Someone’s out here doing the “gods’ work,” and now others are jumping in. Taking on Switch 2 scalpers might feel hopeless, but it’s better than nothing

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The pre-selling phase for Switch 2 started approximately a week ago, yet U.S. pre-orders remain delayed due to recently implemented tariffs. Major retailers such as GameStop, Walmart, and BestBuy have the base model priced at $449 and the Mario Kart World bundle at $499, though these prices may not last long. At least it’s less expensive than what resellers are currently charging. Fortunately, there are individuals like this Reddit user who are making life harder for resellers.

The battle against scalpers begins

Initially, two pre-orders in the UK were snapped up immediately, which isn’t particularly surprising considering the pattern is consistent across most regions. I managed to secure one, though it was through a third-party retailer, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there won’t be any delays or cancellations. In the past, I’ve rarely resorted to buying from scalpers (except for that one time with a LEGO The Lord of the Rings set which was quite old), but if no other alternatives emerge, those with the means and an urgent desire for the console might find themselves tempted to follow this potentially problematic route.

In a post on the Nintendo Switch 2 subreddit, MrJava shared that he reported numerous scalpers, leading eBay to eliminate more than 20 listings for the Switch 2 with exorbitant prices. Although eBay lacks a comprehensive anti-scalping policy, they do prohibit sellers from setting unreasonable prices on essential items, but there’s no rule specifically addressing all forms of scalping – particularly in high-demand electronics. However, it was apparent that those sellers didn’t possess the consoles, and MrJava pointed this out as they likely won’t be obtaining one anytime soon due to their scarcity.

In different regions, eBay’s policy may have some variations, but one crucial rule is that you should not list an item for pre-sale more than approximately 40 days before it can be dispatched. As people are increasingly speaking up against unjust sellers in their countries, MrJava has earned the title of a hero for his actions. The faith in humanity has been reinforced.

To make this work, you just need to know how to report them.

  1. Choose “Listing practices” under the Report category.
  2. For the reason, pick “Inappropriate seller terms.
  3. Under Detailed reason, select “Presale.”
  4. 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 seems like we’re fighting an uphill battle given that these sellers appear to be automated, and once one listing is taken down, another may quickly reappear. Nevertheless, if we collaborate, perhaps we can create some obstacles for them. It might not be straightforward to ban someone on eBay due to its nature as a platform frequented by scalpers, but let’s hope that with our combined efforts, we can indeed bring about some change.

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2025-04-14 20:02