Target has temporarily suspended in-store sales of sports and Pokémon trading cards following a fight at a Wisconsin store between customers, one with a gun.
Target halts store sales of Pokémon, other trading cards after customers fight in Wisconsin
The value for collectible cards has soared over the past year, shaped by speculators who rush into stores to buy whole inventories and then resell the most in-demand cards online.
May 14, 2021 at 3:19PM
"The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority," the Minneapolis-based retailer said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, we've decided to temporarily suspend the sale of MLB, NFL, NBA and Pokémon trading cards within our stores, effective May 14."
Customers can still buy the cards online at Target.com.
While Target didn't give a direct reason for the change, last week there were reports of a fight stemming from a disagreement about trading cards at a Target store in Brookfield, Wis., just west of Milwaukee.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, four men assaulted another 35-year-old man on the morning of May 7 in a Target parking lot after he left the store. The incident "only ended after the victim accessed his gun."
No shots were fired, and the victim, who had a concealed-carry weapons license, suffered minor injuries.
The value of some trading cards soared over the past year, driven in part by speculators who race around to stores on the day that new cards arrive, buy up the entire inventory and then try to resell the most sought-after cards online.
Some individual Pokémon cards, which are sold in stores as parts of small decks priced at a few dollars, are selling for several hundred dollars online.
There were rumors that Walmart had also begun to enforce restrictions on trading card sales after one of its stores posted a sign indicating sales had been suspended on them. However, a spokeswoman Friday morning said Walmart hasn't stopped selling the cards.
"We have not suspended the sale of any trading cards. Like other retailers, we have seen increased customer demand, and we are determining what, if any, changes are needed to meet customer demand while ensuring a safe and enjoyable shopping experience," Tricia Moriarty of Walmart said via email.
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