It’s not just consumers who want to stop scalpers, retailers don’t like their products being purchased to be resold for extortionate prices, either. In Japan, a few retail chains have decided to take action against PS5 scalpers using nothing more than a marker pen.
As VGC reports, retail chain Nojima Denki acted first by writing the name of each buyer inside the box of the PS5 they purchased. The packaging for the controller was also removed. A scalper could still attempt to sell a PS5 marked in this way, but they either need to inform potential buyers of the mark, or risk having the sale rejected when the buyer notices. Another downside is their name potentially being exposed as a confirmed scalper.
As PSU reports, Japanese retailer GEO has now introduced a similar system of marking packaging. GEO sells PS5 consoles using a lottery system through its mobile app. Anyone taking part in the lottery must agree to have an X drawn on the packaging pouch of the DualSense controller included with the console. Although not as extreme as Nojima Denki’s system (and therefore not as effective), it’s likely to make at least some scalpers look elsewhere for fresh stock of Sony’s hardware.
Usually, consumers would be angry over a retailer opening and marking a brand new console, but such is the shortage of the PS5 in the run up to Christmas, I suspect many will accept it if it guarantees they get one.
