Target is Slicing Open Pokémon Card Boxes Before They’re Sold in a Bid to Deter Scalpers, Fans Say
Target is reportedly cutting or removing the shrink wrap from Pokémon card boxes in some stores and online orders to discourage scalpers from reselling sealed products at a profit. The move matters because unopened packaging is central to resale value, while collectors who intend to open the cards are less affected; however, Target has not publicly confirmed the policy.
Many fans have welcomed the reported approach as a way to improve access to scarce releases, though critics warn it could damage products or increase the value of genuinely sealed boxes. Pokémon cards remain highly sought after, with new releases often selling out despite The Pokémon Company printing 10 billion cards last year, and demand has contributed to purchase restrictions, thefts and occasional violence.
- Target reportedly opens Pokémon card boxes to deter resellers.
- Fans are divided over the anti-scalping tactic.
- High demand continues despite billions of cards printed.
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Pokémon cards are collectible trading cards featuring characters from the Pokémon games and films. New sets can be hard to find, and some buyers resell sought-after cards or unopened boxes for more than they paid.
For collectors, a box’s original shrink wrap can help show it has not been opened and can add to its resale value. People who buy cards to open and play with may be less concerned about the wrapping, while removing it could affect the box or its value.
Target is a large US retailer, and The Pokémon Company makes the cards. Reports say some Target stores and online orders have involved boxes with the wrap removed, but Target has not publicly confirmed a policy; the issue matters amid strong demand and concerns about access, resale and damage to products.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The case for tampering with sealed boxes rests on addressing genuine harms: scalpers exploit artificial scarcity to profit unfairly, pricing legitimate consumers (especially children) out of the market and driving theft and occasional violence. Since collectors who intend to open boxes—the majority of casual consumers—are unharmed by unsealed packaging, and The Pokémon Company continues producing vast quantities, the sealed-box premium exists primarily to enrich resellers rather than reflect consumer preference. Reducing scalping improves market access for those with genuine demand and removes profit incentives that fuel black-market acquisition and disorder.
The case against
The case against opening boxes emphasises that sealed packaging is a legitimate product attribute many collectors genuinely value, not merely a scalper construct; Target is unilaterally destroying merchandise to alter its resale value, violating consumer expectations and property rights. Supply-and-demand problems should be solved through transparent means—higher retail prices, lottery systems, or official resale channels—not covert product modification that damages condition and potential value. Ironically, creating scarcity of genuinely sealed boxes may increase their black-market value whilst disappointing collectors who save for sealed products. Target should address scalping through allocation policy, not by deciding which consumer preferences are legitimate.