Nintendo Switch 2 Fans Are Trying to Deter Scalpers on eBay

Nintendo Switch 2 fans have started posting fake listings for the console on eBay in an attempt to stop scalpers. The pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 recently went live on April 24 at midnight Eastern, and many scalpers have tried to take advantage of the chaos as gamers try to reserve their consoles.

While retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, GameStop, and Target have offered pre-orders for the Switch 2, the demand for the console has been high. As a result, many Nintendo fans have struggled to reserve a system, leaving the door open for scalpers. Unsurprisingly, listings for the Switch 2 have started to appear on auction sites like eBay that ask for exorbitant prices far beyond the regular $449.99 value. In some cases, the listings reportedly go as high as $2,000. However, some gamers have tried to combat the issue.

As spotted by IGN, Nintendo fans have started creating fake listings on eBay for the Nintendo Switch 2 to stop scalpers. While these posts have a similar price to what Nintendo is offering for the Switch 2, they do not include the console. Instead, they reportedly only feature a screenshot of the console and often include warnings from the sellers not to buy the listed product. The goal of the strategy is to flood the marketplace with illegitimate listings to prevent severely marked-up consoles from being found. It is worth noting that some of these fake listings have been removed from eBay.

Nintendo Fans Are Trying to Stop Scalpers From Taking Advantage of Switch 2 Demand

This news comes as Nintendo fans have already looked to crack down on Switch 2 scalpers by mass reporting them before the official pre-orders went live on April 24. In addition, Nintendo is taking steps to prevent scalping with the launch of its new console. The company aims to have more Switch 2 inventory to help fulfill its orders. However, it appears that despite this goal, demand is outpacing supply in many locations, meaning scalping could continue to be an issue.

Besides these issues with scalpers, other gamers have run into potential complications with their pre-orders. Specifically, Nintendo has issued a warning to those who registered to try and get their console through the My Nintendo Store, noting that some invitation emails might not arrive until after the June 5 release date. The company cited “very high demand” for the Switch 2 as the reason for this potential shipping delay.

Hopefully, the various issues surrounding the Switch 2 pre-orders will be ironed out soon. As evidenced by the demand, many gamers are excited about the upcoming console. Time will tell if it can follow in the footsteps of the original Switch and become a best-seller for Nintendo.