Known for its incredibly wide range of products, Walmart has expanded its online store in recent years to compete with giants like Amazon. However, with that expansion comes more opportunities for foul play and the organization, unfortunately, has news on that front. Recent criticism comes from accusations Walmart is reportedly selling counterfeit products.
Prominent YouTuber “Deep Pocket Monster” published a new video detailing a widespread scam among the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) market. According to him, Walmart is selling counterfeit cards on their online storefront and isn’t regulating things properly. The 12-minute video goes into great detail about the scam, stating it has to do with a certain booster pack selling for a massive amount online.
The product in question happens to be the XY Evolutions Booster Box, a set regularly seen for well over $100. Those familiar with the trading card business know they are often expensive, but single cards can sell for thousands if in good condition. That’s assuming they are real, which Deep Pocket Monsters says isn’t the case.
In the video, he explains one of Walmart’s sponsored vendors, JoyBuy, is the one selling the fraudulent boxes. Though it is a third-party account, Walmart’s website deems it reliable. The YouTuber’s subscribers and Discord community brought the scam to his attention after discovering one collector fell prey to the scam. Conducting his own research, he found JoyBuy is tied to a Chinese company called JD. This company partnered with Walmart back in 2017.
What Does This Connection Mean and Could You Receive a Refund?
Deep Pocket Monster also found Walmart owns a 12 percent stake in JD. This means to some extent, Walmart indirectly owns the company. Compiling all the evidence he had, the YouTuber sent it to Walmart and requested they remove the counterfeit cards from the storefront. He didn’t receive a response from the retail chain, but he did get a refund for a box he ordered himself.
So, if you suspect your cards are fake or are nervous about it, you can request a refund. However, Deep Pocket Monster warns his viewers the process for him was long and frustrating. As one might expect, he also advised against buying the booster box there. More so than that, he feels the Pokemon cards set a dangerous precedent and other products may be fake too. Though it’s only speculation, he suggests Walmart doesn’t regulate it thoroughly to keep up with stores like Amazon.
As of this writing, the Pokemon XY Evolutions Booster box is still available on Walmart.com, but for $999.99 from several vendors. The JoyBuy storefront also remains active, but only has four products listed.
Walmart has not made public comments concerning the card situation.
