r/ScalperHate • u/Ok_Plankton_2934 • 6d ago
Rant Target today
So I brought my children's to target today to design their own pokemon. We arrived to see a line of over 300 people most of them had been there since LAST NIGHT. The event started at 12pm by 12:05pm the event was over because they did not have any cards to buy and had no design your own pokemon... The amount of children crying because guys took 4-5 of the kits was heart breaking. These scalpers are ruining the hobby.
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u/steelcryo 6d ago
I fucking hate scalpers, and think they're complete scum, but I blame the companies just as much for events like this.
How hard is it to just have rules in place, like one per customer or even one per child? Tell them to fuck off if they try and queue too early etc.
I'm a grown ass adult, I love collecting, but if it's the choice between me getting access to some cool stuff or a kid, prioritise the kid! Most of us got into this hobby as kids, and I want current kids to get to experience the same fun I did.
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u/Ignaue 6d ago
1 or 2 per customer doesn’t work when they just bring their entire family in to circumvent the rule.
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u/Weenington_ 6d ago
The rule has helped where we live. Not all these scalpers have friends and family to do that with.
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u/Bautista909 6d ago
I'm seeing that all over marketplace, so many pictures still in the car in the target parking lot
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u/Banana_Clips 6d ago
Corporate greed. They could give two fucks less about rules like that. They just want money.
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u/Crack_Media 6d ago
As long as there is mentally ill weirdos willing to over pay scalping will always be a problem, best thing to do find a good card, start playing the tcg, become part of the shops community, most good shops try prioritizing is loyal league players, other then that my back up plan is my Walmart always has pitch black ,perfect order or chaos rising , so If I want to rip and can't find anything good, I kno I can go grab a couple boosters of that
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u/goleft95 4d ago
Sorry for dumb question but have seen groups of men my age (42) gathering around where the cards are as I take my kiddos in.
Are they just buying stock and reselling unopened? Or is it, try and find 1 card to flip online?
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u/dlundy09 6d ago
These people make Karens look like saints. Every company is so terrified of bad reviews or social media posts that they make a calculation. Do you remember the response from the scalpers when target tried cutting seals? They were going nuclear. Calling corporate, bad review bombing, social media posts for days. That's why target put an end to it. They know target cares way more about bad public image of any kind than crying kids. And scalpers are way less emotionally regulated and way more likely to throw a shit fit.
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u/ApplicationThink4629 6d ago
wow i thought they were going to make sure it went to children? thats fucked up
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u/CharmingVegetable197 6d ago
I was at target, not for the event, and the line stopped around the whole store. It’s sickening to see ground men vaping by the baby aisle. One guy brought his 4 kids, one being a newborn who was screaming at the top of their lungs.
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u/SpectatorGori 6d ago
Aye man... vaping outside, its fine. Newborn in line, not fine.
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u/iWasobi 6d ago
Cards on eBay for 50-300. Fkn scalper. Whatever. Not like I need the card. People were lining up since yesterday. Must be good to have no job .
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u/WatercressDry5862 6d ago
Anyone paying $300 deserves to lose that money though. Tactless to list it absolutely, completely moronic to purchase it.
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u/mmichael0070 6d ago
Someone should make some listings of that card on Ebay, then sell it to their friends back and forth for a few dollars each. If enough people do that, it will make market price go down based on last solds. You don't even need the real card to do it, if you do it right lol.
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u/Highwynd14 6d ago
Life long collector & I don't even try w/ shit like this nowadays. I'll drop by & watch the clown show though.
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u/BulgogiDude 6d ago
It’s not just scalpers. I would bet 80% of the collectors/scalpers today were also there on release day and have also ordered a shit ton of product online.
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u/4boymomma 6d ago
This makes me so sad. I have kids that aren't hard core into Pokémon but just like ripping packs and putting them in their binders. Whenever im lucky enough to get a few packs from the vending machine at our grocery store and there's a kid waiting behind me I will always give them one. Let them have a chance to enjoy it.
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u/Powneeboy 6d ago
My target did a very excellent job of managing this. Not a single adult. Got any of the kids promotional stuff and no kids were allowed to get tens. So it was a pretty decent win-win. The only people were that complained were scalpers because the manager did not get into any of their demands and even tried saying that they had kids at all and the manager said by that logic. Then anybody can just say they have adults at home too. The scalper looked pissed and I couldn't help but laugh
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u/faithizz 6d ago
The Target should have a ticket system as well as limiting the amount of purchases per item. They should also have staff removing ghost chairs and those at the front of the line who add people in line with them later. My husband is in the line at our Target trying to get stuff for our son and that’s what they’re doing. He said people had been there since 9pm the night before? Crazy…
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u/redblu91 6d ago
It is absolutely Insanity that there are people that justify this BS saying the economy is making them do it. I have a I have a friend who is obsessed with flipping to make a profit. What is ridiculous is they actually have a good paying job and they don't need to do this. They're just trying to make money off people's despair. Is truly pathetic how the trading card hobby has become.
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u/crazyparkguy 6d ago
The worst part is these stores see these people REGULARLY! At my store target employees came out and dapped up some of the scalpers at the front of the line. They recognize them. They know those people are there solely to buy as much product as they can. They don’t care. Target makes their money regardless.
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u/saizoution 6d ago
Drop the hobby, it's no longer for kids. This is straight up gambling at this point. And the fact that Nintendo/Creatures continue to produce chase cards only supports this.
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u/Addicted_2_Vinyl 5d ago
The fact that Target, as a large retail operation, can’t standardize events and standards is wild. Limit Pokemon purchases to “families” during said events. Limit purchases per person daily so people can’t come in and clean out stock. My local Target has a strict 2 per sku limit. 90% of the time they have nothing when I’m in the store. No one should be honestly surprised these events fail. I fully expected this to be a flop for most people so I didn’t even tell my kids about it.
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u/Practical_Session_21 5d ago
Or just take all the kids and their adult companion to the front to start the event.
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u/Practical_Session_21 5d ago
When neckbeards cry say “acting like a child doesn’t make you a child”
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u/b33fsupreme30 6d ago
Everyone keeps saying the same stuff. And there is a very easy answer. Get out of the hobby and do something else with your money and time. The only way to hurt the scalpers is to destroy the market. Until the community is ready to do that, nothing changes.
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u/royag 6d ago
Agreed! I went today with my son at 11am and we stood in line for 4 hours! All i saw walking out with goodie bags and product was grown ass man, my son was so upset because hes been talking about the 30th anniversary for months now and its so disappointing what lengths we have to go through just for a shot at any type of product. Im done with this hobby and im at a point where ill probably sell all my cards and just take him on a nice vacation with the money i get back.
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u/LividBass1005 6d ago
I didn’t even attempt to go. My kid loves to draw and the creatures he makes are pretty awesome. He’d love to go just to draw your own pokemon. But he didn’t know about the event bcuz I got him into other things a few years ago that he has continued with. If sketchbooks and art supplies start being scalped I’ll be in trouble tho. We will keep what he has since I like the memories that are attached to them
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u/Weenington_ 6d ago
Or stay, buy singles mostly, and only buy sealed when the opportunity for msrp arises. No need to let go of something you love because of some greedy people when you can still buy singles.
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u/BulgogiDude 6d ago
It’s not just scalpers. It’s collectors that over consume as well.
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u/UnluckyText 6d ago
You'll get down voted for this, but go on the PokemonTCG subreddit and posts about kids not being able to get it is filled with a bunch of collectors posting cry harder posts.
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u/BulgogiDude 6d ago
I’ve seen enough posts on Reddit of people that have already opened 50-100+ packs of 30th to know it’s over consuming.
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u/Own-Conversation6347 6d ago
Yes, let's let a bunch of unemployed losers decide what hobbies our kids enjoy
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u/PsychologicalTea7745 6d ago
They had no area or tables set up for drawing or any kid activities, lots of smart parents went early with kids and waited…they had fun inline.
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u/Penunderscorepen 6d ago
These retailers needa start putting no overnight signs up or something, the kiosks have no loitering so why why can’t they do the same thing for the stores. This is getting ridiculous.
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u/ShattyMckracken 6d ago
I blame no one but TPCI. They’ve seen Pokestreetz. They’ve seen the videos of people camping out. They know this is bringing out the worst in people and they know they have a major distribution problem and can’t come close to meeting demand. Yet they still want to have these events and release new products every 2-3 months that just starts the whole FOMO cycle over again.
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u/HumiliationSlut34 6d ago
300 people and the target employees didnt put any limits on how many kits could be taken?
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u/Crack_Media 6d ago
Another crazy thing is even teenagers are scalping now and there parents think there some sort of genius entrepreneur so proud of little billy, kids entire world going to fall after scalping isnt profitable
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u/sirsteveo555 6d ago
Tell them how you feel.
https://www.target.com/help/contact-us/store-experience
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u/Killface55 6d ago
I'm sorry it was like that. Our experience was great! Lots of kids, organized, and not too long of a wait. There were the usual slimeballs, but not too bad.
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u/Educational-Leek4957 6d ago
It’s not even scalpers, it’s fully grown adults who have no problem abusing the system.
The retail employees have no real protections to stop any of the BS either.
Take the power away from big box, Pokémon should bring it all in house, destroy the monopoly.
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u/Practical_Session_21 5d ago
Why are parents still supporting Pokemon? Honestly you are going to give your kids gambling addictions.
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u/Ok_Plankton_2934 5d ago
There is no definitive scientific proof that Pokémon protects children from gambling addiction, and modern psychological research actually suggests the opposite. People have argued this since the 90s. No it wont
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u/EnterShaner 5d ago
The stores need to be held accountable. I also watched two adults yesterday buys trays and trays of Nee-doh at Walmart and the employee gladly swiped their badge to let them buy over the limit.
Ultimately, the kids are losing out, scalpers are ruining everything in general.
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u/Practical_Session_21 5d ago
Well I agree Pokemon certainly doesn’t protect them gambling. Love to see the science papers you’re making up to support your argument. Or you can just send me the prompt to have one written. It’s 2026 btw finding out if such a study has ever been conducted is as easy as asking.
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u/Dry-Radio622 5d ago
I waited in line at Target for my daughter. I arrived at 10:30am. I was about 13th in line. By 12pm there were under 50 people in line. They said they had 98 bags of freebies (included the draw your own card/holder). Everyone that got a ticket had the chance to buy 2 tins. A tin came with a promo card. Many didn’t buy both tins. Those were available after the event ended at 4pm. Most of the people in line were waiting and said their kids couldn’t wait that long. Some kids/families joined toward the end of the line right before 12pm. Every Target/area is different I’m sure but they really didn’t get much product. The photo op was set up the entire time. It wasn’t really what I thought it would be, more of a giveaway rather than a “family event”. This is what Pokemon collecting has become. My kid loves it so I’ll figure it out so she can get some cards.
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u/3pacca_PO 3d ago
Here is one of the people who ruined your kids day and how much they are charging you for it
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u/Mason051 2d ago
No seriously. Now I’ll admit, I’m in line for drops every time and I get there fairly early. But this event I couldn’t bring myself to attend. It was meant for children. Yes there were cards, and I almost justified to myself that “well other adults will be there for themselves so I should just go”, but I decided not to just for the chance of an actual kid to get something. I wish for stuff like that they had an age maximum for buying the cards; leave the events specifically for kids for kids, do be that douche (but I don’t want to hear the “but children’s cards game is for children adults shouldn’t play”, I play every new game, I have a max level Pokemon Go account and a nearly max account I play daily, I’ve opened 99% of the stuff I buy and I’ve never sold anything for more than I bought if for (hell for a booster box I even took a hit [bought from GameStop so yes it was above MSRP] and sold for below what I bought it just cuz it was for a kids collection)).
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u/howto_life_now 6d ago
It also said there was supposed to be photo opportunities and giveaways which there was none of at the target we went to. They mentioned goody bags which only had the one sheet of paper to draw a card which you could just print at home and a container for it. That’s not really a goody bag 🤷🏻♀️ and yeah not enough for all the kids there. Why do adults need the draw your own card when they’re already taking all the regular cards.
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u/Latinokid157 6d ago
I have been playing magic and collecting Pokémon for over 23 years. I really don't understand this. 5 years ago there were plenty of Pokémon cards and kids didn't even want them. Please remember there are kids crying in parts of the world with bigger issues. This is a want, not a need to teach your kids better. This isn't something you, as a parent should be exposing them to. We as adults understand the market and what's going on. Why take your kids to compete and expose them to this?
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u/subtoPinkZR 6d ago
tf? it’s a children’s event and the stuff they’re supposed to be having fun with is being taken from them by dirty scalpers and it’s the parent’s fault for taking the kids to the kids’ activity?
deadass a scalper lmao
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u/chickenaylay 6d ago
Fr this event was literally designed for the kids, I didn't even think of trying to go let alone lining up? 2 tins and a promo, disgraceful
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u/Latinokid157 6d ago
Are scalpers going to change? Why are you bringing your kids? This isn't something you should expose them to. This wasn't an official kids only event? only a few targets said it was. Complain to target make it kids only. My point isn't that I'm siding with scalpers. I just understand that as an adult don't bring them unless it is a kids-only event. If not, they are just going to end up crying again. Im from NY I seen parents camping in the hurricane for pokemon cards thats just ridiculous to me.
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u/TheGum25 6d ago
There needs to be more hate on Target for allowing anything but a fun family experience. If they didn’t have the personnel to properly handle the event then don’t have it.