I mostly feel bad for the kids
I know a lot of people don’t like GameStop. That’s cool. Like any retailer, bad customer service has the propensity to make people not want to return to a store. My local GameStop though is pretty great, and I’ve developed a rapport over the years with the staff there. So I have to listen to a short pre-order spiel because it’s their job and they don’t want to get fired — no big deal.
Plus, GameStop has been excellent with its handling of the amiibo situation so far. While Toys”R”Us, Target, and Best Buy have been fairly abysmal, canceling orders and handling pre-orders very poorly, GameStop is right up there with Amazon in terms of getting amiibo in the hands of customers. But the good times can’t roll on forever, right?
In addition to reports of delays from Amazon, GameStop is now joining the ranks of “we can’t meet demand in the US” squad. Multiple readers are reporting GameStop has delayed a few amiibo beyond the release date of other retailers, specifically King Dedede and a few other Wave 3b characters.
Worst of all, some readers are stating their order for Shulk, the exclusive figure that you can only get at GameStop, have been outright canceled. This is especially troubling because insiders have stated Shulk will be the most rare out of all of the exclusives, even more than Rosalina due to low or non-existent in-store stock. At some Targets, there were roughly 50 or more Rosalina figures. They may have sold out instantly or in an hour, but they were there.
Reaching out to GameStop, it seems like Nintendo is to blame, as it is getting a “lower than anticipated stock” of all of Wave 3, including Shulk. These messages I’m getting from readers lineup with other reports, like this one from the Amiibo Inquirer. It’s also rumored Target and Best Buy will not be stocking any amiibo from Wave 3b, making this potentially the most rare product drop yet.
At this point no single retailer is safe from cancellations or delays. If you really want these things, you’ll have to just pray at this point and keep up with the latest news to see if anything has changed.
