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Scalper Group Has 1,000 Next-Gen Orders Cancelled By Retailer, Everybody Liked That

Ewan Moore

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Scalper Group Has 1,000 Next-Gen Orders Cancelled By Retailer, Everybody Liked That

Featured Image Credit: Sony/Microsoft

It's no secret that the recent launches of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles have been marred by a widespread problem with scalpers. We've seen countless reports coming out of the US and UK from would-be customers who didn't get a console through the proper channels and have instead had to turn to sellers who have snapped up stock and sold it on at massively inflated prices.

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Some people have attempted to defend this practice as a sound business model. I'd argue that buying more than you need and selling on a scarce product for twice the price in the middle of a pandemic one month before Christmas is pretty damn shady. To each their own, I suppose.

With recent reports that there are actually scalper groups out there who pool resources and work together to buy up thousands of next-gen consoles by jumping queues and giving themselves other unfair advantages, very understandable concerns have been raised about what retailers could - and should - be doing to fight back.

PlayStation 5 / Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment
PlayStation 5 / Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment
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In a fitting turn of events, UK retailer Very has just cancelled a large number of next-gen pre-orders thought to have been placed by one such scalper group. Re-sale group CrepChiefNotify recently boasted that it had purchased and sold on nearly 3,500 PS5 consoles for profit, making them incredibly unpopular with gamers everywhere. Just a few days ago, the same group said they'd purchased 1,000 Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Very told Sky News (via VGC) that any Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles purchased through its website on Sunday were invalid. The retailer didn't actually have any stock for either console, and claims any purchases made were down to a "technical error". To be clear these orders were placed by legitimate customers as well as scalpers, meaning this isn't exactly the direct hit against such groups that we might have been hoping for... it's something, though.

"As a result of a technical error, some people were able to place orders for PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles for a short time on Sunday," the online retailer said. "However, these items are not on sale and affected customers have received notice that the orders have been cancelled. We apologise for the confusion caused."

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The Xbox Series X / Credit: Microsoft
The Xbox Series X / Credit: Microsoft

CrepCheifNotify issued its own statement last week defending its actions in light of the wave of criticism that came its way.

"Lots of our community have been furloughed, made redundant, or at some form of disadvantage due the pandemic," it argued."These people have managed to cover their bills, put food on the table and supply Christmas presents to their children. It may be unfortunate that a child won't wake up to a PS5 this Christmas, but another child may have woken up to nothing. We have no regrets.⁠"

Topics: PlayStation 5, News, Xbox Series X, Microsoft

Ewan Moore
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