The overall environment of the Pokémon Trading Card (TCG) can be considered a bit of a wreck when it comes to new or popular product lines. The scalper situation has made it increasingly difficult for legitimate customers to get their hands on The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) products at a reasonable market price.
While not being everyone’s favorite retailer, Gamestop is doing its part in helping legitimate fans get a hold of their copy of their favored TPCi products.
Stealth Update
There was no fanfare, no announcement, Gamestop has flown under the radar in restocking some of the coveted Prismatic Evolutions product line.
The Prismatic Evolutions product restock includes the Elite Trainer Box at $59.99 ($56.99 for Pro), the Accessory Pouch at $34.99 ($33.24 for Pro), and the Super Premium Collection at $99.99 ($94.99 for Pro).
While not necessarily part of the Prismatic Evolutions product line, the Scarlet and Violet 151 Collection Zapdos ex box is also being restocked at $24.99 ($23.74 for Pro).
All the listed items above will be hitting Gamestop’s shelves on the 10th of May. With Gamestop no longer offering any form of pre-order for the Pokémon TCG product, fans will have to physically make it to their nearest local outlets if they want a chance to get their hands on these items before the scalpers do.
Higher than MSRP
With the inherent value placed on the Pokémon TCG product, its constant lack of supply, and the scalper situation exacerbating the situation, fans may look at Gamestop selling their products at a price higher than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) in a wholly negative or predatory light.
That said, Gamestop's prices are still far better than the astronomical asking prices for the same product found on second-hand market sites like eBay.
In fact, if one looked at the Pokémon Center website, there was only a modest difference of up to $10 for the same items between the two retailers. The Zapdos ex box, in particular, was listed at $21.99 on the Pokémon Center website.
If you were to go to a second-hand market site like TCGplayer, you’d see the same product exchanging hands at anywhere between $224 at minimum to over $300 for more recent purchases.
Destined Rivals Surprise Find
While on the topic of Pokémon TCG product stocks, it comes as no surprise that Gamestop has already put up pages for the upcoming Destined Rivals product line. The Booster Box, Elite Trainer box, Booster Packs, and a 3-pack Blister set featuring a copy of Zebstrika are coming to store shelves on the 30th of May.
Two other Destined Rivals items were also listed, but featured separate launch dates. One is the Booster Bunder slated for the 6th of June while the Build and Battle box will be released on the 13th of the same month.
Gamestop has yet to price tag any of these items. But given the retailer's current track record, we may see some—if not all—of the items being given a price tag that is also higher than the MSRP.
Weirdly, even though Gamestop is asking for prices higher than the intended MSRP, it's still a gift for fans.