When PlayStation 5 preorders started on Amazon Japan, the hardware sold out immediately. Then, the scalpers moved in and starting asking ridiculous prices for their preorders, reaching as high as 500,000 yen ($US4,790 ($6,572)).
In Japan, the standard version of the console is priced at 49,980 yen ($US478.70 ($657)). Stores in Japan were not allowing customers to preorder.
#PS5 reservation in Japan is only available thru online lottery except SONY store and Amazon as of now pic.twitter.com/vv6dF33jDL
— Chrono Capsule (@Chrono_Capsule) September 17, 2020
The majority of online retailers in Japan used a lottery system, picking people at random for the chance to preorder. Amazon Japan, however, did first come, first served. The result was a clusterfuck similar to seen abroad.
Amazon Japan listed the stock at a standard price, but since Sony was sold out, clicking the product brought up sky-high third-party sellers hoping to cash in. With all the scalpers flooding into Amazon Japan, prices starting jumping to 250,000 yen ($US2,395.80 ($3,287)) and went higher and higher.
AmazonのPS5特設ページ、在庫あるように見えるじゃろ？でもクリックすると……価格が恐怖の転売屋価格に！表示はコロコロ変わるから今は違う表示かもしれないけど、Amazonで予約の際は絶対気をつけて！転売屋は騙して売る気満々ですよ pic.twitter.com/rM59AIcUIm
— 安倍吉俊/yoshitoshi ABe (@abfly) September 18, 2020
They even reached 500,000 yen ($US4,789.60 ($6,571))!
The PS5 is currently being sold on Amazon in Japan for almost $4000 by scalpers https://t.co/XbaTa4aRuW
— TJ @ Home (@PsyJVGC) September 18, 2020
#PS5 just hit $4,300 us dollars on #Amazon #Japan
I can’t believe Amazon are allowed that to happen, that’s truly disgusting. pic.twitter.com/LjQ9kr98ML— DJmizuhara ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@DJmizuhara) September 18, 2020
Bahahaha scalpers and their reselling of their preorders on Amazon Japan already ludicrious
Never never pay a cent over RRP guys, don’t give people a reason to do this! It only makes legit prices more scarce! #ps5preorder #PS5 pic.twitter.com/sCZAGNw0Mx— Zed (@zedamex) September 18, 2020
Some third-party sellers wrote “Cancellation not allowed” in the product description for ridiculously-priced preorders.
“Cancel Not Allowed” is trending in Japan and I was wondering why; it turns out resellers were putting up PS5’s with crazy prices and “You can not cancel this order” in the description. A few people bought them by mistake and panicked, but Amazon Customer Service saved them. pic.twitter.com/LbzvaMJjTA
— J I Y U N A (@jiyunaJP) September 18, 2020
A number of customers preordered this overpriced consoles, only to immediately see that the sellers would not accept cancellations or even that customers would be charged around $US500 ($686) for cancellation. Amazon Japan reportedly stepped in to prevent the customers from being taken advantage of.
According to IT Media, these outrageous prices violated Amazon Japan’s terms, and the online has been monitoring the situation. As of writing, all the high-priced PS5s from scalpers have been removed from the site. Instead, the listing reads, “out of stock.”
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