UK politicians want to ban PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC component scalping

[midian182]

A hot potato: Scalpers have always been a problem for genuine consumers looking to buy the latest tech products, and they've been particularly active this season. In the UK, a group of politicians hope to fight back against the practice by banning the resale of items purchased using automated bots.

Every recent big tech launch has had one thing in common: availability issues. The PS5, Xbox Series X/S, RTX 3000 series, Radeon RX 6800 cards, and Ryzen 5000 CPUs were all snapped up within minutes of going on sale, ending up on eBay for way more than their MSRPs.

It's a shocking state of affairs that's going to leave many children disappointed this Christmas, or force desperate parents into debt. In the UK, ten members of parliament are trying to stop the scalpers by signing an Early Day Motion called 'Resale of gaming consoles and computer components purchased by automated bots.'

The motion was sponsored by six Scottish National Party MPs and has now been signed by a total of 20 MPs. It suggests implementing rules similar to those introduced in 2018 designed to stop mass ticket scalping, writes VGC.

"New releases of gaming consoles and computer components should be available to all customers at no more than the Manufacturer's Recommended Retail Price, and not be bought in bulk by the use of automated bots which often circumvent maximum purchase quantities imposed by the retailer," states the motion.

Should you buy a PS5 or a new car?

It's hoped that the banning of bots for this purpose would "[deny] unscrupulous vendors the chance to make themselves vast profits at the expense of genuine gamers and computer users, while also deterring fraudulent cybercriminal activity."

Early Day Motions (EMDs) are used by MPs to draw attention to a particular issue, event or campaign. "As there is no specific time allocated to EDMs very few are debated. However, many attract a great deal of public interest and media coverage," states the UK Parliament website.

The next-gen consoles are a particularly enticing target for scalpers. One group secured 3,500 PS5s for resale, saying it had "no regrets" as its members were poor and needed the money–not so poor that they couldn't afford to buy the machines and pay the group's subscription fees, apparently.

It's estimated that scalpers have generated nearly $40 million in profit from reselling the latest tech goods this holiday season.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/87992-uk-politicians-want-ban-ps5-xbox-series-x.html

 

[SirDigby]

100% behind this, scalpers are scum.

 

[Reehahs]

Make it illegal to sell above MRSP.

 

[NiNMaaR]

100% behind this, scalpers are scum.

I agree. They are shi**y people that don't care what happens to the world if they get money.

They are usually the high-school losers that never had any skills or decent personality, or just the kid that grew up with a sh*t childhood (poor, parent issues or bullying) and now wants everyone else to suffer too.

They say that the members are poor ? Or they are doing this for charity ? Ok ... give them away then. Buy 1000 units .. 10000 .. whatever, and give them away to people that are less fortunate than you.

What ? No profit to be made ? No-one rushing in ? ...

 

[R00sT3R]

six Scottish National Party MPs

Ignore anything and everything that party of treasonous, seditious scumbags say or do...

 

[winjer]

That's a good measure, but it comes a bit late.
It's a shame that politicians only work when there's a big problem with something.

 

[Achaios]

Ignore anything and everything that party of treasonous, seditious scumbags say or do...

Seditious scumbags for wanting a free, independent Scotland rid of the English? What are you smokin'?

You should meet some of my Irish friends.

 

[Thunder6230]

Where is the consumer protection? they could have fought with ebay and wherever was it offered. They just don't care.

 

[Squid Surprise]

"It's a shocking state of affairs that's going to leave many children disappointed this Christmas, or force desperate parents into debt."

Really? FORCE?!?!!? Here's a solution.... wait a few months and buy it at retail (or possibly even less)...

Ever hear of supply and demand? This is simply a bunch of hot air that is meant to gain a bit of popular support. Nothing will come of it - even if they actually wanted to, what could they do?

 

[Gus Fring]

Thi is nonsense , becoz a few nappy waerers dont get their consoles before Xmas, they enact a law? This should be a general law about any profiteering, not just conoles. The whole thing will be a vague memory in a years time when the supply and demand are in line.
Bad laws are dangerous.. it toook them nearly 100 years to repeal the drinking hours brought in for the First World war! Dangerous Dogs Act? How many family pets needlessly destroyed.? the list goes on.

 

[mosu]

I wonder how it will be accomplished.

 

[JStacts]

Ah yes. Heaven forbid the free market funciton.

 

[neeyik]

Make it illegal to sell above MRSP.

Can't speak for how it is in other countries, but the UK, such an action would be illegal itself. The Competition and Markets Authority makes it clear that retailers are free to sell a manufacturer's product for more or less than the recommended retail price, and neither the manufacturer nor the government can enforce it - something these MPs seem to not be aware of.

 

[SirDigby]

Seditious scumbags for wanting a free, independent Scotland rid of the English? What are you smokin'?

You should meet some of my Irish friends.

Hahaha I'm English and I want to be rid of the English, they voted in this trash government, and the general public are so unbelievably thick.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I understand everyone hates scalpers.

But there are FREE MARKET solutions to this without using government manipulation (socialism).

#1 Sony and Microsoft should do direct sales to consumers

#2 Best Buy, Microcenter, etc should do direct sales to consumers.

#3 The retailers should allow one per household (of whatever the item) until inventory is high enough to meet demand.

True Story: I walked into Microcenter to check what 3090 cards were in stock.

They had just gotten a shipment and I bought a 3090 FTW3. I call up my cousin (using a 3080) and he said he wants one.

I go back to buy another and the salesman says "I can't sell you another one for 30 days".

I totally pull rank on him and get "The manager" (like a Karen) and the Manager himself pulls it out and sells it to me.

I see nothing wrong with in person sales to clients who regularly patronize a store - within reason.

 

[SirDigby]

I agree. They are shi**y people that don't care what happens to the world if they get money.

They are usually the high-school losers that never had any skills or decent personality, or just the kid that grew up with a sh*t childhood (poor, parent issues or bullying) and now wants everyone else to suffer too.

They say that the members are poor ? Or they are doing this for charity ? Ok ... give them away then. Buy 1000 units .. 10000 .. whatever, and give them away to people that are less fortunate than you.

What ? No profit to be made ? No-one rushing in ? ...

My work's shop just sent out notifications saying PS5s are available, my personal email got the same alert same time as my work one so no special advantage. I managed to 'scalp' 2 for friends (the email contained unique code, one each), so secured them for my friends for *SHOCK* MSRP!!!!

 

[No Longer Human]

But there are FREE MARKET solutions to this without using government manipulation (socialism).
#1 Sony and Microsoft should do direct sales to consumers
#2 Best Buy, Microcenter, etc should do direct sales to consumers.
#3 The retailers should allow one per household (of whatever the item) until inventory is high enough to meet demand.

the problem is "they don't do" hence the need for gov't regulation/oversight
interesting, you don't thing the gov't can tell them what to do, but you sure can

 

[CBTex]

Ah yes. Heaven forbid the free market funciton.

I tend to agree with free market principles, but there is an argument that this isn't really a free market. Access to the market is certainly limited. Right now, scalpers are using technology to bypass free market principles and horde almost all the supply. Screw those A-holes.

It would be better if the manufacturers set the price higher in the beginning and lowered it once supply increased. That's the way it works with almost all other electronics. Early adopters pay much higher prices until costs can be lowered and supplies increased.

 

[m4a4]

Ever hear of supply and demand? This is simply a bunch of hot air that is meant to gain a bit of popular support. Nothing will come of it - even if they actually wanted to, what could they do?

The whole thing will be a vague memory in a years time when the supply and demand are in line.

Ah yes. Heaven forbid the free market funciton.

It's called artificial inflation. "Free market" still needs to be regulated sometimes to stop abuse.

 

[terzaerian]

the problem is "they don't do" hence the need for gov't regulation/oversight
interesting, you don't thing the gov't can tell them what to do, but you sure can

Government is typically as corrupt if not more corrupt than the worst players in the private sector.

 

[Squid Surprise]

It's called artificial inflation. "Free market" still needs to be regulated sometimes to stop abuse.

Not sure why it needs to be regulated in this case.... it's game consoles that are hardly "urgent"...

Government oversight is needed when essentials are artificially inflated so that the masses can't afford them: like BREAD or OIL or WATER.... I hardly think the PS5 and XBox apply...

 

[m4a4]

Not sure why it needs to be regulated in this case.... it's game consoles that are hardly "urgent"...

Government oversight is needed when essentials are artificially inflated so that the masses can't afford them: like BREAD or OIL or WATER.... I hardly think the PS5 and XBox apply...

It can be applied to anything. Better to stop abuse sooner than wait till it personally affects you. These scalper bots aren't going away by wishful thinking.

 

[Achaios]

I understand everyone hates scalpers.

But there are FREE MARKET solutions to this without using government manipulation (socialism).

What you are suggesting isn't Socialism but rather, Scalpocracy or to say it properly in Greek, Oligagorarchy wherein a few professional con-men hold the market hostage.

It should have been a Republic and a Free Market where the elected Govt would apply the Law and ensure the market is really free from the Mafia.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

What you are suggesting isn't Socialism but rather, Scalpocracy or to say it properly in Greek, Oligagorarchy wherein a few professional con-men hold the market hostage.

It should have been a Republic and a Free Market where the elected Govt would apply the Law and ensure the market is really free from the Mafia.

Capitalism: When a person offers to do work for another person or entity and agrees on payment.

Socialism: When government manipulates the agreement between the person and the person/entity.

Communism: When Government totally takes over the entity.


Believe me, FREE MARKET fixes are better than Socialist fixes.

Apple solved their scalper issue by #1 forcing people to preorder... #2 Widening availability to meet Demands...#3 eliminating lines out of fear of terrorism.

If Nvidia, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft "did it like Apple", everyone would have what they wanted.

 

[terzaerian]

It can be applied to anything. Better to stop abuse sooner than wait till it personally affects you. These scalper bots aren't going away by wishful thinking.

The same can be applied to government intervention - it all sounds well and good until it personally affects you, which price controls of this sort inevitably are going to do.

Here's a scenario: perhaps you bought something as a collector's item some time ago and finally want to sell it - sorry! You can't sell it for more than the MSRP when it was bought... which means it's worth LESS than when you bought it now, adjusting for inflation.

Half-witted government solutions always incur 'unintended' consequences that destroy liberty.