Amazon to launch waitlist like invite system to buy PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles

The company is launching an invitation-based order option for products in high demand that are scarce to allow legitimate buyers to access the goods.

The invite feature is now available for PS5 within the United States. The invite option will be available to Xbox Series X in the coming days.

The company informed TechCrunch it is planning to utilize the system for additional products in different countries.

"We work hard every day to provide customers with low prices, vast selection, and fast delivery," Llew Mason, Amazon's vice president of consumer engagement, said to TechCrunch. 

He continued, "This includes developing a shopping experience where customers can purchase the items they're interested in without having to worry about bad actors buying and reselling them at a much higher price."

How to request an invitation to this new system?

From the product detail page, customers will be able to request an invitation to buy high-demand items for free. 

The invitation can be sent to any customer with an Amazon account, so you don't need a Prime account to request one.

On Amazon's PS5 page, you'll find a "request invitation" button - you may need to click the "new and used" link to see it alongside the other ordering options.

An image given by Amazon indicates that the products part of the program will come with the words "available by invitation."

The product's page will mention that it's a "high-demand item with limited quantities," and the fact that Amazon "won't be able to grant all requests."

Amazon will verify whether the account requesting an invitation is legitimate by looking at details such as the date the account was created and the purchase history.

If Amazon is convinced that you're an individual and your invite request is accepted, Amazon will send you an email with directions for purchasing the item.

Amazon will issue invitations to purchase a popular product as it gets more inventory. There's a timeframe to finish your purchase before the invitation expires. You'll be able to see a countdown timer on the product page.

Sony uses a similar system for its site.

Sony offers an identical invite system available on the PlayStation Direct site, which provides PlayStation 5 in limited numbers.

Though requesting an invitation will not ensure that you'll be able to purchase a PS5 or Xbox Series X from Amazon. However, it might aid. In addition, it could be a way to avoid having to join the crowd to get one when there's a restock.

There are other methods Amazon can stop scalpers, for instance, by limiting the prices of items that Marketplace vendors sell.

As of the timing of this article, a third-party vendor is selling a PS5 disc version available on Amazon for $999, which is twice the price that the console retails for. Some are selling it for approximately $800.