Pokemon TCG community concerned after Target scalping turns violent

Source: Reddit

 

The Pokemon community is worried that major retailers may stop selling card games after an altercation over scalping turned violent. 

 

Target has been a controversial topic for the past few months for Pokemon players and collectors. The retail chain has a decent card game section near the registers, which became a target for scalpers looking to wipe the shelves of all Pokemon product in hopes of selling it online for more than triple the price. 

 

The Pokemon community often took pictures of completely empty shelves, lamenting about how children weren't able to buy new sets, boxes, or packs due to the scalpers that religiously line up outside the store to buy out the product. Others have taken photos of customers with shopping carts full of Pokemon product. 

 

Scalpers themselves have also shared their own side of the controversy, taking proud photos of their cars completely packed with Pokemon product. Some would even put up listings for the coveted and hyped up boxes and packs before they even left the store. 

 

As the drama continued, Pokemon fans started posting photos of the signs that Target employees have been forced to hang up. Most of the signs said that customers were limited to two items per person. Collectors and TGC players blamed scalpers for creating this frustrating limitation while others argued that Target had no right to stop people from buying product since it's none of their business what's done with it once the customer leaves the store. 

 

Despite the world starting to open back up, the tension within the Pokemon community hasn't eased. YouTubers and influencers have continued to open packs for views, making up outrageous values of the cards they pull, which has continued to make the card market skyrocket. Target even limited the sale of Pokemon and sports cards to only Fridays. 

 

The ongoing tension in the TGC community boiled over at a Target located in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Brookfield police responded to a fight in the parking lot after one man pulled a gun on a group of four men who were attacking him over trading cards. No shots were fired and the four attackers were arrested. 

 

"People looking for sports cards just skyrocketed," a local expert on sports cards said, holding a box worth an inflated $400 due to supply and demand. "There's a big majority of it doing for return on investment. That's the gambling aspect of it. 

 

 

After the violent incident over sports cards in Brookfield, Target stated that they are currently reevaluating their protocols to "ensure safety at our stores." This simple statement has shaken the Pokemon community, who fear that the availability of cards will become even scarcer after the parking lot gun drama. 

 

Some within the competitive Pokemon community even noted that their local Targets and Walmarts have already decided to stop dealing with cards altogether, avoiding the scalping, long lines, and violence altogether. 

 

 

There is currently no official statement from Target or Walmart on the future of trading card games being sold in-store. While many fans are happy to see scalpers and obsessive buyers being "punished," it would make getting your hands on a new set of Pokemon cards even harder. 

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