" This is totally unbelievable! This new gadget from Nintendo they call Wii is always out of stock! I have searched the whole San Jose and I've found none! Let's try to find one and scan the area again on your next day off , Jo, and hope we can find one before Christmas!" This is from my exhausted cousin, Ed who has been trying to buy the item since we played it in another cousin's place in Mountain House, Thanksgiving of 2007. Aside from the Holiday rush, storekeepers said they always run out of it due to limited delivery and too much demand.
There are always stories behind every gadget and games that these children play. Sometimes, stories are forgotten but, I guess the harder you get it the harder you tend to forget it.
Right after enjoying a couple of games with cousins and relatives last Thanksgiving 2007, we tried to get our hand to own a Wii. I remember, it was not easy. It was almost mid-December when we scoured the City of San Jose to look for the item. I was somewhat forced to buy a Sony PSP for my children just to have something sent to them for the coming holidays. Thank God it was actually on their requests, since the other item is not that popular yet in the Philippines.
I was enjoying the tour of the city as we scanned branches of Circuit city, Fry's Electronics and some small video game stores here and there. Even other retailers such as Wallmart, Home Depot and some bookstores were not spared! We went to the Eastridge Mall area, then the Great Mall but to no avail. It was outside the city, I think it is in Fry's electronics in Fremont where we had a flicker of hope.
As we were paying for some small gadgets bought, an employee recognized me on the checkout counter. I remember her name as Veronica. She inquired what I was doing in their place at that time and wondered why I'm not working. My job as a retailer means I do not have days off on week ends, so it usually falls on a weekday. That's the time, I realized she is one of my clients in the Asian supermarket along Mckee Road (near corner White Road) I was working for. I told her about our concerns and she said that Wii always runs out of stock. She promised to call me on the next shipment, Thursday. Well, one of the advantages of working in front of customers! Hahaha!
That same week, Thursday morning, I received a call from Veronica and told me she kept 2 sets for me. I immediately called my cousin Ed and his wife Corie. They rushed to the store and bought the reserved items. I really appreciate connections, networks and friends during those times!
Ah! It took us a heck a lot of time, effort (and of course the money), just to get this gadget!
I hope the children know and realize the stories behind each toys they have.
Next story... Transformers!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment