I helped thousands of people get the PS5 and they sent me ‘pictures of console hands’ with smiles from ear to ear to prove it. This gave me the strength to continue helping.
But the truth is, I haven’t bought the PlayStation 5 – yet. I am not taking my own advice. And I hit all the speed reducers since launch, which you can learn from.
It will look like:
🚨> 90 minutes for Xbox restocking / 2 hours for PS5 🌟Walmart🌟ESTE IS THE BIGGEST PS5 Digital https://t.co/znn5fqVNI1PS5 Disc https://t.co/fOQxCworacXbox Series X https: // t.co/rDu9ZnRy1iXbox Series S https://t.co/wU69mKu7OiMy how to buy tips @techradar: https://t.co/LjreRk1bbsMarch 4, 2021
I turned my Twitter account into a PS5 refueling tracker a month ago. I didn’t really plan that. I just wanted to complain about how difficult it was to buy a PlayStation 5 after so many failed attempts. I posted a link to the next release the next day and people started thanking me profusely. It’s a snowball from there.
It turns out that I am not alone. More than 150,000 new followers later, I am helping actors, US senators, TV news anchors, Olympic athletes, college sports personalities and high-tech company executives. I liked to see the scope of my help. But, more than a celebrity, I love to see pictures of the console in the hands of smiling everyday players.
My focus has shifted from buying as a PS5 to making sure others get one. This was much more rewarding. But you would think that I would still be able to buy one now, right? From my many failed attempts, there are lessons that I must pass on – if you are still looking for the new Sony console four months after launch.
1. I was not following a PS5 tracker account
On the day of the PS5 launch – November 12, 2020 – I had a doctor’s appointment and thought foolishly: ‘I’m going to buy the PS5 while I’m in the waiting room’. When I didn’t understand, I thought, ‘I’ll get it before Black Friday and Cyber Monday. No? Before Christmas. Nothing? Certainly sometime in January? Wait, I still haven’t got it in March ?! ‘
Happy ending to this PS5 story. Glad to do a part.❤️ https://t.co/WhtMOS2putFebruary 25, 2021
Receiving notifications as soon as the PS5 is replenished has become critical. You are not just trying to ‘protect the bag’ in front of other people. An army of scalper bots that are designed to buy the system without hesitation, allowing the scalper to resell the PS5 for 2x and, at the height of scarcity, 3x what it’s worth.
Follow a Twitter account and enable notifications. There are others doing this besides me, including Jake Randall, Cameron Ritz and Chito Gaming to name a few. Not all retailers are served on a first-come, first-served basis (Sony Direct is a lottery system) and most consoles sold are within a 30-minute window (people give up easily when, in fact, stock is released in waves) . But being there for a minute helps.
2. I didn’t adopt the PS5 package – you should
My biggest mistake at the beginning was to reject the PS5 package. Packages, by nature, more expensive; they come with PS5 games, controllers and some other PS5 accessories.
The good news is that money changers have a hard time reselling packages – it’s much more difficult to resell the console with Spider-Man: Miles Morales and NBA 2K21, for example. You would have to find someone who wanted both games and a second controller.
As long as you want these extras, the package is a great choice and the inventory usually lasts longer at GameStop. While Walmart and Best Buy in the US break down, GameStop is not a victim of the weight of scalper robots. Packages are simply not worth it for them.
Some caveats: if you don’t want something like the NBA 2K21, don’t buy the package. If NBA 2K1 costs $ 50 – $ 60 now on Amazon, but the GameStop package is still priced at $ 70, don’t buy the package. And if the package is very marked, as we see in the sellers of the third party market, do not buy the package.
Otherwise, accept the package. I wish I had done this before.
3. I was not checking all PS5 stores
I mainly focused on Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart when I first looked for my PS5. That was a mistake. Amazon has had very few replenishments since launch, while Best Buy and Walmart require constant updating – the page often hangs until it runs out.
From the many tweet responses I received, followers saw GameStop, Target and ANTonline’s greatest success. GameStop has been easy for people to get (see my point on the package), while Target allows you to pick up at the store after an online order (don’t show up at the store without a confirmed purchase).
ANTonline is a newbie to many people, but from the feedback I received last month, the technology-focused store ships faster. Your loaded packs also sell out in three to five minutes, which is a lifetime in the world of PS5 refueling.
I would hesitate to trust stores outside this list simply because there were several scam sites trying to sell the PS5. You will receive neither the PS5 nor the money back, especially if you are asking to use Apple Pay or the Cash App (they will say that they accept PayPal initially, but then call you back saying it is not working).
4. I used the wrong credit card to buy PS5
It is very easy to think that the difficult part of refueling the PS5 is putting the console in its virtual basket. But it was at the end of the purchase that I found the biggest problems.
Sony PlayStation Direct, Sony’s official online store for your game brand, works like a lottery system and, if you choose, offers just 10 minutes to complete your purchase. This means that you will have to decide on the shipping speed (paid PlayStation Plus members receive extra fast shipping in 1-2 days), fill in your address and enter your credit card information.
I made the mistake of using American Express, a credit card that is not compatible with Sony Direct. When I tried to use a different card, the original error message did not go away. I was only able to update the page, at which point the console disappeared from my cart and I was booted back into the lottery line with no chance of getting it again.
The following week, when I joined the Sony queue, I used Visa. It was also rejected. Someone on Twitter suggested that I disable all Chrome pop-up blocks, adblockers and extensions. Something may be in conflict with the Sony website, preventing me from completing the transaction. So far, I have not been chosen again to test this theory.
5. I didn’t have the dedication to buy PS5
My desire to own a PS5 decreases and decreases. Before Christmas, I really wanted one. Then I saw success with a refueling of the Xbox Series X. I only tried to use the Sony console a few times in January. In mid-February, I was back and started the PS5’s refueling tracker.
I’m also burned from being distracted – often tweeting advice, but not paying attention to my cart or captcha verification questions. I have already failed so much that certainly some of these online ordering processes think I am a robot.
LOL, I put myself on the waiting list by tweeting this. 📝 Note to myself: buy FIRST, tweet later. pic.twitter.com/K30lPDaDOkMarch 10, 2021
Persistence has been the # 1 feature of successful PS5 buyers, according to the many responses I received on Twitter. People who started following me with 21,000 followers are skipping all the notifications I sent for a month – and have been trying for four months in total. Some have only finally seen success. They often say “I was about to give up, but …”
Many people try for a week and come to a page that says ‘Exhausted’ or ‘Exhausted’. Knowing that this is common and that PS5 stock is released in waves is critical. Often, these people leave, so Best Buy, Target or Walmart activates the ‘Add to cart’ page again and others understand it. it’s frustrating, but keep it up.
Last-minute success: happy ending for PS5?
As I was writing this, I had a last-minute hit, although I am still waiting to see if it will transpire on a PS5. During the most recent refueling of the GameStop PS5, I picked up a package (again, point 2 for the win) and am waiting for delivery.
Will I like Spider-Man: Miles Morales? Will I ever need this second controller? It doesn’t matter as much as having the console on hand at this point.
I have come so far that I will not be 100% sure that the PS5 is mine until it is in my hands. Four months is a long time to wait to have a console, and I have the same mindset as many people. I’ve been through the best shows on Netflix and Disney Plus, and I’m looking forward to more interactive entertainment.