A PS5 restocks have made headlines for a few different reasons, but a prominent narrative in the process of consumers simply trying to acquire a console has been the presence of online scalper groups during these attempted transactions.
Online scalper groups aren't new, but they've rarely been as prominent within the video game industry as they have been during several PS5 restocks. An online scalper group swung the spotlight onto the practice when it claimed it had acquired over 3,000 PS5 preorders with the intent to resell them at exorbitant prices, and since then, it's become quite clear there's a problem with the PS5 restock process. While some companies' processes, like Walmart's PS5 restocks, have seen the corporate retail giant manage to defend successfully against the scalper bots, other retailers haven't been so lucky, which means would-be console owners have also shared in that misfortune.
Now, according to a report from IGN, PS5 scalpers have gone a step further in a recent console restock, managing to snatch up units before they were ever available online. A scalping group called Express Notify alerted its Discover server to a loophole in UK retailer Argos' online storefront that allowed s to order from the PS5 restock before it officially went live the next day. While it's been reported that Argos managed to identify and shut down the loophole quickly, PS5 orders have been confirmed as successful prior to this, with some even being sold and then picked up at an Argos during the loophole's existence. It's currently unconfirmed how many units involved in the PS5 restock were claimed by scalpers.
Argos has since confirmed that some s were able to order PS5s early, which simply adds to the many issues that have plagued would-be console owners since the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launch. If nothing else, the excessive demand for both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S has illustrated just how ill-prepared retailers were for a high-interest item like a current-gen console.
While retailers have begun learning from this process and implementing better security measures, that doesn't alleviate the frustration of thousands of people who simply want to be able to purchase a current-gen console that they have both the means and the time to attempt to acquire. With PS5 scalper groups continuing to exploit online storefronts and brag about it, it's clear the situation needs addressing - whether through legislation, improved security measures, or some combination of both. Until PS5 restocks are more fair to consumers, the process has some glaring flaws that are alienating a lot of fans - or worse, incentivizing them to play along with scalpers and pay outrageous prices for a new console.
Source: IGN
