Scalpers Are Reportedly Losing Money on PS5 Pro Consoles

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 9, 2024 47 Views 5 Min Read
Scalpers Are Reportedly Losing Money on PS5 Pro Consoles



Key Takeaways

  • Scalpers are struggling to profit from reselling the PS5 Pro due to limited demand and high pricing.
  • Prices on eBay UK for PS5 Pro listings are below retail price, indicating low demand.
  • In Japan, PS5 Pro resale prices on Mercari are not yielding profits due to high costs involved.



Scalpers looking to capitalize on the recently launched PlayStation 5 Pro console have reportedly been struggling to make a profit off of them. The PlayStation 5 Pro is an upgraded version of the PS5 with a faster GPU, deep learning-based image upscaling technology, and optimized games that can run at 4K and 60 FPS, along with an internal 2 TB storage. Unlike the vanilla PS5, the Pro model does not come with a disc drive.

The PS5 Pro launched globally on November 7 with a price point of $699 USD. The PS5 Pro’s price is extremely controversial, making it one of the most expensive consoles to be released to date after inflation, and the second most-expensive in PlayStation’s history. Video game consoles are prime targets for scalpers to take advantage of, with the original PlayStation 5 being subject to this back in 2020. The PS5 Pro has also become a target of scalping, though the results are different compared to the vanilla PS5’s release four years ago.


A PlayStation 5 Pro next to a PS5 Pro with a disc drive attachment and controller.

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As reported by VideoGamesChronicle, numerous listings of the console on eBay UK list the console below the PS5 Pro’s retail price in the UK of £700. A number of sellers have it on sale for £680-£700, while other auctions that are running have it between £510 and £670. While the prices of these auctions will likely rise before the end, it doesn’t seem likely it will reach the PS5 Pro’s usual MSRP price point.


Scalpers Are Reselling PS5 Pro Console Below MSRP in Japan and UK


The situation seems to be consistent in other countries as well, like in Japan. According to a report from the Otaku Research Institute, while the console has seemingly sold out at most Japanese retailers, stores were selling the PlayStation Pro throughout most of its launch day without needing a reservation. Japanese resale site Mercari has listings that are ¥10,000-¥20,000, which is more than the PS5 Pro’s price in Japan, but due to Mercari taking a 10% and shipping costs also being in consideration, this still results in the re-seller either breaking even or re-selling it at a loss. Numerous sellers on Mercari are also selling it for lower than the retail price, stating that it is discounted because “multiple items were purchased.”

While it seems like the console isn’t getting much mileage from scalpers, the PS5 Pro’s Disc Drives are being resold at ridiculous prices and are currently sold out at every major retailer. Normally sold at $79.99/£99.99, the disc drive is being listed at around £150-£250. Regardless of the region, the console is still quite expensive and contentious.

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