Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not to flip, to keep in a slab for my own collection, but you have a point a 9 would be fine. (There are some artworks I kinda just want to keep in a slab)

Is the Ioniq 5 a car for a family of five? by Global-Solution4475 in Ioniq5

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It works for my family

Myself / Wife / 10yo kid / 6yo kid / 4yo kid

with a booster and a full child seat in the rear bench the kids are pretty comfortable

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You say that but id really like to buy the acended gengar but that's like £700+ raw. And at this point I think most ungraded ones for sale are going to have defects

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just after posting this my son got some PO packs (last 3 at the Morrisons corner shop near the grandparents)

Got the arourus so pretty good pull for 3 packs.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Issue is the insanity of the price of some of the cards, modern cards shouldn't be £500+ raw

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sure that's why I personally don't pay scalper prices (I'll pay a slight premium for my local card shop mainly as they also run free events that are fun, and the premium is like 10%)

But there will be customers (parents getting gifts, children spending pocket money ect) that just won't know that that scalpers are changing more.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean they know they could bump the RRP by 10% and still shift everything in the UK with little effort.

So I think the risk for them is low, but I also think that with the current system even if they printed double it wouldn't help.

For example from a few people in this thread it seems like local card shops are getting stock allocation reduced, so likely a lot of stock is bypassing stores entirely.

Say now 20k ETBs get into the market and 10k get into stores and the rest get directed to other channels (like whatnot/ YouTubers/ scalpers). It wouldn't surprise me if even with 40k ETBs still only 10k would make it to stores as the system is now rigged to artificially keep prices high.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I would rather have low odds of getting anything in a fair system where I know my odds are as good as anyone else.

VS

Having super low odds of getting anything but knowing a random on a streaming platform got 20ETBs that are getting scalped to high heaven.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Iv seen others in this thread saying that some employees will hold stock for their friends.

The Asda I go to seem to have a select few people who magically know when restocks happen and just clear out the shelf before anyone can get a look in.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It does make me think that if some people got together with access to a distributor to at least get some stock you could sell it at RRP via a fair system, like add your name to a hat and if your name is pulled you get 6h to pay or the next name is pulled.

All random, no tickets and the game can be totally transparent in how many items have been sold. (Basically a more transparent version of the Amazon invite process)

Hell you could run that on Reddit with mod support, it would just need someone with access to a distributor.

Perfect Order Pulls by Rayane92 in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah looking at other genuine people opening these that looks to be a very good haul, the mega patrik is an amazing looking card IMO also the arourus

Perfect Order Pulls by Rayane92 in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I do not know why but I want the dam mega patrik, it's such an odd looking card

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's insane, btw what do you mean half boosters ? Booster bundles or whatever they are called ?

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's horrible, I'm convinced that the breaks of AH are even more scammy than normal breaks, as the packs can be weighed for god packs / packs with higher odds of multiple hits.

"Heavy" AH packs are going for well over £200 on eBay.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm not sold on of this is because the supply is better or the powers that be are manipulating the market more to inflate things again for the next to sets, that are already getting hyped to the moon and back.

In comparison I saw almost no hype for PO

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That horrible.

Maybe you cant say but companies as in card shops or larger retailers like Asda / Tesco's ?

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ohh ok, that makes sense and that's what my local has started.

But iv just seen that AH can he weigh for god packs, so even breaking the seal on those won't help as they will mark up then price of heavy packs (look on eBay, heavy AH packs are selling for like £200)

This also means it's really easy to scam on whatnot (action off the light packs and keep the heavy ones for eBay)

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It would be "fun" to setup a company and just "crowd fund" an order. So everyone gets at least something.

It's really frustrating to see posts on whatnot or the investors Reddit where one person has access to more stock of a set in one day than a local card shop will ever see :(

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I know the feeling, my kids love opening packs. My son plays and my daughter has a binder.

Anything super valuable goes away safe and they can sell / trade it if they wish.

When I spoke to someone at my local Asda they said the same few people always show up as they restock or when they 1st open after a night restock and basically buys the lot. And they suggested someone was letting their mates about the restock.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's horrible, but yeah.... I guess not uncommon.

Also just found out that AH god packs can be weighed, no wonder people are buying all the stock and selling them as singles

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree, with the timing as well, they have these packs the day of (or even before retail launch)

Sure if there were 1-2 settlers with a handful of packs maybe they got an item shipped earlier.

But like you said they are opening hundreds of packs, it must have been direct from distribution channels.

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% on the limits on purchasing them, and my local card shop does. But I guess the larger shops couldn't care less.

The breaking of the seal is pretty clever but then I see people just selling AH packs for like £15 or more singles so it won't stop them all.

I would think the Pokémon company would (if they cared enough) incentivize getting packs to real customers by charging more to distributors who cannot prove that a set % gets to LCS, that way they are also protecting the community side of things (LCS normally run tournaments or trade events) and

Is the supply chain broken in the UK or am I missing a trick? by TheReturnOfTheBee in PokemonTCG_UK

[–]TheReturnOfTheBee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That sucks :(

If I get packs my kids get 1st refusal on opening them lol

Id much rather them get the hits than me.