Legit Card Selling

[TheWastelandDweller]

With the Pokémon brand being so large, there are many companies out there wishing to prey off buyers. This includes reprinters and scam artists.

How would one go about finding a legitimate source for real product, namely Booster Boxes?

 

[Fairy]

The only true, 100% guaranteed way of getting legit boxes is buying them directly from a Pokémon Center or a trusted local game store (if you have one). Avoid places like Walmart, Target, dollar stores, and online buying in general.

 

[KantoPikachu]

Agreed, most of my cards I am interested in are purchased from places like Gamestop, never had any issues.

 

[donavannj]

The only true, 100% guaranteed way of getting legit boxes is buying them directly from a Pokémon Center or a trusted local game store (if you have one). Avoid places like Walmart, Target, dollar stores, and online buying in general.

Well... Walmart, Target, and Family Dollar/Dollar Tree have official packs. The problem with them is more their return policies. Source: These places and local game stores are basically where I've gotten all of my cards ever.

 

[Fairy]

Well... Walmart, Target, and Family Dollar/Dollar Tree have official packs. The problem with them is more their return policies. Source: These places and local game stores are basically where I've gotten all of my cards ever.

Ahhh.. I dunno.. I've been burned by major retailers around me. That's where I got those cards where the HP was multiplied by 100 lol. But, I'm sure it depends on the store, the manager, and plenty of other distribution factors I'm not aware of. All I can do is speak for my own experience, and that says to avoid those places if there's a better option!

The return policies are garbage tho.

Edit: sorry for the double notification! I briefly looked for sources and came across claims of Walmart selling 3rd party, repackaged cards. The cards themselves are legit but there's virtually no chance of coming cross anything rare. All the more reason to avoid the risk imo.

 

[donavannj]

Ahhh.. I dunno.. I've been burned by major retailers around me. That's where I got those cards where the HP was multiplied by 100 lol. But, I'm sure it depends on the store, the manager, and plenty of other distribution factors I'm not aware of. All I can do is speak for my own experience, and that says to avoid those places if there's a better option!

The return policies are garbage tho.

Edit: sorry for the double notification! I briefly looked for sources and came across claims of Walmart selling 3rd party, repackaged cards. The cards themselves are legit but there's virtually no chance of coming cross anything rare. All the more reason to avoid the risk imo.

Those third party packs are very distinct from official product for copyright reasons, and they prey on the casual buyer. You as a collector would be able identify them right out of the gate. Usually the distributor that handles all cards for the big box retailers is the reason they're in those stores next to the official product.

I'm going to Target for groceries and detergent and such, I'll stop by the card aisle to get a pic of the two side by side if my Target actually has the 3rd party boxes.

 

[Fairy]

Yeah, all of the comments said 3rd party packaging looked suspicious af and often didn't have Pokémon on the them or had some kind of major flaw. I remember some looking a lot like the old WOTC packaging but that was years ago now. Then there's also the problem of boxes being weighed, which can happen at almost any time once the package leaves the factory floor. :(

I just ..always approach that kind of stuff with caution — maybe I'm being paranoid, lol. Plus we don't know what level TheWastelandDweller collects/plays at so I thought it pertinent to mention.

As long as you go in as an informed and educated buyer, I'm sure the likelihood of being scammed is minimal. Just because I have a conservative idea on where to get legit boxes doesn't mean that's the only way!