Japanese Retailer Discovers Clever Way to Combat PS5 Scalpers

It has been nearly a year since the launch of the PlayStation 5, but the system remains incredibly difficult to come by, thanks in large part to resellers. Resellers have made it much more difficult (and expensive) for gamers to get just about anything new these days, but Japanese retailer Nojima Denki is fighting back. According to a Tweet translated by Monster Hunter YouTuber @aevanko, Nojima Denki is writing the full name of the customer directly on the box, so resellers won't have the option of remaining anonymous. The retailer is also opening up the box and throwing out the packaging for the included DualSense controller, as well.

The original Tweets from @aevanko can be found embedded below.

All in all, this sounds like a smart way to dissuade resellers! Most gamers interested in getting a PS5 for themselves won't care about damage to the box or the packaging for the DualSense controller. However, an open or "damaged" box will make it harder for resellers, and it means they won't be able to hide behind usernames on sites like eBay. Some resellers might still be willing to go through with it, but if this leads to even a little more product for the gamers that actually want these systems, then the measures will be worth it. Replies to @aevanko's Tweet above have been mostly positive, and some even tagged local retailers to encourage them to do the same.

It will be interesting to see if more retailers do follow Nojima Denki's lead! The global shortage of semiconducters has made it difficult for video game companies to manufacture enough product to meet demand, and resellers have exacerbated that problem; over in the UK, parliament has even considered banning scalping of video game consoles altogether! In the meantime, retailers could implement measures like Nokima Denki has. It remains to be seen how effective this will be at deterring scalpers, but if it does prove to be a success, hopefully more retailers will take a similar approach.

Are you still struggling to get a PlayStation 5? Would you like to see more retailers do this? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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