Not all heroes wear capes, but this one definitely deserves it. Switch 2 prices are already soaring on eBay, and someone’s decided to take on those nasty scalpers.
Pre-orders for Switch 2 kicked off almost a week ago, but U.S. ones are still on hold thanks to new tariffs. Most stores (like GameStop, Walmart, and BestBuy) have it listed at $449 for the base version and $499 if you want the Mario Kart World bundle, but those prices might not stick around for long. Still, at least it’s not as bad as what scalpers are charging already. Thankfully, we’ve got people like this Reddit user out here making life a bit tougher for them.
The battle against scalpers begins
Switch 2 pre-orders in the UK sold out instantly on day one, not really shocking since it’s the same story pretty much everywhere. I managed to buy one myself, though it was through a retailer, so now I’m just hoping it doesn’t get delayed or, worse, cancelled. I’ve never really bought anything from a scalper (okay, maybe once for a LEGO Lord of the Rings set, but it was like 15 years old). Still, if no other options pop up, people with the cash who want their console ASAP might just cave and go down that cursed path.
MrJava- posted on the NintendoSwitch 2 subreddit saying that he reported a bunch of scalpers, and eBay ended up removing over 20 listings for the Switch 2 with ridiculous prices. While eBay doesn’t have a full-on anti-scalper policy, they do block sellers who try to price essential items unfairly, but they don’t really have a rule that covers all types of scalping – especially with high-demand electronics. That said, it was pretty clear those sellers didn’t actually have the consoles in stock (and probably won’t have them anytime soon, since it seems like it’ll be tough to get one), and that’s where MrJava- called them out.
eBay’s policy can vary depending on the region, but the main thing is you can’t list a presale item more than about 40 days before it can be shipped. Now, everyone’s stepping up, reporting unfair sellers in their countries, and calling MrJava- a hero. Faith in humanity restored.
To make this work, you just need to know how to report them.
- Choose «Listing practices» under the Report category.
- For the reason, pick «Inappropriate seller terms.
- Under Detailed reason, select «Presale.»
- In the Brief Description, write something like this:
This person is selling their presale item. They do not have this item. Nobody has a Switch 2.
It might feel like we’re tilting at windmills here, since these sellers are probably using bots, and as soon as one listing gets removed, another might pop up. Still, if we all pitch in, maybe we can make things a little harder for them. Banning someone on eBay isn’t easy, especially since it’s kind of a playground for scalpers, but who knows? Maybe, together, we can actually make a difference.
