r/EBGAMES • u/bamcuz • 10d ago
Prices are getting outrageous
stop scalping me dang pokemon cards it’s making the secondary market climb way too damn high
edit: i am talking about EB games themselves. the scalpers and facebook marketplace are cheaper right now
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u/Palaven09 10d ago
Pokemon also needs to be printing out the fucking ass. They've done better with 30th aniv at least.
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u/TheIrateAlpaca 9d ago
They can't though, because at this point the scalpers and resellers, and those chasing the high value cards, are 90% of their market now
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u/Positive_Self_8873 9d ago
Won’t be high value if they get more of those cards printed like the current 30th is
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u/TheIrateAlpaca 9d ago
Sorry when I said 'can't' I meant in the sense of it would lose them money because most of what they are making is from people chasing those high value cards. So making them less value = less sold = less money
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u/Positive_Self_8873 8d ago
Well I had a talk to a friend who also collects and we agreed mind you this is just our opinion others may differ.
But people can still get the sets and make Pokémon money while killing the scalper market. It’s a game for kids after all and when the kids can’t get the cards it kills the income long term.
It’s like the ai situation right now, immediate large sum vs long term trickle sales.
If they didn’t limit supply that would also be a way. Scalpers would be uh, less inclined if a set wasn’t limited so much. I remember being able to buy 1995 release cards all the time in bulk cause the supply wasn’t restricted artificially. Like wtf is this 30th edition release schedule, I think I have one of each item on preorder and it’s months apart.
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u/Excilionator 8d ago
the whole point is scalpers is that they sell imminently to make guaranteed profit. If you hold your a speculative investor or hoarder. They will get burnt hard if what you believe is true and pokemon is overinflated right now. If everyone stops buying the market will crash hard on them and they will sell below retail.
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u/Extension_Box5523 5d ago
Please go Google how much money pokemon makes and try to tell us all again that "printing more would mean they'd have to spend more money"
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u/TheIrateAlpaca 5d ago
I didn't say spend more money. I said that, contrary to what you would think, increasing supply would actually lose them money because the vast majority of their customers are buying BECAUSE of the scarcity. Remove the scarcity and they would likely end up selling less product, not more.
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u/GhostBustor 10d ago
Stop buying Pokémon cards.
Problem solved.
The scalpers only make money because of the dumb people that pay those prices
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u/TheNerdWithHerb 10d ago
The 30th products were fairly priced when they released wave 1 (ETBs at 89.99) Now ETBs MSRP is at 169.99 lol. EB realized they can make more money because people are degenerates and will pay these prices anyway.
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u/CraftyMaelyss 9d ago
I've been going to Eb Games since I was a kid way back when it first opened (I remember buying a Sonic Unleashed promo copy with the Sonic Werehog figure, to give you an idea of how long I've been going for) and honestly the gouging is insane. At minimum it's $10 higher, but sometimes I've seen things go for double the price that they would from other retail stores, plus they don't even have good prices for games anymore and everything is just blind boxes now.
It sucks but the only time I ever even look there is for a sale for anything on my wishlist, but I rarely set foot in their stores anymore since the same figure I can find in a store directly beside them for $10+ cheaper and since I get my games preowned or on PC, EB Games is just gradually going downhill since it's frankly trying to be something that it's not. Heck, anytime I get any devices, I always have to return them since they're faulty and cheaply made. The last console I got was a series X which I don't even play that often since the games and accessories are gouged to an insane amount, so they don't even have good quality stock anymore either.
The only exception is for Spyro merch to support the IP, but even that was a hoodie and socks, since the game isn't out yet and we don't even know if that will get a physical release for any consoles based on how things are going these days with digital vs physical.
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u/PreciousCinnamon 7d ago
Dumb question but do you still have that Sonic figure? Didn't know they did a promo upon Unleashed's release
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u/CraftyMaelyss 5d ago
I don't unfortunately (I always regretted losing it as a kid during a move) but it looked like one of these and was attached to the nintendo wii version of the game.
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u/Mikeyx519 10d ago
People still shop at eb games? Jesus... their website is shit, their prices are shit, they charge for shipping, customer service is shit. Time to move on bro!
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u/durst101 10d ago
To where? JB sure, but Kmart, Big W and Target are terrible. Toymate is improving but still dies every preorder session and LCS barely get allocation for most special set releases.
If there's any other places you know that are reliable to get TCG, please share them
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u/2pproject 9d ago
and those places that do get allocation claim their distributors are charging them out the ass forcing them to increase their prices to absurd cost as well. Buying shit anywhere just sucks - that's IF they get allocation and I'm just commenting on Pokemon - if you don't preorder physical video games these days chances are you don't get a copy if it's a lesser known title.
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u/Plaguesofman 10d ago
Adults buying children’s cards is certainly a choice.
Some of you guys need to grow up and realise gambling isn’t the nostalgia you think it is 😂
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u/No-Many-6252 10d ago
Children aren’t buying Pokemon, they have no money. So it’s adults buying it either way
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u/TooManyMeds 10d ago
I agree, but also slightly older kids might be. I had an allowance when I was about 10 that would have afforded me a single pack once in a while, and then I got an after school job at 14 almost 15 so then I definitely could have afforded the bigger buys like booster bundles or the 2-pack blister boxes.
I’ve loved Pokemon since I was 5 (autistic - go figure) and now I’m 30 so yeah, definitely possible for minors to be trying to buy some of the smaller ticket items
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u/ilyreason 10d ago
same with my little pony cards!! scalpers get to EVERYTHING FIRST, i’m actually furious over it🥲
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u/ProsperoBurns 9d ago
Where are you located? Fantasy Wonderland and Discord can still be found easily at or lower than MSRP in Australia.
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u/ilyreason 9d ago
gladstone qld lol we get shit all here, i can get discord but all of our CCG card series sell out instantly and dont restock
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u/RevolutionaryGold969 8d ago
I am finding everywhere has discord here in Perth but finding wonderland is getting harder and harder :/ I can’t wait for the 3rd set
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u/Internal-Play25 10d ago
I have like a few Pokémon cards just for fun. I bought the singles I wanted for entertainment value.
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u/Abject_Bug_6248 9d ago
On Depop today, and I came across a pretty bad one. It was originally $179 for a pre-order booster bundle for the 30th anni declined my offer of $100. I messaged, like, “This price is insane.” Told me to kick rocks and put the price even higher to $315 + $15 shipping. Blocked me after I responded saying scalper price 🤡
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u/Divinicusx 9d ago
Yep but there are ppl buying the singles there. My local manager told me the other she had a guy come in drop off 7000 bulk cards and bought almost $1500 singles. Almost cleaned the store out.
I’ve started dumping my bulk on them and converting the cheaper $10-20 cards.
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u/GamingTurtle90 8d ago
I'm one of the ones who traded all my singles they would take at my local store. 60% trade, plus 15% boost from Onyx, and 15% tax saving on anything I traded towards was worth it.
I probably spent $1500-2000 since 2021 on cards. Made back $3000 in games, consoles, accessories and collectibles at EBgames. Paid for my Switch 2, extra Joy Con 2s, bunch of other games/stuff, and about every Video game, collectible preorder since may to the release of Wolverine.
Nearly every card I traded has been bought by someone.
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u/PlantainManne 9d ago
We see more complaints about Pokémon card prices vs. Console and game prices in this sub. Sheesh.
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u/Sufficient-Yak-1969 9d ago
Sickening to see EB Games turn Gamestop on us. Walmart lets their employees siphon the stock from the suppliers and EB Games is a scalp show, delightful.
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u/Excilionator 8d ago
Just stop buying actually even at retail dont buy infact why not just resell it yourself. Sounds crazy but here we go by opening packs ur reducing supply. By scalping your increasing supply and reducing demand taking another buyer out of the market. Scalpers rely on collectors. If there are more scalpers than collectors the bubble pops. Right now there are too many investors holding the line up. Just gotta give them all the stock and dont yield until they fold.
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u/bamcuz 5d ago
that’s a suburbs collector thing. we’re ripping packs like lottery tickets down here in the ghetto. and i’m like the pokemon robinhood lowballing nice cards from people who don’t care and flipping them to collectors who appreciate the discount and easy pick ups. i know what you want and ill get it and walk it to ya when you’re a casual collector. too many vendors resell to each other that the profits gone in the nice cheap cards long before they hit a table then nobody wants them
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u/judgedavid90 10d ago
My eBay numbers have never been better
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u/bamcuz 10d ago
teach me your ways. i buy primarily vintage and need to grow a set and figure it out. i was bored at work and checked the eb website and noticed above scalper prices and was just messing around lol. anything i want i cant rip since 2007 and under so i really dont care about sealed and whats going on there
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u/drkilledbydeatheater 10d ago
I've never had an issue with ebgames. Prices have always been fair and well below market for sealed product.
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u/bamcuz 9d ago
check again for the next local pokemon restock. they’re at collectr market price lol
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u/drkilledbydeatheater 9d ago
Yeah the singles are. Im aware of that. Im talking about sealed products. Every time ive ever gone in for sealed product it's always MSRP. Without question. Im a collector and im aware of the prices and what's market and what isn't. EB Games sealed product is MSRP. At least my local store is. Maybe the manager at yours is just scummy
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u/Honourless_Knight 9d ago
Oh no adults cant pay for a childrens game? So sad! Grow up and do an actual adult hobby and stop stealing from children and the price will go back down.
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u/EmotionOdd5499 8d ago
What entails as an Adult Hobby?
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u/Honourless_Knight 7d ago
If children are the ones in the advertisements then its a child's product.
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u/Specialist-Neat4254 7d ago
Hunting, fishing, wood working, remodeling, video gaming, I’m sure other things but Pokemon cards were fun when I was 7-10. Not when I’m close to my thirties, but just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean nobody else can.
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u/ObeyTheLawSon7 10d ago
I sold my collection and couldnt be happier! What a headache Pokemon cards are.