If you somehow weren’t already aware, one major problem with third-party sites like eBay during console launches and the like where folks can list their own goods is the attempted sale of photos of a given item rather than the item itself. This has been the case before, and is the case now in the wake of the PlayStation 5 release with many folks trying to mislead others into buying a photo rather than the real deal. But it sounds like eBay is going to seriously crack down on this behavior.
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“We condemn these opportunistic sellers who are attempting to mislead other users,” eBay said in a statement provided to Eurogamer. “We are in the process of removing all listings for photos of PS5s from our marketplace and will be taking appropriate action against the sellers. For any purchase, but especially highly priced or in-demand items, buyers should exercise caution and thoroughly read the listing description. Buyers who receive an item which is not as described are entitled to a refund via our eBay Money Back Guarantee, provided they completed the transaction on the eBay platform.”
As you’ll note in the statement, eBay is careful with its wording. While it sounds like the company will remove the “PS5 photo” listings altogether, if someone bought one and it was accurately listed as just a photo, it technically sounds like it wouldn’t fall under the stated eBay Money Back Guarantee. Buyers beware.
In general, the PlayStation 5 is now available globally thanks to the full launch on November 19th. The version containing a disc drive costs $499 while the all-digital console instead costs $399. Retailers appear to be regularly putting up what stock they have, though it appears to flicker in and out depending on when you’re looking. You can check out all of our previous coverage of PlayStation here.
Have you managed to grab a PlayStation 5 as of yet? Are you still trying to pick one up? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to hit me up directly over on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk about all things gaming!
