Xbox One Availability Online And In-Store Bleak: Scammers Take Aim [UPDATE]
Gamers in search of the Xbox One will be met with less than optimal stock in stores and online this week as even Microsoft itself brings out the Out of Stock signs. Though the Microsoft Store brought on a new wave of consoles earlier this week, even the most expensive bundles have sold out in favor of a happy holiday morning. Meanwhile scammers are taking advantage of innocent auction-seekers, with incidents such as the "paper scam" appearing far more often than they should.
This week a fellow in England was scammed and subsequently refunded $735 for a Xbox One. Seeking the black-boxed Day One Edition of the Xbox One, Peter Clatworthy appeared to read over the description of the console too quickly, not realizing he was only buying a crude print-out of an image of the device.
No worries though, Clatworthy took action and the auction seller was caught on the fact that he was selling paper in an electronics category on eBay – apparently enough to get him banned from ever selling again, as well.
BONUS: Apparently this bloke was famous before he appeared in this particular headline. This 19-year-old father of one (four-year-old) was in the news in 2007, when he was 12, for what the Nottingham Posts suggests was the following: "[using] his judo skills to catch a drink-driver who had crashed into three cars in Ilkeston Road, Radford."UPDATE 3:10 CST: It would appear that at least one 3rd party group working with Amazon has the standard $499.99 machine in stock at the moment – likely a short-lived re-stock.
There's little doubt now that one of two things has happened – either Microsoft didn't think there'd be this much demand for the Xbox One, or they've planned this shortage well before the fact. We're guessing the first option – more sales are more sales, and there are literally no Xbox Ones available through most major retailers today.
It's certainly not in Microsoft's interests to see users head to eBay to pay premium prices for the console when they could be paying the base cost instead. Let us know if you've got an eye on stock anywhere in your area.
VIA: Nottingham Post, Neowin