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The Xbox Series X and Series S have both officially been released, but many locations are experiencing shortages.
Availability of the in-demand Xbox Series X and S consoles has been limited due to production constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many stores have listed their consoles as out of stock or unavailable, while sellers on eBay have consoles listed at nearly double their store prices.
Xbox Series X/S unavailable to many potential buyers
The new Xbox isn’t the only high-demand piece of technology that consumers have struggled to get a hold of. PC gamers, editors, video producers, and more have been trying to get their hands on the new RTX 30 series graphics cards since their release, only to have entire inventories bought up in minutes.
Now, the new Xbox Series X and S show that this isn’t just a fluke. According to a recent report, video games, gaming hardware, and game accessories have experienced a significant increase in sales compared to last year. This appears to be related to many people being stuck at home seeking something to do to pass the time.
This issue is further compounded by the fact that many computer parts, game consoles, and other similar products are produced in areas that were particularly hard hit by the novel coronavirus. As many are aware, the coronavirus set back Chinese production by months as they worked to deal with a totally new infectious disease during a difficult time.
Some people are reselling the console online at a high markup
While the usual stores like GameStop, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy haven’t been able to meet demand, some of those who were able to make a purchase are reselling the console online through secondary markets.
Scalpers like these show up whenever there is a high demand product with low supply. While technically anyone willing to work with them could buy the console off of one of these secondary sellers, in general, buyers should be wary about buying from scalpers.
Due to the problematic nature of reselling consoles like these, some scalpers may end up stealing from buyers, or using scams and tricks to sell them something else entirely.
The unfortunate truth is that anyone who wants a new Xbox is likely going to have to wait.
