Pokémon TCG scalpers have made it increasingly difficult for customers and shops to stay afloat. Most average card game customers won’t be able to buy booster packs due to the fact that they’re unaffordable anymore. In the end, scalpers are ruining the game as so many fans know it. Most major retailers are now limiting purchases so that one scalper can’t buy an entire pallet of cards. However, a Las Vegas, Nevada Walmart apparently didn’t get that memo.
In a TikTok video posted by Mike Romano (@mromano2003), an alleged scalper can be seen doing his thing as a Walmart manager stands and watches. Mike introduces us to Zay, the manager, as Mike holds up a box of the newly-released Pokémon TCG cards. Mike explains that the store is allowing “one person” to buy the entire display case of cards in the store. When Mike goes over to film, the scalper puts his hood up because he doesn’t want to be seen.
There are just hundreds of packs of cards and this guy is apparently buying them all so he can likely sell them at a massive upcharge to everybody else when there aren’t any more available. Of course, this is only alleged – but they see it happen so often in the TCG industry. It’s a truly disgusting practice and he deserves to be shamed for it if that’s what he’s doing.
Mike tries to hold onto the small crate of Pokémon cards he’s been walking around holding. However, the manager asks, “Can we have his product back?” because, apparently, he already bought that one, too. Zay the manager goes on to say, “Sir, you’re not going to be able to purchase those.” Mike then tells his TikTok audience that this manager “is letting one guy buy all these because he knows them.” It’s not clear if Zay actually knows the alleged scalper but it could definitely be an inside job, as it has been seen before.
Mike made a follow-up video explaining that it’s very difficult to find Pokémon cards where he’s located in Vegas. He was excited when he heard they were “doing a drop” at his local Walmart. Like any Pokémon fan, he went to check it out. Within five minutes of the drop, the woman at the register said that all the cards were already sold. This made him angry enough to confront the alleged scalper, who told Mike he could take two tins if he wanted. How gracious of him to offer two tins out of the hundreds of tins he purchased to likely resell on the internet.
As one commenter pointed out on Mike’s initial video, “That’s just the AP coach. That means he’s over loss prevention. So yes, he most definitely probably called them people and told them that Pokémon restocking.” A Walmart employee shared, “We keep those cards hidden in the back with customer service desk or electronics because of how many people try to over buy so he’s 100% in on this.” If that’s the case, it’s pretty pathetic. Just let people have and enjoy things.
