A video circulating online shows a Target employee cutting the seals on Pokemon Trading Card Game booster boxes before sale, a tactic intended to reduce scalping by making sealed products less valuable for resale. The employee is seen arguing with customers over the measure, which has sparked debate among collectors. Scalpers have long bought up high-demand Pokemon sets to flip for profit, and retailers have struggled to find effective countermeasures.
a target worker is slicing open pokemon booster box seals in-store to stop scalpers from flipping them sealed. video shows him arguing with customers about it. collectors are split — some say it kills the value for everyone, others say good riddance to scalpers.
The story fills a coverage gap in the 'creator' category (currently 3% of recent coverage) and presents a specific, checkable claim with a traceable source, despite being based on a single report.
This anti-scalping tactic reflects the escalating battle between retailers and resellers in the Pokemon TCG market, where demand for certain sets far exceeds supply. By cutting seals, Target effectively destroys the 'sealed product' premium that scalpers rely on, but it also frustrates collectors who want unopened boxes. The move signals that retailers are willing to take drastic measures to ensure products reach genuine fans, even at the cost of alienating some customers.
target is so fed up with pokemon scalpers they're literally cutting boxes open. it's a desperate move that shows how broken the tcg market is right now. collectors who want sealed product are mad, but the alternative is letting bots and resellers clean out every shelf. this is the new normal.
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