Wii price to rise for UK trade
Nintendo "reluctantly" ups price of hardware due to depreciation of pound
Nintendo has said that it is to raise the price of the Wii in the UK due to the depreciation of the pound.
The system has a recommended retail price of GBP 179.99 in the region, and with a price hike of around GBP 18 – 20, will put considerable pressure on retailers' margin.
"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," said the company. "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," said Nintendo.
Major retailers such as GAME, Gamestation, HMV and the supermarkets often offer bundled software deals in-store to increase margins on hardware.