Target Just Banned the Purchase of This One Thing at All Its Stores
The retailer just pulled this item from its stores nationwide.
If there's one thing you can count on when going on a Target run during the pandemic, it's that one of the things you're looking to buy is probably missing from the store's shelves. Throughout the past year, COVID outbreaks at factories and shipping issues have disrupted the supply chains of most industries, resulting in shortages of everything from toilet paper to chicken wings to the most dire of all at the moment—gasoline. And the next time you head to Target, you definitely won't find one item in particular—but not because the store has run out; the company just issued a nationwide ban on a certain product that's become incredibly popular. Read on to find out what you no longer can buy at the retail chain.
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Target is banning customers from buying trading cards right now.
If you're swinging by Target to pick up some trading cards, you might as well just turn around. Target announced on May 14 that the company has decided to immediately stop selling trading cards, though only temporarily. "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," a representative for Target said in a statement to CNN. The cards will still be available for purchase online, however. Unfortunately for trading card lovers, Target did not say when they would end this temporary ban.
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The ban comes after an assault over trading cards occurred at a Wisconsin Target.
The announcement comes a week after a Target in Wisconsin had to be locked down on May 7 because a fight had broken out in the parking lot over sports trading cards, local ABC New affiliate WISN-TV reported. According to the police report, a 35-year-old man was physically assaulted by four men as he left the store after buying trading cards. The victim allegedly drew a gun but did not fire.
"The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority," a spokesperson for Target said in the statement. They also added that the decision to initiate a temporary trading card ban was made "out of an abundance of caution."
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The value of trading cards has risen dramatically over the last few months.
According to CNN, there's been a trading card boom in recent months, causing their value to skyrocket—which is what likely contributed to the assault at Target. For example, a rare Charizard Pokémon card sold for $360,000 through Goldin Auctions in Dec. 2020, and then another sold for almost $400,000 earlier this year. In terms of sport cards, a Michael Jordan rookie basketball card in pristine condition sold for $738,000 in February at a Goldin Auctions' auction. So a box of trading cards can easily sell for five times what a buyer pays for it, WISN-TV reported.
"It's almost like the golden ticket Willie Wonka theory. It's a big value, and they're hard to get, but you might get it," Jeff Lemieux, owner of Jeff's Sports Inc, told the local Wisconsin outlet.
Walmart has said they will continue to sell trading cards in stores for now.
If you're looking for trading cards, you can instead head over to Walmart. A spokesperson for the company told CNN that they are continuing to sell trading cards in stores for now, though the retailer confirmed that they have seen an increase in customer demand for them.
"We are determining what, if any, changes are needed to meet customer demand while ensuring a safe and enjoyable shopping experience," the Walmart spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.
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