Costco Is Enforcing Purchase Limits on Pokémon Cards

From seasonal treats to chicken lawn ornaments, Costco's offerings regularly spark excitement online. And the latest item to garner major buzz is expected to sell out fast—so much so that warehouse clubs are implementing purchase limits.

This week, multiple Costco members took to Reddit to share that the retail giant is now selling five-pack mini tins of Pokémon cards. According to a photo shared by one Reddit user, the package includes 10 TCG (Trading Card Game) booster packs, five Pokémon art cards, five Pokémon stickers, and four promo cards. In the depicted image, the product is listed for $37.99 and is limited to three packages per customer. However, as always, prices can vary by location.

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Shoppers have attributed the demand for these trading cards to their exclusive status. According to one Reddit user, the red boxes contain Pokémon 151 packs, a 2023 release that is "currently extremely difficult to find."

The Redditor wrote that these cards are "highly sought-after" because the pack is an "ode to the original 151 Pokémon from the 90s," and the demand has surged because people who grew up with the cards "are getting back into the hobby."

According to Screen Rant, the Costco-exclusive bundle includes special 151-themed products that aren't available elsewhere. Because this item is limited in availability and exclusive to Costco, collectors must rely on resellers, which results in higher prices.

The purchasing limits at Costco appear to vary across warehouse clubs, according to shoppers.

"Limit 10 – I saw two dudes running on opening day and loading up carts only to be told, limit 10. The lady stood there and made them put the rest back," one Reddit user wrote in a separate thread.

"We had a limit of 3 at ours," another one commented.

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However, not every store appears to be enforcing purchase limits, making the trading cards even harder to snag.

"We didn't have a limit at my Costco, the whole pallet sold in 30 minutes," one Costco member shared.

"Mine didn't limit and they were gone within the first hour yesterday morning 😭," another one said.

Keeping this in mind, if you're a Pokémon fan (or looking to gift any Pokémon lovers in your life), you'll want to visit Costco soon, since it's unclear how long the warehouse club will keep the cards in stock.