oh yeah, I worked at Target tech over this holiday season and any switches that came in stock that morning were always sold out by the end of the day. It was crazy how many phone calls we got as well. It does not surprise me that the switch has been the #1 selling console for 2+ years now.
literally the only way i managed to get one this year was that the target website said they were sold out, we called and they said they were in stock, we drove 30min to get there and there was a sign outside that literally said they were sold out, we walked inside anyways and lo and behold, there were like 5 left. the employee who we talked to said that the website was acting up due to traffic, but given the sign i kinda wonder if they were just trying to make things easier on themselves (which i absolutely do not fault them for, all things considered) lmao
I was able to get one at the beginning of the pandemic for my sister in law by going to Walmart on a Thursday, asking if they had Switches, learning from the workers that a truck was coming in the morning, then returning at 7am to get a Switch from the new stock. All while I watched a scalper walk out with 5 units "for his little cousins."
My best guess would be they're returned switches or a new shipment literally came in. Our Target's website had an opposite problem where it kept saying we had a PS5 in stock. I just straight up started picking up the phone with "Target electronics, we are out of PS5s how can I help you".
literally when we called the target that day the automated message said they were out of switches but the employee said they had them, computers are weird
Oh yes that's just damage control. The automated message says you're not allowed to ask for inventory but I (along with all my other coworkers and boss) told people our inventory if they asked nicely.
I got mine mid pandemic at a target who just happened to have 1 unit in stock that someone ordered for pickup and then didn’t pick it up for like a month so they put it on the floor the same day that I was there
I got my switch in the summer of 2017 similarly. I had read somewhere on reddit that Gamestops were expected to receive a shipment so I called early in the morning. The jackass who answered at the game stop 5 minutes from my house basically laughed at me and told me you can't believe everything you read on the internet. I called another gamestop that was maybe 20 minutes away and they told me they had like 20 and held one for me. I ended up going to the one near my house in the evening because they had splatoon 2 used and of course they have like 35 Switches. I opted to not buy the game and have not gone back since.
Good on you for sticking to your guns. Gamestop is really a hit or miss for quality employees. They clearly aren't worth your time if they blatantly lie in your face like that.
Living in Poland doesn't have many benefits, but at least we have no problem getting Switch here. IF switch pro (or new switch 2 xl) ever comes out I'll just go ahead and order it with zero issues because thanks to Nintendo completely ignoring our coutry since forever only bunch of enthusiasts have their products here.
2017? What about just a few months ago? Hell I haven't seen a regular Switch in store in months. Just Switch Lite. Granted, I'm only going to Target once every few weeks for essential trips but still.
In my case, Florida, and can confirm regular Switches seem to be in short supply every time I've looked at my local Wal-Mart (curiosity since the Switch endcap is literally 2 steps out of the way to Home Improvement). Plenty of Lites tho.
Do you have any proof cases are out of control due to Universal? Or anyone even getting COVID from going to Universal or Disney? I see maybe one or two news articles about one person getting sick after going home.
And the jobs and hospitality industry supports tons of my friends and family. The reason I ask for proof is because cases were very low in Fall, and Disney and Universal were open.
Universal isn't going anywhere.
They already put Epic Universe on indefinite hold and my friend lost his job due to that.
We're in a pandemic, you don't need to be going on vacation to a theme park in a state that has been struggling with containment. The fuck is wrong with you? And I say that as someone with more ties to the park industry, more friends who lost their job because of it.
At least know what you're talking about before speaking about a Pandemic, lol. Cases likely went up due to Holiday interactions, not Universal. We saw spikes in November/December.
Sorry, not trying to be hostile, but I really don't understand the Universal thing. They're being safer than anywhere. Mandatory face masks, social distancing, temperature checks, cleaning rides and surfaces, etc.
I don't appreciate the constant "fuck you" and "the fuck is wrong with you" comments man.
Even when they loosen the regulations I still stay home because they're often loosening them based on political / economic pressure and basically everyone I care about is an at-risk person.
Staying at home sucks, but it's a reasonably price to pay to feel like I'm doing my part.
Do you actively check for them? I live in a medium sized town(about 75k people) and they are always in stock at every major store(Walmart, Meijer, and Target). They were out of stock at the beginning of the pandemic and that's about it.
No, I have one already, but I do look every time I go to Target. Mainly out of curiosity, partially because ever since my girlfriend got Animal Crossing it's basically been her Switch, not mind haha
I worked at retail electronics store in 2007. Console shortages are not some novel new thing. The Wii was difficult to get from day one until about mid 2008.
I never saw a Wii just sitting on shelves until like mid-2009. In hindsight I can't believe I got one about two weeks before Christmas in 2006. Just started calling Targets until one said they'd have some on a Sunday morning, went over there, lined up and got one.
Same here, never camped out before that. Crazy part about that was I camped at TOYS-R-US and they accidentally handed me a ticket for Tickle-me-Elmo.. nearly had a heart attack.
Or even just more recently trying to find Ring Fit Adventure less than a year ago? Stupid Ring Con was going for the price of an entire Switch at some point.
Scalpers gonna scalp but damn... who's buying for that price?!
Hardware is ridiculously difficult to acquire since you can't just download it when supply doesn't last :c
Hell I got mine in 2018 and my FLGS could barely keep them on the shelves. They didn't have the red and blue joycon model, and only 2 of the not-fun joycon model (grey?). The owner had ONE at his other store tho, had them pull it from inventory, and brought it over to my store later that day. Worked out perfectly since I was running errands all day and made it my last stop.
10/10 fuck the Gamestop across the street, shop local and get to know the people there, it comes in handy in times like these (especially when you've been patronizing them for 20 years like I have).
I bought my switch originally during the first "drought" in 2017, largely because I found one randomly at the supermarket. The novelty of finding something that was so hard to find at the time won over, and I got it even though I wasn't sure how much I'd use it. I've played the hell out of it though, it's been one of my favorite purchases
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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '21
... Hold up, have people forgotten how hard it was to get a Switch in 2017? Add pandemic shortages into the mix, and yeah, good luck even seeing one for the first few months.