In November last year, Microsoft and Sony released the next generation of video game consoles on the market. But Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X has since been plagued by major delivery problems and weak allocation for Swedish retailers. They are still struggling to offer everyone who wants to buy one of the new consoles.
But before the Christmas shopping, the situation still looks bleak. On the Swedish price comparison sites, it is purely red crosses that may illustrate the supply, at the same time as the coveted game consoles are often sold for several thousand kronor over their value on the used sites.
Sony: The Playstation 5 shortage may extend to next year
Behind the shortage is, among other things, the re-reported component shortage, but also major logistical challenges as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. That’s what Evelina Galli, technology expert at Swedish Pricerunner (previously on M3.se!) Says, who has closely followed console sales in our country.
– It does not look very bright. Although there are promising initiatives to remedy the semiconductor shortage, there is a shortage of other important materials, such as aluminum. But there is also a freight crisis which, among other things, has pushed up the prices of containers as a result of the logistics in the world’s ports being affected by covid-19.
Pricerunner’s statistics show that during the year it was a little easier to get hold of an Xbox Series X console, but that the Playstation 5 disappears from the digital shelves as quickly as they enter.
– Many people probably remember that even Playstation 4 was difficult to get hold of, but it was not at all at this level. Playstation 5 is by far the most popular product of the year in our indexes. Xbox Series X is quite far behind, but is still in the top 3. We simply have a situation where extreme demand is combined with global challenges that can take a long time to solve, says Evelina Galli.
Not only game consoles are affected. Pricerunner’s figures for inventory status 2021 also show a shortage in the desktops, processors and graphics cards segments, all of which are over 50 percent unavailable.
– It is not easy to be a gamer right now, states Evelina Galli.
“Selling out in principle immediately”
When we ask the home electronics chain Webhallen about the console mode, the message is “basically unchanged since release”. According to Filippa Modig, market communicator, there is sky-high demand – which may even increase ahead of Christmas.
– Those who have been looking for a console for a long time know about the situation, but with Christmas you can expect more people who are not familiar with the situation to start looking around for consoles for Christmas presents – which of course increases demand further for a period.
The web hall does not expect any clarification on the issue of access in the short term, and it will be a long time before the new game consoles are available on physical store shelves.
– We receive deliveries every month which are sold out in principle directly. When the market is so unsaturated, it will take many or larger deliveries before you can expect to see consoles on shelves in stores to any great extent, says Filippa Modig.
According to Kristina Wärmare, communications manager at Netonnet, the availability of Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X has been “a little better” during the summer and now this autumn. The retailer hopes to bring in more game consoles in the near future, but also tracks an increased demand the closer we get to Christmas.
– The demand for these consoles is still huge among our customers, and there are probably many who will want a console as a Christmas present. Every time we receive a delivery, they run out very quickly – we see the same pattern in Sweden and Norway.
In Sweden, the covid-19 situation may look brighter than in a long time, but other parts of the world are still struggling with major problems stemming from the pandemic.
– At the same time as restrictions have been lifted in our part of the world, the pandemic has continued to have a major impact in other parts, where, for example, manufacturing plants in Asia have at times had to close down due to local corona outbreaks. This naturally affects the pace of production, says Kristina Wärmare.
Neither Webhallen nor Netonnet is currently collecting pre-orders. Instead, it is important for those interested to prick up their ears and zealously keep an eye out for communication about when new parties come in to the retailers.
Ever since the launch, we have worked hard to coordinate pre-orders and actual sales with product availability as far as possible, to ensure that those who succeed in buying a console will receive it within a reasonable time. We have therefore not received pre-orders after the launch, but have posted the consoles on our site when we have received a batch. That is why we do not have a backlog – everyone who has bought has also received delivery, says Kristina Wärmare.
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