Nvidia's Strategy to Counteract RTX 5090 Resellers Mirrors That of Others in the Industry
Nvidia's latest GPUs, the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, have sparked a frenzy. These high-demand cards sell out within minutes online and end up on reselling platforms with hefty price tags. To combat this issue, Nvidia has announced a new plan: a raffle system.
Starting from their official forums on January 30, users with a Nvidia account can now access a form to enroll for a chance to purchase the RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 at the base price. However, Nvidia hasn't disclosed the exact number of Founders Edition GPUs they'll have in stock. Lucky winners will receive an email if their names are drawn. Despite this, you'll still need to pay the hefty price of $1,000 or $2,000 for these high-end GPUs.
This strategy is reminiscent of what other OEMs, like Zotac, have implemented with their Discord-based raffles. Prices for competing AIM cards by Asus and MSI have soared, with the RTX 5090 selling for $300 to $400 more than its MSRP on the r/nvidia subreddit. The RTX 5080 16G Ventus 3X even increased by $139. Meanwhile, resellers on eBay sell these GPUs for beyond $4,000, with some OC models costing over $6,000.
While a direct-to-consumer model might not be the first solution to combat scalpers, manufacturers have the power to avoid price gouging by maintaining sufficient stock. Before launch, Nvidia warned about low stock values, and physical retailers had little to sell. In fact, Nvidia's RTX 5090 sold out in under 30 minutes online when it launched on January 30.
As of February 20, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti will be released. Initially, we thought this card was a solid buy for its $750 MSRP. However, with MSRPs rising and limited stock, the 5070 Ti may not be much more affordable than its more powerful siblings. Plus, recent signs indicate that non-OC cards will sell for over $900, and some OC variants over $1,000. At these prices, it's simply not worth it.
Unfortunately, checking the links provided by Nvidia for MSRP 5070 Ti cards has proven futile, as all are currently out of stock. It's a concerning situation, and while Nvidia might launch another priority access scheme for the 5070 family, it may not be enough to meet demand.
Remember, buying GPUs for hundreds to thousands of dollars above MSRP is not advisable—even for the hope of better performance in Cyberpunk 2077. Instead, wait it out and eventually secure a GPU at a fair price.
As for the effectiveness of these direct-to-consumer raffle systems in preventing excessive price markups and scalping, there are several factors to consider:
- Transparency and Fairness
- Anti-Reselling Measures
- Community Involvement
- Scalper Adaptability
- Limited Availability
By implementing these strategies, manufacturers can create a more fair system that prevents scalping to a certain extent. However, it's crucial to maintain transparency, anti-reselling measures, and community engagement while continuously adapting to scalpers' attempts to circumvent the system.
- Users are hoping that the raffle system implemented by Nvidia for the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 will ensure they can purchase these tech products at the base price.
- The tech industry is witnessing a trend where high-demand products like Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 sell out almost instantly online, leading to reselling platforms with inflated prices.
- In an effort to combat this issue, Nvidia plans to roll out a raffle system on their official forums, allowing users with a Nvidia account to enroll for a chance to purchase the GPUs at the original price.
- Despite implementing a raffle system, the future cost of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 remains high, with a price tag of $1,000 or $2,000, respectively.
