UK scalpers scooped up Argos PS5 stock before it even went on sale

UPDATE (27/01/21): An Argos spokesperson has provided Trusted Reviews with a statement regarding this week’s restock of the PS5 console. 

“It’s clear our customers are excited for the new PlayStation. We released a small amount of additional stock and have seen huge numbers of customers trying to place their orders with us and we have now sold out.”

The retailer unfortunately encountered a technical issue which allowed a small number of customers to place orders earlier than anticipated, although this issue has since been fixed, and orders can no longer be placed in this way.

With any luck, this will make purchasing a PS5 in the coming months a little easier if scalpers can’t swoop in early to take advantage of limited stock

Original story follows: 

It has emerged that an organised scalping group gained access to PS5 stock at Argos and other retailers before it even went on sale earlier this week. 

First reported by IGN, a stock refresh earlier today at Argos was hindered by a scalping group who managed to gain access to product links before they went live to the public, allowing them to purchase the console ahead of time.

This made it much harder for normal customers to get their order in earlier today, leaving a number of them let down. It sucks, since the console has been impossible to find in stock for weeks now, a problem only heightened by greedy scalpers.  

Reports claim that managers at certain retailers were made aware of the orders and began cancelling them, but members of scalping groups have since posted to social media showing them picking up click and collect orders, so it’s all a bit messy right now.

Related: Best PS5 Games

Credit: Eurogamer

Retailers such as GAME are taking steps to address problems like this, ensuring that scalpers are unable to purchase multiple consoles at once, and cancelling any orders that might raise suspicion in such an area. Still it remains unclear if things will be addressed until stock returns to some form of normality, which could be several months from now.

“PS5 continues to be in very high demand and that demand far outweighs current supply,” a GAME spokesperson told Eurogamer. “We have strong measures in place to help ensure that our ‘1 per customer’ statement is maintained to allow for as many individual customers to successfully purchase as possible.

“All pre-orders are subject to automatic checks and order updates such as cancellations following these checks take place after a customer will have received a valid order confirmation email. At the present time these orders are still pre-orders and as such no payments have yet been taken from customers. Payments will commence once our order checks have been completed.”

We have contacted Argos for comment regarding the situation and will update this piece with any major updates. With any luck, steps will be taken to prevent issues like this arising again.

Have you managed to pick up a PS5 since launch? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter @Trustedreviews.