Nintendo has had to hike up the price of the Wii in Europe. While the retail price is still £179.99, MCV says that the Wii will cost retailers around £16.50, or around £19 including VAT.
I don’t know what the margins are for European retailers, but I’d guess that they’re pretty tight. This may have retailers raising the price of the Wii a bit.
“Due to the severe and continuing depreciation of the pound, we are, unfortunately, having to raise our trade price to UK retailers of Wii hardware,” a Nintendo UK spokesperson said.
“The price that they then offer to consumers is, of course, up to the retailers. We are only – reluctantly – raising our trade price now to retailers due to unprecedented and sustained depreciation of the pound. This is a problem brought about by extreme currency fluctuations that are a symptom of the global economic situation.”
If a retail price increase actually goes down, that would be pretty backwards, wouldn’t it? Games recession proof? Maybe not.
[Via CVG]
