PS5 restock: expert advice on buying the Sony console
There's new PS5 restock information almost every day, though which stores in the US are selling bundles and which are selling the PlayStation 5 console at MSRP varies.
Update: Here’s where and when to buy the next PS5 restock, according to my expert advice that’s helped 400,000 people get the Sony console in the US over the last two years. While it’s no longer impossible to find the PlayStation 5 in stock, even today, December 29, 2022, it can be difficult to buy PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital at MSRP. That’s where I can help with my PS5 restock knowledge.
My PS5 restock Twitter tracker – follow and turn on notifications – will send you PS5 console restock alerts and save you money on future PlayStation discounts. I’ve amassed one million followers by tweeting out my expertise on the subject of PS5 restock news. And below, is a list of stores to check daily, along with the status – whether they’re in stock with the PS5 or not.
Updated PS5 restock store locations
📦 Amazon PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital invites are now open
📦 Amazon PS5 Disc Horizon, PS5 Digital Horizon, PS5 Disc God of War, PS5 Digital God of War bundles often restock quicker
🌟 Walmart PS5 Disc God of War and PS5 Digital God of War require no waiting – in stock today
💿 Sony Direct restock shows that PS5 Disc and PS5 Disc God of War in stock
🛑 GameStop PS5 restock happens in stores randomly these days
🏷️ Best Buy PS5 restock has PS5 Disc, Digital and Disc God of War in stock
🎯 Target PS5 restock is online at a few stores locally each week
🛍️ There’s a PlayStation Plus discount code that will save you money
🙅♂️ PS5 Digital remains difficult to come by; often impossible without a bundle
Ethics disclosure: The Shortcut is supported by you. When you purchase through some of the links, I may earn a small affiliate commission.
Why purchase a PS5 restock bundle
Sony is prioritizing PS5 bundles with its sought-after console for two reasons. First, there was a PS5 price increase almost everywhere except in the US – this is a sly way of making more money without raising the price of the video game system. Second, though our God of War Ragnarok review is mostly positive, it ensures that Sony will sell more copies of the new game. It didn’t make it into our best PS5 games list.
Sure enough, Walmart and Sony have had a Kratos-themed God of War PS5 bundle in stock. This isn’t a special edition console (the box is fancy, though), but is special enough that there were three stores in the US with a PS5 restock.
Don’t worry – I know of more PS5 restocks to come and subscribers will be the first to know.
I’m tracking the PlayStation 5 Disc and PS5 Digital consoles at Sony Direct Walmart, Target, GameStop, Amazon and Best Buy for my Twitter followers and The Shortcut subscribers.
While it’s easier to find the PS5 in stock in a bundle, you’ll always be overpaying. In 2023, I expect that to change dramatically, especially during the PSVR 2 February 22 launch window. Many US retailers were holding PlayStation 5 inventory to tie the consoles to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, but now they’re ready to sell every console that comes into their possession.
How to get my PS5 restock alerts
1️⃣ Follow PS5 restock Twitter tracker Matt Swider on Twitter
🔔 Follow and turn on notifications for immediate alerts
2️⃣ Sign up for The Shortcut newsletter below
✅ Paid subscribers get early PS5 bundle info, prices and inventory numbers
✅ There’s a full guide that took me hours (days, actually) to write
✅ You can always ask me tech questions 1:1
3️⃣ Check PS5 restock stores in the US
Live PS5 restock updates
Thursday, December 29, 2022 update: We’re closing out the year with additional updates on where to find the PS5 in stock in the US. While my expert advice helped more than 400,000 people buy the Sony PlayStation 5 console, Amazon still requires an invite to buy it, and Walmart is only selling certain versions (often bundled). Until the PS5 is on store shelves, I’ll keep this page updated.
Wednesday, December 28: It’s almost the end of 2022 and still some people are having trouble finding a PS5 restock in the US. That’s why I’ll keep this page updated throughout 2023. During the holidays, people knew that it was easier to buy a PlayStation 5, but they didn’t know which stores actually sold PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital at MSRP. It turns out that the answer was most stores at different times.
Friday, November 24: Black Friday deals are coming through, including at least one PS5 restock at Walmart. You can find it in stock with a game right on the main Walmart Black Friday page.
Thursday, November 24: It’s Thanksgiving and the big PS5 restock update proves that the Sony console is easier to buy than last year. There’s currently a restock going on at Walmart – at least if you’re OK with the God of War Ragnarok bundle. If you want to hold out and buy the PS5 at MSRP, wait for my Twitter tracker to send an alert when it’s in stock at $499 for PS5 Disc and $399 for PS5 Digital.
Monday, November 14: The next PS5 restock may be today, given the fact that many retailers, including Walmart, are holding early Black Friday sales. It’s not a promise that the console will show up, but I expect a PlayStation 5 restock this week to attract a lot of attention. It was in stock this past weekend, and suddenly, inventory was cut off. Did PS5 sell out? Or is inventory being saved for Black Friday deals?
Wednesday, November 9: The PS5 restock today happened early, as my news earlier this week showed it was going to happen on November 9. Sure enough, Walmart, GameStop and Sony Direct offered the PS5 with God of War for sale. It’s not a special edition console, but the Kratos-themed box is fancy and you get everything for MSRP. That’s a major win for a lot of people before Black Friday.
Tuesday, November 8: I’m tracking the next PS5 restock, and although it isn’t confirmed officially, I’m hearing that Walmart will have the PS5 Disc and Digital console on November 9. I’ll wait for the official PS5 restock news before saying it’s a sure thing, but you’ll be able to get the new God of War game, and given our recent God of War Ragnarok review, it’s one you’ll want to play.
Monday, November 7: The PS5 restock at Best Buy and Sony Direct sold out, while Walmart is having its Black Friday deals and there will be PS5 consoles that join in later in the week.
Monday, October 31: The PS5 restock at Best Buy will happen today at 12pm ET / 9am PT. But you’ll have to be a Totaltech member to get it. That’s going to turn a lot of people off because we’ll see other stores sell the console for MSRP.
Sunday, October 30: It’s almost November 2022, and my exclusive PS5 restock news sources have told me that their policy is to hold onto PlayStation 5 inventory until their Black Friday sales, which actually begin ahead of the Black Friday Date of November 25. The Cyber Monday date is November 28 this year. Most of the sales begin mid-November this year, as retailers anticipate early shopping from inflation-distressed consumers in 2022.
Thursday, October 27: It’s been a while since there’s big a PS5 restock news update, but the console is now in demand again as we approach Black Friday on November 25, 2022. Demand is mostly for the PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital at MSRP. GameStop has switched up its tactics by quitting nationwide drops on specific dates. PS5 consoles are now arriving at individual stores and being sold right away. Best Buy had a restock on Monday, but it was meant for Totaltech members (not worth it).
Monday, October 10: Sony Direct has had a few PS5 restocks lately, but it’s not in stock at the moment at MSRP. However, GameStop should have the console once again between now and the end of October. I’m also tracking when Best Buy and Walmart will stock the console through my PS5 restock Twitter tracker.
Tuesday, October 4: We’re still waiting on the next GameStop PS5 restock, while Sony Direct has a Call of Duty MW2 bundle. However, that won’t be delivered until the game actually launches in November, so a lot of people have passed it up (and that’s why I don’t issue PS5 restock Twitter updates about this one).
Wednesday, September 28: There’s another GameStop PS5 restock planned for early October, and it’s once again going to become important for me to track the console on Twitter because of Black Friday coming up. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 14: The PS5 Horizon bundle sold out at Walmart, but remains in stock at Sony Direct. There are two problems with this, though. One, many of my PS5 Twitter tracker followers want the Sony PlayStation 5 console on its own, without being force to buy this particular game with a $50 price bump. Second, Sony Direct tends to glitch out or limit who can buy PS5 from its storefront.
Thursday, September 8: PS5 has finally sold out at Walmart – although it has come back in stock less than 24 hours later when I last mentioned this. But, overall, you might not see a big Walmart PS5 restock until October at this point and time.
Tuesday, August 30 at 1pm ET: Same deal for the PS5 restock today as we saw yesterday. The Sony console is in stock at Walmart, while other retail locations in the United States are sold out. You’ll just have to pay $550, but it includes a game.
Monday, August 29 at 9am ET: I woke up today to see that the PS5 restock is still going on at Walmart, and I can safely add the Sony console to my cart. That’s a sign that we’ll continue to see the PS5 in stock and remain that way at more retailers in the US the next time there’s a restock.
Sunday, August 28 at 6am ET: The Walmart PS5 restock remains available to purchase on Sunday, meaning it’s been in stock all weekend except for a few hours when it vanished from Walmart’s inventory system. This is a good sign for Sony.
Friday, August 26 at 4:30pm ET: Sure enough, Walmart sold out of its latest batch of PlayStation 5 consoles. I’ll keep tracking other sources to buy the PS5.
Friday, August 26 at 2am ET: The next has been confirmed for Walmart today, and it looks as if you won’t need the Walmart Plus membership this time.
Thursday, August 25 at 11am ET: Antonline has the PS5 Digital version, but as always, it’s bundled with games and accessories and will sell out quickly.
Tuesday, August 23 at 4:30pm ET: Walmart went live with the PS5 restock behind its Walmart Plus paywall and it lasted longer than normal, but it’s now out of stock.
Tuesday, August 23 at 1:30am ET: Sure enough, Walmart is going to have a PS5 restock later today, specifically at 3pm ET. So far this is only showing for the PlayStation 5 Horizon Forbidden West bundle, but I was also told before that Walmart distrubiton center have inventory of other Sony consoles without the bundle. Whether or not they go live today remains to be seen.
Monday, August 22 at 11pm ET: The Walmart PS5 announcement is about to go live soon. I’ll have more updates since this sounds imminent.
Monday, August 22 at 12pm ET: More consoles are on the way. I’m told that both Walmart and GameStop will have consoles on sale. Walmart will be exclusively online (not in stores) for Walmart+ members, while GameStop stores just received more PS5 Disc and Digital consoles.
Saturday, August 20 at 3pm ET: A few (not all) GameStop store locations I contacted over the phone (on behalf of a loyal Twitter follower and subscriber of The Shortcut who messaged me for 1:1 help) said that their stores have now sold out of the PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital consoles. This is because as of Saturday, GameStop has lifted the requirement to be a PowerUp Pro Rewards member, so PS5 sold out faster.
Prior reporting: Each PS5 restock at GameStop stores begins with a paper sign (as seen in the photo above) that be outside of your local GameStop store location in the US – if they’re participating in this PS5 restock. My original reporting meant going out to my GameStop store in New York City to 100% confirm when PS5 is in stock.
If you’re a subscriber of The Shortcut, you knew that I had an exclusive on the internal GameStop PS5 restock memos (literally in-hand). I detail the bundle prices below.
What’s different about a GameStop PS5 restock
1. Ony for PowerUp members, then for everyone else
Each GameStop PS5 restock seems to happen for PowerUp Pro Rewards members on a Friday, then it’ll be opened up to everyone else the next day – if there’s Sony PlayStation console stock left over. Why? Lately, not all GameStop stores sell out of their PS5 Disc inventory, so there’s a chance you’ll be able to escape the $15/year free for that PowerUp Rewards Pro membership.
2. Latest PS5 restock included fresh games
The latest GameStop PS5 restock was timed perfectly. Madden NFL 23 launched on August 19, and the game was included in the PS5 bundle. No more having to buy GT7 or Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition – games you may have already played – just to buy the PS4 console while waiting to get a PlayStation 5 restock.
GameStop PS5 restock bundle #1
PS5 Disc – $499
PS5 DualSense Controller (Your Color Choice) – $69.99 to $74.99
Madden NFL 23 – $69.99
Total cost: $640 to $645
GameStop PS5 restock bundle #2
PS5 Digital – $399
PS5 DualSense Controller (Your Color Choice) – $69.99 to $74.99
Madden NFL 23 – $69.99
Total cost: $640 to $645
GameStop PS5 restock bundle #3
PS5 Digital with Horizon Forbidden West – $449.99
PS5 DualSense Controller (Purple or Red) – $74.99
$70 PlayStation Store gift card – $70
Total cost: $595
3. Cheaper by $100 than most GameStop PS5 bundles
GameStop always charges full face value for everything included, but sometimes it forces you to buy two games and up to two accessories (usually an extra controller and a PlayStation Plus membership). This time, the GameStop restock has the PS5 Disc bundle for $640 and the PS5 Digital price for $540. That’s a lot more palatable for most gamers still eager to buy the console almost two years later.
4. More PS5 Digital consoles this time
You’ll notice that there are two PS5 Digital console configurations in the GameStop PS5 restock, while there’s only one Madden-fronted PS5 Disc bundle. That’s a switch. GameStop and all US retailer stores have been stingy with PS5 Digital inventory (it’s not their fault, as Sony hasn’t been making PS5 Digital nearly as much as Disc – as we explain in our PS5 Disc vs Digital guide). There’s a better shot at getting Digital during this particular PS5 restock.
Why trust my PS5 restock expertise?
How has my PS5 restock Twitter tracker become so reliable? I’ve taken my 24 years of tech journalism experience (I do more than PS5 restock news, as evidenced by my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review this week) and basically started to ever-so-kindly nag my reliable retail and supply chain sources. Then I tweet what I know and do in-depth guides on The Shortcut.
I’ve now helped 280,000 of my one million Twitter followers get a next-gen gaming console thanks to my tweet alerts and my old-school reporting.
Next PS5 restock time
The next PS5 restock could happen at Walmart today, November 14 at 12pm ET for Walmart Plus members. That’s when early Black Friday deals go live at the retailer, and sometimes a PlayStation 5 restock accompanies each sale. Walmart has had very few nationwide online restocks because it was saving up its PlayStation 5 console inventory for its Black Friday “early access” deals, according to my sources.
Since your local GameStop store is likely out of stock of the PS5 at this time, just wait for my Twitter tracker alert for the next round of PS5 consoles. They’ve been the most consistent store in the US in 2022, often having nationwide PS5 drops once a month.
Be like this person who follows my PS5 restock Twitter tracker:
🛑 GameStop PS5 restock
🔮 Next GameStop PS5 restock: Throughout November on my Twitter
🧠 What to do: Call your local GameStop store location to see if they have any Sony consoles leftover, especially PS5 Disc
🆕 What’s new
The GameStop PS5 restock happened twice in the last month, as stores are now getting the console in smaller batches. The first restock at GameStop happened two weeks ago and we see more stores have it again this past weekend. Xbox will be in stock at some GameStop stores, too, but as our PS5 vs Xbox Series X comparison shows, there’s a gulf between how readily available these two consoles are today (and it’s hurting Sony’s PS5 sales).
⏲️ But what time if it happens online again?
GameStop usually often had online restocks on Tuesdays at 11am EST/8am PST. Last time it was at 11am ET, so it’s important to get that Twitter alert 🚨, especially I can usually send out a PS5 restock Twitter tracker alert 90 minutes before the actual GameStop PS5 restock.
🏆 Why it’s your best shot in 2022
GameStop is your best bet to get a console. Why? It deters resellers by only selling game-and-accessory-included PS5 bundles ($550 for PS5 Digital, $650 for PS5 Disc) and requiring a low barrier to entry; a $15 PowerUp Pro annual membership if you want it on today, August 19.
It’s actually a really good thing. It goes to real gamers who intended to buy games anyway.
GameStop PS5 restock: what to do
While I suggested that it’s best to wait in line one to two hours in advance (and that was a good idea in some parts of the United States), not all GameStop stores sold out of Sony PS5 consoles on days one and two. This is due to the fact that GameStop forces its customers to purchase a bundle, a long-held tradition that has prevented resellers from buying up all of the PlayStation 5 consoles.
Does my GameStop sell PS5?
How will you know if your GameStop store location has a PS5 restock going on? The night before an official GameStop PS5 restock, your local store closes and, if the store is participating in the resupply, the employees will post a paper sign detailing which bundles they’ll have at their store, how many will be in stock (again, it’s an average of eight per store nationwide but can vary), and how much it’ll cost.
Warning: Some stores have been known to force customers to get a one- or two-year warranty. That’s never part of the official restock information I get, and I think some managers like to make their sales quota off the back of PS5 demand (it’s happened to me before, too when the Xbox Series X price was much higher than it is now). A few stores are even trying to force customers to buy their 4KTV inventory laying around, bringing the PS5 restock price to $900.
Will GameStop sell PS5 online?
No, all but one GameStop PS5 restock in 2022 has been exclusive to local stores; it hasn’t been sold online for months. You can get a PowerUp Rewards Pro membership ahead of time online, although stores do allow you to buy it at the store, too.
⛔ Which PS5 stores in the US can’t be trusted?
🐦 Twitter: never buy PS5 from Twitter ‘sellers’. They are ALL scams
🤓 Silicon Nerd: I’ve helped 280,000. Never seen anyone get it here
😒 Shady online storefronts: many went up overnight at launch, especially ones that only accept PayPal, cash or non-traceable forms of payment
🤨 Clones of me: Whether it’s me or a celebrity, beware of impersonators. I’ll never sell you any console.
What to buy with a PS5 restock
Upgrade to the best SSD for PS5 (avoid the new WD Black SN850 SSD)
Pick six PS5 controller colors – now six official colors
Comparison time: PS5 Disc vs Digital – choose wisely
VR pre-orders soon: PSVR 2 – eventually (coming early 2023)
Buy the best PS5 games ranked
PS5 restock store strategy (for each US store)
🏷️ Best Buy PS5 restock
💻 Last PS5 restock: Monday, November 7 for Totaltech members
🧠 What to do next time: Wait for an alert. Be prepared to splash some cash for Totaltech if you’re willing to part with $199/year. Decide that now.
🗺️ The basics
Every Best Buy PS5 restock is a lot like Target – you purchase online and pick up the console at your local store. But in this case, you pick it up about five days later. That’s because the console you are purchasing isn’t sitting in an individual store, but at a regional warehouse. At the time of purchase, it’s then shipped to your local store (hence the five-day delay).
🏷️ Do you need Best Buy Totaltech for PS5?
Of all the retailers’ paywalls, Totaltech is the hardest to swallow. At $199, you get free GeekSquad IT support (though don’t buy into it think this includes fixing hardware parts), extended warranties, and discounts, but there’s no monthly option. My followers have gotten away with canceling their membership (it’s prorated so they pay for the month), but this isn’t something I can say with authority will always work.
Best Buy’s $199 barrier-to-entry has slowed down the bots – sometimes the PS5 console just sits there with no takers for several minutes – but it’s not a guarantee. I bought Totaltech during the last restock and got no console.
⏲️ Timing for Best Buy PS5 restocks
Best Buy has changed their PS5 restock time to be on a schedule: 12pm ET. Before, it was during normal working hours on weekdays, from 9:55am ET to 5:05pm ET (it could come back to that method)). No weekends and no nighttime restocks have happened in 2021 or 2022.
🎯 Target PS5: restock time
🔮 Next PS5 restock: A few stores almost daily but must be bought online
🏬 Last PS5 in-store restock: Doesn’t do in-store purchases for PS5 (for real)
🧠 What to do: If the Target PS5 restock is ever nationwide again, wait for a Twitter alert from me. It’s always mornings, Wednesday through Friday (though we never know which day) between 7am EST and 8am EST
🗺️ The basics:
Target does online orders with same-day in-store pickups (don’t worry, you have a few days to make the pickup if you can’t make it on day one). It feels great to see my followers smiling with their console-in-hand photos almost immediately after ordering the PlayStation 5 in the morning. You can go from wanting a PS5 for over a year to playing Ratchet & Clank in a matter of hours.
With Target, you’re buying online, but competing with your neighbors as you select a local store. Usually, when enough PlayStation 5 consoles trickle into the back rooms of its individual stores, it does a nationwide online restock (please don’t go to Target stores to pester Target employees, as PS5 is only sold online at Target).
⏲️ Target PS5 restock time
It’s always early, between 7am and 8am EST, and that’s even earlier on the West Coast, but at 4am PST, very few of your neighbors are up, so you have a better shot than anyone else in the United States. In 2021, the day of the week has shifted, but it’s always been a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for the past 12 months.
🤫 Secret tip: Pay with PayPal or Apple Pay to bypass the Target servers
Pay with PayPal or Apple Pay at Target. Target’s normal credit card processing fields are what everyone else goes for as it’s right there on that page, but that page is always getting hammered with traffic during a PS5 restock. Being whisked out to PayPal’s stronger servers (an option fewer people try) is the way to go.
🤫 Secret tip 2: don’t buy PS5 Digital (14x less inventory than PS5 Disc)
See our PS5 Disc vs Digital comparison. The biggest mistake people make during a Target PS5 restock is waiting for the PS5 Digital version (which almost always comes second) and letting the PS5 Disc console pass them by. It’s $100 cheaper for PS5 Digital, but inventory just isn’t there at any of the retailers. I’ve checked their inventory (thanks to Target sources) – it’s sometimes 40:1 at Target stores with PS5 Disc more available.
Walmart PS5 restock
🚨 You often need Walmart Plus (paid version, not the free trial)
How?: To buy it next time, scroll down to the “early access” to reveal the “Starts paid membership button.”
The next Walmart PS5 restock is today, August 23 at 3pm ET. The biggest constant is that each Walmart PS5 restock in 2022 has required the paid version of Walmart Plus, which you can get below. That is true of today’s restock as well.
Before it happens again, you should read up on the full Walmart PS5 restock to get step-by-step directions. It’ll help you secure a console
PlayStation 5 restock live stream
I always do a Walmart PS5 restock live stream showing exactly how to buy the PS5 from Walmart. It really helps because you can ask questions in the chat and you’ll see how I check out. Here’s the last previously live video on YouTube for June 2022:
🌟 Walmart PS5 restock: next date and time
🔮 Next PS5 restock: check today, November 14 at 12pm ET and 7pm ET
🧠 What to do: Follow me on Twitter and watch my PS5 restock live stream where I illustrate how to check out from Walmart and get Walmart+
The last few Walmart PS5 restock events required a paid Walmart+ (the free trial wouldn’t work). There are two things people who aren’t The Shortcut subscribers in the know keep asking me: “Do I need Walmart+?” Yes. “Do I need to have the paid version instead of the free trial?” Yes. Access to hard-to-buy items like the PlayStation 5 won’t work on the Walmart+ free trial.
🔢 Steps to buying PS5 at Walmart next time
Get a Walmart+ membership for $12.95/mo or $98 (if you’re going to use it, the annual plan is a better value). Scroll down to reveal the free trial.
Get my help: follow me on Twitter – I’ll count down to the Walmart PS5 restock with siren-filled Twitter alerts and I’ll provide links through these notifications
Don’t go for PS5 Digital if it’s even in stock. Through my links, I helped 14,000 get a console per week in December. Fourteen as many PS5 Discs sell compared to either PS5 Digital or Xbox Series X. Think about that.
Refresh the Walmart PS5 links I provide at 2:58am EST steadily for one minute until you drop into a queue (the page will change with a center-aligned box telling you your time)
At that moment, move on to a different device or browser (so that the cookie files aren’t shared – otherwise Walmart will just reflect your queue spot you just secured in Step 4). You have less of a shot here, so feel free to try PS5 Digital, Xbox Series X or use this as a way to increase your chances for PS5 Disc.
🗺️ The basics
Walmart PS5 restocks are always online, and recently have been locked behind the Walmart+ membership for $12.95/mo to prevent scripted bots from scooping up all of the consoles. It doesn’t completely stop all of the bots, but it certainly helps.
You won’t find PS5 in Walmart stores – except for random stores in Texas where rebel employees don’t seem to follow the rules of headquarters every once in a while.
Why is Walmart a challenge? Popularity. I see more activity on my tweets for Walmart than any other retailer (122,000+ click through the links in one tweet). Also, web traffic for ‘PS5 restock’ spikes when it’s Walmart restocking the console. They tend to announce their PS5 restocks ahead of time, which certainly hypes up their PS5 sale.
⏲️ Timing of restocks
Online-only: It’s usually one of three times: 12pm ET, 3pm ET, or rarely 9pm ET. Today it’s 3pm ET.
Besides Walmart, I have a Sony Direct PS5 queue guide and Target PS5 stock info, but recent changes to Target have made the Sony console harder to come by.
The PS5 restock is caused by the global ship shortage that has yet to be solved. Sony also keeps launching new games, including Gran Turismo 7 and Horizon: Forbidden West in 2022, and new hardware, key among the announcements will be the PSVR 2 pre-order date. In June, Sony relaunched its online service with the top-tier PlayStation Plus Premium plan, so the PlayStation Plus discount code remains a must-have PS5 accessory for new console buyers for even more PS Plus free games.
📦 Amazon PS5 restock via invitation only
🔮 Next PS5 restock: Invitations went out to select customers for October
🧠 What to do: Sign up for Amazon PS5 invite emails
🆕 Amazon switches to an invite system
The last two Amazon PS5 restock events happened the day after Amazon Prime Day deals wrapped up for October, both via invitations sent to customers by email. The number of people mentioning that they got the PlayStation 5 console through Amazon is low, so it seems as if it’s drip-feeding PS5 restock invites rather slowly.
🗺️ Basics for PS5 at Amazon
You’ll need Amazon Prime to buy PlayStation 5, but even with one, Amazon remains the hardest retailer to purchase from. Like Walmart, it’s very popular. Unlike Walmart Plus, tons of people have a Prime membership. Amazon also remains a favorite target of resellers’ bots, even after going behind a paywall.
🤫 Secret tip 1: Click “See all buying options” instead of add-to-cart
Whenever I see PS5 in stock at Amazon (outside of the new invite method), it never has the normal add-to-cart button. The price is displayed in small text alongside the words “See All buying options” or if that’s not there “New & Used”. Click that button and a pop-out menu will show all of the options, which should include the PS5 at MSRP (if not, refresh until it shows up).
🤫 Secret tip 2: Add-to-cart trick (see the pic above)
When it’s in stock, you can skip the add-to-cart button altogether and select the “Add to List” button. A pop-up will ask you if you want to “View List” and selecting that will whisk you to a different page (that’s a good thing). From your wish list page, you can add it to your cart. The theory here is this page isn’t getting hammered with traffic and it’s easier to get it in your cart this way.
Will they ever restock the PS5?
It seems like the PS5 is always out of stock, especially because, with the exception of a nice two-week inventory splash in June, the Sony console stock has been so light in 2022 compared to last year before Black Friday. There’s no sign that this is going to change in the coming weeks. That’s why my PS5 restock Twitter tracker continues to be a vital source of information for people without a PS5 in hand.
The good news is that while PS5 supply has slowed, demand isn’t as high as it was in 2021. It’s down 33.6%, according to my exclusive data tracking via social media engagement of one million followers (December vs the last 28 days).
Why the PS5 shortage in 2022?
While it’s getting easier to successfully find a PS5 restock, it’s still far from perfect. Delays are due to the ongoing global chip shortage affecting all electronics, according to supply chain analysts interviewed by The Shortcut. Lockdowns have affected both chip production and shipping times across the world, though your precious iPhone 14 release date by September 16 seems to be on track (some companies are paying for something called “chip priority” and why we suspect the Xbox Series X price stabilized).
It’s not just woes for Sony. US consumers attempting to purchase a PS5 Disc or PS5 Digital Edition console during a restock often get beaten by scripted bots employed by resellers. This has caused PS5 prices and time to get the console to skyrocket.
I have interviewed resellers who use bots to check out rare items and they are able to purchase the PS5 and Xbox before the add-to-cart button is ever shown to normal consumers. Retailers, which don’t make much money on the PlayStation 5, have very few options; remedies they come up with to fortify their websites are often figured out by resellers’ updates to PS5 bots within a matter of hours.
Updated: December 29, 2022
Hello Matthew, for your paid subscription service would it be possible to maybe let us know like 15 minutes before you text your twitter army? I feel those us of who are supporting you should have a small advantage. Just my two cents.
Got mine today thanks to your early warning! Thanks Matt! Kids will be happy this Christmas!!