Gamers look for fair play

A RACE to land one of Christmas’s hottest gifts, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X new generation console, left a family in the pits after paying for, but not getting, the product.

Gamers are used to endurance tests, but this was a challenge too far for mum Holly Lee, who set out in prime shopping mode when Amazon opened pre- ordering of the flagship in late September.

Her prize swiftly followed with a £ 449 Series X in the bag and Christmas seemingly sorted in the Lee household.

But there was no delivery in early November and a distraught Holly told Crusader: “We kept being promised the parcel would arrive and then we were told it couldn’t be delivered because they were out of stock and my order was cancelled.

“It was a massive letdown. I was waiting for the refund because only then could I go to the back of the queue elsewhere.”

Crusader alerted Amazon, which speeded up the refund and also sent them £ 150 as a goodwill gesture. “We’re all about making our customers happy, and that didn’t happen for a small proportion of orders,” said a spokesman. “We’re reaching out to every customer who made us aware so we can offer them a replacement.

“Anyone who has an issue with any order can contact our customer services team for help.”

Disappointment reigns among avid gamers as severe stock shortages of their object of desire continue. Holly’s pre- dawn plan B, when Argos released some, also failed. They are available for anyone ready to shell out £ 800, the going rate on some sites, suspected to be driven by resellers. It’s a price that gamers claim is not fair play.

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