Earlier this week, Walmart held a PS5 restock that many deemed the worst stock drop ever for the console. You might assume that after a restock plagued by numerous technical issues, the retailer would take some time to fix its internal ordering system before trying again — but instead, it seemingly did the opposite.
Yesterday (Nov. 2), the mega-retailer held its second PS5 restock of the week and this drop was just as disastrous as the first. Thankfully, the persistent screen-flickering issue that caused chaos during the week’s first Walmart drop didn’t return, but just about every other aspect of it went horribly wrong.
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A Reddit thread dedicated to the PS5 restock has amassed more than 115 comments, practically all of them frustrated by the retailer’s inability to hold a drop that runs smoothly. One of the biggest complaints appears to be that many customers got stuck at the CAPTCHA verification stage. It would seem proving to Walmart that you’re a human not a bot is tougher than it looks.
Even some customers who managed to navigate through verification were reportedly greeted with a PS5 listing page that was suffering from multiple technical problems. For some, the add to cart button didn’t load at all. There are also reports of people adding the console to their cart, only to be kicked back to the Walmart homepage and asked to rejoin the virtual waiting room.
Other shoppers reported that the website would frequently crash, forcing them to reload and start the whole process over again. It’s fair to say that this drop almost certainly led to more frustrated customers than new PS5 owners — which is now becoming a recurring issue with PS5 restocks.
It should be noted that selling any product where demand outstrips supply will always lead to a degree of disappointment for those customers who don’t manage to secure an order. However, there really isn’t any excuse for PS5 restocks to be this badly managed at this point. Walmart has been selling the console for more than a year, and the retailer has had time to implement a system that allocates stock with minimal fuss. We're reaching out to Walmart for comment on the issue.
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the demand for the PS5 will die down anytime soon, especially as Black Friday deals approach. Not to mention, the holiday season will surely see the number of people looking to secure a next-console increase even more. If you’re still on the hunt, then make sure to bookmark our PS5 restock hub for the latest restock updates.
- More: Ultimate PS5 restock guide — how to secure a PS5 before Christmas
