November 8th 2024.
The release of Sony's highly anticipated PS5 Pro has caused quite a stir in the gaming community. While some were initially put off by its hefty price tag of £699.99, there is still a significant demand for the console among its niche audience.
However, as with any console launch in recent years, scalpers have attempted to take advantage of the high demand by purchasing the consoles and reselling them at inflated prices. Surprisingly, the PS5 Pro has not been a successful venture for these scalpers. One day after its release, the console is still widely available on sites like Amazon and other retailers. It seems that scalpers did not accurately assess the market for the PS5 Pro and have not been able to make a profit off of it.
Some sellers on eBay have even listed the console for less than the retail price, with a few going for as low as £680-700. While these listings have been quickly snatched up, there is still one available for the retail price and another currently under auction at £650. It is unlikely that the bidding will go much higher, as the console is still readily available from traditional retailers.
This trend seems to be mirrored in other countries as well. On the Japanese resale site Mercari, sellers are only listing the console for a mere ¥10,000 – ¥20,000 more than the retail price. However, this is not taking into account the 10% cut that Mercari takes from resellers and the cost of shipping, which many are still incurring. So, it appears that scalpers are either breaking even or losing money on their attempted sales.
But it's not all bad news for scalpers, as there is a high demand for disc drives for the digital-only PS5 Pro. These drives sell for an additional £99.99, but there is currently no stock available on the UK and US PlayStation Direct stores. This has led to inflated prices on sites like eBay, with drives selling for anywhere between £155-£210. It's safe to assume that these prices will only continue to rise until they are restocked by Sony.
When you consider all of these high prices, it makes the limited appeal of the PS5 Pro seem even more questionable. And let's not forget the additional cost of having to purchase faceplates separately. On a more positive note, Sony has recently revealed the improved specs of the console, including 2TB of internal storage, and has outlined all the games that will be compatible with enhanced upgrades at launch.
As we eagerly await the release of the PS5 Pro, it's clear that scalpers have not been able to cash in on the hype. But for those lucky enough to get their hands on the console, it promises to be a game-changer. To stay up-to-date with all the latest gaming news and releases, be sure to follow us on Twitter, sign up for our newsletter, and check out our Submit Stuff page for easy submission of Inbox letters and Reader's Features. And don't forget to sign up for all the exclusive gaming content before it goes live on the site!
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