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Pokemon is the most profitable media franchise in the world, in no small part thanks to the popularity of thePokemon Trading Card Game. It’s the top-selling trading card game in the world by a significant margin, but collectors have noticed a disturbing trend: you may’t find Pokemon cards anywhere.
Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target have empty shelves, or are using baseball cards to fill space usually dedicated to Pokemon packs. Even online retailers have them for double or triple MSRP. The problem isn’t that stores aren’t carrying them: it’s that Pokemon cards are sold out everywhere.
Why Are Pokemon Cards Sold Out?
Pokemon cards are a hot commodity, and it’s not just kids who collect them.Some adults who grew up with Pokemon remain collectors, now with enough disposable income to buy as many packs as they want.
While collectors can buy up a lot of cards, thebig issue affecting inventory right now is scalpersbuying out as much product as they can find in order to flip it for a profit. This happens every once in a while, but buying frenzies are triggered by desirable art treatments and short print runs.
The most recent wave of scalping started inNovember 2024, when Surging Sparks introduced the Tera Crown Pikachu Special Illustration Rare(SIR). That card surged to over $400, sending collectors into a frenzy.
The excitement only grew with the Prismatic Evolutions set, whenthe Umbreon ex Special Illustration Rare (SIR) reminded collectors how desirable the Umbreon VMAX Special Full Art card was, and immediately shot up to over $1000 market price.
Cracking packs in the hope of finding your grail card is exciting, but it’s also risky:You could buy several boxes before you find the card you want, paying more than the asking price for a single collectible. But reselling packs to desperate collectors is significantly safer.
Scalpers know that they aren’t likely to make their money back by opening dozens of packs, butif they can buy all the available packs, they’ll be able to set their own price to resell themto collectors, earning a tidy profit for little risk, but a hefty investment.
to corner the market,scalpers have been taking out loans, skipping work, using bots to bypass online queues, and recruiting their family membersto bypass purchase limits put in place by stores.
How To Find Pokemon Cards
Scalpers tend to hit big-box retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buyfirst, then smaller specialty stores like GameStop. These stores usually have significant stock, and a regular restock schedule, often run by a contractor rather than an employee.
While those stores are often sold out,there are a few ways to get fresh packs or other products, especially if you aren’t picky.
Look For Older Packs
The most desirable sets for scalpers are Surging Sparks, Prismatic Evolutions, and 151, but adjacent sets, like Journey Together, are also targets. Older sets, on the other hand, are less desirable, because they’ve already been on the market for a while.
They might not be new, butearly Scarlet & Violet sets like Temporal Forces are more likely to be on shelvesthan the newer sets, especially at local game stores.
Check Your Local Game Store
A Local Game Store (LGS) usually gets their stock straight from a distributor, and has more freedom to set their own prices and limits.It isn’t uncommon for an LGS to limit purchasesto a few packs per person, set some aside for regular customers, or cut off known scalpers.
Local game stores are also more likely to carry older or specialty stock than big-box retailers. If you’re just looking to buy cards for your children or to scratch the urge to open packs,ask for Sword & Shield or early Scarlet & Violet-era booster packs.
Visit Your Local Pharmacy
Occasionally, stores like CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Safeway stock Pokemon boosters.These stocks are inconsistent, as are the locations: they could be in aisle hangers, at the checkout lane, or behind the customer service desk.
Gas stations and convenience stores like 7-Eleven follow the same pattern, and while scalpers don’t usually bother camping these stores for product, it does tend to fly off the shelves, so grab it if you see it.
Buy Pre-Built
Most of the hype surrounds booster packs, but those aren’t the only Pokemon TCG products on the shelves.Battle Academy, preconstructed decks, andstarter products like My First Battle kitsare frequently overlookedbecause they don’t contain big ticket items like Umbreon ex.
While these products don’t offer the thrill of opening packs,young collectors interested in learning to play the game or older players returning to it will appreciate being able to jump right inwith battle-ready decks and clear instructions.
