Being the world's biggest online shop, I think it's really strange that Amazon doesn't have the Wii U console.
I almost always buy my consoles on amazon, because where I live they are terribly overpriced.

Mind you, this is not like the Wii that was "sold out" for a long time, amazon simply never had the Wii U.
Something may be going on between amazon and nintendo regarding consoles, because amazon never received the 3DS XL either.
The last console amazon had was the regular 3DS (I bought it there a couple of months after launch), but now amazon hasnt received new units of the regular 3DS either...
If you go to the "Buy Now" section of the Wii U on nintendo's website...
http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/buynow/

...it has links to several websites (bestbuy, walmart, gamestop, target, etc), but not to amazon.

I just checked Amazon and Wii U was there.

Nintendo and Amazon must not have been able to come to a commercial arrangement.

Websites usually don't link to all sellers, especially big-name websites.

It was the same with the 3DS, right?

Those are 3rd party sellers. Amazon does not sell any Nintendo products themselves.

I ran into that problem when I wanted to preorder my Wii U so instead I went to Bestbuy.com. The last system Amazon themselves sold was the 3DS and the only answer I got and the most plausible is that it was because of the sales of the 3DS when they first came out and than the price drop. Amazon took a big lose with the 3DS so that strained the relationship between Amazon and Nintendo.

Funny thing is, it's only NA Amazon, Amazon UK seems to be unaffected but that maybe because NoE worked something out between the two of them.

Amazon.ca actually sells the WiiU too. It's only the USA Amazon that seems disgruntled at Nintendo. Which is quite strange.

Ah ok I thought Canada used the same Amazon as the US hence why I said it was NA. Thanks for the correction.

I'm not sure if it's related at all, but Amazon.ca did only allow preorders about two weeks before the systems launch. Which is very unusual since previously, like with the 3DS, you could preorder months ahead of it's release.

Its probably cause thats when they finally ironed out the details of their deal.

The regular 3DS was the last system amazon had.

Because when Nintendo dropped the price of the 3DS, from the original $249.99 to the $169.99, Nintendo apparently didn't give Amazon.com the same retailer "discount" that they gave to stores like Wal-Mart.

What happened? Amazon.com reportedly told Nintendo they would not be carrying any of their consoles anymore. That's right folks, Amazon in every other country that I'm aware of, carries the Nintendo consoles directly; not in America. The first country/region to get the Wii U, and Nintendo of America couldn't even heal their distribution problem with the world's largest online retailer during the holiday season.

Amazon.co.uk carries the products directly. Amazon in Japan and Canada. Amazon in the United States? Nope. Perhaps if Nintendo had another distribution partner, the largest online retailer in the world, store shelves wouldn't appear as cramped with Wii U boxes right now.

Amazon.com does allow third party vendors to sell Wii Us and 3DSs on the site though, which is what you see currently listed on the site. When you see: "Fulfilled by Amazon.com" that means it's being sold by another seller (like on Ebay), but shipped by Amazon. Sometimes the sellers will ship the items directly themselves.

This is one of the reasons I think it's time for a change at NoA. Perhaps it's not NoA's fault, and NoJ won't/wouldn't let them give Amazon the proper discount, but the fact the 3DS and Wii U is offered directly from Amazon in Canada and other regions, makes me think this was more of a regional issue directly with Nintendo of America.

@CoffeWithGames: Yep thats what I heard as well and it doesnt surprise me. I doubt like you said NoJ had something behind it since AmazonUK and Canada dont have this problem or at least they seemed to patch things up. Big disappoint for me since I do alot of shopping from Amazon and alot of preorders. I ran into this problem with the 3DSXL as well. I think this problem is between Reggie and Amazon.

i will blame reggie just because i cannot stand that man. smug git.

Same here. Fortunately they do carry the software, just not the hardware. Which, again, I think is/was a horrendous business decision to miss out on during the holidays...with a NEW console releasing. They should have patched that up long ago, from whatever the initial reasons were (which, the 3DS situation makes a lot of sense). With how online purchases seem to be increasing for many, I just can't understand missing out on that business decision. It only hurt Nintendo IMO, because Amazon was still making money off of the Wii U's sold by 3rd party vendors.

@CoffeeWithGames: Honestly I dont think it will hurt Nintendo cause the people that wanted a Wii U like myself just went somewhere else other than Amazon. Nintendo in the end got my money Amazon didnt because they didnt have the Wii U. Instead I went with Best Buy. In the end it was probably Amazon who hurt more. But I could be mistaken.

As much as I like Amazon, I will always try and find the stuff at a local retailer first. Online shopping is kinda last resort for me for things I can't just download like a game or get immediately. I don't like waiting for packages and such... It is a shame though, that they can't get past their problems, because Amazon really is a great place to do business for alot of people.

Thats understandable I know a few people that like brick-n-mortar over online. For me though its easier since I have limited access to a vehicle and my city's bus system is horrible and overpriced, and unfortunately I dont have a place that sells video games walking distance to me.

Amazon was still selling the Wii U from third party vendors during the holidays (and now), so they were/are making some money off the system from the vendors, whereas they probably wouldn't have made much/any from selling the actual system from Nintendo.
Nintendo was hurt by missing a key online audience during the holidays, and failing to have Amazon promote it (free advertising) in emails like they do with other systems.

Possibly but I dont know some of those third party vendors seriously had the prices marked up by alot. I checked a few of them out when I first went to Amazon and saw that Amazon themselves weren't selling them and I think the cheapest one I found was 450 for the deluxe set a $100 mark up. Thats when I went to Best Buy.com and ordered one for the normal retail price and I am sure I wasn't the only one.