If you're reading this today, you just missed out on some of the latest console drops of 2020. As of 3:27pm PST yesterday (12/15), Best Buy and Walmart are completely sold out of all Xbox Series X consoles...again. Much like the trend, the stock sold out almost instantly. In fact, it took just about a second for the stock to go. No...that is not an exaggeration. I speak from personal experience.
It's no secret that the release of the new consoles has been, to put it nicely, an utter disaster. Microsoft unveiled its newest set of gaming consoles on November 10th. Ever since the first consoles were available, it has been pure chaos.
Are they ever really available? It seems the only readily available supply of the new Xbox consoles is through resale networks (i.e. eBay, Facebook Marketplace) and scalpers. Go to any social media platform and you will see an overwhelming amount of people complaining about automated bots purchasing hundreds, even thousands of consoles at a time.
Tips to beat the robots
Need a holiday present for a loved one? Looking to grind the newest next generation games? Hope still remains! Here are some tips on how to pull in one of these coveted consoles:
Follow retailers on social media
Keeping up with retailers on social media is essential! Follow each retailer on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest info on each restock. DO NOT buy from scalpers. It is not worth the extra $400, and you're playing right into their trap. Remain patient.
Consistently check inventory
Retailers tend to provide some sort of notice on their social channels. But it's not always that straightforward. Continue to check inventory levels yourself on each retailer's website. There are also helpful inventory checkers that do this exact thing.
Walmart: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
Amazon: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
Target: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
Microsoft: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
Best Buy: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
GameStop: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S
Be Prepared
Let's say you find yourself counting down the precious seconds before go-live, spend them wisely! Create an account on the retailer's site, so that your personal information and payment information is ready to roll on check out. Add something else to your cart so all of that info is in your cart. It's things like this that will help you shave off 10-15 seconds of checkout time (yes, those seconds actually matter).
Refresh, refresh, refresh
The product might be "temporarily out of stock", but don't be discouraged. This will happen within seconds of the restock. But keep hitting refresh. Keep hitting "add to cart". Eventually, you might get lucky. That is what happened to me. I hit refresh and "add to cart" at least 50 times each...in a matter of a few minutes! It actually works. Eventually, the website stock will open up and your order will process. Stay diligent!
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