It took awhile, but Amazon is finally selling Nintendo’s Switch 2. But for now, the e-commerce giant plans on selling the hit console through a raffle system, requiring users to secure an invite.
On Tuesday, Amazon published product pages for the Switch 2 and the Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, over a month after the console officially launched in the US.
However, the company is ditching the first come, first served approach that other retailers have adopted. Instead, Amazon is requiring interested consumers to click a link on the product pages to “request an invite.” The company will then notify customers who received an invite, giving them a link valid for 22 hours to officially buy the Switch 2 from Amazon.
The invite link button (Credit: Amazon)
Why the invite system? Amazon explains it’s meant “to ensure that as many genuine customers as possible can buy this high-demand item,” adding, “If invited to purchase, you’ll get an email when the item is available. Not all requests will be granted.”
It’s unclear when Amazon will send out the invites. But the company will send a confirmation email that notes: “If you aren’t selected during this round of invites, your request is still eligible to be selected in future rounds so you don’t need to submit another request for the next 3 months. Since supplies are limited, we won’t be able to grant all requests.”
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Amazon’s raffle system might help consumers still hunting for the Switch 2. Earlier on Tuesday, Walmart had the product in stock online, but units quickly sold out. Meanwhile, certain Best Buy locations had Switch 2 units in store back on July 1.
Amazon is only offering the Switch 2 now after apparently facing complaints from Nintendo. According to Bloomberg, Nintendo pulled its products from the site because Amazon allegedly let third-party merchants offer Switch games sourced at lower prices from South Asia, undercutting the normal prices for Switch games in the US.
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About Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
