Amazon Nintendo Switch 2 in stock: the one 'restock' you should avoid
The Shortcut sends Nintendo Switch 2 restock alerts, but Amazon is the one store in the US that we recommend avoiding due to reseller prices.
Update: Go here to read about this week’s Nintendo Switch 2 restock in the US if you want to find the console in stock, and read our in-depth Nintendo Switch 2 review.
📦 Amazon finally has Nintendo Switch 2 in stock, but you should avoid buying it
🙅♂️ Amazon is selling the Nintendo console for well above the $450 MSRP
🚨 Our restock alerts sent to The Shortcut subscribers won’t include Amazon
🤔 This is due to Amazon’s marketplace allowing third-party Switch 2 resellers
🌟 We expect Walmart’s Switch 2 and Switch 2 bundle to be in stock this week
💬 Priority Alerts: The Shortcut subscribers can enter our Substack Chat for 1:1 help and get alerts about the specific restock time
🔔 Turn on notifications for Matt Swider on X to get additional alerts
Amazon is the one major retailer in the US that hasn’t had the Nintendo Switch 2 in stock on its website. That changed in the last few days, but you should still avoid it.
The Amazon Nintendo Switch 2 listings range between $600 and $900, prices that are well above MSRP. This is due to unofficial third-party resellers hawking the highly sought-after console via Amazon Marketplace, which we will explain further later on in this article.
Want a leg up? The Shortcut subscribers got a priority alerts in our Substack Chat when Walmart’s Switch 2 and Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle came in stock on June 6 at 11:36 pm ET, and we reported on the news it would have “twice as much inventory” as it did at launch, according to our exclusive US retail sources. We’re ready to do it again.
The Shortcut has turned off its Amazon Switch 2 notifications for this reason. Instead, we have doubled down on tracking the Nintendo console at Walmart, Target, GameStop, Best Buy, and Sam’s Club this week. The good news is that the Switch 2 is becoming easier to buy than, say, the PS5 restock situation of 2020 and 2021.
Walmart: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Target: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
GameStop: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Best Buy: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Sam’s Club: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Here’s an example of one of the alerts we send out through @mattswder on X. You’ll find that our Substack Chat gets priority notifications and every question answered.
Why Amazon suddenly has Switch 2 in stock
Amazon in the US was curiously absent from the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order on April 24, ceding a lot of sales to Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop. It also wasn’t part of the launch week sales on June 5, when more American stores sold Switch 2, including Sam’s Club, Costco, Verizon and Antonline. Nothing from Amazon, though.
Further confusing US customers, Amazon has suddenly had the Nintendo Switch 2 in stock this past week, but at higher than MSRP prices, topping out at $999 right now. Why? This is because Amazon allows third-party resellers (think: drop shippers) to use its product pages to sell items directly to consumers.
With the Nintendo console out of stock, resellers have taken advantage of the system. It’s a process that Walmart also uses, and it’s become extremely confusing for casual buyers who aren’t aware of how Amazon and Walmart’s third-party marketplaces work. Only buy from “Sold & Shipped by Walmart” in the case of Switch 2 restocks.
How to get more Switch 2 restock alerts
Get our instant alerts: Your best chance to find a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order is to follow Matt Swider on X – and turn on notifications. It’ll look like:
Instead, try Walmart and Best Buy online
Walmart and Best Buy have become the go-to stores for finding the Nintendo Switch 2 online now that we’ve seen Best Buy’s first and only online Switch 2 restock on June 11. Walmart has had several pre-order and restock opportunities, always having the most inventory of all the retailers in the United States.
Target, Costco, and GameStop, meanwhile, have been prioritizing in-store Switch 2 restocks. You may stumble upon the console, but it’s really a crapshoot, whereas online purchases are a sure thing once it’s in your cart. No driving to the store required. But if you do go to stores, ask around for the console (in case they just came in and aren’t sitting on store shelves) and go when the doors open. That’s been a good strategy for our Chat subscribers.
The Shortcut’s Nintendo Switch restock alerts
The Shortcut is the unmatched authority on Nintendo Switch 2 restock information. Thousands of gamers were able to get a console because of our fast and reliable notifications. The Shortcut is the #1 consumer tech publication on Substack and specializes in helping US consumers find the technology products they want at the best prices.
The early notifications, thanks to our sources, helped people prepare for the Switch 2 restock five hours before it happened. No other tech publication in the US has been able to match The Shortcut’s accuracy. So, if you want a Switch 2, hop into the Chat and turn on notifications on X to get the best information about the next restock.
Have questions? Ask our journalists in The Shortcut’s Substack Chat.
Matt Swider is the Editor-in-Chief of The Shortcut, the #1 consumer tech publication on Substack. Matt, a trusted technology expert with over 25 years of journalism experience and the former US Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, can be found on social media through X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Amazon, Walmart, and Target all have re-sellers. This is a very one-sided article.