General Forum

I was at Target earlier today, and did my usual walk by the empty card shelves to see if I would have any luck.  When I got to the section, there was a sign that said cards have been moved to guest services and you have to go ask for availibility.  

I cant really explain why, but the last thing I want to do is go wait in line at guest services and then ask one of the employees if they have any cards.  It was bad enough that I could hardly ever find cards anymore, but now I have to jump through hoops to even see if any are available to buy.  

This was pretty much the end of the line for me today as far as not being able to do one of the main things I enjoy in the hobby.  That would be to go to the store and get a pack or two to open for fun, or occasionally splurge on a blaster.

My son is also starting to get older and be interested in types of cards like Pokémon so I had been excited to be able to get him a pack every so often but those were getting raided by scalpers as well and are also now under the same policy.    

It’s really a shame the way this hobby has  gone the way it has so suddenly.  

Couldn't agree more. If people would stop paying flipper prices on ebay and other places then it wouldn't be a problem but that will never happen. A target employee told my friend that the local flippers learned where the card rep lives and just follow her around from her house every day and buy everything up as soon as she drops it off to the store. I have 0% chance of finding cards with that happening. Then I go to my local shop and everything they are selling is crazy marked up because they have to buy a lot of it on the secondary market and then mark it up even more.

the onl other choice is mass production so its a fine line. better to find a local hobby shop thaty still sells packs not just boxs

Most of the Members around me are putting all their cards out at 3 on Fridays. I went for the first time yesterday. They only allow 2 items per person, but jack up the prices. Blasters were $25 instead of $20.

That should say Meijers not members. Nailed by spellchecker again. 

I lucked out this morning and found two Topps hanger packs at Walmart on the bottom shelf behind some packs of top loaders like maybe somebody was hiding them to come back and get later.  

It can be done to manage quantities bought by flippers, but it can also be done for shoplifting protection. They cost now an arm and a leg and they're quite easy to hide on your person. Remember the glass counter when department stores were selling video games or the plastic thing they put the cds and dvds to make it ring the alarm gate if someone exited the electronic department without stopping by the cash register first.

My Walmart stopped selling cards all together and we don't have a Target in my town. The next town over has a Target and 2 Walmarts, but I have no plans on driving out of my way to look for cards. I just gave up purchasing blasters, boxes and packs.

https://youtube.com/user/brodiescomics

Just made a video which included a trip to Target. Check it out. 

Growing up I never had a problem just seeing the cards at my walmart, they were just always there everytime I looked. Now, within the past year the shelf is empty most of the time. Anything I get there is by pure luck. Lucky for me though, hockey isn't too popular and that's my main agenda. 

A few weeks ago on twitter I read someone's thread that the cops had to be called because two full-grown men were fighting in the card isle and now there's no cards for anyone there now.