Well before either console released, it became next to impossible to purchase a PS5 or an Xbox Series X/S. With inventory fluctuating in and out of stock at various retailers, scalpers buying up console units and reselling them at high prices, and with some customers receiving the wrong item in lieu of a next-gen system, buying a console is almost like a game unto itself. One retailer, Best Buy, shows problems continue as it only had a restock of next-gen consoles for a short time.
Given the incredibly high demand for these consoles, even if a retailer does manage to restock them, it's more than likely that the consoles will go out of stock just as quickly. Recently, Target got restocked with PS5s only for them to sell out immediately, and earlier today that same thing happened with Best Buy.
Best Buy recently restocked the both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S, but unsurprisingly, all of the inventory has already sold out. This led to many disappointed consumers who were unable to purchase the console, or who missed the restock period entirely. Luckily, some customers did manage to purchase their desired consoles in time.
Some users have brought up bots that are programmed to auto purchase consoles as soon as they are restocked. For instance, Walmart had to block over twenty million bots that were trying to buy PS5 restock back in December 2020. Politicians have even called on a ban for scalping and automated bots.
It really is amazing to see how much demand there is for these systems, even after being released to the world over two months ago. In some cases, it makes sense as to why the demand for the consoles is so high. The PS5 hasn't even released yet in parts of the world, but pre-orders for the PS5 have already sold out in India, thus making the high demand for the console more justified.
It makes one wonder when exactly all of the excitement and demand for next-gen technology will begin to die down. Xbox Series X orders have been massively delayed, as have the PS5. Not to mention that now the PS5 and Series X/S stock has depleted from Best Buy, so customers will have to wait for a restock all over again. The fact that any of these retailers have managed to keep up with the demand on any level is an achievement, but there is more work to be done.
