Why I opened an online Pokemon store in a saturated market

My Journey Into Pokémon Cards: From Fan to Collector

Over the last year, I’ve developed an obsession with Pokémon cards. While I’ve always been a fan of Pokémon, I was mainly into the games. Pokémon Red, Gold, and Sapphire are titles I find myself coming back to again and again over the years.

In 2020, the collecting card hobby experienced a huge boom. I caught the tail end of that wave, primarily through sports cards, and quickly became hooked. Prior to this, I had never been much of a collector, but the thrill of hitting chase cards and opening packs was incredibly addicting. With apps like Whatnot on the rise, it became easier than ever to purchase packs and watch live openings on the daily.

Soon enough, I started selling cards on eBay. I discovered I had a knack for spotting gems and flipping them for profit. Not only did this help fund my new passion, but it became some of the most fun I’ve had in my 30s. It was like the little kid inside me had resurfaced, and I had found something I could truly be passionate about.

A Love for Pokémon Cards, But Frustration with Panini

One thing I couldn’t stand, though, was the company behind most of the sports cards — Panini. I felt they had predatory practices, always prioritizing money over quality. Retail collectors often got the short end of the stick, and it seemed like buying cards from retail shelves was a waste. To make things worse, the market often focused only on rookie cards, and player performances could swing the market unpredictably. It all began to rub me the wrong way.

Discovering Pokémon Cards

Fast forward to a couple of years later, I stumbled upon a YouTube stream by Packflipps (link to channel). It was just a guy and his buddy opening packs on stream for people. For some reason, I couldn’t stop watching. Though I’d never been all that into Pokémon cards before, something about it hooked me. I kept the stream running in the background as I worked my 9-5 job for a couple of weeks straight. Eventually, I bought a box from him. That’s when I hit the Bubble Mew from Paldean Fates... and the rest is history!

I started visiting Target and Walmart to find packs to rip. I’ve been incredibly lucky with my pack openings. My first 151 booster bundle contained the Charizard EX SIR! Shortly after, I dove deep into the Pokémon content world on YouTube, watching everything from vendor POVs to rip-and-ship streams, and even poké investors.

Joining the Community

It quickly became clear that I wanted to be a part of this vibrant community. That’s when I decided to launch my Instagram page, @catchemcardsco. I began creating content mimicking vendor POVs, and to my surprise, it caught fire. I gained 2,000+ followers in just two weeks! Since then, I’ve received non-stop messages and DMs, forging new friendships along the way. As a married guy in my 30s, making new friends can be rare, so this has been an exciting experience.

Through this journey, I noticed a gap in the Pokémon community: there wasn’t much humorous content out there. I’m committed to creating more of that. Additionally, I realized there was a gap in the market for online stores offering a wide variety of products.

Filling the Gap in the Pokémon Community

The major Pokémon websites all seemed to share the same issues: products were often sold out, prices were high, and there was an overemphasis on booster boxes. Pokémon offers so many other collections, like ETBs, UPCs, and more. For example, a product like the Fusion Strike ETB (link to product) is barely listed on most major websites, and forget about finding items like the 151 Premium UPC (link to product)!

That’s when I realized: I could do something different. I’ve been accumulating various Pokémon products and want to create a store where any collector can find something they love. My goal is to offer drops of highly sought-after products that are typically sold out or not even listed on other websites.

Moving Forward: The Vision for My Online Store

I’m committed to keeping prices as fair as possible, though without a distributor, I often have to purchase products at near-market value. Despite this, I plan to grow my shop into one of the most trusted and recommended online Pokémon stores. If I ever obtain distribution, I’ll always ensure prices stay fair.

This hobby is for people of all ages, and I want to build a little community where I can collaborate with others and help them grow their collections. I’m excited to have you along for the ride!