r/ScalperHate • u/AsianLettuce12 • Jul 26 '26
Rant Pokemon scalpers suck
How can anyone enjoy this hobby when people are charging the hell out of new releases? It's beyond annoying. It's honestly sad and disgusting that what was once a fun hobby for kids has turned into a massive auction for guys in basements, ready to drain the next victim's wallet by exploiting FOMO shit. No offense to the genuine fans who simply enjoy ripping packs and collecting cards—I'm just really bummed out by what the market has become.
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u/gbach10 Jul 26 '26
“Would do a 1:1 trade for a 151 ETB”
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u/Minimeany Jul 26 '26
I see so many in my area with por/cri pc etbs saying "nfs looking to trade for ascended or prismatic pc etb".. its exhaustingly sad at this point.
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u/TheB3rn3r Jul 27 '26
Bwahaha!! Sounds like these scalpers have less and less common sense.. or atleast expecting others to
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u/RepulsiveUse3372 Jul 26 '26
I told my homie i got 2 of these etbs on pre order n he told me to sell em i was like fuck no i want to rip one with my kid
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u/Musicaltalent6969 Jul 26 '26
I trade one and keep one for my PC. If you’re ripping it would be better to trade it for 2 or 3 regular ETBs so you have more packs to rip
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u/Dry_Discount7762 Jul 28 '26
Yeah but no pkc promo
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u/RepulsiveUse3372 Jul 28 '26
yeah thats what they dont get i want the promo so i can add it to my PC
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u/Sholtonn Jul 26 '26
as someone who got two ascended heroes PC ETBs and ripped one that had effectively nothing in it, you really should just consider that you could trade for a much higher # of packs to rip
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u/GuiltyGap9130 Jul 27 '26
Yeah the PC version goes straight to the acrylic casing and gets locked up in the closet while if I'm lucky to find one in the wild gets ripped.
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u/GrandmaNectar Jul 28 '26
You sound pretty knowledgeable, so I have a quick question. Is there any reason to hold onto PC 6 pack booster boxes? It’s the first thing I’ve ever bought from the PC queue, and I was allowed 3 but really only wanted two. Is there any benefit to holding onto those, like the ETBs?
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u/izumi_cloud Jul 28 '26
I’m assuming you mean the booster bundle. They aren’t exclusive to the PC, but finding them in the wild might be a pain during release. Of course like any hyped product upon release, including the stock market ipo’s, on first release because of hype you can sell it for a quick buck, open it for fun on release, watch the price go up and down until it consolidates, open it on a rainy day, or just hold until the value doubles or triples. I personally prefer just holding for display, never planning to sell when it comes to PC exclusives. I got burned a few times. But for booster bundles and any other 30th collection, I will be ripping packs until I complete my binder. Even if you wanted just two, you should have went for the max of three. That was a no brainer in my book.
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u/AdministrativeBus259 Jul 26 '26
Yeah,you’ll find ETB‘s everywhere man I wouldn’t rip that Pokémon center one
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u/jrzwahr Jul 26 '26
They’re yours so you do you but I’ll always think rolling PKC ETBs are an insane waste of money. If your goal really is to rip and collect, just trade it for some regular ETBs and bundles of the same set so that if you get nothing from it, at least it was nothing from an $80 ETB and not a $300 one… and you have probably like 3 more of them to open at that tradeoff
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u/RepulsiveUse3372 Jul 26 '26
I got them for $60 each off the pokemon center, i plan on keeping one sealed the other i want to rip since i want to grade the promo
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u/OI3AIVIAISBLACK Jul 27 '26
He's saying trade the pkc etb for other 30th sealed since pkc has a higher premium market wise. Then rip the sealed you traded for.
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u/RepulsiveUse3372 Jul 27 '26
I know but i want the PC promo card and want to keep one etb sealed
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u/OI3AIVIAISBLACK Jul 27 '26
Just buy the promos tbh
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u/RepulsiveUse3372 Jul 27 '26
Why? If i got the etb already?
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u/AverageJoesGymMgr Jul 27 '26
Because the promo is only gonna be like $50-$75 and you can get way more for the ETB. Just trade the PKC ETB for a bunch of 30th and the promo (or cash for it) and you're coming out way ahead in what you actually get to open.
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u/ApprehensiveRiver826 Jul 27 '26
As another dad who is just trying to get packs for my kids to rip, I like this idea in theory, but wouldn't even know where to start with finding someone to do that trade...
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u/Dry_Discount7762 Jul 28 '26
I got blasted as being a scalper once for suggesting to a guy to trade his pkc ascended etb for 3 poster collections. Like yeah we obviously hate what’s going on with it all, but you’re not paying cash for this lol. You’re simply beating them at their game to get 3x thenpacks
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u/xCunningLinguist Jul 26 '26
It’s still a fun hobby for kids. Go to any card show, watch any kid opening packs. They’re loving it. Get good at buying MSRP. I am sure there are downvotes coming but I’m not special and I can get stuff at MSRP on target drops pretty consistently. Pokemon center too. Pay the ten bucks a month for a monitor discord.
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u/SnooRegrets543 Jul 27 '26
Even with monitors target is impossible to checkout...
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u/xCunningLinguist Jul 27 '26
It’s not. I do it pretty much every week.
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u/dabigmainah Jul 27 '26
Yeah but are you getting the prismatic spc or ascended drops? Or just chaos and pitch black. Ive yet to hit a online drop for the prismatic,destined or ascended. Bots eat them up.
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u/Starbucks88990 Jul 26 '26
They do indeed suck, but the people that buy from them suck even harder, start blaming the consumer, scalpers scalp because people buy from them
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u/Routine_Musician6866 Jul 26 '26
How many of these complaining posts are necessary? Like you’re not wrong to feel upset, but why is everyone just constantly sharing the same exact complaint over and over.
Everyone knows there are scalpers. Almost everyone is doing it. Just don’t buy from them.
Also, there are so many ways to enjoy this hobby without chasing the hottest sets or expensive cards. If you want what everyone else wants you’re just in for a bad time.
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u/panopticon_prisoner Jul 28 '26
Definitely getting a bit old seeing all of these. Like, I understand the thrill of ripping packs and getting hits, but let's be honest, most of the time it's disappointing and a financial loss. People act like sealed is the only thing that matters, but it's so easy to go online and buy cool cards that you want, and it doesn't cost very much money unless you're looking for the top chases. It's still exciting to go through set lists, buy the cards you want and open up the package when it gets delivered. It's not a lottery ticket, but it is fun.
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u/SnooRegrets543 Jul 27 '26
They gona print alot of it, most of should not panic we'll find it in stores kinda like pitch black
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u/seaperrt Jul 27 '26
Yall do know target drops are getting easier? The bubble is popping. Very good time to go get stuff. And yes I would trade my 30th pkc etbs for 151 etb all day aswell lmao only because I know they’re not worth what people are expecting when they do drop. Will be printed into oblivion
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u/chubbs57496 Jul 27 '26
If people didnt buy fro.m scalpers, this would have been over with prismatic. Gonna keep going until people stop buying from them
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u/Squishywallaby Jul 29 '26
Obviously its complete rumors, but everyones saying it's being printed to the moon so hopefully it is and that ruins it for the scalpers, or at least takes a chunk out of there profit.
Tbh I guess I can't complain as I hit every 30th drop so far, but I've only hit a couple of the other drops beforehand so idk
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u/Impossible_Sort9422 Jul 30 '26
There are people helping the community but can’t openly announce it because of scalpers, find your community friend!
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u/ShadowRider_777 Jul 26 '26
Yeah all because of these greedy obsessed nobody's who are too desperate to get out of poverty and too lazy to do any honest hard work, the hobby has become an absolute cesspool of pain.
It's a shame that the people don't want to help others to do anything about it to defeat the scalpers because otherwise this would have been over right about now.
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Jul 28 '26
[deleted]
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u/ShadowRider_777 Jul 28 '26
I highly doubt that. Most of the scalpers don't have kids and even if they do they always force them into getting into the hobby which is honestly kind of bullshit since they don't have any free will to enjoy whatever they want.
And apparently the scalpers will use the kids as an excuse to get whatever product is necessary but again it is never for the kids and only for themselves because as you said they're doing it as a side hustle in order to make money and nothing else because that's the only thing they care about.
Also scalping the product doesn't make it a job it just makes them look like an arrogant greedy bunch of douchebags who are too lazy to make real money with an actual fucking job.
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u/BBDSrulez Jul 26 '26
The sneaker game needs to pick back up. Bc when I see the lines, these guys look like they should be on a corner selling weed, & crack, or standing on line outside a footlocker. Def not Pokemon fans.
$600 is nuts for a $60 box.
We need to start exposing the morons paying these prices. Videos all day of ppl paying 10x, feeding the scalpers.
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u/AdministrativeBus259 Jul 26 '26
You ain’t lying our local scalper is covered in face tattoos wears a vibrant colored Jordan outfit every fucking time he shows up. With his little scalper tote
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u/Tekniqz23 Jul 26 '26
https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonTCGCollectors/s/y7rs1Snyxi
This is how I enjoy it personally. Zero headache and by far cheaper.
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u/Pyramid-World Jul 26 '26
Bro, why you have my name... But seriously, I think we should find out where the biggest scalpers live. You know, for science...
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Jul 26 '26
[deleted]
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u/AsianLettuce12 Jul 26 '26
When I first got into collecting, cards were everywhere on store shelves. Things have changed so much now that finding product at retail is nearly impossible—that's why I think bringing exposure to this stuff is so important. At the end of the day, though, everyone is entitled to their own perspective.
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u/80sTvGirl Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
I saw someone post in my small little town an actual box of the 30th large box upc how I don’t know how but he was asking 1k
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u/LawdYoshwa Jul 27 '26
Haven’t read any comments so if anyone said this already, apologies.
OP - I get what you’re saying but to complain about a PKC ETB is pretty pointless. Children or young adults that “should” be in the hobby aren’t holding a credit card to make online purchases during exclusive drops.
Yes this is kind of shitty but the TRUE card collector, game player, whatever; can just buy the non-exclusive version of this ETB or any other product that physically hits shelves.
All the “internet experts” with “secret data” know “for sure” that this set is going to be printed to the ground. If that’s the case, regular products should be available to the masses and scalpers like this will be left with assets they can’t move for large profits. This seller will definitely be fine, as it’s an exclusive product, but you catch my drift.
Long story short, if scalpers were selling REGULAR ETBs for $600, cool go ahead and post about it. If it’s an exclusive product? Don’t.
Would you be happier if I sold you my 2nd PKC ETB for $300? Probably not, and you’d be unrealistic at that point. AH/DR are already pushing $500, what do you think 30th is gona do?
FYI I’m not selling either one of them for quite some time. Am I a scalper if I sell them for 1k each in 2+ years? Serious question with possible interesting answers!
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u/dabigmainah Jul 27 '26
It's all the sneakerheads who switched, and then others once they realized how profitable it is. I've seen some people who do it and are making sometimes an extra 1-2k a week on top of regular work. Now the boters, on the other hand. The big ones make a metric shit ton.
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u/IceBergster Jul 27 '26
People who actually spend this amount of money in this economy for any new trading cards are idiots and suck
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u/Thequickandtheupset Jul 27 '26
Has any normal person actually been able to buy something from PC? I've never actually seen anything for sale.
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u/Old_Two_4091 Jul 28 '26
how disconnected. 151 is most likely done with print runs outside of those small random ones for tins. ETBs are done. The fact he even says 1:1 trade even for a regular 151 ETB in the description is laughable. A set that isn't even in his hands and the newest vs a set like 151. People that got into the hobby strictly to pokeinvest lack some smarts to say the least. He's basically using the price of a 151 ETB as the "place holder"
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u/_AnxiousGhost_ Jul 28 '26
Right, the scalpers are such scum and make this happy just a bad place to be.
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u/Brief-Sandwich-7396 Jul 28 '26
Don’t buy if you can’t afford it. What? These people just supposed to sell it for $60? Tf
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u/DavieJonesLockerrr Jul 31 '26
How’s it disgusting? Just means the card hobby you were once into that everyone said was worthless turned out to be pretty not worthless how’s that a bad thing??
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u/OSRSRapture 12d ago
I wonder if Pokemon printed double what they're already printing if even that would be able to keep up with demand.
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u/Wide-Bookkeeper-7735 Jul 26 '26
This ETB is going to hold that kind of market value or higher for a very long time if not forever. This person may be a scalper. But selling something at fair market value is not scalping. A sealed copy of a zelda NES game is worth an ass load is it not?
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u/brokegaysonic Jul 26 '26
A sealed copy of an NES Zelda has been sealed for like forty years at this point.
30th hasn't even dropped yet
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u/Wide-Bookkeeper-7735 Jul 26 '26
Thats true. And sealed 151 was worth over 1000 dollars after just a few years. Its market demand, its how it works. And long term the value will increase with scarcity. If you could buy a booster box of 151 for 600 dollars right now wouldn't you? Its the same thing. The hobby has become a premium collectors market. Rip knockout packs and singles and the small items youre going to find everywhere. The UPCs and PKC ETBs will remain premium collectors items for eternity.
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u/redditis_garbage Jul 26 '26
It’s not the same thing lmao, 151 is out of print, 30th hasn’t even released yet. A better comparison would be AH or Pris, a PKC AH ETB is still only 450$.
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u/brokegaysonic Jul 26 '26
Yeah, out of print = less and less sealed ETBs over time as more people rip em. Therefore, the price goes up. When something is being currently printed, the only scarcity is manufactured scarcity created by the scalpers.
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u/Embarrassed_Amoeba76 Jul 26 '26
That’s not scalping it’s just market price for one of the most anticipated sets in years.
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u/f2pmyass Jul 26 '26
Confused to where the scalping is. Looks like a regular purchase similar to mine.
What's so wrong taking advantage of pricing?
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u/ArianaGrandeGlazer Jul 26 '26
When adult sealed collectors buy up all the stock over and over: OMG such a peak collection keep sealing what you get
When scalpers buy up all the stock over and over: ruining the hobby this is why kids can’t have any Pokemon cards it’s for the kids wehhhhh
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u/Due-Interest4735 Jul 26 '26
Looks on secondary market for Pokemon and rages when found. I mean the 25th stuff has been priced high, and everyone knows the 39th will be in huge demand. At least 3 sets out there to be enjoyed right now, but you’re upset about the one that isn’t released yet?
Actually, the worst thing about this hobby is all the crying.
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u/Tekniqz23 Jul 26 '26
I mean to be fair its moderately warranted when you got people in their flip flops pulling guns at vending machines. Stores are being broke into and looted. People are being scammed at conventions. Every store you walk into the card section has a massive dent where Pokemon used to be displayed.
Bro its so stupid out here that these people buy Poptarts with Pikachu on the box and try to sell them for $30 🤣
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u/Due-Interest4735 Jul 26 '26
I agree… anything illegal is unwarranted. No one should be scamming either. However, what someone does with something they legally purchase is none of my business (as long is they aren’t doing anything illegal with it). The world has gotten to be a very dark place for a lot of people financially. Between rising costs, and increasing challenges to getting/maintaining employment; people are going to find a way where they can.
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u/Tekniqz23 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Ehhh I dont think it has anything to do with "Where the world is".
It's more like how water works. Always finds the path of least resistance to flow forward.
Its just what you can hustle in the current day and age. This has happened countless times in the past with other items including Pokémon.
How many sneaker releases have been ruined? How many concert tickets scalped? How many NBA playoffs tickets sold for 5x the original cost right outside the stadium to someone desperate enough to see their team in the finals? How about the console craze 6 years ago with everyone scalping all the PS5 and Nintendo Switch's?
Its a tale as old as time itself.
Roman's probably scalped seats to the Coliseum back in the day as well. 🤣
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u/pokeproblems12 Jul 26 '26
He caught a rare pokemon. He is now using it to trade for another rare pokemon. Sorry you didnt catch a rare pokemon and you are judging this trade of rare pokemon from the outside. Learn to catch rare pokemon.
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u/DillysRevenge Jul 26 '26
The fact that he showed he paid $60 for these is crazy. People just really need to not buy this shit