Target stores around the US are reportedly set to suspend their sales of Pokémon cards due to the behavior of customers seeking out these highly demanded products.
In some stores around the country, shoppers shared images of signs explaining that the product will no longer be sold within the store, citing the reason as “to ensure the safety of our guests and team members.” MLB, NBA, and NFL cards were also included in the listing.
Since the pandemic hit, Pokémon TCG has seen a huge increase in popularity. This added interest has also brought about a shortage of cards, boosting the frequency of scalpers.
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In some cases, stores have imposed restrictions on the number of card packs that individual buyers can purchase. Other examples have seen the product removed from shelves, instead being kept behind a desk or glass cabinet, so buyers are not able to handle the stock themselves.
One motivator for Target to make the decision to suspend their sale of trading cards may have been the recent physical altercation that ended with a weapon drawn in Brookfield, Wisconsin. While this wasn’t a dispute over Pokémon cards, Target has suspended their sales of all trading cards.
Target confirmed that they had chosen to suspend in-store sales of Pokémon, MLB, NFL, and NBA cards starting from May 14, according to a report by Comicbook.com. Those who still want to get their cards from Target can purchase their goods from the Target.com website.
The shortage of cards has not just plagued American buyers. Earlier this week, Creatures, the Japanese producer of Pokémon cards shared that because they coould not meet customer demand, with sales for their latest card sets only available through a lottery system on the Pokémon Center website.
