Nintendo Fans Found A Novel Way To Fight Switch 2 Scalpers

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Two long-awaited pre-orders were made available in the U.S. today, and, as expected, the process has been chaotic. Scalpers are snatching them up on eBay, but clever Nintendo enthusiasts have devised an innovative method of counterattack.

It appears that multiple outlets, such as Nintendeal and IGN, have reported an influx of fraudulent Nintendo Switch 2 listings on eBay, priced close to the original retail value.

As a gamer, I’m constantly on the lookout for the best deals. It seems like some sneaky listings are being strategically placed to push overpriced items further down the page, making it easier for me to spot them and their sky-high prices. One of these listings is asking for an outrageous $2,000! That’s more than I paid for my gaming setup in total! It’s a smart move to expose such price gouging, don’t you think?

Selling Images At Retail Price

In simpler terms, many misleading eBay listings similar to the one shown (a typical example being those that appeared when searching for “Switch 2”), instead of actually offering the console itself, are primarily selling images of it. This is clearly indicated within their item descriptions.

This listing for $499.99 clearly states: “This is a listing intended to deter bots or resellers. Refunds are strictly prohibited.” And, “If you’re a human, please do not purchase. If you’re a bot, feel free to buy 12!

The ad priced at $500 states, “Here’s a snapshot of the rumored Nintendo Switch 2! Please don’t purchase this item. If you make a payment, I will send you an actual PHOTOGRAPH of the Switch 2. This listing aims to discourage fraudsters and scalpers. Proceed with caution!”

Additionally, there’s an option priced at $525 that comes with the Mario Kart World set. A similar cautionary note is included in its description as well.

There are numerous phony listings, many of which include instructions to read the title’s description. It’s common for some of these to be removed as new ones appear.

It seems that these eBay listings often get snapped up quickly, yet there’s a constant influx of new ones to outmaneuver the scalpers. Some of these links might have been purchased by the time you read this, but fresh listings are likely to appear in their stead.

Despite being more than two weeks away from eBay’s 40-day cutoff for pre-orders, as The Switch 2 officially releases on June 5, it seems that resellers (scalpers) are not concerned with this timeframe.

Given Nintendo’s open acknowledgement of struggling to meet the high demand for the Switch 2, it’s sadly unremarkable that it has become a prime target for scalpers. What is intriguing, though, is observing the creative strategies the community employs in countering them.

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2025-04-24 21:40