The COVID-19 pandemic has added yet another spanner to the works of 2020, as new pandemic lockdowns threaten to descend PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S pre-orders into chaos. New government rules are slowly being introduced globally in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. While these new guidelines are here to promote the public’s health and safety, they mean many retailers and suppliers are now having to come up with new ways to get existing next-gen console pre-orders to buyers.
2020 has been by no means been smooth sailing for anyone. Everyone (or at least mostly everyone) has been forced to adapt to a new way of doing things, and the retail sector has seen some of the biggest changes from the norm in recent times. With waves of people moving to online shopping as a method to help reduce the spread of the highly infectious COVID-19 virus, shops have experienced dramatically reduced footfall. This was expected to change at the release of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S later this month. However, with new rules in place that actively encourage the public to avoid all unnecessary journeys and outings, these collections and sales of the eagerly anticipated next-gen consoles will have to take place a little differently.
Following new UK lockdown legislation, GAME announced via Twitter that those who already have an in-store pre-order of the Xbox Series X should pre-purchase their order before November 4 and collect their new console during allotted November 10 launch day times. As yet, GAME has not stated what it's planning to do with the PlayStation 5 launch later a week. Smyths has taken a slightly different approach to GAME, stating that those with an existing pre-order with them can still collect their products and pay on launch day. Customers who have pre-orders with Smyths must wait for an email confirming that their consoles are ready to collect before heading to the store. Meanwhile, Argos has confirmed that consoles that have been reserved will be able to be picked up from their collection points, including the ones inside Sainsbury’s superstores.
For those who were hoping to go into a shop on launch day to buy a new console without a pre-order will undoubtedly be disappointed, as it looks as though there are very few excess consoles currently hitting store shelves. Additional stock appears to be short across the board, and Xbox head Phil Spencer has already alluded to production shortages and stock sell-outs over the holiday season.
The Covid 19 pandemic forcing people to stay at home more has undeniably given the gaming industry a boost this year, and this change is shopping style is unlikely to harm holiday sales of the next-gen consoles to avid gamers. However, it is important to take note of the new way of doing things to ensure that this ‘click and collect’ service remains viable for retailers and consumers in the coming months.