Adjust Your Expectations: Pokemon TCG Shortages Will Continue Into 2021

I'm honestly impressed that this article managed to avoid calling out the scalpers for screwing the whole thing up for casual collectors...
 
JayMankey said:
I'm honestly impressed that this article managed to avoid calling out the scalpers for screwing the whole thing up for casual collectors...
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I really want scalper-shaming to become a more widespread thing.
 
How's the situation looking in Japan, though? Not saying they're entirely ignoring the overseas market, but international releases are already behind in schedule and have to "adjust" their product design to what Japan gets. If Japan keeps printing cards and releasing sets at a regular pace, and the Int version need further delays, that can lead to nasty problems.
 
Yaginku said:
How's the situation looking in Japan, though? Not saying they're entirely ignoring the overseas market, but international releases are already behind in schedule and have to "adjust" their product design to what Japan gets. If Japan keeps printing cards and releasing sets at a regular pace, and the Int version need further delays, that can lead to nasty problems.
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TPCi is still printing the sets on time.
 
Confirming same info for Latin America.
As a good example, we didn't get the chance to request Shining Fates in our local language (Spanish). However, we got a plenty time to set it on pre-order listing for English.
As always, Brazil is the odd guy. Whatever happens in Latam, doesn't happen in BR.
 
"The product will eventually release to everyone"

Correction to all scalpers, vaccine or not, they will fudge us over
 
Found 6 Champion’s Path ETB’s at Walmart tonight. Was pretty shocked. Beyond that, everything else was wiped out other than those Zacian decks.

Bought only one because I’m not a jerk.
 
Well this sucks, I had a feeling that one Play! Pokemon Tweet was just empty promises and I’m REALLY not pleased to hear that this is continuing.
CardPone said:
I really want scalper-shaming to become a more widespread thing.
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Seconded, I’m also pretty sure some folks would want to see some TCG scalpers end up like that one guy scalping PS5s.
 
I have yet to see any new Vivid Voltage product in the wild in Canada, even big stores like Walmart and Toys R Us are cleaned out.
 
Im getting so damn sick of this. In the UK, Vivid Voltage and Shinning Fates are completley sold out, just like most of Europe and beyond. Im sure some of have gone to actual collectors but a vast majority end up on ebay. I love Pokemon cards but i simply refuse to pay scalper prices. Getting to the point where im going to give up collecting as product is just not available, its been like this since Champions Path.
 
Forge002 said:
Im getting so damn sick of this. In the UK, Vivid Voltage and Shinning Fates are completley sold out, just like most of Europe and beyond. Im sure some of have gone to actual collectors but a vast majority end up on ebay. I love Pokemon cards but i simply refuse to pay scalper prices. Getting to the point where im going to give up collecting as product is just not available, its been like this since Champions Path.
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Exactly! Why do they under print TCG runs?
 
The Binder Guy said:
Seconded, I’m also pretty sure some folks would want to see some TCG scalpers end up like that one guy scalping PS5s.
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I am 100% certain that shaming will do nothing, because "money talks". "Scalpers" are a symptom of a supply and demand problem, one that is going to persists until either more supply becomes available fast, or demand cools off significantly. The fact of the matter is, even if scalping were somehow stopped, you still would not see any of these products on the shelf very often, because the market for Pokemon is hotter than it has ever been (I'm thinking even hotter than the 90s). I have seen way too many people follow me over to the card sections, too many people checking the store as it opens, and too many people paying for preorders on websites to the point they crash and sell out in minutes. I would love to find to 2 Hidden Fates ETBs, but so would hundreds of thousands of other fans, and the print run on these was smaller than that.

Are scalpers not helping? Debatable. But is it their fault we can't find the product? not really. It is super annoying yeah, but their absence would not really solve the issue.
 
Blob55 said:
Exactly! Why do they under print TCG runs?
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From what I understand it’s in part due to how Evolutions and Steam Siege were overprinted to heck and back, TPCi is basically doing small initial print runs and then prints more of certain sets depending on how well the initial print run sold since Team Up.

Unfortunately this also has a disastrous effect on new cards getting into the hands of players thanks to brainless YouTubers popularizing the TCG and causing a massive influx in demand for cards, new or otherwise.
Water Pokémon Master said:
Did you even read the news story?
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To be fair when people hear “waves” they expect out-of-stock products to be rereleased at a later date. A friend of mine was excepting to see some of the first set CHP pin collections to drop again since they missed out on the initial wave but that never happened as far as I know. The only product I ever saw getting a proper “wave” release was the CHP ETB and even I have difficultly believing that TPCi was continuing to print more of ‘em even after the September drop.
novadragon07 said:
I am 100% certain that shaming will do nothing, because "money talks".
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That’s not exactly what I meant when I brought up the PS5 scalper but okay...
 
The Binder Guy said:
From what I understand it’s in part due to how Evolutions and Steam Siege were overprinted to heck and back, TPCi is basically doing small initial print runs and then prints more of certain sets depending on how well the initial print run sold since Team Up.

Unfortunately this also has a disastrous effect on new cards getting into the hands of players thanks to brainless YouTubers popularizing the TCG and causing a massive influx in demand for cards, new or otherwise.

To be fair when people hear “waves” they expect out-of-stock products to be rereleased at a later date. A friend of mine was excepting to see some of the first set CHP pin collections to drop again since they missed out on the initial wave but that never happened as far as I know. The only product I ever saw getting a proper “wave” release was the CHP ETB and even I have difficultly believing that TPCi was continuing to print more of ‘em even after the September drop.
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Out of stock cards SHOULD be re-released! The reason why Evolutions didn't sell well was because it was the 3rd Base Set re-print set (also lack of Youtubers making the cards popular). Plus by then the meta game had changed. Additionally because so many people WANT cards now they're losing money to scalpers.

Not to mention in some countries it's impossible to get any cards from modern sets.

There's cutting the print runs shorter and then there's cutting them so short it's almost impossible to get any cards from modern sets unless you buy as soon as the exact second websites let you pre-order.
 
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novadragon07 said:
Are scalpers not helping? Debatable. But is it their fault we can't find the product? not really. It is super annoying yeah, but their absence would not really solve the issue.
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I mean, I can find a decent amount of product...on eBay for double retail price. So I don’t think it’s “debatable” whether or not scalpers are part of the problem, they clearly are. Obviously production shortages are a big factor, but when what little available product is all snatched up but scalpers and resold for absurd prices, and even the indie card shops on eBay are also raising their prices to match, and product is totally unavailable anywhere at retail price, it’s an issue, yeah.
 
Blob55 said:
Exactly! Why do they under print TCG runs?
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Adjust Your Expectations: Pokemon TCG Shortages Will Continue Into 2021
By: Water Pokémon Master Posted 7 days ago to TCG 17 comments

What is going on with Pokemon’s supply lately? Why is it so hard to find the TCG in stores?

The new normal for releases will be “waves.” A limited supply of product upfront, then additional waves after release.

According to an announcement TPCi just sent to its distributors, Shining Fates will be printed in waves. TPCi publicly hinted at the same release method for Champion’s Path in October, tweeting that players can expect to see more shipments of the product after the set’s initial release. This was the only public acknowledgment from Pokemon that something unusual was occurring with their releases.

Pokemon’s not alone. In September, Magic: The Gathering publicly announced their upcoming products would be printed in waves. Why is this happening to Trading Card Games? The answer, as usual, is the pandemic.

Southern states like Texas and North Carolina are home to printing plants for Magic and Pokemon. They’ve also been hit hardest by Covid. Back in March, lockdown orders forced printing plants to shut down for 90 days because they’re not considered essential businesses. At the same time, demand for hobbies went through the roof as people stayed home. When printing plants resumed production, they not only had to catch up with their backlog, but needed to get ready for future releases. This created a supply and demand problem.

The end result is TCGs struggling to print their product. This is likely why Pokemon has shifted the release dates of their sets through summer 2021. It may also be why they aren’t printing Staff promos for the foreseeable future.

The situation is even worse for Europe. Their cards are printed at our printing plants and then shipped overseas months in advance. Their first wave, which is also limited, is largely allocated to big box retailers. This doesn’t leave much product for hobby shops to order. For recent sets, some products were never available to hobby shops because they were allocated to retail chains.

While you should try to find Pokemon TCG products as they become available, it’s best to adjust your expectations. During the pandemic there isn’t as much product immediately available. Other fans also want product more than ever and will instantly snatch it up, making it difficult to find. The product will eventually release to everyone, so it’s best to be patient until vaccines roll out and businesses go back to normal.
 
They should bring back 1st editions if they are going to be forced to release in waves! That would be so cool!
 
JayMankey said:
I'm honestly impressed that this article managed to avoid calling out the scalpers for screwing the whole thing up for casual collectors...
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Yeah. I havn't been able to find much product for my collection at retail stores. The holidays also caused a huge wave of demand for pokemon cards which didn't help the cause.
 
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