Xbox Series X restock drops tomorrow and it's scalper proof — don't miss out

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Beat the bots with Box’s ballot system

Xbox Series X restock
(Image credit: Future)

Between the ongoing global chip shortage and immoral scalpers bulk buying consoles to resell, Xbox Series X restocks in the UK have been a disaster since launch. However, one retailer who has been fighting the good fight to make next-gen console restocks as pain-free as possible is Box, and it’s restocking the Xbox Series X tomorrow. 

This isn’t a normal restock, where you log on at a specific time, furiously mash F5 a couple of hundred times, and then come away empty-handed after the website crashes. Box is only selling Xbox Series X consoles through its ballot system which is a much fairer way of distributing its allocation. 

Box will select customers at random from the pool of registered applicants who will be given the chance to purchase the Xbox Series X completely hassle-free. This gives everyone an equal chance of being able to secure a console, and also prevents thousands of customers from flocking to the site all at once. 

The ballots will be drawn tomorrow, and you still have time to register ahead of the restock. If you’re one of the lucky customers selected you’ll be contacted by Box tomorrow and have a limited window in which to complete your transaction before the opportunity is passed down the line.

Obviously, you are not guaranteed the ability to purchase an Xbox Series X by signing up for this ballot, but it’s a much easier way to potentially get hold of a next-gen console than having to spend a whole morning refreshing a retail website. 

This isn’t the first time Box has done this ballot system, and it’s worked extremely well in the past. Currys PC World also ran a similar scheme last month for PS5 restocks in the UK, asking customers to register for what it called the PS5 Priority Pass. Hopefully, we see more retailers doing something similar, especially if these next-gen consoles are going to be in short supply through the rest of the year. 

If you’re unsuccessful in Box’s latest Xbox Series X ballot, fear not. We’re tracking Xbox Series X restocks at every major retailer in our where to buy an Xbox Series X in the UK guide, make sure to bookmark it and we’ll alert you as we get more restock information. 

Rory Mellon
Rory Mellon
Senior Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.