Whenever I see a game or game console that I’m excited for, I purchase it before the launch date, expecting that the item will be in the palm of my hands on time. Even when ordered well in advance, in some cases I’ve had to pay extra to ensure it actually gets delivered as promised. As we know, there aren’t really any guarantees in life; but hey, we don’t care about that—we just want the games we purchased right on time!

The worst experience I’ve ever had was getting my PlayStation 5 console. Yep, the very thing that most people had trouble getting their hands on. I was one of the lucky ones to secure and purchase mine online through Best Buy on the day preorders were announced. I was so happy and things seemed to be locked in place. I even had a day off to prepare for the mail carrier to get to the house.

I constantly refreshed my PC screen to track my package; I noticed that despite the delivery date remaining as scheduled, the mail carrier never showed up. Furious, I called Best Buy and all they could tell me was to contact UPS. After what felt like hours getting through the recorded menus, I reached a live person at UPS. They told me they were short of people and that my package should arrive the next day.

The next day arrived with no package and no word on my PlayStation 5. This pattern went on for days, and each day I called, UPS assured me it would arrive soon.

Ten days passed before I learned my console was stuck in a warehouse in New York—more worker shortages. Twelve days in, while at work, I finally got an email letting me know that it arrived. However, it arrived at someone else’s doorstep instead of mine.

I was so shocked that I left early and rushed home to track it down. Finally I tracked the guy who grabbed the package—turns out it was a neighbor whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. I felt relief, grateful my console wasn’t part of the string of package thefts.

That’s the worst experience I’ve had, but what about you? Share your worst preorder experience in the comments below and join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Facebook and Discord, where we geek out on all things gaming and entertainment.

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