Target is Slicing Open Pokémon Card Boxes Before They're Sold in a Bid to Deter Scalpers, Fans Say

Target is reportedly cutting the shrink wrap on boxes of new Pokémon cards to deter scalpers in some stores, who buy stock in bulk simply for the resale market.

That's according to fans who report seeing some Target employees fully removing the plastic wrap from boxes of cards in stores, and receiving cut-open card boxes when ordering online.

While Target is yet to officially comment on the practice, fans strongly believe this is a tactic to put off scalpers, who purchase the lucrative cards only to sell them on for a profit.

Card boxes that have their packaging removed make no difference to actual collectors, but are worth far less when sold second-hand — as there would be no way of proving the cards inside haven't already been opened, and had their rarest pulls removed.

Didn’t realise Target was also cutting the shrink wrap for online orders aswell! 👀✂️ https://t.co/KaNC24onqE pic.twitter.com/JnTLlJpMEw

— Pokemon Giveaways (@PokeTCGiveaways) August 6, 2026

A Target employee was cutting the shrink wrap on sealed Pokémon products (Prismatic Evolutions ETBs in the video) and stated that it's a directive from Corporate to prevent scalpers from purchasing products solely to flip. How do you all feel about this? Target W or Target L? 🎯… pic.twitter.com/5ToUCHQINn

— Pokemon Alerts & News (@PokeTCGAlerts) June 2, 2026

Response to the practice has been mostly positive, with praise from fans who have struggled to buy cards due to their increasing scarcity.

"Good, tired of scalpers ruining everything," one fan wrote on social media. "I hope target keeps doing this."

Details

"Anything that stops the scalpers is fine with me," said another. "All the people complaining can go buy their Pokémon cards somewhere else. Target will still sell out. I wish everyone did it."

"I 100% agree with this until the scalping situation is solved," said a third. "Usually the only ones that care about box condition are resellers 🤣 you could throw my box across the store as long as the cards are ok."

But not everyone is on board. Some fans say the practice risks damaging the stock, while others say that it will only make sealed boxes even more expensive — playing into the hands of the scalpers further.

Pokémon cards have become a prime target for scalpers and thieves over the past few years due to their soaring popularity and the perceived value of rare cards. New card releases frequently sell out completely, and The Pokémon Company has appeared unable or unwilling to fully keep up with demand — despite a staggering 10 billion cards printed last year alone.

Yesterday, we reported that The Pokémon Center store in Japan is now limiting purchases only to Japanese citizens, following the introduction of facial recognition for adults and children in some stores. High demand for cards has also led to numerous incidents of thefts and violence between shoppers, and
barely a month goes by without a report of a trading card store being robbed. Meanwhile, one desperate Pokémon fan was recently arrested in Pasadena, California, after hiding inside a closed Best Buy ahead of a Pokémon card drop.

Image credit: Martin Lelievre / AFP via Getty Images

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social