If you have been trying in vain to get your hands on a Nintendo Wii online, you are not alone. The demand for the gaming console is so high that almost every retailer is sold out within minutes of any new inventory arriving. Fortunately, with a bit of planning, you might still be able to get your Wii. Read the following tips to prepare for your next attempt.

Tip #1: Sign Up For Wii Alert Lists

Online retailers run out of Wii almost as fast as their offline counterparts. Lucky for you, there are several services that monitor the major online retailers 24 hours a day to keep track of any new Wiis that arrive. You can sign up with these services and they will send you an email whenever new units appear in stock. Then, you just have to be ready to click over to these online stores and be the first to purchase. Although you still have to monitor your email regularly to catch these alerts, it still gives you an edge over those who spend the day refreshing the Amazon page for the Wii. MySimon has one of the more popular Wii alert by email services.

Tip #2 - Buy Through eBay

The Nintendo Wii continues to show up regularly on eBay auctions. Unfortunately, the demand is so high that there are some real downsides to purchasing through this popular online auction site. First off, even though eBay does a fairly good job of enforcing its rules, a few unsavory individuals still manage to list fraudulent auctions for the Wii. That is, they’ll take your money, but you’ll never get your console. Before you can do anything about it, their account has disappeared and you have no recourse.

If you buy from eBay, make sure to check previous feedback so you know you are dealing with a reputable seller. Once you have that base covered, there’s still one more big hurdle to overcome - the cost. Auctions for the Wii on eBay typically end with prices much higher than the retail price. For those who can’t get their hands on one any other way, the extra cost may be worth it though.

Tip #3 Buy From Japan

Japan is the home of Nintendo, and although initially stock of the Wii was sold out frequently, it has started to become much easier to get your hands on one there. Most of the major electronics retailers have Wiis in stock on a regular basis. Combined with the fact that the US dollar is very strong against the yen now, coming to Japan and buying up a couple of Wiis, one for yourself, and one to resell for a profit back home might be an opportunity to consider.

Alternatively, if you can find a friend who writes or speaks Japanese, you can bid on the Nintendo Wii on Japan’s top auction site Yahoo Auctions Japan. Here, Wii’s are regularly available for just over $200.00. Even adding in the extra shipping cost, this can still be cheaper than purchasing through eBay thanks to the power of the current exchange rate.