Why buy a used video games console from us? Shop with confidence and avoid the scammers!

‘Why buy from you when I can get a used PS4 from Gumtree for £30 less?’

‘I’ve found a preowned Xbox One on eBay cheaper – why should I pay more for yours?’

‘There is a refurbished PS5 for £20 less on Facebook Marketplace! Why do you charge more?’

These are questions we are understandably sometimes asked by prospective customers.

When you are trying to find a used console or preowned video games console like an Xbox One, Playstation 4 or next gen consoles like the Xbox Series X or Playstation 5, priority is often given to price – you want that bang for your buck…you want it cheap! And who can blame you?

But cheap is not always good, and good is not always cheap!  Preowned and preloved electronics such as games consoles are not exactly cheap and it’s very hard to know what you’re getting when transacting with a stranger and having a very brief opportunity (if any) to inspect the goods you are buying.

The internet is awash with stories of people being scammed out of their hard earned money and in times where people are more protective of their money than ever before due to hardships related to the pandemic, it helps to be mindful of the kind of mess you can get into when buying used video games consoles from a stranger on the internet.

Aside from the obvious risk of crime associated with meeting a complete stranger somewhere with hundreds of pounds of cash in your back pocket, there are some less known, but bigger risks associated with buying a used console privately.

There are a number of sellers who masquerade as legitimate sellers of new and used gaming consoles but are actually just criminals, engaged in a scam, who have bought followers on social media to falsely give the impression that they are organisations or businesses.  Every day tens of thousands of pounds are lost to these types of scams which generally involve a seller asking for money to be directly transferred into their bank accounts.  A good example of this type of misdeed is here.

One of the most common scams we see is where unsuspecting buyers do not realise they are bidding on a ‘photo’ of a video games console rather than an actual used Playstation or Xbox and you can find an example here.  In this scenario, an unsuspecting buyer may unwittingly part with hundreds of pounds for a used Playstation or a used Xbox only to be horrified when what arrives in the post is an envelope with just a photo of the item they expected to receive.
In some instances, what is sent is an empty box, such as described in this article.
Sadly, after the initial shock, the buyer ends up embroiled in a dispute over the used console hoping to be protected by a money back guarantee, leading to the seller referring to some wording hidden in the listing making clear that the item for sale was a photo of the item or just the empty box and then the buyer is left at the mercy of the marketplace and it’s (often overseas) customer support staff.  This can be extremely distressing for the customer, and often for the innocent child who tends to be the end user and ultimate beneficiary of these goods.

The biggest problem our community faces however, is the sale of consoles that turn out to have latent faults, or that are banned from the Playstation network or Xbox Live such as in this story, or the anecdote of this eBay user.  We have described this issue in more detail when we, ourselves ended up buying a banned Playstation 4 in a previous blog post here.

When you buy privately, the term ‘Caveat Emptor’ applies, which means ‘buyer beware’.  In simple terms, it means that you, as the buyer, assume most if not all of the risk when engaging in these transactions.

So, to return to the original questions – Why pay slightly more and buy from us?

Because we assume the risk, and you don’t have risks – you have rights! We focus on sourcing good quality used items and the only thing you need to focus on as a Console Central customer is enjoying your gaming experience!

Because, unlike when buying privately, our goods come with a satisfaction guarantee and you are covered by both our returns policy and our terms and conditions meaning that if something is not right with your purchase (or if you change your mind), then you are not left out in the cold and that we will do what is necessary to resolve any problem.  Because all of our used Playstation, used Xbox and used Nintendo consoles are meticulously checked, tested and factory reset before being sent to customers and all come with a warranty as standard.  We are also available to provide support and troubleshooting assistance by email, telephone and livechat.

Because we are specialists when it comes to used video games consoles. Because we are an established and respected business that you can trust.  You may pay slightly more, but we believe the benefits and peace of mind are worth the extra few pounds.

The real question is why not buy from us?

You can find by clicking these links, our used and preowned PS4 consoles, our used and preowned PS5 consoles, our used and preowned Xbox One consoles, and our used and preowned xbox series s and xbox series x consoles respectively.