PS5 Scalpers Continue to Scoop Up New Stock

....and away we go!

Absolute scum; the fact that they're boasting about it to gain more subs to their shady business model makes me feel ill.

What is this playstation 5 that people are talking about, I haven't seen the existence of such a thing.

I’ve been trying to get one for months... I just can’t bear that these people are doing this. Just let everyone have a damn console and be happy oh my god

@TurboTom
It's a tale, nay, a FAIRY tale, told to children with night sweats.
Such a thing cannot be.

Happy me being lucky my dad ordered a PS5 for me two days after preorders went live.

It is deeply frustrating but I am looking forward to when PS5s are readily available and all these idiots are stuck with hundreds of consoles they can’t sell on. I hope it bankrupts them

Sad day for gaming when Argos release stock at a stupid time 3am.
What about key workers, we can’t stay up with work the next day.
Then small time scum buy them and are selling them right now with Argos receipts for way over the rep.

I been one of those people battling bots since last week trying to get one. I would go to the BB, Walmart and Newegg pages waiting knowing there would be stock that day and within 5 seconds of being put up they are sold out. Long story short Scalpers are scum 😑

Game and others are just as bad, they sell them whilst us key workers are at work.
How about realising stock over the weekend or in the evening at a sensible time.
People that work and key workers totally
Forgotten about.

Scalpers gonna scalp

I can't afford a ps5 anyway 🙈

Easy fix, all stores take all orders desired with a half down payment and then contact the customers when their order is ready for an in store pickup.

If this meant some stores had to take thousands or higher of customer orders, at worst, it would take longer for the customer to receive their order, BUT BARE MINIMUM, you would get your system. This would make scalpers take a hit as well.

I've been fairly invested in Sony consoles since the PS2 but their unwillingness to even mention something about this has me closer to getting a gaming PC every day.

And I know, I know... good riddance and all that but seriously they can't even put out some boilerplate PR response?

What absolute pieces of trash!! This isn't just plain botting since they are exploiting / hacking the website to get all the stock. Will dumb idiots just stop buying from scum scalpers which keeps them in business!!!! Hurry and and enforce the rule and ban botting!!!

I can’t be arsed anymore.
It’s a shame as thousands of units sitting with scalpers will not help game and controller sales etc. It’s not good for gamers or games firms and developers.
We desperately need a flood of stock.

This is interesting because it suggests it's not just bots that are creating the problem. These are actual individuals picking up physical units in physical stores in person....but are coordinated and organized, and the purchases are not intended for personal use but for organized scalping at elevated prices. Hundreds, or thousands of individuals coordinating in-store pickups to add to the organization's heap.

It's now less about competing with bots and online frenzies, and now is down to dealing with actual retail-as-wholesale operations for inflating prices. And nothing about that would be illegal.....but it's organized manipulation of a market by siphoning all available supply.

Incidentally this will never be made illegal because it's the exact technique commodities traders use. The big money. Ever wonder why a bottle of real vanilla extract that used to be like $3 is now $20? It goes back to some bad crops in Madagascar years back. The commodities traders realized the potential, and the next year bought almost the whole crop in advance and burned it, to raise the prices at the growers in smaller exporting countries for which they were the exporter.

So this is just smaller scale, crowd-sourced commodities trading for people without a billion in the bank to operate it on an industrial scale. It's going to get worse from here, and extend beyond video games. And there's not a thing the law can do about it.

@zupertramp FWIW, the newest GPUs have the same problem. Organized scalping will help ensure everyone buys yesterday's technology, tomorrow!

@NEStalgia
You are correct, individual loan wolfs are picking stock up from Argos and selling it right now as I type this. I could buy one from them this minute if I wished around £700 to £750 with Argos warranty.
They are just jumping on the make some money quick scheme. Not sure how you stop that.

@NEStalgia yeah no gaming rig I'd be buying would be state-of-the-art anyway so I'm good there.

Also, unrelated note, I really think underfire should be two words.

1. Scalpers are scum.

2. People that pay them are the only reason they exist.

3. Sony has to at least take part of the blame for generating hype and then not producing near enough units to satisfy demand, which, if we're being honest, is what creates this whole problem in the first place.

This situation suck, sony should sell ps5 directly on their website and lock the console 3 or 6 month using the buyer psn profiles, pick the most active profile that still buying games so sony can directly sell ps5 to the loyal customer first.

@NEStalgia Found that whole bit on Vanilla very interesting. Thanks!

The trouble is, all this publicity is simply highlighting the opportunity to make a quick buck. So many more people (not just hardened scalpers) are now trying their luck as well.

The irony is there's very few, if any, "system-seller" games for PS5 - so my recommendation, despite having one myself, is not to pay the premium and wait until supply improves... but that could be a long time!

I’m looking forward to picking up my PS5Pro in 2024, then.

@deathaxe You know, they COULD have made more before they even Released the 5. All the games got pushed back, anyway. Also, they could have used that time to work out some of the bugs in the dashboard software, etc.

Long term, all developers making games for the 5 would have benefitted even if their games had to wait a bit.

Release an avalanche of Consoles, all at once, at the same time as the new games, and giggle all the way to the bank. This trickle effect just pisses people off and leaves developers to wonder when and if they can make any money off their games.

Argos are just facilitating scalpers and also Sony are allowing this to happen and not making comment. It is just poor all round.

Argos has said that it cancelled those orders, although images on social media ....
Social media ftw in the media looks like 🤔

Edit
'The group itself, meanwhile, celebrated being named in media coverage of its actions - something it hoped would attract more paying customers to its services.'

How about you stop giving them so much attention and free advertisement...

I've given up any thought of buying a PS5 this year. I'll put the money towards a new PC and pick up a PS5 Pro when they come out instead.

Just looked at eBay, its crazy.

@deathaxe
You don't think Sony has existing warehouse space? They make more than just consoles. Not a small company.

Yes both Sony and Microsoft should sell direct
Firstly to those that have existing PSN and Gold accounts, going on length of time with the service and then just work down the list.
But why would they do that, when they can just ship them all out to shops and let anyone get one including scalpers.
Really goes to show that customer loyalty gets you nowhere when it comes to making the money.

@deathaxe
Hey, as long as we're going at it anyway, of course there will be a ps5 pro. 850GB storage space isn't exactly 'future proof', so the 'pro' will at least feature more on-board storage. Also 'future proof' is a myth.

Didn't know how lucky I was when I scooped few ps5s!

@Saucymonk A few?!

If you're trying to wind people up, jog on.

@Woogy
Agreed we don’t anyone stoking the fire thank you.

@deathaxe
It’s a great console but not that future proof.
There should be a slim for a start, the current model is massive and needs a stand.
Also the expansion storage solution is not that great, hence you can’t expand fast ssd storage at all at the minute.
But first there is lots of UI and additional subsystem improvements to make first.
I have had one day one so not a fanboy.

Also a series x day one. console size and expansion memory wise and subsystem wise the series x is currently on top, from my usage since day one with both.
Game wise the PS5 just and the dual sense is amazing when used well, like in astro bots.

More like - “It's clear our scalpers are excited for the new PlayStation,”
Come on Retailers there must be a way to make it fair on the normal person who wants one :-/ I am just glad I managed to get one the first time they came out really mainly by luck to. If I was 1 second later then I wouldn't of been able to get one.

@si2525
Since Amazon and Argos dropped stock there seem to more on websites for sale at a high price.
There is new type of scalper about, the loan wolf just buying the one or two to sell, to make a quick £250.

@Carl-G
Here’s the simple solution
Yes both Sony and Microsoft should sell direct
Firstly to those that have existing PSN and Gold accounts, going on length of time with the service and then just work down the list.
Or make shops take PSN and Gold account details before selling to you. And lock the console to that account for one year.

Glad i got a long backlog till i see the Ps5 or series x in my local wallyword or target they dont exist to me.

@si2525 it's been around thousands of years, it's nothing new...

Couldn't you say that about any vile and unsavory act?

I mean, to be clear, I don't think anyone is upset because they think the problem is unique.

@Gaming365247
Keep looking out, you will get there in the end.
The only good thing is, there is not really one massive must have exclusive for either next generation console yet. Let alone two or three must have exclusives next generation only games.
It’s a strange new generation this one and short supply will not help and push developers to make games just for the new generation as the financial risks are to high.

I've given up trying to obtain a PS5 until they are generally available.

@si2525 to answer your question first... I'm not sure why I would have bought something in the first place if selling it were even the slightest consideration. College textbooks maybe but everything else I typically buy because I want to own it.

And I see where you're coming from. The media and consumers going on and on about scalpers (something that's long existed)... sure I guess it's annoying but like, it's not likely to go away until the problem has been addressed. Until then expect a lot of complaining, and rightfully so imo. Typically it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Edit: also I'm not sure it has ever been this bad with a PS console. I easily picked up a 2 and 3 from the store very close to launch. The 4 I waited so I can't speak on that but the general sense is yes scalping has been around but this is a bit out of hand.

Put the thing in stores already! Stores have to know how to execute proper COVID protocol. If this doesn't get done and it's kept strictly online only the scalpers will always have a upper hand.

@LordSteev All true. However, the hardware shortage issues go deeper than just Sony under-supplying this time around. COVID played a huge role in restricting production.

@si2525 I can't control how others see the world but, in my view, buying high value, limited supply items specifically to resell for a quick profit is wrong, albeit not so shocking.

I think someone said this already. Why don't stores take pre-orders without having stock? the PS5 is not a limited item, they are just not able to make enough for demand right now. I'm not sure how stores can prevent scalpers from using this system but at least the scalpers would be in line with all the rest of us.

@si2525 that's not impossible but the proble applied everywhere. Shortages because of panick shoppers (aka as*holes), spam because of idiots clicking on every link in their mailboxes, phishing because of idiots who can't think... I could go on forever. The human race is its own problem, and some create more problems by taking advantage of widespread stupidity for their own little gain and don't care about how much damage they deal because they are pieces of sh*t. There wouldn't be any scammers/scalpers without idiots, but there wouldn't be this many shortages without scalpers, so I truly hope karma or whatever BS you believe in catches up and pays them back for what they did with extreme prejudice.

I can kind of see the next generation consoles launching at $800 plus since the scalpers have demonstrated there's a market for consoles at that price, and pricing it so high will massively curtail initial demand.

That's an unsettling future.

@jorel262 It's almost like somebody should invent a system by which you could order a product prior to when orders are available to be fulfilled. Some way to pre - order a thing. Maybe someone clever can come up with such an invention.

How 13M copies of CP2077 could be pre-ordered only to deliver a broken product years later, while everybody can't just preorder a console boggles the mind.

Imagine how futile scalping would be if 1 billion people could all just preorder a PS5 and be queued for when they'll receive theirs. Not much point scalping a thing on eBay that you can just buy at list price on a retailers website and wait until it comes in. Sure, some will buy scalped goods to get it sooner at high prices, but scalpers would easily be left holding a lot of inventory they can't move much above MSRP.

But that makes too much sense, and neither Nintendo, Sony, Nor MS seem capable of thinking of it. CDPR somehow managed.....

@zupertramp Agreed. It's getting to the point that it's not worth the hassle.

@si2525 You yourself said in post #51 you had two PS5's and sold one for profit.

Ergo, you are part of the problem.

And yet you've got the brass ones to continue to sit here, pontificating, post after post, about it's everyone else's own fault.

Wind your neck in.

@si2525 with respect, no one is afraid of scalpers so it's not fear mongering. And I'd hardly call pushsquare mainstream media. Additionally, seeing that thousands of others are in queue with you doesn't disprove the existence of scalpers.

And at the risk of coming off combative I have to ask how on the one hand you can claim that scalping happens all the time with items like this but on the other hand urge people to disregard reports of widespread scalping? These positions seem slightly contradictory.

@si2525 It's not too early to start taking about 7 years from now. Jim Ryan and Xbox's Phil Spencer were already having calls taking about how better to handle preorders and the bot problem next time, months ago. When the two competing executives can get together and have meetings on better addressing a problem affecting both their brands, seven years in advance, I think the industry and consumers both have an acute awareness there's a problem here.

However the high launch price issue curbs both scalpers and demand together. The scalpers prove high asking prices have a market. And high launch prices considerably shrink the market and reduce demand. Thousand dollar console launches would therefore generate initial revenue, and severely limit demand, thus preventing the huge shortages. Most of us here wouldn't even be in line for 3 or 4 years with that method. It wouldn't be worth it. That's an extreme but I can see this spurring dramatic price increases in the future, at least at launch.

At this point, might as well wait for PS6, as we won’t be seeing stock until end of cycle.

Luckily nothing on PS5 makes me want one atm so I'm fine waiting till next year.

Not buying from scalpers. I’m just gonna have to wait, and I’m fine with that.

Can anyone tell me why you have to click the button to prove you are not a computer when trying to get on the online order?

My point being that clearly that doesn't prevent bots from ordering but it does make it harder and slower for an individual trying to secure one therefore actually having a direct opposite effect on why you would have to click the 'im not a computer' in the first place

@si2525 you wrote "this article is your typical click baity sensationalized content the media like to try to feed you"

Is it click baity because last months PS5 free games was Maneatter?

@Mpquikster Yes CEX U.K. obviously buying from the scalpers and then selling them for ridiculous prices is disgusting.Also the second hand website Schpock seems to be a site where the scalpers are selling them off.I sent Schpock an email questioning this but heard nothing back.

I've given up for now. Every time I get a stock alert now it's unavailable straight away.

Joke.

ask them are they paying tax on this sale 😂 as Richie says cool your nips ( review tech usa) he cracks me up!, come april or the summer there will be a load of these about , let the scalpers over charge , il just save up more for games , £750 for a ps5 on fleabay that eats in to your game fund , relax and laugh at these idiots scrambling to sell , see ones at £500 on fleabay lol keep it thats £50 into my assassin's creed game fund id want the ultimate edition uncut everything in. just chill belive me im chomping at the bit but will not pay out out of rrp.

Ffs will be ever to get a ps5 its getting silly.
Summer 2021 the way things are going half a year into the consoles life.

@si2525 I know bud, it's where push square writes articles just to get traffic and site clicks but I was making a pun regarding the free ps5 game (as ps5 is the discussion point) "Maneatter" the shark game , and baiting, which is another word for catching fish.. Was a weak link, never mind

@si2525 all good, my joke sucked so no bad on your part at all

Gotta love the people that sell online with a picture showing how many items they have to sell, like their trophies.

I know many people in retailers so I was able to secured one after launch day but ashame to see some resort to scalping those who are still looking for one.

@si2525 It doesn’t justify a retailer charging extortionate prices though does it.