I have never pre-ordered anything in my life so don’t have any experience to draw on, but I know there are people on here who have done pre-orders and also people on here who have pre-ordered a PS5 so I would welcome any advice;

The following extract is taken directly from a genuine email from Currys after I paid £5.00 to pre-order the console about a month ago. Is this normal? It seems very wooly to me and leaves me uncomfortable that I might get caught out somehow and left with a bill for £2,000.00

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As per the terms of your reservation, we’re contacting you to let you know it’s 28 days to go before release of the PlayStation 5 and the window to pay your outstanding balance and guarantee your console at launch is now open.

The pre-order window closes Sunday 1st November at 11:59pm BST. After that, we won’t be able to accept further pre-orders.

So, here’s some important information and the next steps you’ll need to take to make sure you get your PlayStation 5.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
PlayStation 5 pre-order pricing

Because demand is so high and to make sure your pre-order is prioritised when orders open online, we’re increasing the upfront cost of the PlayStation 5 by £2000. But don’t worry. This won’t change how much you pay!

We’ve applied the same £2000 increase to your £5 deposit, giving you a unique code to the value of £2005 to use against your PlayStation 5 pre-order only. This is to make sure that you pay the correct RRP for the console.

And just to let you know, for PlayStation 5 priority pre-orders, our usual price promise doesn’t apply.

Your offer code – need to know

Your offer code is unique and needs to be used before 11:59pm BST, Sunday 1st November.

Unique offer codes can only be redeemed once and can’t be used on any product other than a PlayStation 5 pre-order.

Your code can’t be used with any other offer, promotional term or discount code. Please only enter your unique offer code when you are ready to check out to avoid code redemption issues.

Please be aware only pre-orders placed with a valid unique offer code will be fulfilled. All other orders will be cancelled.

Where a product is returned, only the price paid after discount is eligible for a refund. Discount offer codes can’t be exchanged for credit or redeemed again.

Code expiry: Sunday 1st November, at 11:59pm BST.

NEXT STEPS
1 – Visit the product page below (you can’t pre-order on the Currys App): URL Witheld incase it contains my unique code

2 – Add your PlayStation 5 to your basket and continue
3. Select payment type
4. Enter your delivery information
5. Enter your billing details
6. Select ‘Redeem an offer code’ and enter your unique PlayStation 5 pre-order code (Remember, only redeem your code when you are ready to pay)
7. Finalise your order

Edited after someone else posted the link to the actual process but how on earth have Curry’s managed to make that look so much like a phishing email (assuming it is genuine).

Also slightly surprised at how much info they seem to be asking for. You’d have thought they’d have collected that with the deposit.

Maybe the system added an extra 0 by mistake?

Have you checked the email address it was sent from to ensure it reads the same as previously?

I don’t think its normal, but nothing to worry about

Currys

You’re not going to pay more than RRP but they’re using it as an odd way to limit pre-orders.

Sounds dodgy, what was the sender email and what URLs did it link to? (Don’t click them)

Edit: oh looking at the link above it seems legit. Weird though, I guess their order system prioritises based on order value?

Info on their website: https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/playstation-5-sony-1714-commercial.html

Sounds to me like your £5 pre-order has bought you a voucher worth £2005 which you can then use on 1st November to purchase a PS5, which will presumably be priced at £2449 or £2359 to deter scalpers. Won’t cost you any more, just a very odd way of doing it.

EDIT – I wonder how they’ll square away the cost of buying stock of PS5s as a retailer vs income received at £2300+ per unit with HMRC…?

No, as you now know it’s genuine. Easiest way to test would have been go to Currys direct from a browser and enter your code. I’m still waiting for mine. 😢

I wonder how they’ll square away the cost of buying stock of PS5s as a retailer vs income received at £2300+ per unit with HMRC…?

They’re not receiving £2.5k though are they. It’s no different to any other discount .

Seems odd but guessing their system cannot fulfil pre-orders as a priority, so by making the cost £2k they are ensuring only pre-orders actually buy one.
Once pre-orders are fulfilled, they will drop the price back down for any remaining stock (if they have any).

It’s legit, there should be a discount code in the email that you apply at checkout that brings it down to £449, followed the link and paid for ours on Friday

It’s genuine..

They’re only giving ONE code to each person who pre orders.
So if you pre-ordered ten PS5, then you buy ONE at RRP, the rest cost you £2k more, EACH…

Thus, you only ever buy ONE… which seems fair I guess.

DrP

hasn’t pre ordered a PS5, BTW!

Thanks chaps. I feel a lot happier now that you are all thinking the same kind of thoughts (good and bad) as I am.

The link was also useful as I had actually gone back to that webpage, but had not scrolled far enough down to see that the email was almost replicated on the website.

Paid for my currys ps5 preorder the day I got the email (Thursday) with no issues, £444 paid which plus the £5 deposit makes the full price of £449.

Be aware there’s a deadline for paying up, if you miss it you’ll lose the preorder.

Thus, you only ever buy ONE… which seems fair I guess.

I hope Argos don’t do something similar, I have two on pre-order (one for me and one as a Christmas present for nieces/nephews) but yeah in general anything that can reduce/stop scalpers is good news.