Well done @AmazonUK for “putting it right”. Hopefully it’ll actually arrive this time... #ps5 pic.twitter.com/XllLIy2ocV
— Anthony Dickens ☮️ (@antdickens) December 2, 2020
Amazon UK has confirmed it will secure new PS5s for customers whose orders went missing
Affected customers are now being contacted
Amazon UK has told customers whose PlayStation 5 pre-orders went missing this month that they will reserve new consoles for them.
In an email sent to customers, including Push Square’s Anthony Dickens, the retailer said they have until this Saturday, December 5 to let them know if they would like to be charged for a new console.
“Once you give us your permission to be charged, we will reserve your PlayStation 5 and you won’t need to place another order with us,” the message reads.
“Please note that this offer is solely for the purpose of replacing the PlayStation 5 that you ordered. It cannot be transferred to another customer and cannot be used to purchase additional units of the PlayStation 5.”
Amazon had previously refunded the dozens of UK-based customers who claimed that their PS5 consoles did not arrive as scheduled on the console’s November 19 launch date, despite being marked as delivered by couriers.
Many consumers reported receiving erroneous items in place of their PS5 consoles, such as kitchen appliances and cat food, or even empty boxes.
The issue became widespread enough to draw the attention of mainstream media including the BBC, which featured the issue during its consumer rights segment of The One Show, which is watched by up to five million viewers each week.
At the time, a spokesperson for Amazon apologised for the failed deliveries and promised to investigate the issue.
PlayStation 5 at retail
Many of the Amazon UK customers who had their PS5 pre-orders go missing have alleged foul play on the part of delivery drivers, with one even filming their courier failing to deliver the next-gen console (Amazon later claimed it had cut ties with the driver).
Another Amazon UK customer posted a video on Twitter of them confronting their delivery driver, after they allegedly marked their PS5 as delivered without doing so.
Birmingham-based George claimed that it took a week to receive a response from Amazon after his PS5 did not arrive.
“Console has been ‘lost in transit’ aka stolen, actions ‘may’ be taken against the driver – not good enough,” he wrote. “Refund given & they are not able to prioritise new stock – mentioned nothing about additional controller also ordered that was stolen.
“Given £50 gift – an absolute insult given the amount of time I have spent chasing up, anxiety I have received from the intimidation from the driver & the amount of time I am going to have to spend sourcing a new console – priority on new stock is a must.”
PlayStation 5 remains sold out at all major retailers in the UK, after a record-breaking launch which VGC understands saw it surpass the 250,000 consoles sold during PS4’s launch.
Sony has committed to making more PS5 console stock available for sale before the end of the year. However, there’s been no acknowledgement of the issue of PS5 console scalpers, with one group claiming in November that they’d resold 3,500 consoles for profit.