Nvidia RTX 5090 eBay Price Soars to $9,000 as Users Revolt With Framed Photo Listings to Trick Bots and Scalpers

The highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs have launched, creating a frenzy in the market. Their high performance and price tag have resulted in immediate sellouts across most retail channels, leaving many potential buyers disappointed.

Consequently, both GPUs, particularly the RTX 5090, are experiencing significant price inflation on secondary marketplaces like eBay. Shortly after release, RTX 5090s were fetching over $6,000, a figure that has since climbed to a shocking $9,000 – a 350% markup from the MSRP of $1,999.

This exorbitant demand stems from the RTX 5090's suitability for both gaming and demanding AI workloads. Startups and businesses involved in AI are eager to acquire these chips for local model processing, as Nvidia's datacenter GPUs are often inaccessible to them. The RTX 5090, despite its inflated price, becomes a viable alternative.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Images

5 ImagesThe gaming community's response to this scarcity and the rampant scalping has been creative. eBay is now flooded with fraudulent listings designed to deceive buyers. These listings offer a photograph of the RTX 5090 instead of the actual product.

One such listing explicitly states: "Bots and scalpers welcome, do not buy if you are a human, you will be getting a framed photo of the 5090, you will not receive the 5090. The photo detentions [sic] is 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.”

Another completed listing, sold for $2,457, clearly indicates: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a similar disclaimer about non-refundable image purchases.

The core problem lies in the limited competition within the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series unlikely to challenge Nvidia's dominance, and Intel trailing behind, Nvidia maintains a strong monopoly. The current shortage and inflated prices paint a bleak outlook for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts.