The straightforward economics solution to this is to raise the price, so that the people prepared to pay more can get it direct from the seller, without this middleman taking a cut, but people seem generally against that as well. Maybe if the excess was ringfenced as a charitable donation this would work?
Randomisation seems like another possible solution, but people either don't understand or actively mistrust it I think. Seems like that's an area were government regulation would be most useful, if you could have faith that the process was fair it would help to kill the aftermarket.
Does seem a bit sus that the guy making real money from this seems to be selling shovels to the desperate gold miners, rather than digging his own claim. I've often wondered about the economics of real life ticket scalpers outside concerts, since if they have unsold tickets when the show starts, they're worthless. I guess that doesn't quite apply to Playstation 5's.
Randomisation seems like another possible solution, but people either don't understand or actively mistrust it I think. Seems like that's an area were government regulation would be most useful, if you could have faith that the process was fair it would help to kill the aftermarket.
Does seem a bit sus that the guy making real money from this seems to be selling shovels to the desperate gold miners, rather than digging his own claim. I've often wondered about the economics of real life ticket scalpers outside concerts, since if they have unsold tickets when the show starts, they're worthless. I guess that doesn't quite apply to Playstation 5's.