British retailer Argos is getting a lot of negative feedback online after a 2am stock release for the PlayStation 5. It has been nearly impossible to get to the console since its release in November, largely thanks to resellers using bots. Unfortunately, it’s not much easier to secure a system when a retailer releases their inventory, as most people are still asleep, which is exactly what happened this time. According to the retailer, the stock was just made available when the site is updated, which happens to be in the early morning hours. Unfortunately, that’s just another hurdle for potential PS5 owners!
A Tweet from Argos explaining the release can be found below.
They will be released at that time due to our website being updated at that time, Ian. Sorry for the inconvenience. – Nick
– Argos (@Argos_Online) February 17, 2021
That answer probably won’t make customers happier about the late-night release, and it could even mean more PS5 drops will happen at similar times! To complicate matters further, a number of customers cited issues with the site, claiming the system was in stock but did not allow it to be added to their shopping cart. Others were able to add the system but were unable to check out. The whole situation seems like a big mess, which has left many disappointed.
The situation around PS5 resellers in the UK has gotten so bad that Parliament is considering banning the resale of consoles in the region. Meanwhile, Argos is currently looking for ways to curb the use of bots. In another Tweetthe retailer told a frustrated PlayStation fan that Argos is “in the process of implementing measures to stop scalpers so that everyone has a fair chance.” It remains to be seen what those measures could be, but for some players, they can’t come soon enough!
For now, PlayStation fans will just have to keep trying and hope that Sony can increase supply to meet current demand. Of course, retailers like Argos will also have to find ways to stop bots from bringing in that inventory.
Have you had a hard time buying a PlayStation 5 console? What do you think about Argos releasing systems in the early hours? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter @Marcdachamp to talk about gaming!