Due to the resale boom that soared to 2.2 billion dollars in 2024, stores such as Bic Camera in Tokyo implement questionnaires, purchase limits and product opening to stop reselling.
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The fever for Pokémon trading cards continues to grow and is already causing serious headaches in the market. In 2024, global sales of the game reached $2.2 billion, 25% more than the previous year. The Pokémon Company responded by increasing production to 10.2 billion cards by 2025, but speculation continues to complicate access for real fans
.
Everything was boosted during the pandemic, when streamers like Logan Paul opened envelopes in videos that had millions of views. Since then, demand exploded and resellers (scalpers) empty shelves in minutes to resell at
inflated prices.
In Tokyo, a specialty store took a drastic step. In the western branch of Ikebukuro of Bic Camera, to buy packs for the new Ninja Spinner expansion, you must first pass a written questionnaire of 15 questions about the Pokémon universe. It is done without a cell phone, without help and in Japanese.
The test is not the only filter. Customers need an active loyalty account, either via app or physical card, for staff to detect suspicious repeat purchases. In addition, they apply a limit of one box per person.
Measures to curb resale
When delivering the product, the store removes the seal and outer packaging. Thus, the open item loses value in the secondary market, where resellers need everything sealed to collect fortunes
.
According to network users, the system is yielding results: several speculators suspended the questionnaire and left without buying, since it is random it is difficult to prepare it beforehand. This strategy seeks to prioritize genuine players over those who are only looking for quick profits
.
The Ninja Spinner expansion is the Japanese version of Chaos Rising, which comes out in the West on May 22. It stars Mega Greninja ex. A golden card of this character went from being worth 593 dollars in March to trading in thousands. An envelope that costs around 5 euros in store can be resold for 40 in hours.
The role of the weak yen and the tactics of resellers The
weakness of the Japanese yen aggravates the problem. The boxes are affordable for foreign buyers, who take advantage of the illustrations and finishes exclusive to Japan. Many new products last for minutes on the shelves before ending up on resale platforms
.
Professionals have their tricks: they hire people to stand in lines, use multiple cards and create fake accounts. In October 2025, police arrested two Vietnamese citizens who armed thirty fictitious accounts with fraudulent SIM cards to participate in raffles
and take dozens of boxes.
Other Bic Camera branches require a Japanese driver's license or tax document, limiting purchases to residents. Official Pokémon Centers also maintain strict limits per customer. Outside Japan, chains such as Walmart imposed a limit of five packs per purchase after seeing a reseller empty an entire
display.
From The Pokémon Company it's not easy to find a solution. Printing more copies of the most sought after cards would reduce speculation, but it would affect competitive play and that thrill of getting something rare in an envelope. The balance between accessibility and exclusivity remains the great challenge
.
For now, Japanese fans and genuine collectors celebrate these barriers that, although unusual, help the cards reach those who really want them to play or enjoy the collection.
