Pokemon has long battled a frustrating secondhand market, where highly sought-after TCG products are quickly scooped up and resold for well above retail price. But with Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration, some major retailers appear to have taken notice of just how much collectors are willing to pay.
On the eve of Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration's launch, multiple retailers have started listing their inventory, and some of the markups are causing serious sticker shock among fans.
GameStop has drawn criticism for pricing several 30th Celebration products significantly above their suggested retail prices, including an Elite Trainer Box with a $49.99 MSRP listed for upwards of $129.99.
GameStop isn't alone though. Dick's Sporting Goods' opened up its raffle system and prices are two to three times their MSRP.
The Elite Trainer Box is listed for $120, while the Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration Poster Collection is priced at $40, a 166% markup over its $14.99 MSRP. The Tech Sticker Collection is also listed for $40 despite a regular price of $14.99, while the Knock Out Collection is priced at $25, about 150% above its $9.99 MSRP. On top of that, Dick's charges a $9.99 shipping fee on orders under $49.
Unfortunately, Pokemon fans are used to seeing these sort of outrageous prices on secondhand markets from scalpers who scoop up high-demand products at retail and immediately resell them for two to three times the price. Major retailers, however, used to offer collectors a way to avoid those inflated prices and buy products at or near MSRP.
For what it's worth, not every major retailer appears to be taking advantage of the pre-release hype. Best Buy, which isn't accepting online orders, appears to be sticking close to MSRP, while Target has listed the Elite Trainer Box for $69.99. That's still a markup, but a much smaller one that may simply reflect its online pricing.
Walmart will be having a drawing for the big release, and while the prices look high, it's because you're getting multiple of each. The Elite Trainer Box, for example, is listed for $139.94, but you'll get two of them. That's still $70 a box, but it's not quite as bad as GameStop and Dick's. Just be careful when ordering through Walmart because secondhand sellers do also list their inventory on the website at inflated prices.
It's a bit unclear what Amazon will be doing with Pokemon, but I do see a similar invite request system in place for the Elite Trainer Box, which is listed at $83 (normally $89.99).
With so much hype surrounding the Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration launch, it's important not to let FOMO take over. Availability will vary by region and retailer, but multiple reports suggest The Pokemon Company is printing this set heavily.
So even if you miss out during the initial launch, I wouldn't rush to pay inflated secondhand prices just yet. Give inventory some time to settle and remember that this is only the first wave. At least two more waves of 30th Celebration products are still expected to arrive throughout the year.