PS5 restock in UK leads to frustration; scalper group reportedly able to reserve consoles even before the official drop

Gamers in the United Kingdom thought they finally had a chance to purchase a PlayStation 5 console earlier this week. However, that immediately turned into a frustrating event, especially after a report that scalpers exploited an error in the retailer's system to secure orders even before drop officially went live.

PS5 restock in UK retailer plagued by scalpers and buggy online store

By this time, video game fans have already accepted the reality that getting the new-gen console will be a painstaking task. But what makes the experience more inconvenient and frustrating to many customers is finding out that retailers are barely keeping up to ward off scalpers and resellers.

Scalpers have been using more advanced methods to reserve or purchase PS5 consoles in bulk. Some have been known to use bots to easily secure thousands of consoles. And these activities are believed to benefit resellers who later offer the consoles at an overpriced cost. But what happened in Argos' latest PS5 restock reportedly involved a more meticulous process.

Sources told IGN that the scalping group Express Notify was able to share Argos order links to its members on Monday. But the PS5 restock did not officially go live on the retailer's website and mobile app until Tuesday. The group reportedly discovered a "loophole" in the retailer's system, allowing it to acquire the order links. Argos was able to block some of the links, but others were still able to complete their transactions and pick up the consoles.

Some disgruntled customers on Twitter have been asking Argos why it did not just cancel all links and orders related to the PS5 restock upon learning the error. Aside from the loophole, customers have also reported difficulty accessing the retailer's website and mobile app.

PS5 restock tips: Ways to increase chances of getting in the queue and completing checkout

Unfortunately, unless the availability of PS5 matches the market demand, these kinds of problems involving scalpers are likely to continue. Aside from hoping that retailers improve their systems, legitimate buyers can also follow a few tricks to increase their chances of getting a new-gen console.

Many found help by following restock alert pages on Twitter, along with official pages of authorized resellers, where PS5 drops are often announced. It will also increase a buyer's chance to complete a transaction if they are logged in on a retailer's website. Having a user account on retailers' websites means customers will be able to check out their orders more quickly. They also have to make sure that their delivery details and payment information are updated.

Featured photo by Harpal Singh on Unsplash