The PlayStation 5 is in very high-demand, to no one’s surprise. The console is proving to be a challenge to secure due to this and it’s not just because of fans. Thousands of PS5s have been snagged by scalpers and are being sold for double the retail price.
This has caused all sorts of issues from PlayStation 5 stock issues, scams, and even robberies. While Sony and retailers are making efforts to regularly restock, many are finding it difficult to secure a console. Due to bots programmed by scalpers, PlayStation 5 units sell out within seconds. This isn’t just creating a problem for consumers, though. It’s being a problem for the scalpers too.
Many PS5-less customers aren’t budging for the scalpers, especially at their high upcharges. This has left scalpers with dozens and even hundreds of consoles that they expected to quickly flip for profit. With only a few months until Sony can start to really meet demand for the PlayStation 5, time is ticking to get a meaty profit for scalpers.
YouTuber MVG received an email from a scalper asking if they could buy ad time to help move PlayStation 5 units. The scalper only wanted 10 seconds of ad time but it shows that their current methods aren’t working. Usually you just list the product, put a link on social media, and call it good. But investing even more money in scalping is certainly new.
Interesting take on the PS5 scalper story – a few days ago a reseller emailed me asking if id put a 10 second ad spot in one of my videos as promotion. The longer they hold onto hardware the more difficult it will be to make a profit. pic.twitter.com/LBDHGTMVEy
— MVG (@ModernVintageG) November 24, 2020
We wouldn’t expect many, if any, YouTubers to accept this offer but it is an interesting development. Sony has said they’ll have more PlayStation 5 units before the end of 2020, including Black Friday.
