Anyone who has managed to get a PS5 in pre-order is lucky. Due to bot networks and the limited availability, many interested parties missed out. They complain not only about Sony, but also about the shops where consoles and graphics cards are sold in bulk. Many wish that eBay and similar platforms would take action against exorbitant prices.
Update November 25: eBay has responded to our inquiry and we have included the statement in the corresponding section of the article.
What has happened so far?
- The pre-order of the PS5 has been chaotic. The first wave of sales in September led to many discussions because it started too early.
- But all subsequent sales events were also difficult.
- Even the 3rd wave at the launch of the console was complicated. Many retailer sites struggled with the enormous influx and could not cope. Even Amazon went down.
- A fourth wave is coming in 2020, confirmed Sony
Besides the low stock, huge bot networks and people looking to profit off the PS5 are primarily responsible for the chaos.
One network boasts that it has purchased more than 3,500 PS5 consoles alone. That may be more than many retailers had in stock.
Why is this a problem? Bots and so-called scalpers cause frustration for gamers. They don’t buy consoles to use them; instead, they aim to make money off them.
The PS5 has been listed on eBay for up to 2,500 euros, five times the original price. Many gamers and readers here on MeinMMO therefore demand that these sellers put a stop to the inflated prices.
“eBay and Amazon must take consistent action against such inflated prices”
What do the players say? MeinMMO reader Psycheater is one of those who see the problem at retailers like eBay and Amazon. He wrote:
It’s a simple story: eBay and Amazon need to take consistent action against such inflated prices. But absolutely NOTHING is being done, so nothing will ever change.
Our reader Aethos hopes that retailers will react and lock out those who want to profit from inflated prices:
I hope eBay does something against these vultures. The new Nvidia graphics cards seem to be the same. It’s a shame when a new product comes out and customers are made to struggle to buy their product of choice due to such practices. Just like back in the day with the Nintendo consoles that were practically unavailable.
However, some players are not satisfied with this hope alone. They have already reacted with fake offers for the RTX 3080, raising prices to nearly 99,900 dollars without intending to pay. Additionally, fake offers in the form of drawings were sold to draw attention to the injustice and madness of the prices on the platform.
Why should the shops react? MeinMMO reader DA is also annoyed by the practice but wonders why retailers should react. After all, they make a profit on every sale. He wishes for intervention from consumer protection:
Why should these online services take action? eBay earns a commission, Amazon sells enough regardless. They don’t care, I think consumer protection should step in here.
But as stated above, supply and demand apply. The higher the demand, the higher the offers. That’s just how it is.
With this opinion, DA is not alone. In our comments, there are always users who do not expect retailers to take action.
And even if they were to ban the sellers, the bots and scalpers would likely find other platforms. At least that’s what our reader Wesker fears.
Is there really no reaction from eBay and others?
Anyone currently searching for a PlayStation 5 on eBay will find numerous offers ranging from 700 to 2,812 euros. It is clear that there is obviously no action against the sales themselves.
However, users in the eBay forum report that they cannot simply list a PS5 anymore. It seems that every sales offer for new consoles is manually reviewed by support. Additionally, new accounts apparently cannot list a PS5 at this time. They receive an error message that they have reached the limit for this item.
These regulations are supposed to prevent fraudulent purchases and scams related to the PS5. However, the high gouging prices remain.
What does eBay say? We at MeinMMO have requested a statement from eBay regarding gouging prices. They told us that eBay has already responded this year with a new principle on price gouging.
This principle, however, applies only to items deemed essential or needed for daily use:
We place great importance on appropriate pricing and ensure that current developments are always in accordance with eBay policies. Where this is not the case, we will take action accordingly. For this, we introduced a principle on price gouging this year.
This principle, however, applies exclusively to items considered necessary, or also items for daily needs, and only these items can be reported as price gouging. Since the PlayStation 5 does not fulfill this necessity of daily needs and no emergency is being exploited, this principle does not apply here.
Response from eBay to MeinMMO’s inquiry
Will anyone still get a PS5 this year? Some of our readers still hope to get a PS5 this year. We have summarized the current status of the pre-order for you:
Can you still get a PS5 before Christmas? This is the current status
