Target store views for the latest Pokémon collaborations have been popping up on resale sites and they're selling for ridiculous prices. Since these screens are not for sale, the vast majority of them are Pokémon standees were likely stolen from the stores.
The goal Pokémon collaborations have been wildly successful for both companies, with lines forming out the doors the first day they became available. Unfortunately for fans, this may not necessarily be a good thing, as many bought the products simply to resell at high prices and find the target Pokémon collaboration items in store has been difficult. This practice is called scalping, and it seems that even the shopkeepers are not immune to the trend.
Pokemon TCG fan “Strikes Gold” after looking under the shelf
A Pokemon TCG fan can't believe their luck when they check under the shelves of a store and discover a hidden cache of cards.
Pokemon Target Store Displays Sell Online
It seems that, except for the goal Pokémon collaborative products that themselves sell like hotcakes both in store and on resale sites, not even the display stocks are immune. Searching eBay reveals that many displays are on sale, with prices rising as high as several hundred dollars, depending on which Pokémon the seller is offering and whether they have the full standee. For example, a Pokémon The Target standee with Charizard and Gengar was listed for $495, while a smaller one with just Eevee on it was listed for $160. These high price tags for displays are even crazier when you consider that the aforementioned standees and many others that had similar prices actually found buyers and sold for those prices.
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Usually stores like these are not for sale, and they are usually thrown out when the store is done with them. At that point, it's not uncommon for fans to either offer to buy them for a low price from the store, or to scavenge and retrieve them from the trash before they're lost forever. However, one person shared footage online of one of the standing figures, which was still in the store, with an anti-theft tag on it. It appears to be the same type of tag that Target puts on valuables and clothing, which sets off the alarm if someone tries to leave without having it removed. This presumably means that a number of the stands have been stolen from stores and Target is taking this step to prevent further dismantling of its store displays.
These standees are likely pretty cheap for Target to replace, but it's probably also an inconvenience to the retail chain if it happens across the country in multiple stores. Unfortunately, this is just one example of how the popularity of Pokémon has led to scalpers and even thieves swarming the products every time there's a new big release. There have been numerous reports over the years of customers being stampeded, stores having to close their doors due to safety concerns, and even brazen robberies stealing high value Pokemon TCG cards from stores and warehouses.
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Unfortunately for so long Pokémon is still popular and customers are willing to pay high prices for scaled items, it is likely that this trend will continue. Considering that many buyers have shown that they are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on corrugated cardboard Pokémon appears, it does not seem likely that the situation will improve any time soon.
