A man had a strange and unusual encounter when trying to buy his kid Pokémon cards.
“Trying to get Pokemon [cards] and [I] gave the kids some cash. They actually said no [more Elite Trainer Boxes for us], because they were holding it for an adult,” @dannyflippingdeals said in a video that’s gotten over 108,000 views since posting. “We’ve only managed to get seven [Elite Trainer Boxes] because they stopped serving our kids and started holding them for the adults as more continued to line up.”
So, what’s the deal? Why are kids no longer getting to buy however many Pokémon card sets they want in-store?
Pokémon cards—popular with all ages
Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) started in 1996 and has since evolved to mass appeal. Over 75 billion Pokémon cards have been produced, with the cards exploding in popularity
In recent years, the cards have boomed, selling out in stores the day they hit the shelves. Certain cards can sell for thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, due to their rarity and prestige. Others sell for $300-$400 but remain prized picks for collectors.
That popularity led to a new type of Pokémon TCG buyer, which fans and online outlets call “scalpers.” Scalpers purchase as many box sets as they can, often hoarding them away from other people to sell online for exponentially higher prices.
Wait, why is @dannyflippingdeals complaining about seven boxes?
Considering the current Pokémon card market, many commenters echoed the fact that seven boxes is a good, if not great, haul. The current Pokémon TCG community is so oversaturated that many people have trouble finding cards, even when they go to their local stores on a daily basis to look for them. Cities across the U.S. have unique groups that will locate cards and share with others within their community as a means of getting to them first before scalpers purchase all of them.
That’s also why many stores limit the number of cards purchasable at any given time. They need to save products for others and ensure that scalpers do not purchase the entire stock before other customers get a chance to get a box.
Many commenters echoed that sentiment, expressing their frustration with @dannyflippingdeals’s complaints. Some pointed out how expensive Elite Trainer Boxes were, saying that getting seven $80-$200+ boxes was suspicious at best.
“[Seven boxes] is kinda wild for [just two] kids… Most [kids] wouldn’t be given that amount of money to spend on pokemon at once or at all. Not many adults are out here buying [seven Elite Trainer Boxes] at a time either.”
Many expressed surprise that they were able to leave with more than one, as retail stores often limit customers to one box per person. “[One] each is [what most stores rule]. Stock is limited [for] adult[s] or kid[s].”
@dannyflippingdeals ? Imagine this… kids lining up for hours just to get their hands on Pokémon cards, but they walk away empty-handed because the store was holding back stock for adults. ? What world are we living in where grown men with PayPal accounts get priority over actual kids the product was designed for? Pokémon used to be about fun, trading, and childhood memories. Now it’s about scalpers, profits, and stores playing favourites. No wonder kids can’t even enjoy the hobby anymore—they’re being priced out and locked out before they even get a chance. #Pokemon #Scalpers #PokemonCommunity #CardCollectors #PokemonCards ♬ original sound – DannyFlippingDeals
Is @dannyflippingdeals a scalper?
While some simply reiterated how frustrating buying Pokémon can be, many theorized that @dannyflippingdeals isn’t actually purchasing all seven elite trainer boxes for his kids. Some Elite Trainer Boxes retail for hundreds of dollars, making them excellent for scalping.
“Reseller upset his kids couldn’t get more Etb’s so he could sell glad they caught on,” said one commenter.
Another added, “I love how the ‘giving the kid some cash’ was the “get me some [Elite Trainer Boxes] because they won’t sell them to me.”
Many expressed active ire with @dannyflippingdeals’s card conundrum. “Because you want more than 7 to sell?” asked one. “Like my partner and I couldn’t even get 1 [Elite Trainer Box]. We’ve only ever managed to get 1 [Elite Trainer Box], which was [a] Black Bolt [box], because everything else sells out so quickly and we both work full time… People can buy 7?”
Regardless, it seems that many genuine collectors and diehard fans can’t access the TCG game, whether they’re adults or kids. In a previous story the Mary Sue covered, one man lambasted a Walmart shopper for buying case after case of the cards.
The Mary Sue has reached out to @dannyflippingdeals for comment.
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