PlayStation 5 compulsory bundles and insurance

AdrianCH

Hi, we all know how hard it is to get one of these and I came close this morning on the Very site but stumbled when trying to add the PS5 Digital to my basket, it wouldn’t let me unless I bought something else, I can’t remember all the options but there was insurance, PS+ membership, £50 voucher and I think an extra controller and something else
Is this right? Should I be forced to buy insurance, vouchers or subscriptions to buy a PS5? Smacks to me of the PPI scandal when we were forced into buying insurance to get loans!
In the confusion of trying to get the best deal I was willing to accept I lost out and the stock had gone, I am really annoyed as this is the closest I’ve got since the launch last November and being forced into a decision I didn’t want to make and in the back of my mind knowing I was being exploited left a real bad taste.
why are ‘legit’ companies like this exploiting the public the same as the scalpers selling them on auction sites for inflated prices

DCFC79

Are you sure there wasnt an option to not select the extras ?

AdrianCH

No definitely had to add at least one extra, tried without and wouldn't go into basket, hence my delay, then had to select a "radio button" to make an extra choice before it would go into basket - first option was insurance which I never get after being burnt with PPI, so then had to check rest of options for best and cheapest fit, then I missed out and stock gone

pennyfrog8

My daughter has saved like crazy for a PS5- it's a really big deal for her- and she entered into the Curry's 'draw' where random people 'win' the chance to buy a PS5. Unbelievably, she was one of the lucky ones. You've no idea how happy she was.
A guy from Currys rang her to sort out her order yesterday- and at the last minute dropped the news on her that she has to also buy the membership and a game as well- adding almost £100 to the cost- money that she simply doesn't have. She pays for her membership via Black Friday sales, so doesn't need it- but was told that she has to buy it. It was a case of 'Buy the entire bundle, or you can't have the console' There was absolutely no option to buy just the console. 
There's nothing at all in any small print about this anywhere. She'd never have entered if she'd known. She tried (for a long time- they make it very hard to find someone to talk to at Currys)- to speak to someone and finally got a very rude woman who basically told her 'Not our problem'. 
I'm disgusted with this- both at whatever stupid set up is forcing those who get a rare chance to buy the PS5 to spend extra they may not be able to get hold of- and with Currys for not making that clear in their entry conditions.
My daughter is heart broken. 
I've offered to lend her the extra but she knows that I can't really afford it easily and doesn't want to do that to me over what is essentially a luxury item- and a '1st world problem' - but if she doesn't, she loses her chance. For her, gaming and saving with the PS5 in sight has been a lifeline during lockdown and for other reasons that are personal for her and I won't say here- so it's far more than 'darn it, can't buy a shiny new toy.'
How common is this forced buying of bundles?

2021BJ

pennyfrog8 said:

My daughter has saved like crazy for a PS5- it's a really big deal for her- and she entered into the Curry's 'draw' where random people 'win' the chance to buy a PS5. Unbelievably, she was one of the lucky ones. You've no idea how happy she was.
A guy from Currys rang her to sort out her order yesterday- and at the last minute dropped the news on her that she has to also buy the membership and a game as well- adding almost £100 to the cost- money that she simply doesn't have. She pays for her membership via Black Friday sales, so doesn't need it- but was told that she has to buy it. It was a case of 'Buy the entire bundle, or you can't have the console' There was absolutely no option to buy just the console. 
There's nothing at all in any small print about this anywhere. She'd never have entered if she'd known. She tried (for a long time- they make it very hard to find someone to talk to at Currys)- to speak to someone and finally got a very rude woman who basically told her 'Not our problem'. 
I'm disgusted with this- both at whatever stupid set up is forcing those who get a rare chance to buy the PS5 to spend extra they may not be able to get hold of- and with Currys for not making that clear in their entry conditions.
My daughter is heart broken. 
I've offered to lend her the extra but she knows that I can't really afford it easily and doesn't want to do that to me over what is essentially a luxury item- and a '1st world problem' - but if she doesn't, she loses her chance. For her, gaming and saving with the PS5 in sight has been a lifeline during lockdown and for other reasons that are personal for her and I won't say here- so it's far more than 'darn it, can't buy a shiny new toy.'
How common is this forced buying of bundles?

I don't know but despite people moaning here, it may not all be about retailers profiteering.  There's a pretty big problem with scalpers right now, as I'm sure you're aware, so insisting that people buy something that is probably going to be useful to a legitimate purchaser but is likely going to be worthless to a scalper (and may kill their profit entirely) doesn't seem like a particularly bad move.

The alternative, perhaps, is for them to do nothing and let potential customers sit around for a few more months until the supply is sufficient to make scalping unprofitable.

mjm3346

They can choose to only sell "bundles"

Mnoee

Anecdotal (and very late to reply!), but I worked in gamestation the Christmas that the wii launched. We only sold bundles. It's my understanding that shops can offer what they like, you have the choice to buy or not.