Playstation 5 Deals

 

Despite launching in September of 2020, I was just now able to get my hands on a PS5. To be fair, I didn't really look much in 2021. However, starting in 2022, my interest piqued because a handful of games are being released that I think will be better on PS5 vs Switch (or aren't available on the Switch). I started casually looking at availability at some stores, and either they were sold out or had them available for an exuberant price ($800+). I wasn't willing to overpay (at least not yet), but it quickly became apparent that I needed to belong to discount clubs to get first dibs on new stock. We are already Amazon Prime members, and Sarah signed me up for Gamestop's discount club for $15 per year. The strategy at this point was to wait for a restock at Amazon or Gamestop, and try to snag one since we have memberships at those stores. Then something interesting happened.

Last week, my friend and work colleague, who I sit literally feet from several days per week, turned to me and asked if I wanted a PS5. I have casually mentioned wanting one since release, so it was completely random that he asked. He told me his friend could get one for me for retail price, so I said sign me up. The entire situation reeked of a scam. I half-way expected to have to pre-pay, just to receive a box of bricks. However, a few days later I received a screenshot of a receipt from the Playstation store. A few days after that, I was driving to Pittsboro, IN to pick up the console. I didn't even pay for it until I was back home. 

Apparently my friend's friend has a side-gig buying and selling difficult to find items. This isn't limited to game consoles. He also sells sneakers and Lego sets, among other things. The whole situation is just fascinating to me. The fact that these things are impossible to find in stores or online, and yet a random side conversation at work produced one in just a few days, is just bizarre. Driving to a friend's house to pick it up instead of a store is equally odd. It is one of the more memorable console purchasing experiences I've had. It probably takes the top spot on the podium, ahead of the second place experience of randomly finding the difficult to locate N64 on a Target shelf in Bloomington, and the third place experience of standing 6 hours in line at Wal-Mart for the Playstation 2, with my mom filling in for me for a couple of hours.