Help Japanese Pokémon boxes now almost impossible to order overseas

[riChchestMat]

I used to pre-order and order from AmiAmi, but in the past few months all their pre-orders are showing as order closed. Similarly Plaza Japan has been selling out and they also have no pre-orders available.
I totally missed out on Fairy Rise (SM7b), but manage to just about get SM8 through Hobby Link Japan through a pre-order.

Now today I just had my HobbyLink pre-order for SM8a cancelled. AmiAmi never had it available and Plaza is sold out too. This also applies to SM9 and Ultra Shiny. What's going on? Is it only possible to buy these at Pokemon Centers and places like Bic Camera now? Are they selling out too? Will the current sets still be available when I next visit Japan in April?

Is the Pokémon Company reducing stock to boost the prices? Or are they trying to shut out the export market so that TPCI finds it easier to sell?

Does anyone know about reputable sellers that we can use now? (sending to UK for my own selfish resasons).

EDIT: No SM8a or dark order preorders on eBay right now either, and that's usually the last resort

 

[riChchestMat]

I found a post on Reddit on a simlar-ish topic and someone was kind enought o share this link: https://www.pokemon-card.com/info/2018/20180915_001402.html

In short: The Pokémon Company is having product issues for some time and it looks like they, themselves are having trouble producing enough SM8a for its release in a few weeks. I think this is well worth a front page story on this site.

 

[Oddish22]

I did not order any SM7/a/b, but SM6/a/b were still OK to find (did not pre-order though),
but I saw the same for SM8, Dark Order, Ultra Shiny and SM9. Do you know whether it's only preoders so that the Japanese companies don't produced fast enough or is it the total amount?

 

[riChchestMat]

I was never able to get SM7b boxes (unless for scalp-level prices). I think they just didn't produce enough. Somehow I got lucky with SM8.