The world of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) is booming, with more and more players joining the fray in Japan, the West, and everywhere in between. New card pack releases and tournaments consistently draw massive crowds, and card prices are soaring, cementing PTCG's status as a titan in the TCG world.
However, on the 23rd, as Pokémon TCG's latest expansion, "Munikis Zero," officially launched, a shocking discovery sent ripples through the community: a convenience store employee was caught listing products on a secondary market platform before the official release time, sparking outrage across social media.
A netizen on X (formerly Twitter) posted screenshots, questioning: "The photos clearly show a 7-11 uniform, name tag, cash register, and shopping basket... Is it really acceptable for an employee to sell these items before the official release time?"
The images shared by the netizen revealed that while 7-11's official sale time was 7 AM, the items were already photographed and listed on the platform around 2 AM.
The listing has since been removed from the secondary market platform, and it's unclear if any transactions were completed. Reportedly, each 7-11 store received a maximum of six boxes (30 packs per box) that day. Despite a store policy limiting purchases to 10 packs per person, the listing photos showed all six boxes. If the photos aren't fake, it means the entire store's stock was cleared out in one go, making the situation even more egregious.
This isn't just a Pokémon card issue; similar incidents have occurred in the past where convenience store employees allegedly resold hard-to-get items ahead of time. In response, 7-11 Japan reiterated:
"Our company strictly prohibits store personnel from pre-purchasing items. We require strict adherence to official release times and proper sales guidelines, including not selling items in bulk. These reminders are continuously communicated to our stores."
While not the first such case, this one gained traction because the items were listed online before release, complete with a store basket in the photos. All retailers selling rare merchandise will likely need to strengthen employee management and training, or risk repeatedly sparking consumer dissatisfaction.