Nintendo's 10,000 yen 3DS price drop doesn't take effect until August 11, but the system can already be had for cheaper than that. As reported at Nikkei, used game shops were quick to slash prices for used 3DS systems following Nintendo's price drop announcement on the 28th.
On the 29th, Book Off, a retailer which sells used books, clothes and media, slashed its used price from 23,000 yen to 14,000 yen.
The system's current new price is 25,000 yen. It will be 15,000 yen starting August 11.
Sofmap, a subsidiary of Bic Camera that, unlike its parent, also deals in used product, slashed its used 3DS price from 22,800 yen to 13,800 yen. Sofmap's reacted to the announcement even faster than Book Off, as the price apparently went into effect on the 28th itself.
Those who'd been planning on selling their 3DS should have done so the day before the announcement, as buyback prices were also cut. Before the announcement, Book Off was paying 15,000 yen for your 3DS. Now, the buyback price is 8,000 yen. (These are base buyback prices for systems that have boxes, instruction manuals and look pretty much new. The shops tend to take off a few hundred yen here and there for little issues.)
According to the Nikkei report, used shops usually make stocking decisions based on anticipation of price drops or hardware revisions. The 3DS price drop was so unexpected, however, that some retailers complained that they were unable to make stocking adjustments.
As Book Off was buying back 3DS systems for 15,000 yen just before the announcement, and the new used sales price is 14,000 yen, it appears that they're taking at least a 1,000 yen loss on current stock. Sofmap's numbers are even more harsh. Sofmap was buying systems at 16,800 yen the day before the announcement, meaning a 3,000 yen loss on every system.
Used game systems in Japan tend to be in a like-new state, with shops even listing if there are any markings on the instruction manual. Anyone who buys a system, regardless of it being used or not, before the 11th and logs in to the Nintendo e-Shop will qualify for the twenty NES and Game Boy Advance game downloads that NIntendo is giving away to early adopters. For 3DS holdouts who want the lower price and all the free games, used may be the way to go. 作者: allensakura 时间: 2011-7-31 18:24