Target is now opening sealed Pokemon boxes to combat scalpers

As Target continues its battle against Pokemon scalpers, employees have been spotted removing the plastic before the boxes are sold.

Despite being around for nearly 30 years, the Pokemon TGC is more popular than ever, with new sets and packs being released all the time. It’s also become a major target of scalpers, who look to pick up brand-new boxes and sell them for a profit.

As a result, many retailers have taken drastic action to try and ensure they’re only selling to genuine collectors. This includes Target, which has taken to ripping open sets before putting them on the shelves.

Target staff seen removing plastic from sealed Pokemon boxes

Just weeks after staff were seen cutting into sealed boxes, a new video circulating on social media shows them removing the plastic wrap from Elite Trainer Boxes altogether. Again, this was done before they were displayed for sale.

While this doesn’t affect the price that the store can sell them for, it drastically reduces their value on resale compared to those that are still sealed. This means scalpers are less likely to buy them because they won’t be able to turn a profit.

While plenty of fans called this a “huge W” as a method of preventing scalpers, others pointed out issues with removing the plastic before they’re sold.

Some explained that many genuine collectors prefer to keep their boxes sealed, and this essentially prevents them from buying from the store. Others argued that if this becomes a more global trend, then it could drive up the price of sealed boxes even further.

It’s not clear right now if this policy is being rolled out nationwide, as other collectors said that their local Target stores are still selling sealed boxes for now.

This is just the latest tactic the retailer has used to battle scalpers. In the past, it added anti-theft tags onto Pokemon decorations after displays were being stolen and resold for thousands of dollars.