Expert: Joseph - 8/30/2009

Question
I want to purchase a Nintendo Wii for my children.  Do you know where I can get one at a discount?  I do not want a used Wii b/c at Game Stop (EB Games), it is not that big of a discount.  My kids said they don't really want Wii Sports (Wii Sports does not come with the used one)  The big places I checked (Amazon.com & Game Stop) are priced:
$250--Wii console
$35--Wii controller
$18--Wii Nunchuck
$35--Super Smash Brothers, Brawl game
I did find a very cheap place to buy the stuff (I need atleast 2 controllers), but when I sent them an e-mail to customer service they did not respond.  All this stuff costs too much to not have customer service.  The cheap place I found is http://gamesingate.com/Productlist.html?CatID=200203855


Answer
Ok the website you have linked is a Chinese wholesale website, i.e. they sell Wii's that are region coded for China at the wholesale price.  Not only will a Wii coded for China not play any games coded for the U.S., but these websites have a history of being very shady, and you should not trust them with your credit card information or with personal checks.  I HIGHLY recommend dealing with a well established, American retailer, as this will save you many headaches in the future.

With that being said, used Wii's from GameStop do have significant discounts.  They are $200 instead of $250; that's 20% off, and you'd be hard pressed to find one much cheaper unless you search eBay, which comes with its own set of risks.  If you're trying to get all of these things new, unless you find a sale at a specific retailer going on at some particular point in time, the prices are going to be very similar from one place to another.  The way video game pricing works, the publisher (in the this case Nintendo) sets the price of their product on a nation-wide basis.  Basically, they say if you want to carry Wii's, you have to sell them at $250, period.  That's why I warn you buying them off a website that sells them differently, because Nintendo did not tell them it was ok for them to do that, and they are selling them illegally.  The best prices you're going to get at a reliable retailer is going to be purchasing used items at GameStop or EB Games.  I recommend going to a local store and spend some time with the clerk there going over their used game program, they'll be able to explain it to you better than what I could realistically type here.  They also carry something called an Edge card, which gives you an additional 10% off of any used game or console accessory you buy, which will save you even more off the already lower price (this card doesn't work on the Wii system itself, but if you get everything you mentioned above it will save you something like $15 right off the bat.)

Bottom line is, used games at GameStop are generally the cheapest you're going to get from a retailer you can trust.  New games and systems, in general, are priced the same across all retailers, and it honestly comes down to personal preference.  Take some time and go to your local GameStop or EB Games and talk to the clerk there, they'll be able to sit down with you and help you make your decision.  They usually have excellent customer service.