Topic: In-store Virtual Console marketing spotted!

Sorry, I didn't have my DSi with me at the time and couldn't take a picture (may do so tomorrow, since I need to go back to pick up another reserved game), but I saw an in-store ad for the Virtual Console in GameStop today! Offically from Nintendo and everything! Naturally, it's designed to showcase points cards, and it gives small example lists of the games available to download (with WiiWare mentioned inside, even though the MAIN ad is actually VC).

All I have to say about this is it's about time! I thought up this marketing tactic well over a YEAR ago! Let's just hope better late than never works in this case.

I've seen a few VC ads in HMV in the last year or so. Nothing major, but they do show some of the stuff thats available.

1, I don't know what HMV is (probably not in America is what).
2, how visible were these ads? This new one in GameStop is right there at the front register, at least in my store. Some others may have shoved it off somewhere less visible. My store's pretty good with the VC sympathizers, though (and some of us actually USE the service, too!).

So are we talking full fledged in-store promotion or just inside of small brochures?

There was a massive HMV in Toronto when I was there last, though it's been nearly ten years. They're the last surviving chain music/dvd shop in the UK of any note: online and supermarkets which sell everything under the sun (here the supermarkets have their own banks, sell clothes, music, DVDs, games, etc.) are just killing them. I'll be impressed if HMV is around in ten years frankly.

Its true
I stopped at Gamestop this past Monday and saw them as well.

1. It's kinda like our version of Best Buy. Sorta. Less computers and stuff - mostly music, DVDs and games.

2. Not too visible. They had a couple of displays in the HMVs in Glasgow near the Wii games. That was about it though. Not a full-blown advertising campaign or anything, but still, it was there!

Now all Nintendo need to do is encourage UK stores to stop ripping people off for Nintendo Points cards. I was in Morrisons (UK supermarket chain) and they were selling 1,000 point cards for nearly £14! That's double what you pay through the shop channel. I can understand putting a couple of quid on top, but not seven. Then again, we are talking England where people are dumb enough to spend double for what everyone else gets.

A store in the Dominican Republic (that "La Sirena" store next to "Jumbo") advertised the Virtual Console using official material. Unfortunately...
1) The Virtual Console service is not present in the Dominican Republic (Said country was not part of the list in which Wii Shop was available, and I checked myself at home in Puerto Rico through traversing the country settings.)
2) Wii and PS3 knock-offs were being stocked advertised more prominently, and actually bought.

(Of course, I saw a Korean and Nipponese Wii Remote...
My money was on something else, anyways...)

so what i make out of this is the virtual console isnt seeing its end?
tell me this is true and tell me they have plans to drop more games!

@Old: No one said the VC was at its end

its as many people intrested in wiiware as virtual though
im just watching every mondays games like everyone else

@TwilightV: At current, we have a little counter-top display with brochures in it and a points card hanging from a hook above them. To me, it's more about there being ANYTHING at all than how much or how big. It's all about how the store employees make use of the marketing tools available anyway. This display will make it easier for me to explain the VC to customers, and also make it more likely that the topic will come up in the first place because we have it right next to register one where it's hard to miss.

@Sean Aaron: Your supermarkets sound like Super Wal-Mart to me. Other than that, it's not really a huge concept in America just yet.

@oldgamesonly: I think that if sales improve as a result of the marketing, it may encourage them to push to release more games on VC. So it may prove helpful to prolonging the service's life, yes.

They're actually adversiting the Virtual Console? Now that's something. Someone look for an TV adversitement of the service.

@Stuffgamer: I see. They've got a nice little display? I'll have to go see if any of the three in my town have one. The most i've seen of VC marketing is a single tiny section in the back of brochures for all Nintendo games, so this sounds pretty good.

That really sucks. I'd think the fact that you can get an extra 1000 points for only one £ more would be enough to convince them, or the fact that the card details aren't stored. At the very least you could try to get them to order the cards through Tesco online, I think they're cheaper that way (I seem to recall buying them at the online shop for £14.99, which isn't far off Wii Shop price, but I don't know if that's still the case).

How about getting a Visa Electron (though I don't know if you can use those with the shop) card?

@Stuffgamer1: Yeah pretty much, except that Walmart doesn't have their own bank and the quality of the store brands over here tends to be as good as name brands when it comes to food. Tesco is quite aggressive in the online space - I think you can buy everything including appliances and furniture from them online.

No, actually that would be better since the Electron card isn't usable everywhere, whereas a debit card with a Visa logo should be usable wherever you can use a credit card. I'd say that's your solution right there, just wait for the debit card to come in the post and keep some money in your account. Just be sure to watch your spend because it's a little too easy to just drop 20-30 quid on points without thinking!

Too bad about Tesco, I guess they were just clearing out their old stock as this was soon before the release of the generic Nintendo Points cards (these were Wii Points cards in the keepcase).

I feel your pain, Terra ...Personally, I can't understand why Nintendo don't just offer every possible kind of payment option (Pay Pal, the lot!) on the Wii Shop Chanel - surely sales would go through the roof! With regards to actual cards, I've seen
3000 points on sale for as much as £40 (which is ridiculous, frankly!), though you can snap up the odd bargain on eBay now and again - I once got 2000 points for £12. (Have you seen the huge stack for sale on there right now? ...£235 they're going for! Though the seller does say he/she will sell them individually - try sending an email, Terra, maybe you'll get some cheap!)

In Chile, I saw ads in stores; promoting VC, WiiWare and DSi Ware. Here are selling points card, but everywhere are priced at $38 USD...

@Terranigma: I use a debit card when I make online purchases, I only make sure there's enough in the bank to buy what I want. And you can't over draw them.

Tell your parents it's cheaper on-line too, being a parent, I like cheap! lol