Scalpers are still an issue for folks looking to pick up the new PS5 or Xbox Series X, but one Tokyo electronics chain has implemented new guidelines to keep resellers at bay. The changes were announced after the company tried to sell PS5s in-store on a first-come-first-serve basis – only to be met with wild demand that ended with police intervention.
Yodobashi Camera is one of the most popular electronics chains in Japan. Its first attempt to thwart scalpers didn't go so well – as selling the hot PS5 consoles in-store resulted in hundreds of customers swarming the store. That sale was eventually canceled, and the police were called to get things under control.
Its second attempt seems to be going much better. You now need to purchase a PS5 using the retailer's own credit card plan, and restock times are completely randomized. There are a few other restrictions, too. Here's the full list of things that will get you barred from buying a PS5:
- You've purchased a PS5 in the past
- You've purchased multiple Switch consoles in the past
- You have "performed an act that disturbs other guests"
- You are using a Gold Point Card (membership credit card) that doesn’t have your name on it
The rules went into effect yesterday, and the lack of news to come out of the chain since then seems to indicate things are going well. Scalpers have been a problem all over the globe when it comes to next-gen console sales, but it's great to see Yodobashi Camera stepping up and only offering PS5 consoles to "real" customers.
Last year, PS5 and Xbox Series X fans were so fed up with scalpers that they resorted to scamming potential resellers. They'd set up bogus meetings – often hours away from the scalper's home – only to cancel on them at the last minute. There's even a hilarious report of one scalper going into a tire repair shop, as he believed a buyer worked at the company and was coming out to buy the console on his lunch break.
Microsoft believes its next-gen bottleneck will improve in June – let's hope the same holds true for Sony.