Scalpers re-sell PS5 pre-orders on eBay for £1000

As is often the case with new and expensive hardware, internet scalpers have already gotten their hands on Sony’s PlayStation 5. Now that pre-orders are live, those looking to make a quick buck are listing their confirmed pre-orders on eBay for those who miss their chance to purchase.

(Picture: eBay)

Already, listings of well over the standard £449.99 pricing ($499.99) are being discovered on eBay, with eager price gougers looking to cash in on the hype for the new console. The average price on the site appears to be between £600 - £700, although some are attempting to re-sell the device for a whopping £1000.

• Read more: Win a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console!

Of course, many of these listings won’t actually make a sale, but it’s a sad truth that several of them will, as pre-orders get more limited leading up until the console’s release. After an incredible PlayStation 5 showcase last night, there are thousands of eager fans likely waiting until payday to place their orders.

These hardware scalpers aim to take advantage of the limited stock of PS5s available in the first wave of sales. Should the console prove to be incredibly popular, there will be a lot of parents looking to buy the PS5 for their children this Christmas, and a lot of them won’t be opposed to forking out a few extra pounds for it.

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For now, though, pre-orders are still going strong across a number of sites. Even if stock levels eventually run out, it would be better to wait until the PS5 is more readily available than to spend an extra few hundred pounds and help encourage this unethical behaviour.