With the release of the PlayStation 5, many gamers were eager to get their hands on the latest console. Yet, for many, that has not been the case.
Currently, as of 25 November 2020, the prices for the PS5 at retail chain Argos are £449.99 for the main console and £359.99 for the digital edition. The difference between the two is that one has a UHD blu-ray drive, while the cheaper of the two consoles are limited to digital-only downloaded content.
Yet Argos, like most retailers, claim to be out of stock already. While some question why this may be the case, it has already come to light that scalpers are out in full force. eBay is already awry with scalpers putting their PlayStation 5 consoles on sale.
Scalpers are individuals or groups who will buy popular items in bulk, then sell them on privately, with the price marked up significantly. They may see it as a quick means to make money, but for the true gamer, it is absolutely infuriating.
During the Coronavirus lockdowns, the general public had a taste of the anger that gamers and tech fans have been facing for years. However, this time, it was toilet paper that was marked up. Many were outraged, and calls were put-out for selling websites such as eBay to stop this from occurring.
Months later, the process is happening again with the latest games console.
A quick look at the first few listings when you type “playstation 5” into eBay shows just how much these items have been marked up, with some listings over double the recommended retail price.
On many of the selling groups on Facebook, potential buyers have become very hostile at the markups. While some of the language used may not be deemed as acceptable, it is positive that people are willing to call scalpers out on their unscrupulous methods of making money from unwitting buyers, especially in the run-up to Christmas where consoles may be sought as gifts.
Sadly, until scalping is completely outlawed, it seems that we must bide our time to wait for new stock to become available. In the meantime, to those who have managed to get their hands on a console, enjoy it for the rest of us.
The PlayStation 5 is not the only latest console to be targeted. The Xbox Series X/S is also having the same issues. If you are to purchase any of these consoles from scalpers, beware of titles such as “photo” and “box” as you will most likely be purchasing just a photo or a box and not the console itself.
We highly condemn scalping of any kind and hope that everyone will wait until there is wider availability.