Pokemon and Krispy Kreme have launched a limited collaboration featuring themed donuts, and scalpers have already moved in. Listings for both full boxes and empty packaging have appeared on eBay at prices far above retail, turning a simple food promotion into another example of resale culture reaching everyday items.
The crossover includes six new donuts. Five are designed after most of the fan favorites and most popular Pokemon: Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Jigglypuff. The sixth is shaped and decorated like a Poke Ball. Customers can buy them individually or as part of a dozen that fills the remaining spots with Krispy Kreme’s classic original glazed donuts. A full dozen comes in a special Pokemon-branded box.
That packaging has already become a target. One seller listed an empty Pokemon Krispy Kreme box for $65 after eating the contents. Another went further, offering a complete dozen still inside the box for $300, plus an additional $281 in shipping costs. The total comes close to $600. The listing promises next-day delivery and claims the donuts will ship in an airtight container.
The idea of mailing perishable donuts at that markup has drawn predictable skepticism. Even with careful packing, the chances of the product arriving in good condition after a trip through the postal system are low. Fresh donuts are meant to be eaten the same day or shortly after purchase, not treated like collectible merchandise that can sit in a warehouse or travel across the country.
At the time of the listings, no one appeared to have completed a purchase at those prices. That may be because the product is not scarce in the same way limited trading cards or exclusive figures are. Krispy Kreme can bake more donuts if a location sells out. The collaboration is also available for pre-order directly through the official Krispy Kreme website, which reduces the urgency that usually fuels scalping.
Still, the fact that sellers are attempting to flip both the donuts and the empty boxes shows how far the resale mindset has spread. Pokemon’s popularity makes almost any officially licensed item a potential target, even when the item is food with a short shelf life. Similar patterns have appeared with other brand collaborations that combine a major franchise with everyday consumer products.
The Pokemon Company and Krispy Kreme have not issued public statements about the resale listings. For most fans the practical advice is straightforward: buy the donuts from official Krispy Kreme locations or the company website if you want them. Paying several hundred dollars for a dozen that will likely arrive damaged or stale makes little sense when the same product is still available at normal prices through proper channels.
Scalping has become a persistent problem across Pokemon’s trading card scene and many other collectible markets. Seeing it reach a donut promotion underlines how automatic the behavior has become for some sellers. Any item with a recognizable Pokemon design and a limited promotional window now risks being bought in bulk and relisted at a markup, regardless of whether the product can realistically survive the resale process.
The collaboration itself is a light, seasonal crossover of the kind both companies have done before. The donuts are meant to be a fun, short-term treat for fans. The appearance of high-priced eBay listings does not change the availability for regular customers, but it does add an unnecessary layer of absurdity to what should have been a simple promotional drop.
Fans who want the Pokemon Krispy Kreme donuts are better off going straight to the source. The official pre-order page and local stores remain the reliable options. Empty boxes and overpriced mailed dozens are solutions to a problem that does not need to exist. As long as the donuts can still be ordered normally, the scalped versions serve mainly as a reminder of how quickly resale culture attaches itself to anything carrying the Pokemon name.
What are your thoughts on the article? Do you think scalping is getting out of hand? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.