The PlayStation 5 is an incredibly popular console, albeit very difficult to find. As soon as the PS5 reaches store shelves, it sells out immediately, whether online or physical. Given the love of PlayStation, it makes sense that the console is hard to buy. But one of the major and unfortunate reasons for the console's scarcity has to do with scalpers, and another retailer has stepped in to put a stop to them.
As soon as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launched, scalpers took advantage by purchasing loads of consoles and reselling them for large gains. Some estimates claim that 10 to 15 percent of PS5 consoles in the US ran through scalpers, and the resellers have made huge profits. These situations are the case outside of the US as well, and one Japanese store is looking to put a stop to it with some very strict measures.
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Yodobashi Camera is a retail chain store in Japan. Recently, one of the stores in the Akihabara district in Japan had a limited supply of PS5s on a first come first serve basis. Additionally, the staff was told to refuse selling the console to anyone they suspected was planning on purchasing it with the intent to resell it online. The situation was a disaster. Hundreds of gamers stormed the retail store, resulting in authorities needing to be called and Yodobashi Camera canceling the sale. Now, the retail chain is rethinking its strategies on selling the PS5.
Yodobashi Camera will now require those who are purchasing a PlayStation 5 to use its credit card plan. Additionally, it will be randomly select when the consoles go on sale, to avoid the horde of hundreds of gamers storming the doors again. There are members of government who are attempting to take a stand against scalpers, but for now, each store taking an individual stance will have to do.
One of the problems with how Yodobashi Camera is handling the situation is that many individuals will not want to use the store's credit card plan. There are perhaps younger gamers who are not ready for a credit card or those who do not want to take on another card, or simply cannot. Forcing consumers to make that decision just to get the console doesn't seem fair. It may help with online bulk orders, however, especially. Recently a scalper bragged about purchasing 2,000 PS5s online. Normally a credit card comes with limits, so an order like that would theoretically not be plausible.
With the console being one that was hyped up over many years by fans, something that Sony spent a great deal advertising, and especially a console that was released during a COIVD-19 pandemic where parts may be harder to find, one would expect the PlayStation 5 to be high in demand and in short supply. But the scalper issue is something else entirely. Perhaps no answer is a perfect one, but it is good to see some retailers making decisions in an attempt to put a stop to the scalper problem.
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Source: VG247