If you want to buy a graphics card or PS5 at normal prices, you are not having much luck right now. A seller wanted to help honest customers, but it seems that backfired.
Graphics cards and PS5 consoles are rare goods, and if you want to buy a graphics card, your chances are slim. At least at “normal” prices.
Sellers and manufacturers regularly try to deter certain buyer groups. For example, Nvidia had built a crypto lock into its graphics cards, but miners just laugh at this crypto lock from Nvidia.
Now, a US retailer has attempted a paywall for popular products. Because here you first have to buy a membership to even purchase a PS5 or a graphics card. But a scalper has now explained that this just makes it easier for scalpers to buy.
PS5 consoles and graphics cards are behind a $199 paywall
What kind of paywall is this? The North American provider “Best Buy” sells a membership called “Totaltech”. The membership provides you with free shipping, extended support, and return times. The problem is that you have to pay $199 annually for the membership, which is approximately 175 euros. And you cannot pay this monthly, but must pay it upfront.
For certain products, such as graphics cards or PS5 consoles, you need this membership at Best Buy. Best Buy wants to prevent certain people from buying the products.
How scalpers are reacting: Scalpers find the paywall really great. Because this significantly reduces the number of interested users wanting to buy a graphics card. One scalper writes:
I think the fact that it’s Totaltech has contributed more than anything else. It really limits the number of people going after the cards.
(via PCMag.com)
The scalper subsequently tweeted that he bought 28 graphics cards worth $17,000 (around 15,000 euros) at Best Buy.
Another scalper claims to have bought four Founder’s Edition cards at Best Buy:
Not bad considering I only have a TotalTech account at Best Buy.
According to scalpers, Best Buy is achieving exactly the opposite: Instead of gamers, the people who were supposed to be kept away are now getting the graphics cards. Because many users are probably not willing to sign up for an expensive membership for a graphics card.
What happens to the graphics cards? On Discord, the user who bought the many graphics cards reportedly explained that he intends to resell the graphics cards to a local store. This business is expected to sell the graphics cards with a proper markup (via pcmag.com).
It is therefore no surprise that scalpers are now celebrating. And the chances of getting a graphics card at reasonable prices are likely to be even slimmer for some users now.
And gamers currently have hardly any chance of buying a graphics card.
In Germany, at least one provider relies on a kind of paywall
Even in Germany, Amazon is at least trying to stem the rush for PS5 consoles. Because if you want to buy a PS5 on Amazon, you first need to sign up for a Prime membership. However, you can do this for 30 days for free and do not need to pay anything upfront. Currently, there are good chances of a PS5 drop at Amazon, but most consoles are quickly sold out.
Whether the Prime requirement really deters scalpers is hard to say. Amazon itself stated that it now has over 200 million Prime subscribers (via aboutamazon.com). Therefore, Prime is unlikely to deter most users from buying a PS5. Only those who hardly ever use Amazon and place their hope in buying a PS5 through Amazon.
If you haven’t gotten a PS5 yet, be sure to check our ticker. Here we keep you updated daily and explain how to best get a PS5 and show you drops related to the coveted console.
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