Amazon isn’t in the best shape in the United Kingdom when it comes to Sony‘s new console,
Bex April May, an independent journalist, recorded herself unboxing the PlayStation 5. Which, in the end, turned out to be an air fryer, which isn’t a thing you use for gaming (not even DOOM runs on that). So on behalf of IGN, she started to investigate.
In most cases, customers that didn’t get the console but something else noticed that their boxes were resealed with clear plastic tape (which is important, as Amazon uses its own branded tape) or that the drivers were acting weird outside their residences (we discussed one yesterday)… and there were also cases where Amazon claimed that the PlayStation 5 was delivered, but then it wasn’t.
May contacted a former Amazon employee, offering insight on how it’s practically impossible for warehouse employees to steal anything (even taking a microSD card can be noticed, so a PlayStation 5 is near impossible to be stolen): „All warehouse staff go through manned security checkpoints to exit the warehouse, and everyone, including management, is required to go through a turnstile with a Random Number Generator search function. One in 10 people are selected, and if they are, they have to submit to a metal detector and turn out their pockets,” the source claimed.
Delivery drivers can be bribed, another source claimed. They previously worked for a company that was tasked with delivering Apple products and one of their delivery drivers was approached at a depot and offered cash for iPads. But the Amazon source says otherwise: „Everything you do, from the route you take to the parcels and the returns is tracked by an app. There is, however, nothing to stop gangs waiting for delivery partners outside the depots, or on the routes, and stealing packages from their vehicles – and frankly, nothing to protect you, as a delivery partner, if that happens, other than calling the police and alerting driver support.” Could there be organized crime happening within Jeff Bezos’ company? (Not to mention the scalpers…) Sony hasn’t responded to May’s request to comment.
The situation is not much better on eBay: Eurogamer reported that there are a lot of false listings on the site that are designed to mislead those who desperately search for a PlayStation 5. Here’s eBay’s statement: „We condemn these opportunistic sellers who are attempting to mislead other users. 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.”
There are vigilantes, who flood the website with such listings: „Here I am selling an artist’s impression of how empty my life feels not owning a PlayStation 5. Any money I receive from the winning bid will go towards buying a PS5 off one of these selfish bastards on eBay. The same bastards who blocked up the internet so people who genuinely wanted them for themselves or their children for Christmas couldn’t buy one. Just so they could sell them for an extortionate amount of money – shame on you.”
The situation is both sad and serious.
Please support our page theGeek.games on Patreon, so we can continue to write you the latest gaming, movie and tech news and reviews as an independent magazine.
Become a Patron!
Leave a Reply