A reader at The Consumerist spotted an hilariously bad deal for a Nintendo Wii on shopping channel behemoth QVC. For $362.97, you can treat yourself to the following:

- Nintendo Wii console (with Wii Sports)
- Go Play Circus Star Games
- Handgun Accessory
- Golf Accessory
- Tennis Accessory
- Baseball Accessory
- Steering Wheel

As The Consumerist points out, you can buy all of that junk for $239.97, plus tax:

- Nintendo Wii console (with Wii Sports): $199.00 (from pretty much anywhere)
- Go Play Circus Star Games: $14.99 (new at GameStop)
- Wii sports pack (has all accessoies sans handgun accessory): $19.99 (new at GameStop)
- Handgun Accessory: $5.99 (new at Sears)

So what’s the deal? Is QVC trying to take advantage of uninformed consumers? Or is the channel attempting to invoke a repeat of the Great Wii Holiday Rush of 2006, when idiots people would happily pay twice or three times the MSRP of the then-short-in-supply Wii?

Interestingly, the console was also advertised by the QVC presentation as “rare” this Christmas (Nintendo says it is readily available everywhere) and as having a “true HD output” (another mistake/lie).

Depressingly, the channel went on to sell more than 2,800 of these bundles at this greatly inflated price, though has now dropped the price … to a “bargain” $318.20 – still $80 above MSRP.

[Via The Consumerist]