Nvidia Logs Victory Over Scalpers by Raffling RTX 5090 Graphics Cards to Purchasers
Online resellers have been making a killing with the release of high-demand tech like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs, selling them for up to four times their original price. But one OEM is fighting back, taking a novel approach to combat scalpers. Instead of flooding digital storefronts with more stock, Zotac is selling its cards via a direct-to-consumer raffle on their Discord server.
To enter the raffle, users must join the U.S. Zotac Discord, prove they're human by posting and engaging in community discussions. Zotac then randomly selects winners to buy the GPUs at the manufacturer's suggested price, operating a kind of digital lottery. This method stands in stark contrast to the relentless search for affordable GPUs on eBay.
To be clear, this isn't a free giveaway. Participants still have to purchase the GPUs they win. Rounds take place every few hours, and participants usually have around two hours to enter. Despite its gamified nature, this seems more equitable than the traditional reseller market.
Zotac explains participants must be active in community challenges, discussions, and activities to increase their chances of being picked. They emphasize that spammy, low-effort messages won't help. Only one card is permitted per household, and they track serial numbers to monitor resales and prevent quick flips.
Winning participants won't know the exact cost until Zotac contacts them directly. Zotac has promoted their high-end RTX 5090 cards on their site, though they're currently out of stock. The company, smaller than competitors, typically receives very limited stock for sale.
The current situation is so extreme that some consumers find this raffle system preferable to the regular stock situation. Nvidia had warned buyers there wouldn't be enough GPUs to meet demand, and limited supply and high demand have led to scalpers exploiting the situation. Nvidia has yet to launch the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti, but retailers anticipate they'll face similar stock issues.
Enrichment Data:
Zotac's direct-to-consumer raffle system for the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 series GPUs is a multilayered approach aimed at combating scalping. Here are some essential strategies:
- Community Engagement:
- Discord Server: Zotac uses its official Discord server for the "priority access campaign," requiring users to join the server and participate in community discussions to be eligible.
- Challenges and Activities: Zotac requires users to complete challenges and engage in meaningful activities to increase their raffle chances.
- Random Selection:
- Random Number Generator: Zotac uses a random number generator to select winners from the pool of eligible participants, ensuring fairness and transparency.
- Verification Processes:
- Serial Number Tracking: Each GPU sold via this method has its serial number recorded, helping to track resales and maintain authenticity.
- Account Monitoring: Discord account monitoring and home address verification such as KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures ensure compliance and prevent scalpers.
- Anti-Scalping Measures:
- Zero-Tolerance Policy: Zotac has a zero-tolerance policy for scalpers. Offenders risk permanent bans from future Zotac sales or raffles and public disclosure of information.
- Fair Distribution:
- Limited Inventory: Initially, only a few RTX 5080 models are available, while RTX 5090 units are out of stock. This measure prevents scalpers from stockpiling high numbers of GPUs.
By employing these strategies, Zotac aims to ensure RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs go to genuine gamers rather than resellers, ultimately reducing the impact of scalping in the market.
This innovative approach by Zotac to sell their high-tech GPUs, such as the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, using a direct-to-consumer raffle on their Discord server, showcases their commitment to fight tech manipulation in the future. By engaging users in community discussions and challenges on Discord, they aim to provide fair access to their limited stock, contrasting the chaos in traditional reseller markets.
The future of tech distribution might follow Zotac's footsteps, adopting multi-layered strategies that involve community engagement, random selection, verification processes, and anti-scalping measures, ensuring tech goods end up in the hands of legitimate users instead of scalpers.
