Why is nothing being done to increase production?
I'm struggling to understand why players, collectors, and fans of Pokémon can't log into the Pokémon center website and purchase the newest expansion, or the one before that, or the one before that, or the one before that...or basically anything. It's the POKÉMON CENTER but there is what 12 TCG items available. And not one of those are tied to any expansion. There is not a single elite trainer box, booster box, booster pack from not just the new expansions, but from ANY expansion. There are 88 accessories to buy. Play mats, sleeves, deck boxes, etc. But what good are they if there isn't any cards? When my boys first started playing, a few years ago, I could log in and get whatever they needed. Now there is absolutely nothing. Now some may respond to go to your local card shop or store. And that is would be a valid response if any of them had any product. There is nothing. We had a subscription to Booster Crate where we would get 22 packs a month which isn't much but it was something. Then I get an email stating that all Pokémon subscriptions have been canceled because the distributor, acting on orders from Pokémon, has stopped selling to them and I quote "to control supply in such a way to increase demand and rarity." Nothing to buy from the Pokémon center, nothing to buy from local stores and now a person can't even get a few packs from a subscription service. But hey, you can go on EBAY, plenty of supply there. TCGPlayer has every sealed product from every expansion you could possibly want, but not for MSRP, no no no, market value is the price you pay. Now don't get me wrong, I like TCGPlayer and buy singles there constantly to complete sets. But buying an ETB or booster box from a newly released set for 2 to 3 times the retail prices because someone bribed a distributor or something and bought a pallet of them, just doesn't sit right with me. I know the world isn't fair, and there is always going to be a market for scalpers, that's just the way it is. It just troubles me that the Pokémon Company doesn't seem to care about the issue. And why would they, they still get their money, hand over fist…10.8 Billion in 2023 just in retail and breaking new records every year. Like the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, from their financial standpoint, nothing needs to be fixed and so nothing will.