Target turned 30 this year, and its birthday present to shoppers is a Pokemon trading card collaboration that has collectors lining up before sunrise.
The retailer confirmed the drop includes exclusive promo cards and themed merchandise tied to its anniversary celebration, and stores in several states reported crowds forming well before opening.
If you have a kid who collects, or you're a collector yourself, this is the kind of release that sells out in hours and then shows up on resale sites at triple the price.
Here's what's actually going on and how to avoid overpaying.
The promotion centers on limited-edition card packs sold through Target stores and Target.com, with some items bundled alongside other anniversary merchandise.
Because supply is capped, most locations are limiting purchases per customer, usually one or two items per person.
That helps real shoppers, but it also means the person ahead of you in line can wipe out the shelf.
Within a day of the announcement, listings appeared on eBay and Facebook Marketplace at prices well above retail, sometimes five to ten times face value.
This is standard for hyped Pokemon releases, but it's worth saying plainly: paying $80 for a $12 card pack is not an investment, it's a gamble.
A few practical notes before you drive anywhere.
Call your local store first and ask if they've received the shipment and whether they're holding items at customer service.
Many Target locations now keep high-demand collectibles behind the service desk rather than on the sales floor, which cuts down on shelf-clearing.
If you're shopping online, watch for third-party sellers.
Target's marketplace includes outside vendors, and those listings are not the same as buying directly from Target.
Check who the seller is before you check out, and remember that a marketplace listing can carry a big markup without any obvious warning.
Also be skeptical of "guaranteed hits" or sealed boxes being resold on social media.
Counterfeit Pokemon cards are common, and a too-good price on a sealed product is often a sign of a resealed or fake box.
Buy from established sellers with return policies, or stick to retail.
For families, the cheapest move is usually to skip the frenzy entirely.
Basic Pokemon packs at regular retail, or even a starter deck, give kids the same fun without the line or the markup.
If the anniversary card specifically matters to your kid, set a budget before you leave the house and stick to it.
One more thing worth knowing: these promotions are often restocked.
Target has a history of releasing anniversary and holiday collectibles in waves, so a sold-out shelf today doesn't always mean sold out for good.
Signing up for in-stock alerts on Target.com is free and beats camping in a parking lot.
The bottom line is that this drop is fun, but the pricing around it is not.
Anything beyond a modest markup is someone else's profit, not your collection's value.
Our take: skip the resale market and let the hype cool for a few weeks.
If Target restocks, you'll get the same cards at the same price everyone else paid, and if it doesn't, your kid will still be happy with a regular pack.
Final Thoughts
Paying a scalper to feel like you won is the only way to actually lose here.