🎯Target stores move to random restocks to combat scalpers 🤡 Some target locations are now changing restock days to a random day that will help combat scalpers and hopefully allowing more stock to stay on shelves. This will get more Pokemon product on shelves for longer. Allowing more people... to have a chance at actually seeing product on shelves. This is a major change but what do you think this will help or hurt? 👇 #pokemon #pokemontcg #pokehunt #pokemoncommunityshow more

As someone who works for a living this will make it harder to get anything at msrp. The fucking no life scalpers have all the time in the world to drive to different stores on random days.

Totally agree with this 👆 I work through the week and also carve time out of my schedule to go hunt when I know it’s a good time. Switching things up will only make my hunt harder and probably less successful. I’m interested to see how this all turns out

Might explain how I found Pokemon in the wild today. Never seen it on a Saturday (or maybe it was a holiday related matter). Anyways it was nice to catch some stuff while shopping for other stuff.

Nice find! Yea some Targets delayed restocks yesterday. Made this post about it earlier 👇

supposedly its always randomized but the scalpers here have been putting air tags on the vendors cars since early last year. One lady quit because of it because @Target wouldnt take action.

@Target That is way over the line. Randomized restocks only work if vendors are not being tracked or harassed. Stores need to treat that like a safety issue, not just a hobby problem.

@r_nvmber @Target Even with out the AirTag soon as they stock one target ppl follow them and call ppl to go where they think is next

@r_nvmber @Target That is the part stores have to solve too. Random days help, but if one person can tail the route and call the next stop, the shelf still never reaches normal collectors.

This won’t make a difference in my area. I’ve already been told by scalpers that they have paid off certain restockers and know exactly when and where restocks will happen. I’ve also spoken to others who work in teams and wait all day at different locations.

That is exactly the kind of local pattern hunters need surfaced. Random restock days will not solve paid-off timing leaks, but verified reports can at least show where teams are camping and where regular collectors should avoid wasted trips.

@IAmRonyn A good manager will not let the inmates run the show , also limit purchase to 2 per family not person

@IAmRonyn Yep. The manager piece matters more than people think. Two per family or household is way harder to game than two per person when a whole group walks in together.

The problem is they don’t have a job so they can go everyday and they are actually getting more than usual. 🥺If they didn’t let people camp for two nights over and over and if they stopped them from cutting, then we might be in business.

Exactly. Random timing helps only if stores also enforce lines, cutting, and item limits. Otherwise the same campers just expand the window and regular collectors still lose the shot.

I don’t hate it. I think they should do random times also, and keep bigger ticket items behind the counter so people have to ask 😂

Seen this? I think that’s a good idea also.

I like that

The group of scalpers in my area go every single morning though. They do Pokemon cards, hot wheels, one peice, yugioh, literally everything and there’s about 10 of them. It’s so bad 🫩

That is brutal. If the same group is sweeping every morning, the useful signal is pattern + timing: store type, rough area, and when they usually clear it out. That helps other hunters stop wasting trips.

Oh yeah they’ve been doing it for about 2 years now and they’ve definitely grown their numbers. It’s gotten so bad that our target limited Pokemon to 1 item per barcode

ppl by me camp out every day no matter what

Seems like it right 💀

it works. Those who say it doesnt, are probably mad now. scalpers can't camp out all night for guarantee restock. And when they say its random restock days, the restock time can be at 6PM, 9PM. 2PM, it can be anytimeeeee. Its great and it works where im from.

Target just needs to identify the ones that are always there and put them on a 1 item only list , no one ETBs either

The Target employees are the biggest scalpers.

Just move it to behind customer service desk. It’s no longer safe or wise for shelves. Up the cost. Double it or triple it. If it costs scalpers more they won’t bother. No discounts or coupons or returns on tcg product. Chuck E. Cheese style stamp peoples hands.

It made it worse for me. At least I knew a set day and time I could try to make it for a restock now me and my husband have to check twice a day since we live close or whenever we can and still find less product than we could before.

As much as this is great, there will be some employees who will let their buddy know when their stock comes in…

Yeah, that is the weak spot. Random days help, but local buddy leaks still beat any policy. The best counter is lots of verified hunter reports so people can see which stores are actually worth the trip.

Good screw these dummies

H-E-B is buying into the Pokémon craze. They'll be having full displays of cards going up for the holidays. They will be limiting purchases too.

This is my local target. To explain what actually happened - they restock every Friday, and would do a raffle every Friday - everyone who shows up got a random number from a hat and that’s the order you buy from them. People started showing up early Friday mornings and... 1/2

idk how much releasing randomly will help. some of these no job, no life having losers will just go and line up every single day until they catch a restock. these pos don't care.

Mj holding already does that at Walmart

You don’t even know what you are talking about😭 this was the one spot in OC that kids and families would actually hit. They would do a 150 person raffle every friday to determine your place in line. They just canceled it because too many people were showing up.

There’s a discord army in every area with a target that stocks pokemon. Not much getting around that for kids.

That is the hard part. A big coordinated chat can clear a store before casual collectors even know it stocked. The counter has to be better local signal and enough verified reports that regular hunters are not always a step behind.

Here’s the only way it changes - 1) 1 item per person (not 1 per UPC) 2) scan govt issue ID to limit 1 purchase per day 3) MJ holding / Target employees stop texting their friends when the restock is about to happen. 4) security up front to immediately remove unruly customers.

Jamming cell signals in and near the store would be more effective. One person sees a restock and alerts the rest of the group. The 2 item limit is working.

Signal jamming is a hard no, but the pattern you named matters. If one sighting instantly pulls a whole group in, item limits plus less predictable vendor timing can at least slow down the sweep.

Yes target! 🎯

I used to work at Target and had a good relationship with the vendor that did our restocks. They tried the random day method, but quickly learned it didn't matter because we ended up seeing the same like 5 people patrol the store all day waiting for the guy to restock anyway

That is exactly the pattern we keep hearing. Randomizing the day only helps a little if the same few people can camp the aisle and wait out the vendor.

Scalpers fucking suck so yes this is good

@Target how about start doing family & kids release days for #Pokemon getting families to attend, having the game tables so kids can learn & play & then get to buy blisters, bundles & ETB’s etc after in a controlled manner. Push out the scalpers in a controlled manner.

@Target Family release days would be a huge improvement. Organized play plus controlled purchase limits is a way healthier setup than making families compete with parking-lot campers.

@BigKahunaaa

That would certainly explain why my local Target actually had Pokemon cards the other day. 😂

That is the upside. Random days will not fix everything, but if they create even a few normal-stock windows for regular shoppers, that is a real improvement.

it’s literally not up to target to make that decision 😭

👀

This doesnt help anything. All it does is give the shady vendor who stocks the shelves more stock 4 the people they do notify when restock is happening. When they are the same day & time, enough people show up that makes it so the people they tip off still have to wait & be early

No, that actually means theyre starting to backdoor the product with the supplier. Lmao