Collectors Battle Scalpers and Bots for New TCG Sets
It’s 10:00 AM. The product page refreshes. Gone.
No human could’ve moved that fast—and that’s exactly the problem.
Scalpers and automated bots are swallowing entire TCG drops in seconds, reselling the stock for double or triple the price. For everyday collectors who just want to rip a box or add a card to their binder, it’s become exhausting.
🤖 The Rise of Bots in the Trading Card Market
This isn't just about hype. It’s about access.
Botting software—once used mostly for sneaker drops—is now sniping Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, smaller indie card releases and even labubu drops. The second a retailer posts new stock, bots flood the checkout page, leaving real collectors staring at a “Sold Out” screen.
Then, like clockwork, the exact same items appear on eBay or marketplaces like StockX—with steep markups.
💸 Scalping Has Shifted the Entire Market
You used to be able to walk into a local store and grab a few booster packs. Now? Most collectors have to hunt online—and that’s where scalpers thrive.
Impacts of scalping culture:
Retail shelves are perpetually empty
Resale prices keep climbing
Entry-level collectors are priced out
Drops feel like lotteries, not releases
🗣️ The Community Is Speaking Up
Collectors across social platforms, blogs, and communities like Collectors Club are making it clear: the hobby is being overrun by resellers.
It’s not about gatekeeping—it’s about fairness. Most long-time collectors just want a chance to buy products at retail, without battling software and side hustlers.
🛑 What Can Be Done About It?
Some brands have tried to respond. We've seen a few solutions:
Bot-detection tech with CAPTCHAs and queue systems
Purchase limits tied to verified accounts
Randomized drop times to prevent timed scripts
But scalpers adapt fast. Some even rent entire bot services, giving them a competitive edge collectors just can’t beat on their own.
🧠 What AGS Believes
At AGS, we believe the trading card hobby should belong to collectors first—not to flippers gaming the system.
Our job is to make sure that when you do land the card you’re after, it gets graded with precision, fairness, and transparency. We’re pushing the industry forward with AI-based grading, secure slabs, and tech-driven systems that reward real collectors.
Learn how we're future-proofing grading at agscard.com or explore more at info.agscard.com.
📦 The Bottom Line: Scalpers Might Be Fast, But Collectors Have Staying Power
This isn’t a trend—it’s a hobby.
Collectors have always been the heart of the TCG world. And as long as they speak up, stay connected, and keep grading the cards that matter, the bots won’t win the war.