Target Will No Longer Sell Pokémon Cards In Stores

ARTICLE UPDATED: Pokemon Cards Are Being Sold At Some Target Stores Again

Pokémon cards are once again gaining in popularity, but not for the game itself. Now, people will buy cards in hopes of finding a rare and expensive card within the pack to resell. The practice has become so common that Twitch streamers are getting into it.

In an ideal world, this would be a fun little boost to sales for companies, which are greatly needed because of the pandemic. The problem is that many buyers are beginning to abuse the staff and others while creating numerous issues in stores. Target has finally decided that they will no longer tolerate this anymore.

From May 14th, Target will no longer sell Pokémon cards in their stores. After May 14th, Pokémon cards and sports trading cards will only be available online, which is the safest way to prevent greed. The actual signs say:

"To ensure the safety of our guests and team members, effective May 14th, MLB, NFL, NBA and Pokémon Trading Cards will no longer be sold in store until further notice."

Is Target overreacting, or have some Pokémon card collectors gone overboard?

The argument Target makes against Pokémon cards and sports cards, in general, is valid. Target has tried to limit how many are bought in stores to prevent further issues, but that only led to more problems. A gun was even pulled during a fight over sports cards, ending any hope of the NBA, MLB, and NFL cards remaining in the store.

Customer behavior here is simply not right. A children's card game or sports cards is not a reason to harass, intimidate, or fight anyone. All I really want is my shiny Charizard, but I'm not going to fight anyone for it. Target made a wise move in this regard, eliminating all of these problems the company was previously suffering from.