The Walmart Pokémon Card Scandal You Were Never Supposed to See..

Summary

A major scandal has erupted involving Walmart, MJ Holdings, and Pokémon card distribution. MJ Holdings, the largest Pokémon card distributor in North America, is accused of using its subsidiary, GT Collectibles, to sell cards at inflated market prices on Walmart’s website. This bypasses Walmart’s low-price guarantee and disrupts the flow of cards to physical stores, creating shortages. Following the backlash, GT Collectibles removed its Pokémon card listings. The controversy raises concerns about the integrity of the distribution system and the role of major distributors in pricing and availability.

Takeaways

• 😀 MJ Holdings is the largest distributor of Pokémon cards in North America, and they supply cards primarily to large retailers like Walmart.
• 😀 Walmart has a subsidiary called GT Collectibles, which has been selling Pokémon cards directly on Walmart.com at inflated prices.
• 😀 The issue stems from the fact that MJ Holdings is bypassing regular distribution channels, affecting the availability of Pokémon cards in physical Walmart stores.
• 😀 Many Pokémon cards that should be available in Walmart stores at MSRP are being sold online by GT Collectibles at higher, market prices.
• 😀 Following online backlash, Walmart's GT Collectibles page has removed or marked all Pokémon card listings as sold out.
• 😀 Walmart's reputation is at stake as they have a low price guarantee for their customers, which is being undermined by these inflated prices.
• 😀 The shortage of Pokémon cards in stores is partly due to MJ Holdings not supplying large-scale stores, like Walmart, in favor of selling through their own platform.
• 😀 Third-party sellers like Ripen Shippers are also part of the issue, having large quantities of product at elevated prices.
• 😀 Prices for certain Pokémon card products, such as the Glory of Team Rocket booster box, have increased dramatically, from $40 to $250.
• 😀 There are concerns that the Pokémon card market is becoming increasingly difficult for collectors to navigate, with inflated prices and product shortages.
• 😀 The community is calling for more oversight from Pokémon to regulate the distribution process and prevent future issues with pricing and availability.

Q & A

What is the core issue discussed in the video?

The core issue revolves around a scandal where MJ Holdings, the largest Pokémon card distributor in North America, is allegedly bypassing normal distribution channels by using its subsidiary, GT Collectibles, to sell Pokémon cards at inflated prices on Walmart.com, instead of distributing them to Walmart for in-store sales at MSRP.

Who is MJ Holdings and what role do they play in this scandal?

MJ Holdings is the largest Pokémon card distributor in North America, responsible for supplying cards to large-scale retailers like Walmart. The scandal arises because MJ Holdings, through their subsidiary GT Collectibles, has been selling Pokémon cards directly on Walmart.com at market prices, undermining the typical distribution system.

What is the significance of Walmart's low-price guarantee in this situation?

Walmart’s low-price guarantee means they aim to sell products, including Pokémon cards, at a competitive price. However, the actions of MJ Holdings and GT Collectibles, selling cards at inflated prices on Walmart.com, directly undermine this policy and prevent Walmart from offering cards to consumers at their standard retail prices.

How has the availability of Pokémon cards changed in stores like Walmart?

The availability of Pokémon cards in large stores like Walmart has drastically decreased over the past six months. While cards were once readily available, shelves are now often empty, which the video suggests is due to MJ Holdings' manipulation of the distribution process.

What has been the response to the situation from the community and social media?

The situation has generated significant backlash on social media, with many discussing the ethical issues of inflated prices. The speaker mentions that multiple videos and content have been created on YouTube and other platforms highlighting the scandal, which may have prompted Walmart to take action by removing listings for Pokémon cards from GT Collectibles.

What are the implications for consumers as a result of this scandal?

Consumers may be forced to pay higher prices for Pokémon cards due to the inflated prices set by GT Collectibles. Additionally, the scarcity of cards in physical stores could lead to frustration, as the typical retail experience is disrupted by these unfair practices.

Why does the speaker believe this situation is a problem for the distribution system?

The speaker believes the situation is problematic because it disrupts the intended distribution system, where Pokémon cards are meant to be sold to large accounts like Walmart at MSRP for retail sale. When GT Collectibles sells cards at market prices instead, it reduces the product available to retailers and increases the overall cost to consumers.

What is GT Collectibles and how are they involved in the scandal?

GT Collectibles is a subsidiary of MJ Holdings that has been selling Pokémon cards on Walmart.com at inflated prices. This bypasses the regular distribution channels where Walmart would typically purchase cards to sell them in stores at MSRP, contributing to the scarcity and high prices.

What action has Walmart taken in response to the scandal?

Walmart has removed all Pokémon card listings from GT Collectibles' storefront on their website or marked them as sold out. This suggests Walmart may be attempting to distance itself from the controversy and prevent further damage to its reputation.

What does the speaker suggest as a solution to prevent similar scandals in the future?

The speaker suggests that there should be some form of check-and-balance system, possibly involving Pokémon itself, to ensure that distributors like MJ Holdings are held accountable. This could help prevent similar situations where the supply chain is manipulated for profit at the expense of consumers and retailers.