Nintendo to restock Australian and New Zealand stores with amiibo figures from other regions
Nintendo knows that amiibo figures have been hard to find just about everywhere in the world. Now in an unprecedented move Nintendo Australia will be looking at sourcing the figures from other regions in able to get some of the currently unavailable amiibo back in sock.
Here’s the official statement;
In the coming months, limited quantities of some amiibo figures will be replenished in stores, with some figures sourced from other regions that will feature non-AU/NZ packaging.
There’s no specifics as to which figures these will be or exactly when we can expect these restocks. While the statement doesn’t say it, Nintendo’s tweet announcing this move says this will only at selected stores as well.
We’d would wager these restocked figures would be coming in around the same time as the next wave which is due on the 21st of March, but honestly it could be anytime. We’ll try to get more exact information out of Nintendo Australia so people can be prepared.
Are you missing any of the initial wave of figures or even some from second and third? Let us know in the comments.
Update: Reader Scott has posted this picture to our Facebook page showing Japanese amiibo at Target Knox already. While Donkey Kong and Kirby may be less than common, things must be in real short supply if there are Japanese Pikachu needed to be sourced from Japan.
There’s already reports that Targets in Sydney have Japanese Amiibo turning up yesterday. Looks like just Kirby and DK at this point.
Given that a lot of European countries and Japan are overflowing with stock and the only difference is packaging then that clearly shows that there is not a shortage of the actual figures.
Who does the internet have to point the pitchforks and torches at this week?
Nintendo Aus?
Nintendo Japan?
Vooks himself?
There are two clear narratives at war here.
Either there IS enough supply. Or, demand was under-estimated.
It cannot be both, surely.
Not to mention this country’s track record with grey market sales…..
I think all a lot of us have to go off of are pictures or stories from other countries. A few people from the Whirlpool Amiibo thread recently have come back from Japan. The stories and pictures of the amount of stock they have seen are crazy. Walls of Amiibo, all of them. Even the rare ones. And many of each. Same with Europe. Pictures of the same thing. Maybe just little to no allocation for Aus/NZ. Hopefully that changes…
There was a graphic the other day, Australia was only allocated 3% of the Amiibo stock. With the U.S getting the majority.
That being said, I had no trouble getting a full set from Target. During the Christmas shopping hours I was up before 6am to get to the store and with wave three I was up a little after 6, maybe people shouldn’t show up at midday and expect to walk out with all the figures.
Exactly what I did, if you want them you gotta be prepared to go at them.
No Target close to me but was at Big W For Wave 2 and 3. Wave 2 my local and another local Big W had 0 stock on the day. Wave 3 an older guy rushed in with a trolley and cleared the shelf of all Amiibos. Had my daughter with me so unable to run up the back. Hard to enforce any kind of a limit at department stores like you can at EB and JB. Preorder is always another option, if they don’t get cancelled, but that is besides the point of Aus/NZ getting shafted.
Hopefully Nintendo realises the market for Amiibo in Oceania is larger than a mere 3%. In general, they need to treat the Aussie and Kiwi customers they have with more respect if they have any chance of standing up to Sony and Microsoft.
This is all well and good but this country and its retail chains do not make such things simple.
I bet I live in the only capital city where there is:
1 Kmart
1 Big W
1 Target
2 JBs
3 EB Games
In fact I was in Adelaide during the last wave’s release and none of the majors had any stock at all. Several EBs/JBs I went to (not expecting any at these b/c they let yu pre-order of course) all the chatter at the counter was about amiibo.
Why is that sevral stores of the giant department chains had empty shelves?
This has more to do with Point of Sale and less with Nintendo’s inventory and accounting skills.
Sick of hearing (and contributing to) the anecdotal stuff, this needs proper attention.
Target in Canberra (Tuggeranong) has the Japanese DK and Kirby amiibo out for purchase. They’ve got the Nintendo Australia sticker on the back with the barcode.