Complaining about scalpers

[Vikabro]

Before I really get to the subject I'll go over additional information. Even though it might not be needed; my autistic brain will not allow me to go on without including these facts. So I'll keep it short.

I probably don't need to say that I've liked Pokemon since I was a kid. I used to collect the cards until I lost interest in high school and sold off my collection. Then about 5 years ago I got back into collecting. I took a break from buying new cards for a little bit. But when I wanted to start back up the binders I had my collection in went missing. There are three possible reasons.

1. They've been packed away and I ended up putting them in a place to which they would be hard to find. Though by now I have already looked in all the places it could have been. So I think if it was this I might have found it by now. It is still possible this might have been the issue.

2. They were stollen. Even though I don't want to assume this to be the case it isn't impossible. We had someone do work in the house and it might be possible one of them took the binders. But there is no proof and I don't want to assume anyone took them.

3. I tossed them away. This one is unlikely, but not impossible to have happened as at the time we had to get the house cleaned up so I might have thrown them away by accident.

I did at least have my spare cards stored away where I was able to easily find them.

Now the complaining: When I wanted to get a new binder I thought about getting ones from the same place I got the ones that went missing. Which was Walmart. They didn't have any.. Nor did they have any cards. Which was surprising. But I wasn't aware at the time that demand seemed to have gone up since the last time I've actually bought cards.

I ended up buying the new binder from Amazon. I got one I liked. I actually wanted one with Bulbasaur and I think I wouldn't have been able to have found one of those without buying it from Amazon.

So, turns out scalpers were buying up all the cards from all the locations. But I'm pretty sure that is old news. But I still am going to complain about it because of that I haven't been able to get many new cards for the new collection. I was at least able to get cards from Disk Replay. But not really the same as actually opening a pack of cards.

Maybe when this whole pandemic winds down I'll be able to get card packs. That would be nice.

That aside I'm doing alright.  

[wellwisher]

That's not necessarily scalpers. Scalpers are buying up the cards and selling them immediately at a mark up. (or sometimes a few weeks later) But they prey on the fact that in a wasteland people will spend more money to get the thing they need/want.
In terms of tcg games cards that are used in tournaments are worth more than cards that are not. People can buy up large collections in hopes of finding a few gems that they can sell for more (or use themselves) than the total cost they spent. And then sell the rest as bulk to cover any missing costs, or for a minor profit.
Walmart, target, and a few other box retail stores, have reduced their tcg sales as there were some fights that broke out over the cards.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1O75e3VoAAYkop?format=jpg&name=large
As for the binders, I just get a 3 ring binder and buy the pages myself. (though I don't play pokemon but magic. If your gambling addiction for opening packs is that bad, just order them through tcg player.  

[Vikabro]

wellwisher

That's not necessarily scalpers. Scalpers are buying up the cards and selling them immediately at a mark up. (or sometimes a few weeks later) But they prey on the fact that in a wasteland people will spend more money to get the thing they need/want.
In terms of tcg games cards that are used in tournaments are worth more than cards that are not. People can buy up large collections in hopes of finding a few gems that they can sell for more (or use themselves) than the total cost they spent. And then sell the rest as bulk to cover any missing costs, or for a minor profit.
Walmart, target, and a few other box retail stores, have reduced their tcg sales as there were some fights that broke out over the cards.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1O75e3VoAAYkop?format=jpg&name=large
As for the binders, I just get a 3 ring binder and buy the pages myself. (though I don't play pokemon but magic. If your gambling addiction for opening packs is that bad, just order them through tcg player.

I guess I used too general a term. But even so with everything happening it is still pretty difficult to find cards.

Thanks for mentioning that site though. I might end up getting something though there. I was hoping to find something on Pokémon Center. There are a few things aren't sold out, but most of it is more geared for those who actually play the game.

Though on the plus side I did actually find something yesterday.  

[wellwisher]

yeah, tcg player is the way to go most of the time. it's stores all over the world competing for sales.
https://www.tcgplayer.com/
useful for getting good deals, obscure cards, cards that are sold out in stores nearby, cheaper booster boxes than brick and mortar stores, card sleeves, card binders, playmants, life/energy/health counters.