Dear Microsoft, are you doing anything to combat the scalping of your consoles?

Wonderpill · Dec 2, 2020

Not for nothing, but the immense response to the release of the consoles, has prompted scalpers to buy most of the supply of these consoles.

They are being sold on obvious marketplace locations like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and even Walmart.com

I know that there are laws that protect your company, and agreements that your company has negotiated with retailers, like Walmart, that prevent them from marking up the product above MSRP, to allow them to have a slight discount on cost.

If these AUTHORIZED RESELLERS, are allowing their own website to host scalpers, are they not breaking the trade agreement?

Also, these "MARKETPLACES" seem to be ruining your business, since nobody is going to buy the games, nor the services (gamepass) until they can procure a console.

I think it is necessary that your company take immediate legal action, against these marketplaces, (ie. Facebook, eBay, Craigslist) to prevent the public resale of NEW consoles, that are being scalped for a 3x profit.

It is currently impossible to buy a console, that is not a "Scalper Special" and it disgusts me that this has been the commonplace for a solid month already.

If you are not going to do anything about this fundamental, you will lose MILLIONS of dollars in revenue until the supply can trickle down to the actual consumers, and the scalpers have no reason to scalp.

Please... do your part as a multi-billion dollar company, to get your product into the hands of the people that want the console... and not the people that want to make $1000 simply because they stood in line at the ideal time.

I'd even go as far as recommending, removing all retail chains from distribution, until the supply is available. Allowing these to go to retailers, is low hanging fruit for these criminals (we know they are not claiming the profits on their income taxes),
implies that your company intends on feeding the scalpers more supply, and not the consumer.

:)

GMS1stLDYCannon

Sad to say scalping WILL NEVER STOP. Itll die down in 2021 once the console it readily avail to everyone. EVERYTHING in the world is scalped. Not to say that it makes it right. Even if they stop the sales on these main stream site scalpers will still make
money!!!

GolfPro72

The issue is really that the scalpers are operating in groups, not as individuals. Many retail locations did what they could by limiting the number of consoles that a household could purchase (1 per household), but what can be done when they operate in
groups? From the sales side of things, they are following the rules - each individual is purchasing one console, or they are gaming the system by using different addresses and credit cards. There really isn't a lot that can be done about that from the retail
side of things when scalpers are operating and groups as opposed to individuals. Through the portal, they look like individual sales.

After the sale, it then goes to whatever laws might exist in your jurisdiction. Some places don't allow scalping and pull down ads, make arrests, that sort of thing. But if there is no law against it, there really isn't anything to be done.

Shaggy2000

Just a thought, but have you thought about putting it on Ebay, I've seen Series S's going for a decent price (more than their RRP)

I normally don't condone console scalping, but in your case its genuine mistake (on Microsoft part)

dudeskis01

the water analogy sucks.

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1. you need water to live. you dont need an xbox 1 to live.

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2. companies actually like this happening. it generates hype and value for their product. even though they aren't getting a cut of the hiked up price, it means that people will be more then happy to pay their asking price for some time.

eviltedi

[quote user="RippenHarra"]

April sounds way to long to not have a new shipment from somewhere. I think 3 weeks tops before new shipments. I wouldn't have been thinking anything gaming either if I thought my job was sketchy. At least you got your priorities right. Hold tight and you
will have a X1 in no time.

[/quote]

I would go with you on this, April seems a long time to wait, the 360 didn't restock as quickly as you're hoping the One will, but MS should have learnt from that.

Dear Microsoft, are you doing anything to combat the scalping of your consoles?