‘This is why all Targets should keep it at customer service’: Man walks into Target for new Pokémon Phantasmal Flames. Then he tries to get a pack
If you’re a Pokémon fan, you probably know the struggle of trying to get a new trading card release.
Ever since the pandemic, the market for Pokémon cards has exploded. In the past year alone, the value of certain cards has gone up by as much as 150%—and as The Pokémon Company releases new packs, people are lining up for hours to get them and, potentially, flip them for a profit.
Once a store actually lets customers buy these packs, it can be a chaotic scene. One card-buying experience was recently documented by TikTok user @tcgalertss in a video with over 200,000 views.
What Happened During The Release Of These Pokémon Card Packs?
In the video, the TikToker films himself and other shoppers on a mad dash toward the trading card aisle. Their mission? To pick up as many packs of the Phantasmal Flames Pokémon Card boxes as possible.
The video shows the men trying to grab as many boxes as possible. This occasionally involves shoving other shoppers out of the way or pulling boxes from other buyers’ hands.
“Really, guys?” says the person filming upon seeing the scramble. “Dude, what the…Man, y’all crazy as [expletive].”
By the time the 1-minute video ends, the shelves have been mostly cleared of their stock of the cards.
Why Are These Cards So Popular?
The popularity of the Phantasmal Flames Pokémon Card packs is likely not due to their designs or the power of the cards themselves in-game. Rather, people typically snatch up these boxes in hopes that they can resell individual cards for more than the price they paid for the pack.
For example, the Phantasmal Flames set features a rare Charizard called “Mega Charizard X ex #125.” On PriceCharting.com, highly graded versions of this card are selling for anywhere between $530 and over $2,000. Given that a single pack of Pokémon cards can be purchased for around $7 to $9, this could be seen as a good return on investment.
Not only that, but some resellers will simply not open the packs at all. Depending on the rarity of the potential cards inside, this can result in high sale prices. A single 11-card booster pack for the Pokémon Legendary Collection, for example, typically sells for over $1,000.
Do Stores Do Anything To Stop This?
Many retailers aren’t thrilled about the idea of people climbing over each other to empty their shelves. Consequently, some have instituted policies in order to prevent people from loading up on Pokémon cards.
For example, The Guardian notes that Amazon shoppers in the UK must request to be added to an “opaque raffle” in order to potentially get the chance to buy new card releases.
In the United States, stores like Walmart have implemented 5-pack limits for shoppers. Some Target locations also have limited the number of packs that one can purchase.
This is not only to reduce the amount of scalpers, but to protect employee safety. A shop owner interviewed by The Guardian noted that his employees had received threats over Pokémon card-related disputes.
“It’s become quite unpleasant at times. I’ve heard of other stores where people have been attacked or there have been robberies,” Ben Thyer, owner of BathTCG, told The Guardian.
@tcgalertss HUGE restock at target!! Comment “target” to find these restocks #pokemonrestock #targetfinds #pokemoncards #tcg #phantasmalflames ♬ original sound – Tcg.alert
Commenters Are Annoyed
In the comments section, users expressed their frustration with the practices of the people shown in this video.
“This is why all Targets should keep it at customer service,” wrote a user.
“My target keeps them all behind customer service and limits 2 per person thank god,” added another.
“And it’s all gonna be posted on Facebook marketplace before most of yall leave the parking lot,” stated a third.
“This is why kids are always bummed to go in and never find any Pokemon cards,” declared a further TikToker.
The Mary Sue reached out to @tcgalertss via TikTok DM and comment, and Target via email.
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