Scalpers sell PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary preorders for over $3,000 — eBay postings show a 3X to 6X markup

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The console hasn’t arrived yet, but its gray market is already running.

PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary
PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary (Image credit: Sony)

Sony announced the PS5 Pro and its 30th Anniversary Limited Edition variant earlier this month, with pre-orders now available on the Sony website. The former will start shipping on November 7 for $700, while the latter becomes available on November 21 for $1,000, with only 12,300 units made globally. However, even though the release dates for these consoles are still more than a month away, a quick search on eBay shows several results marked as ‘Presale’ or ‘Confirmed Pre-Order.’

The PS5 Pro sells for about $1,000 on the e-commerce platform—a nearly 43% premium over Sony’s price—but the pricing for the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary console is far more egregious. Most listings for the limited-edition console start above $3,000 — a 200% markup from the original—and we’ve even seen a listing asking for $12,300.

These prices are reminiscent of the PlayStation 5’s (and practically every other high-profile electronics, like the RTX 3000 series GPUs) launch during the height of the pandemic in 2020. While Sony has limited pre-purchases of the PS5 Pro and limited-edition versions to just one per user, scalpers seemingly find ways to bypass this security system to make money off the average consumer.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Hopefully, Sony has learned its lesson during the launch of the PS5 and has made enough units to avoid the scalper problem. After all, we don’t have Covid-related lockdowns anymore, so getting production up and running shouldn’t be a problem. However, the limited-edition run of the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition would be an issue. Given that Sony is keeping the number of units available low — with each individual numbered as a collector’s item — it is a prime target for scalpers, as we can see on eBay right now.

The only way we can combat scalpers is to not buy from them. It would likely mean you won’t get the PS5 Pro right at launch, but what’s a little patience to avoid getting stiffed by people taking advantage of a situation? But if you’re a hardcore PlayStation fan and didn’t get the chance to the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition, we still do not recommend buying from a scalper. After all, who knows what other types of scams they might be running to separate you from your hard-earned money?

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Jowi Morales
Jowi Morales
Contributing Writer

Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.

14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Neilbob
    I don't think it would be entirely unwarranted if scalpers became an integral part of some concrete mix...
    Reply
  • Scooter70
    Freaking scumbags. Why can't we shoot these people?
    Reply
  • oofdragon
    Who even buys from those sc0ms?
    Reply
  • thestryker
    I do find it disappointing that the companies making these products don't go to any effort to ensure they don't get scalped. Obviously they're huge companies and money is money, but one would think especially with limited edition products they'd want them to directly end up in the hands of fans.
    Reply
  • Heat_Fan89
    oofdragon said:
    Who even buys from those sc0ms?
    That's the only solution to prevent and stop this but as long as people have more money than sense, they will continue to keep the scalpers in business.
    Reply
  • Heat_Fan89
    thestryker said:
    I do find it disappointing that the companies making these products don't go to any effort to ensure they don't get scalped. Obviously they're huge companies and money is money, but one would think especially with limited edition products they'd want them to directly end up in the hands of fans.
    And how do you propose companies solve this dilemma? Someone will always think of a way around the rules and exploit them. The problem once again is availability. IIRC, Sony only made 12,300 special edition consoles. With hundreds of millions of people who would love to have one. In that scenario, you have an equal chance of winning the Lottery.

    However, on the base model PS5 Pro, it appears Sony made more than enough because they plastered a full page Ad on my PS5 Store Home screen with a QR code. I tested to see if there was a wait and lo and behold, I was able to checkout the item. I didn't buy it, just checking availability.

    The following day, same thing they were available for preorder, no waiting. It was Sony who created a FOMO demand for the product with only 12,300 made. That scenario will always get the attention of a scalper to double or triple their investment.

    The only solution that will work apart from Sony making enough units to satisfy demand (which they obviously didn't learned from the 20th Anniversary PS4, because they advertised a limited only supply, once AGAIN!) is to not buy from a scalper. Let them sit on their product. Unfortunately, people are too weak to resist a Limited Edition item.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    Heat_Fan89 said:
    And how do you propose companies solve this dilemma? Someone will always think of a way around the rules and exploit them. The problem once again is availability.
    During the last GPU stupidity nvidia switched to selling founder's edition only through brick and mortar with fixed pricing and limited quantity. This obviously doesn't 100% fix everything, but it miminizes impact from mass buying and people who are in it for no other reason than to flip them by making it less convenient. In the case of the consoles for limited editions they could do something along the lines of requiring an account that has been in existence for a specific minimum length of time to be eligible to buy. I'm sure if I put more time into thinking about it I could come up with more, but I'm not going to.

    Bottom line is that they could do more than nothing and blaming people who don't care about money and will buy it from scalpers is disingenuous and lets the giant corporations off the hook for no reason.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    Scalpers can only sell at elevated prices if someone else buys.

    This is a concept that has been going on since money was invented.
    Reply
  • RUSerious
    USAFRet said:
    Scalpers can only sell at elevated prices if someone else buys.

    This is a concept that has been going on since money was invented.
    You beat me to it. Scalping wouldn't work if there wasn't a market for overpriced goods. Some folks have allot of free cash to spend (or don't mind debt).
    Reply
  • Per Wigren
    I suspect that most of the buyers at this price point are scalpers selling to themselves to spread the illusion that there are many actual buyers at this price point, hoping that that will persuade some people to buy at just slightly less extortionate prices.
    Reply