Resale prices for PlayStation 5 consoles have reached all-time lows on several second-hand marketplaces.
As reported by Forbes, PlayStation 5 resellers on popular marketplaces like eBay and StockX are reporting their lowest profit margins yet, despite their prices still being above the recommended MSRP for Sony's latest console. While demand for the PS5 is still outweighing the supply, consumers are now more inclined to avoid resellers altogether.
The stock of second-hand PlayStation 5 consoles remains unchanged on StockX.com, but asking prices have dropped significantly since their peak in Nov. 2020. The consoles were previously selling regularly for around $1,000. However, in recent months prices have been trending down to an average of $715 for the disc version and just under $700 for the digital-only model, still well above the products' MSRP of $499 (disc version) and $399 (digital version).
Multiple scalpers claimed that sales have remained consistent despite the consoles' dropping prices. Some sellers are trying to add value to their stock by bringing attention to the manufacturing date of their models. Hitherto unsupported concerns have arisen over newer PlayStation 5 consoles' smaller heatsinks. While there is no evidence that this hardware adjustment hurts the systems' longevity, scalpers hope that these worries will drive consumers to look for early models. Several resellers are adding qualifiers to their posts to bring attention to the earlier production dates of their stock.
The supply of both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles has failed to match demand since launch and shortages seem likely to continue for the foreseeable future. While Sony representatives have frequently assured customers that new stock is on the way, chip shortages are expected to last for at least another two years.
Multiple retailers have taken measures to fight back against console, hobby, and collectibles scalpers. eBay recently launched a beta for its Price Guide service, a tool designed to properly inform trading card consumers and curb customer exploitation by resellers. eBay has also increased enforcement of its presale policy. The online auction site removed several listings of the recently-announced Steam Deck for violating their policy, citing rules that all posted items must be available to ship within 30 days. Valve tried to further limit scalpers when Steam Deck presales first opened by requiring a small fee from all potential customers. Beyond that, only customers who had made a purchase on Steam prior to June 2021 were able to complete the preorder form.
Microsoft has taken a different approach to combat scalpers. Microsoft's Console Purchase Pilot uses the Xbox Insider program to get Xbox consoles into the hands of players. Customers using the Console Purchase Pilot can only access Xbox Series X|S sales by using the app from an Xbox One console.
Source: Forbes