Pokémon TCG collectors have faced an uphill battle when it comes to scalpers, and the issue has reached a boiling point within the community. Fans have become frustrated over the lack of preventative measures being taken to prevent opportunists from buying out retailer stock.
However, according to Pokebeach, Walmart will reportedly start limiting Pokémon TCG transactions on November 5 after a viral TikTok video showed scalpers clearing out stock at one of their stores. The efforts are being made deliberately to address scalpers, with Walmart making the following statement:
“We are introducing this limit to make sure all fans and collectors have a fair opportunity to enjoy Trading Cards. Our goal is to make popular items available to as many customers as possible and to maintain a safe and positive shopping environment for everyone.”
Walmart is limiting buyers to five “packs and/or boxes of Trading Cards” per in-store purchase, and the policy will apparently apply to online stores as well.
Walmart Limits Pokémon TCG Purchases To 5 Packs Per Customer
The Move Is Intended To Mitigate Scalping Efforts
In an effort to mitigate scalping over the holiday season, Walmart has released a new policy for Pokémon cards, instituting a 5-pack/box limit per visit to the store, both in-person and online. The move comes after a viral video on TikTok last week enraged collectors and shone a light on the widespread issue.
The Pokémon TCG policy goes into effect starting November 5 and was posted on the backend server for employees recently. Players on X are hailing the move as a much-needed, long-coming, and highly necessary policy, with users like sillybaka54 saying, “the light at the end of the tunnel is getting bright.”
Ultimately, it isn’t clear if the purchase limits will actually impact scalping efforts and opportunists trying to make a quick buck selling Pokémon cards, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
Walmart’s Policy Alone Won’t Stop Pokémon TCG Scalpers
If Other Major Retailers Follow Suit, Change Might Be Possible
Ultimately, while Walmart’s new policy is a good sign for collectors ahead of the holiday season, it’s not going to be enough to mitigate scalping across the board. However, if multiple major retailers decide to follow suit and implement a similar policy, that’s another story. It’s possible Walmart’s move could signal a wider effort among retailers to address scalping in a serious way.
Overall, Pokémon TCG collectors deserve fair access to cards, and scalpers have become a major barrier to that fair access. Walmart’s effortst to prevent scalping over the holidays is a great thing for honest collectors, and fans are hopeful it will move the needle on a long-standing problem in the industry.
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