UK retailer Box is running ballots for chances to buy Xbox Series X/S consoles in December

UK technology retailer Box is holding ballots to decide which customers will be able to purchase Xbox Series X/S stock when it goes on sale later this month.

The company says it’s due to receive its second and third waves of Xbox Series X/S stock in the weeks beginning December 7 and December 14.

Players can now register their details (which includes signing up to Box’s newsletter list) to be in with a chance of securing an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console in time for Christmas.

It’s unclear how many consoles Box will have for sale and entrants aren’t guaranteed the chance to buy one. Instead, stock will be allocated to random entrants, who will be contacted to make payment if successful.

“Box.co.uk have taken the decision to utilise a ballot format so that customers can receive a fair chance to purchase an Xbox Series X, while keeping our website online throughout the process,” the firm said.

“This ensures a smoother transaction and stops customers from having to battle each other on a website put under an enormous amount of strain with huge volumes of traffic all trying to purchase the same product at one time.”

Demand for Microsoft’s next-gen consoles is expected to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future, with Xbox head Phil Spencer recently suggesting Xbox Series X/S shortages will continue into spring 2021.

While more stock is being made available in the run-up to Christmas, Microsoft has suggested it could change how future consoles are pre-ordered in order to avoid the sort of chaotic online retail experiences witnessed in recent weeks.

Spencer told The Verge Microsoft has discussed giving customers the chance to put a deposit down and reserve a console with a guaranteed delivery date.

Earlier today UK retailer Very cancelled a significant number of next-gen console orders, many of which are believed to have been placed by a scalper group targeting Xbox Series X/S and PS5 shortages.

Further reading

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UK retailer cancels ‘1,000 next-gen console orders’ placed by scalper group

Very says “technical error” enabled users to purchase consoles that weren’t on sale