If you missed your first chance to snag one of Nintendo's coveted SNES Classic Editions, you're not alone -- but you'll get another chance to buy one as soon as today. GameStop just announced that new units will be arriving at both GameStop and ThinkGeek stores as early as today, and people are encouraged to check with their local retailers to see if their stores are getting a shipment in today or later this week. According to GameStop, all stores will be getting their full allotment by Thursday, October 12. In addition, ThinkGeek will have units available tomorrow online, but expect those to go quickly.
The SNES Classic Edition sold out quickly when it went on sale both for pre-orders and for the actual launch. Still, there were some signs that the situation could be much improved from that of the NES Classic Edition, which almost nobody was able to get their hands on. Not only was there more stock delivered to the stores that had it available, but the general attitude on social media seemed to be that many more people were able to buy one if they wanted one: I talked to several stores that still had a unit or two an hour or so after opening, which didn't come close to happening for the NES. And prices on eBay aren't quite as high as they were for the NES Classic Edition, indicating a slightly lower grey market demand.
According to GameStop, stores should be getting new weekly shipments throughout 2017, hopefully letting people pick the things up for themselves or as gifts well into the holiday season. Restocks were what really hurt the NES Classic Edition: many stores I talked to only got one, and even then it was in the single digits. This is obviously a huge market for Nintendo, and it caught the company somewhat off guard last year. It had a whole lot more time to prepare this year, and so far there are some signs that it might go much better. It's all good news, not only making Nintendo some money off of the consoles itself, but also raising brand awareness for the Switch.
Check back in for more info on new SNES Classic Edition stock as we hear it. The real thing to watch here is going to be eBay: if prices there start dropping precipitously, it will mean that Nintendo has done a decent job getting units into peoples hands.
