Disappointed buyers fail to snag Covid testing kits despite long wait

More than 12,000 people were left disappointed after they failed to purchase Covid-19 antigen test kits from local retailer Pricerite. 

Pricerite sold a package of 20 boxes of Savewo Covid-19 antigen test kit at HK$360 – or HK$18 per box. It started accepting online registrations on its website Monday noon. 

A queue of over 20,000 people amassed in just 10 minutes after the website started accepting registrations. Customers were greeted with a notice displaying the number of people currently in the queue, and the estimated waiting time.

However, hundreds of dissatisfied customers said the website’s estimations were inaccurate. 

“It’s already been two hours, now the website is telling me to wait for two more!” one disappointed customer wrote on Pricerite’s Facebook page. 

A number of people were not able to submit the registration form. “I’ve waited two hours and filled in the form, but the system doesn’t let me submit it,” said another netizen. 

Successful registrants will receive a text message as soon as March 1 notifying them how to pick up and pay for the products.

At 3.30 pm, the Savewo test kits at Pricerite sold out. There were still over 12,000 people in the queue, only that they would be disappointed.