Target sabotages Pokémon card scalpers by selling open boxes

The Pokémon fandom is experiencing collective shock right now, as reports suggest that Target, one of the biggest trading card game retailers, is going to extreme lengths to discourage resale gouging.

The pandemonium began with a video of an apparent Target manager, who was filmed ripping open brand-new boxes of Pokémon trading cards before they were put on shelves. “I’ll be honest with you,” the man tells some customers who are off-camera. “We have been having an issue with scalpers. This is the right I’ve been given to mitigate that issue,” he continues, before stating that the mandate came from Target corporate. The manager claims that the measure is being enforced on a store-by-store basis.

Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but anecdotal reports seem to corroborate the manager’s claim. Another fan in a different subreddit shared an image on Tuesday of a Pokémon box that was torn open. “Went to Target and got a bundle and they cut the seal at the counter,” Reddit user SomedayGuy117 posted in the Pokémon TCG subreddit. “I don’t care because I was going to rip anyway.”

The initial video has gone viral for a couple of reasons. One reason is the humor in hearing customers argue with the manager, who responds by repeatedly asking them if they want a box or not. “You’re messing with The Pokémon Company’s sales,” one man protests, before purchasing a box anyway.

But the main reason the video is blowing up is that, if true, this would be one of the most extreme measures taken by a major retailer to curb bad behavior surrounding Pokémon cards. Customers, and particularly scalpers, will camp outside of stores overnight in the hopes of scoring new boxes that can be resold at exorbitant prices. Even as stores impose purchasing limits, altercations seem to happen on a nearly daily basis. The demand for products has given rise to a wave of Pokémon-related thefts. In some places, Pokémon cards have become such a hassle that stores have ceased selling them altogether.

Target in particular has been at the center of many of the most public incidents. In 2021, after an incident where a man pulled a gun in a Target parking lot, the chain temporarily suspended collectible sales. Since then, some Target locations have adopted a number of new safety measures, such as holding products behind the Guest Services desk or implementing queue systems.

Though unsealing Pokémon boxes does not appear to be a widespread practice, many Pokémon fans are thrilled at the prospect. “Needed to happen a long time ago,” one Redditor wrote. “Best video of 2026,” another declared.

The news isn’t going over well with everyone. Some fans say that they like purchasing sealed Pokémon products for the sake of collection, not reselling. Others feel that, while the tactic is encouraging, it won’t fix the problem. Scalpers can still resell individual packs at a premium. And ironically, fewer sealed products could increase prices for any remaining pristine boxes. Target stores that do not break seals could become overwhelmed by demand.

“I showed this to my scalpers discord and they nearly lost it,” one Redditor wrote.

Elsewhere, attempts to mitigate Pokémon mania have been ongoing. Some local card shops have already broken seals upon purchase, or have given customers tests to ensure they are true Pokémon fans. In Japan, The Pokémon Company will soon require customers to show ID before buying products. A recent report by a leading Pokémon website claimed that the company will prohibit sales of expensive graded cards during official events, as well.

But for every retailer or shop that imposes limits, there are just as many entities that don’t care if only a few people clean out the shelves — at the end of the day, a sale is a sale.