The PlayStation 5 launched in India earlier this month and has been subject to the same sort of scalping issues seen both here in the UK and the USA. Listings across online marketplaces serving the country have been flooded with advertisements for the console at marked-up prices, but now those trying to get their hands on a PS5 at a suitable price are starting to fight back. As hopeful owners await a PS5 restock, there is a concentrated effort to take down listings from scalpers advertising the system at ridiculously inflated prices.
And it’s working too, as reported by IGN India. The PS5 is sold by Sony at a maximum retail price of 49,990 Rupees (£491/$689 as per Google’s currency convertor), but scalpers have been listing the machine as high as 80,000 Rupees (£786/$1,103). Now, any listing that advertises a price above the official cost is taken down extremely quickly as a dedicated community reports the posts. This has led to scalpers advertising their stock at a lower price and asking potential buyers to contact them privately, at which point they are then told the actual price of the PS5. Obviously, this increase has deterred most people from following through with the purchase.
The effort is being made across multiple Reddit pages, Facebook groups and WhatsApp messaging chats, where scalpers are reported en-masse. Speaking to IGN India, one member said: “We are trying to report all OLX ads so they are not able to sell over MRP and we can stop before our situation become like US. Everyday most ads go down really fast.” This effort looks to continue until Sony can provide a healthy supply of PS5 consoles to India.
Should the communities of other countries adopt this approach and try and take down scalper listings? Offer your thoughts in the comments below.
