Both firms refute the allegations
- by Jim Norman
If you have been attempting to acquire a Switch 2 overseas in recent months, then it will be outdated information to you that the console, along with many first-party titles leading up to it, was not obtainable directly via Amazon US. It seemed like a puzzling exclusion, but a recent article from Bloomberg (paywalled) may provide some clarity on why this occurred — even if the two companies involved have refuted it.
Bloomberg consulted “a source familiar with the matter” to investigate why Amazon US was unable to facilitate Nintendo sales directly, and it reportedly revolves around a sales dispute between the companies concerning how the online marketplace manages its third-party vendors.
As per the report, Nintendo terminated Amazon US’s official sales rights after noticing that “unauthorized sales” were surfacing on the platform, undercutting Nintendo’s pricing. The unnamed insider asserted that certain sellers were purchasing Nintendo merchandise in Southeast Asia, then selling them at a lower price on Amazon US.
The marketplace allegedly proposed to implement labels assuring a product’s legitimacy, but Nintendo instead chose to withdraw all of its official sales from the platform, allowing only those sold by third parties.
As we stated from the outset, both Nintendo and Amazon US deny these allegations. “There is no such reality. We do not reveal details of negotiations or agreements with retailers,” a Nintendo representative informed Bloomberg. The Amazon representative likewise asserted that “the assertions made by Bloomberg regarding our relationship with Nintendo are incorrect,” although no specifics about how they are incorrect were provided.
Last year, it seemed that Nintendo’s purported “freeze-out” of Amazon US was nearing an end, as listings for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom began appearing on the platform with Amazon indicated as the seller. However, months later, not much appears to have changed. You can still find plenty of first-party Nintendo items on regional Amazon marketplaces like the UK, Canadian, and Japanese sites, but the majority of US listings still originate from third-party vendors.
For the time being, it seems, you’re still better off tackling retailers like Best Buy, Target, GameStop, and Walmart in the US if you want to ensure the Nintendo assurance.
Does this report seem plausible to you? Are you hoping to see first-party Nintendo sales return to Amazon US shortly? Share your thoughts in the comments.
[source bloomberg.com]
Jim joined Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his claim that The Minish Cap is the finest Zelda title and his steadfast affection for the Star Wars prequels (yes, truly), he has continued to craft news and features on the site ever since.
