Target is Slicing Open Pokémon Card Boxes Before They’re Sold in a Bid to Deter Scalpers, Fans Say
Target stores are reportedly cutting open the shrink wrap on Pokémon Trading Card Game boxes as an anti-scalping measure, according to customer reports. The practice has been observed both in physical stores and on orders received through Target’s online platform. While Target has not officially confirmed the tactic, customers and collectors believe it is specifically designed to discourage scalpers who purchase cards in bulk for resale at markups.
Opening card boxes eliminates their appeal to scalpers, since sealed products command significantly higher resale prices than opened ones due to the inability to verify tampering. For collectors interested in the actual cards rather than sealed inventory, the removal of packaging has no impact on their value or utility.
The scalping problem in Pokémon TCG has become increasingly prevalent, with resellers purchasing large quantities of product releases specifically for profit-driven resale. This creates supply shortages for regular consumers and collectors. Target’s reported strategy targets the economics that make scalping profitable by deliberately reducing resale value and making bulk purchases less attractive for resellers.
This approach represents a creative retail solution to address secondary market disruption, though the effectiveness and official scope of the practice remain unclear pending confirmation from Target.