Next generation of disorders continues
One persistent headache for video game buyers remains the shortage of next-generation platforms PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S. Both Sony and Microsoft’s highly sought-after consoles still appear at online retailers, only to be sold out in minutes, which customers inevitably disappointed and frustrated late.
The addition of anger to mix, however, is the addition of ‘scalpers’, individuals or groups who buy multiple consoles en masse, before immediately offering them for resale, often at very high prices. While scalping has dominated retail for decades, modern technology has made it harder to combat the practice than ever before, due to the creation of bot software that automatically executes the sales process.
Earlier this week, UK retailer GAME took stock of its latest range of PS5 consoles, all of which sold out in no time. Shortly afterwards, a scalper firm Twitter claimed that it had acquired more than 2,000 consoles with the bot software with the sale. Other Twitter users also claim to have pocketed several PS5 units, mostly with a flammable, antagonistic attitude that makes the claims harder to believe.
After a barrage of complaints against GAME was prompted for this outcome, the retailer VGC helped assure its customers that the next-generation ordering process of GAME remains locked.
“PlayStation 5s are still very popular and demand outweighs current supply,” said a GAME spokesman. “We have strong measures in place to ensure that our ‘1 per customer’ statement is maintained, so that as many individual customers as possible can buy successfully … All pre-orders are subject to automatic checks and updates of orders – such as cancellations to following these checks – takes place after a customer has received a valid order confirmation email, at the moment these orders are still pre-ordered and therefore no payments have been taken from customers yet. Payments will start as soon as our order is checks completed. “
As long as there is demand for any item – from consoles, concert tickets, limited clothing and even toys – scalping remains a frustrating part of the online retail process. Finally, anyone who wants to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X / S will shall get the opportunity to do so sooner or later. But the breathless rush to retailers wants to continue for the time being, little other than everyone major console launches of recent decades.
The death, tax and your connection have expired.
Scalper bot firm claims to have received 2000+ PS5 orders from GAME [VGC]
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