Pokemon cards have become increasingly popular over the past year or so, perhaps due simply to the fun inherent in collecting and obtaining rare finds. Or maybe it’s the appeal of uncovering that one diamond that will sell for an insane price, like the rare Ishihara GX Pokemon card that recently auctioned for nearly $250,000.
But it’s not all fun and games with Pokemon trading cards. As with many things, some people go a bit too far and spoil it for everybody, and retail stores are often the ones who have to clean up the mess. When the Pokemon Company partnered with General Mills to include cards in cereal boxes, some people simply began ripping open box after box of cereal to get at the cards, leaving behind ruined product that could no longer be sold. Some stores even resorted to putting electronic locks on the boxes, which are usually reserved for high-ticket items.
Target has recently decided to stop selling trading cards, including MLB, NFL, NBA, and Pokemon, effective May 14. The reason, according to a statement made by Target, is a concern for the safety of the company’s customers and retail staff. The Pokemon and other trading cards can still be purchased online, and it’s unclear at this point if the moratorium on card sales will extend to Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Digimon trading cards as well.
The decision follows in the wake of rumors that Walmart also halted trading card sales earlier this month, after store visitors posted images online of signs on Walmart shelves saying that all trading cards had been removed from the sales floor. It’s not particularly surprising that retailers feel the need to take these protective measures. In early May, a man at a Target store in Wisconsin pulled a gun in the parking lot after four men assaulted him in an attempt to steal some sports trading cards he had just purchased.
The problem doesn’t extend solely to everyday consumers, of course, but is compounded by the persistent actions of scalpers, who can sell even low-value promotional cards for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Target had previously attempted to fight Pokemon card scalpers by limiting the quantity of cards that could be purchased per customer and only restocking shelves on Fridays at 8 a.m.
These measures proved insufficient, however, as customers began to camp outside the stores before they opened. In response, Target gave employees permission to ask that waiting customers leave the premises and to call law enforcement if they didn’t. It seems that Target has now figuratively thrown up its hands and has stopped trying to curtail the tide altogether.
Source: Bleeding Cool, WISN