Nintendo Switch’s traffic data proves new consoles are the lifeblood of retail

We are coming off a major console launch, and an event like that can significantly affect the business of selling games. And retailers that are prepared for it can take advantage of that to boost its web traffic and its sales, and that’s exactly what happened with the Nintendo Switch.

Every major retailer in the United States saw an increase in their web and mobile traffic from Nintendo’s site and from searches for the Switch, according to analytics firm SimilarWeb. GameStop and Toys ‘R’ Us traffic peaked over a 30-day period on the Nintendo Switch’s March 3 launch day. Nintendo.com also sent a surge of clicks to GameStop, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart — but Amazon and Toys ‘R’ Us saw the biggest increases compared to January 2017. Most of this data isn’t surprising, but it does highlight the importance of a console launch to both the online and brick-and-mortar retail space.