While it’s been easier to find an Xbox restock this week compared to last week, there have been a lot of extra rules. Best Buy and Walmart limited access to the first Xbox restock of the week, making it so you could only buy the console if you paid for either of the subscription programs the companies offer. Later in the week an Xbox restock at GameStop was limited to the All Access program, meaning you have to also pay for a Game Pass Ultimate subscription for two years. It’s been difficult to just buy an Xbox and nothing else this week, which may be a sign of things to come as we enter the holiday season.
Two important retailers we have not seen an Xbox restock from recently are Target and Amazon. These retailers rarely require additional steps to make a purchase, and given how long it’s been since the last restock for each it’s likely we will see something soon.
The only thing that could likely delay restocks this week would be an announcement from any one retailer regarding Black Friday. As more and more retailers release Black Friday plans, it’s likely we will see some offer the option to buy a console in-store once the sales have begun.
Want to know how to get a console early? Here’s what we’ve got.
Why are the Xbox Series consoles so tough to find?
Essentially, Microsoft hasn’t been able to get the materials it needs to make enough Xbox consoles to meet demand. As with the Sony PS5 and most PC video cards, there’s a chip shortage right now that is slowing supply. COVID-19 affected production for a lot of chip manufacturers, and industry watchers currently don’t expect the issue to be entirely resolved until the end of the year.
As a result, Microsoft makes as many consoles as it can and distributes them among its retail partners. Each retail partner releases its available consoles in whatever way it deems appropriate. Most of the time, this means announcing ahead of time when you’ll be able to buy the console online and then releasing it for anyone to purchase.
Expect more updates here as restocks happen.
A new era of Xbox is here.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
How can I improve my chances of getting an Xbox Series X?
It can be a little chaotic, constantly refreshing the screen and hoping to see a checkout link. And as many can attest, it’s pretty painful to punch in your payment information only to see that the purchase can’t be completed because all the consoles are already gone. Here are some of our tips:
- Open multiple browsers: Got a laptop? A phone? Maybe a tablet? Use them all to try to make the purchase. Set yourself up ahead of time with multiple browsers open to the retail site of your choice and be ready to buy from all of them.
- Don’t give up: Many of these retailers have started releasing the consoles over the course of 30 minutes, to keep bots from buying them all and reselling them at a price increase. If you see everything is sold out after the first 5 minutes, keep refreshing because your chance probably isn’t gone yet.
- Have an account set-up and signed-in: The time it takes to enter your payment and shipping information can be the difference between getting your console and getting left in the dust. Avoid that delay by setting up an account on the websites you’ll be shopping on.
- Make sure you have a confirmation email: There have been many reports of a purchase getting “stuck” and even though the website said the sale was complete, no confirmation email arrived and then no Xbox arrived. Keep an eye out and make sure you actually have an Xbox Series X headed your way before celebrating.
How to avoid Xbox Series X scams
There are plenty of folks out there eager to take advantage of everyone trying to get an Xbox Series X. Here’s how to avoid the known scams:
- Stay away from Twitter links: If you see something on Twitter about an Xbox Series X restock happening somewhere, your best bet is to go straight to the retailer instead of clicking a link. In many cases, those Twitter links have turned out to be scams.
- Only buy at the retail price: If someone is offering you an Xbox Series X for more or less than $500 or an Xbox Series S for more or less than $300, you should probably stay away. There are many of these sites offering “deals” or “bundles” that are frequently not actually worth it.
The Halo Infinite edition
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Xbox’s original flagship series Halo, this year Microsoft released a special edition of the Series X console inspired by the series’ most recent title, Halo Infinite. The console was a limited edition and sold out quickly after it went on sale on Nov. 25. While all retailers currently list the console as out of stock, there is a possibility that there are still a few of them floating around out there. If you’re truly committed to getting your hands on a Series X (and don’t mind dropping an extra $50), it may be worth poking around for one. Read Jenae Sitzes and Oscar Gonzalez’s write-up on the special edition console here.
More on Xbox Series X
Xbox Series X: Check inventory restock
This is Target’s product page for the Xbox Series X.
If you want to get the latest on the Xbox Series X, there’s probably nowhere better than Microsoft’s own Xbox Series X homepage. Here you’ll find the latest specs, announced game titles, details on the new controller and more.
Best Buy was the last retailer standing back in the preorder days, but now stands ready for your Xbox Series X purchase as inventory allows.
Amazon is selling both the Xbox Series X and the less expensive Series S from this product page.
GameStop has in the past touted a “very limited number of Xbox Series X and S console bundles for purchase” but is currently sold out.
This is where you can purchase the Xbox Series X at Newegg when the retailer has inventory.
To be clear, we highly recommend waiting for inventory to appear at ordinary retailers, so you can buy an Xbox Series X at the regular retail price. But if you’ve decided you simply can’t wait another moment, the average Xbox Series X price on eBay is about $700.
Are you desperate by now? Are you willing to pay a premium of hundreds of dollars over the list price? Listen, we wouldn’t do this and we don’t recommend you do it, either. But if you want to take that path, StockX is a reputable eBay-style site that will let you buy and sell new Xbox and PS5 models — as long as you’re willing to pay upward of $700.
This story is updated frequently with the latest Xbox Series X inventory news.
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