An analysis of the UK £54 million PS5/Xbox and computer hardware Scalping Market
Tags: python, analytics, datascience
Published: 2021-02-25 14:38:59

Source Code for Data Scraping: https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper

Inspired by an article in Video Game Chronicle [article](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/uk-politicians-call-for-action-against-ps5-and-xbox-series-scalpers/) about UK politicians call for action against PS5 and Xbox Series scalpers, I scraped UK eBay data to get an idea of how bad it is across the pond. As I am not a UK resident, if something seems off based on the UK market please let me know and I will correct it.

Summary:
* UK Console scalping market is 18% the size of the US console scalping market
* Consoles have sold £42 million for £10.5 million in profits for scalpers across 52,000 consoles (76/24 PS5/Xbox in Pounds, 54/46 PS5/Xbox in number sold) 
* RTX 30 Series UK scalping market is 20% the size of the US one, while Big Navi's is 15% the size
* 10,625 GPUs have sold for £11.2 million in sales and £2.95 million ins profits for scalpers (95% of sales are RTX 30 series)
* Zen 3's scalping market is only 10% the size of the US market 
* Zen 3 has sold 1107 CPUs for £585,000 in sales and £30,000 in profits for scalpers

Methodology:
As this gets asked a fair amount on how I avoid fake listings:
* This analysis is only for sold listings. 
* I scanned the listings for the words png, "p n g", print, image, charity, picture, mpeg, paper, "Box only", "read description", which are indicators they're fake. 
* Anything below MSRP I tossed out. 
* Anything for a suspicious account, less than 10 feedback I manually checked. 
* I looked at all the lowest 100 or so listings each few days to validate. 
* I've been doing this every few days since December. Did I get every single listing? Surely not, but I'm very confident I got the vast majority.
* For UK rates I readjusted the eBay store fees and removed the taxes for the scalper profit calculations

**PS5**

Nearly 35,000 PS5s were resold on eBay and StockX since the launch, going for more than 50% of their MSRP. Similar to the US market, The PS5 Digital is marked up higher relative to its MSRP than the PS5 disc indicating that people just want the console no matter which version. However while the US markets soared up to 260% MSRP, UK "only" reached 200% MSRP. More recently prices have been dropping in recent weeks, perhaps as the holidays have passed demand is dropping.

![PS5 Median Pricing - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average.png?raw=true)

* [PS5 Median Pricing in Raw Pounds - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)
* [PS5 Daily Median Pricing](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20UK%20Median%20Pricing.png?raw=true)
* [PS5 Daily Median Pricing in Raw Pounds](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)


Console Graph|MSRP|Total Sold|Median Price|Past Week Median Price|Casual Scalper Break Even|Sophisticated Scalper Break Even|Total Sales|Estimated eBay/PayPal Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----
[PS5 Digital](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20Digital%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£360 |6,935|£650 |£580 |£366 |£434 |£4,619,621 |£585,279 |£1,399,110 
[PS5 Disc](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/PS5%20-digital%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£450 |24,251|£750 |£669 |£458 |£539 |£19,382,894 |£2,438,313 |£5,499,321 
Total|N/A|31,186|N/A|N/A|N/A|N/A|£24,002,514 |£3,023,592 |£6,898,431 

StockX 

Console|Total Sold|Average Sales Price|Last Week Average Price|Total Sales Volume|Estimated StockX Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
[PS5 Digital](https://stockx.com/sony-playstation-ps5-digital-edition-console-uk-plug-white)|1,423|$845|$768|$1,202,435|$108,219 |$560,591
[PS5 Disc](https://stockx.com/sony-playstation-ps5-blu-ray-edition-console-uk-plug-white)|1,914|$941|$877|$1,801,074|$162,096|$748,968
Total|3,337|N/A|N/A|$3,003,509|$270,315|$1,309,559

Note: StockX tracks sales in USD and I did not convert the above table to reflect this

**Xbox Series S/X**
The Xbox market again mirrors the US market, from the spike around early December to the Series S increasing in price recently, and of course fewer sales than PS5, around 29,000. The inflated cost never reached the same levels as the PS5, but it's still going for 20-30% over MSRP today. 

![Xbox Median Pricing - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average.png?raw=true)

* [Xbox Median Pricing in Raw Pounds - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)
* [Xbox Daily Median Pricing](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20UK%20Median%20Pricing.png?raw=true)
* [Xbox Daily Median Pricing in Raw Pounds](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)


Console Graph|MSRP|Total Sold|Median Price|Past Week Median Price|Casual Scalper Break Even|Sophisticated Scalper Break Even|Total Sales|Estimated eBay/PayPal Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----
[Xbox Series S](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20Series%20S%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£250 |7,983|£319 |£323 |£254 |£297 |£2,655,530 |£328,685 |£251,264 
[Xbox Series X](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Xbox%20Series%20X%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£450 |19,417|£624 |£579 |£458 |£537 |£12,631,023|£1,549,115 |£1,955,918
Total|N/A|27,400|N/A|N/A|N/A|N/A|£15,286,553 |£1,877,800 |£2,207,182

Console|Total Sold|Average Sales Price|Last Week Average Price|Total Sales Volume|Estimated StockX Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
[Xbox Series S](https://stockx.com/microsoft-xbox-series-s-console-uk-plug-white)|553|$410|$464|$226,730|$20,405|$59780
[Xbox Series X](https://stockx.com/microsoft-xbox-series-x-console-uk-plug-black)|876|$801|$766|$701,676|$63,150|$231,186
Total|1,429|N/A|N/A|$928,406|$83,555|$290,966

Note: StockX tracks sales in USD and I did not convert the above table to reflect this

**RTX 30 Series**
The RTX 30 Series have seen a recent surge in pricing across the board. I suspect this is due to American tariffs, and scalpers adjusting either because they are importing from the US, or just because they can get away with it. The 3080 is going for almost 3x its MSRP with the 3060 and 3070 over 175% MSRP. The 3090 again is the "least" overpriced at 150% MSRP, but had been closer to 120% for a while. I imagine that until American prices go down, UK prices won't either. eBay has seen just under 10,000 GPUs sold since the launches, or 25% the volume of the USA.

![RTX 30 Series Median Pricing - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%2030%20UK%20Series%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average.png?raw=true)

* [RTX 30 Series Median Pricing in Raw Pounds - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%2030%20UK%20Series%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)
* [RTX 30 Series Daily Median Pricing](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%2030%20UK%20Series%20Median%20Pricing.png?raw=true)
* [RTX 30 Series Daily Median Pricing in Raw Pounds](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%2030%20UK%20Series%20Median%20Pricing%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)

GPU Graph|MSRP|Total Sold|Median Price|Past Week Median Price|Casual Scalper Break Even|Sophisticated Scalper Break Even|Total Sales|Estimated eBay/PayPal Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----
[RTX 3060 Ti](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%203060%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£399 |1,658|£604 |£863 |£406 |£469 |£1,101,933 |£133,579 |£288,573 
[RTX 3070](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%203070%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£469 |4,121|£700 |£886 |£477 |£549 |£2,995,859 |£384,079 |£637,821 
[RTX 3080](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%203080%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£649 |2,849|£1,155 |£1,794 |£660 |£760 |£4,038,997 |£459,028 |£1,688,233 
[RTX 3090](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RTX%203090%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£1,399 |1,367|£1,742 |£2,250 |£1,422 |£1,621 |£2,487,569 |£313,896 |£240,735 
Total|N/A|9,995|N/A|N/A|N/A|N/A|£10,624,358 |£1,290,582 |£2,855,362 

**Big Navi/RDNA2**
Big Navi is seeing a similar increase in pricing, but not as extreme as the RTX 30 cards, in the 150-170% MSRP range. These increases were only in the past month, could be due to tariffs or people just getting fed up. But only 630 GPUs have sold since launch on eBay, 20% what were sold in the US, and compared to the RTX 30 series a mere fracion.

![Big Navi Median Pricing - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Big%20Navi%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average.png?raw=true)

* [Big Navi Median Pricing in Raw Pounds - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Big%20Navi%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)
* [Big Navi Daily Median Pricing](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Big%20Navi%20UK%20Median%20Pricing.png?raw=true)
* [Big Navi Daily Median Pricing in Raw Pounds](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Big%20Navi%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)

GPU Graph|MSRP|Total Sold|Median Price|Past Week Median Price|Casual Scalper Break Even|Sophisticated Scalper Break Even|Total Sales|Estimated eBay/PayPal Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----
[RX 6800](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RX%206800%20-XT%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£579 |269|£749 |£925 |£589 |£677 |£207,179 |£26,616 |£21,610 
[RX 6800 XT](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RX%206800%20XT%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£649 |249|£1,025 |£1,099 |£660 |£760 |£260,210 |£33,265 |£61,609 
[RX 6900](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/RX%206900%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£950 |112|£1,288 |£1,439 |£966 |£1,121 |£142,410 |£17,746 |£14,903 
Total|N/A|630|N/A|N/A|N/A|N/A|£609,798 |£77,627 |£98,122 

**Zen 3**

The real takeaway for Zen 3 in the UK is just the scarcity of parts compared to the US. 10% the number of Zen 3 CPUs have sold on eBay. It appears that AMD is just unable to get CPUs over to the UK as it's having trouble enough supplying the US. The recent increase in pricing of the 5950X and 5900X are clear evidence of this, there are few listings and very few sales as some people just give up and buy the CPU despite the price gouging. Curiously overall the 5800X seems to be a small loss for scalpers, clearly many are just trying to cut losses now and sell the stock they have.

![Zen 3 Median Pricing - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Zen%203%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average.png?raw=true)

* [Zen 3 Median Pricing in Raw Pounds - 7 Day Rolling Average](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Zen%203%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%207%20Rolling%20Average%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)
* [Zen 3 Daily Median Pricing](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Zen%203%20UK%20Median%20Pricing.png?raw=true)
* [Zen 3 Daily Median Pricing in Raw Pounds](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/Zen%203%20UK%20Median%20Pricing%20-%20Raw%20Pounds.png?raw=true)

CPU Graph|MSRP|Total Sold|Median Price|Past Week Median Price|Casual Scalper Break Even|Sophisticated Scalper Break Even|Total Sales|Estimated eBay/PayPal Profits|Estimated Scalper Profits
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----
[5600X](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/5600X%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£280 |460|£324 |£315 |£285 |£328 |£154,829 |£18,690 |£4,654 
[5800X](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/5800X%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£420 |246|£439 |£410 |£427 |£488 |£113,051 |£12,325 |-£3,965 
[5900X](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/5900X%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£510 |239|£670 |£782 |£518 |£596 |£164,342 |£20,770 |£19,303 
[5950X](https://github.com/driscoll42/ebayScraper/blob/master/210224-UKImages/5950X%20-image%20-jpeg%20-img%20-picture%20-pic%20-jpg%20UK.png?raw=true)|£750 |162|£920 |£950 |£762 |£871 |£152,496 |£18,574 |£10,802 
Total|N/A|1,107|N/A|N/A|N/A|N/A|£584,717 |£70,359 |£30,794