Target is banning the sale of certain brands of trading cards, and will no longer carry them at physical locations. This is apparently due to safety issues, with official banners being posted up in certain locations across the United States, claiming that the decision is to, "ensure the safety of our guests and team members". The new policy hasn't gone into effect just yet, but will be happening at all Target locations tomorrow, May 14th. Customers will still be able to buy the banned brands of cards, which include Pokemon, MLB, NFL, and NBA trading cards online at Target.com. While Target hasn't pointed out what safety issues in specific it has regarding the cards, there have been occasions of crime occurring and fights breaking out at Target stores over them. Just a few days ago, a man was assaulted by a group of other men, with the latter attempting to steal the cards from the individual. At least, until he pulled out a gun and scared the would-be thieves away, all whilst in the parking lot of a Target.

Another major American retail chain, Walmart, is also choosing to prohibit the sale of all trading cards, following these recent events. Some Walmart stores have similarly posted notices in newly cleaned-out sections, explaining that "inappropriate customer behavior " has lead to the decision to no longer sell cards.

Source

 

[scoobydude51]

Thank god I work at a small target. Never had any customer issues so far this year. Interesting how Covid makes anything valuable - like im seeing grown men try to find certain hotwheels to buy, so they can re sell it for $50. Then you have ppl actually camping outside for baseball cards.

They think it’s the apocalypse when Covid started. The fear campaigns by the MSM sadly worked.

 

[_abysswalker_]

Desperate minds call for desperate measures.

 

[TobiasAmaranth]

i care. that's really cool backstory. a real pokemon master, eh?

First ever official one, haha. That's probably enough info to track me down. That was back in an era where MTG winners would get college scholarships. I got a binder, a jacket, and a medal. I think maybe a box of Jungle; wasn't even first ed...

 

[pustal]

WTF, are new Pokemon cards really so valuable that they're worth stealing and starting fist fights over? Back in my day even a foil first edition Charizard was only worth about a hundred bucks, and that was the rarest card.

Well yes and no. Older valuable cards tend to increase value with time like everything else (lol, I have the whole Southern Island set, didn't know it was on the tops, not parting with it though - also for accurate market value of singular cards check Troll and Toad).

As for newer cards I don't think the most valuable are that valuable, I think they have to stop to be sold to raise value to a high level. Or rather some have a relative higher value for the time being as people need them to play competitively.

From an old 90's / early 00's player / collector perspective the game really went downhill since it stopped being produced by Wizards of the Coast and directly by Nintendo. Cards now suffer from a terrible power creep.

Nintendo's approach to sell cards is to, at every generation, power up the cards to the point you have to buy more recent cards to stay competitive. To me at least took all the fun from playing since your decks are constantly getting useless and at the same time newer cards are so insanely strong they also stop being fun to collect. I now only from time to time trade my old repeated cards for other old cards and do McDonald's collections for fun.

So I don't think that is value that make people desperate for cards at this point, but players who want to have a decent deck.

Either way, to Walmart at least, Pokémon cards don't hurt people, the weapons that they sell do though, so is kind of absurd stopping selling cards for "safety" reasons.

 

[slimbizzy]

WTF, are new Pokemon cards really so valuable that they're worth stealing and starting fist fights over? Back in my day even a foil first edition Charizard was only worth about a hundred bucks, and that was the rarest card.

i'd kill a man if they tried to steal my mint condition mega charizard ex

 

[BitMasterPlus]

This is the first I've heard of people fighting over trading cards. I mean, with the looting that BLM and Antifa did the last year, they stole a lot more than cards and killed over it.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

I'm pretty disappointed in anyone who caused this. At least I'm not a little kid anymore, so I don't much care for pokecards anymore. Still, well, I can't help but feel bad for future generations. (Though I bet Yu Gi Oh is happy right now)

 

[Silent_Gunner]

I'm pretty disappointed in anyone who caused this. At least I'm not a little kid anymore, so I don't much care for pokecards anymore. Still, well, I can't help but feel bad for future generations. (Though I bet Yu Gi Oh is happy right now)

Meh, if I'm gonna play a card game these days, it's usually gonna be something like Cards Against Humanity.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

Meh, if I'm gonna play a card game these days, it's usually gonna be something like Cards Against Humanity.

lol. well the problem is you will need a lot of people for that to be fun.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

lol. well the problem is you will need a lot of people for that to be fun.

There's online alternatives...

 

[Jayro]

What a bunch of pussies.

 

[Bladexdsl]

gotta catch em all...oh now you can't their banned!

 

[Bedel]

At first glance, for me it seems it might be because of Covid. Never been in one of those stores vefore but, are people able to just touch the cards or something like that if they ask to?

 

[Just_reii]

You have fans that collect and you have those who just wanna buy it for the value. I feel like people like the Paul's "from YouTube" ruin it for those who actually enjoy collecting these cards.

I haven't collected in ages and still have my original cards in my binder from back when I was kid. But that feeling I use to get when I had a brand new pack of Pokémon cards was pretty Awesome.

These times are filled with people who don't know how to appreciated things for what they are. Perhaps the advance of tech and social media has a lot to do with this.

P.S when I was young (5-6 maybe) I had a holographic Charizard 1st edition. My mom had gone to the salon and she took me with her. There was a kid with his Polemon cards and of course at this time you took them everywhere with you. He had all these coool cards I didn't have. Traded my 1st edition Charizard for like 30 of his cards. I totally regret that now lol but back then I thought I killed that trade lol

 

[AkikoKumagara]

Banning all trading cards because people got into a fight over "Sports cards" is lame af.

 

[Pokepicker]

At first glance, for me it seems it might be because of Covid. Never been in one of those stores vefore but, are people able to just touch the cards or something like that if they ask to?

Did you read the article? I highlighted a few relevant lines.

Target is banning the sale of certain brands of trading cards, and will no longer carry them at physical locations. This is apparently due to safety issues, with official banners being posted up in certain locations across the United States, claiming that the decision is to, "ensure the safety of our guests and team members". The new policy hasn't gone into effect just yet, but will be happening at all Target locations tomorrow, May 14th. Customers will still be able to buy the banned brands of cards, which include Pokemon, MLB, NFL, and NBA trading cards online at Target.com. While Target hasn't pointed out what safety issues in specific it has regarding the cards, there have been occasions of crime occurring and fights breaking out at Target stores over them. Just a few days ago, a man was assaulted by a group of other men, with the latter attempting to steal the cards from the individual. At least, until he pulled out a gun and scared the would-be thieves away, all whilst in the parking lot of a Target.

Another major American retail chain, Walmart, is also choosing to prohibit the sale of all trading cards, following these recent events. Some Walmart stores have similarly posted notices in newly cleaned-out sections, explaining that "inappropriate customer behavior " has lead to the decision to no longer sell cards.

 

[such]

Banning all trading cards because people got into a fight over "Sports cards" is lame af.

Also a pretty sensible business decision considering there were fights and mexican standoffs in the parking lot over them.

I enjoyed some virtual Magic and Pokemon ~20 years ago, but this illustrates perfectly why I never got into TCGs, CCGs and whatnot - they just get WEIRD in rl. Too much money involved and people go insane. Just not worth it.

 

[AkikoKumagara]

Also a pretty sensible business decision considering there were fights and mexican standoffs in the parking lot over them.

I enjoyed some virtual Magic and Pokemon ~20 years ago, but this illustrates perfectly why I never got into TCGs, CCGs and whatnot - they just get WEIRD in rl. Too much money involved and people go insane. Just not worth it.

Sports cards and TCGs have different markets and demographics. There is a little overlap, but banning all cards because some people got in a nasty fight over sports cards is not what I would call sensible. I don't buy TCG stuff much, but I buy sports cards never. Now the only store in my area that I will be able to buy TCG stuff from is GameStop, lol.

Edit: Looking further into it, it seems the WalMart thing is specific to one store, so I guess that will likely remain an option as well.

 

[such]

I get the feeling this was more of a panic button decision, not a carefully planned business strategy - under those conditions I still think it's perfectly sensible. Reasonable collateral damage, if you will.

 

[teamlocust]

That's why usa is a place full of dumbfucks. Ban trading cards , but guns are allowed. Lol.