Pokémon Scalpers Are Losers

This weekend, there was a fight at a Costco between multiple men reportedly trying to buy Pokemon 151 tins.

These are scalpers.

And, I want to be very clear: scalpers are losers.

Beyond this dim-witted nonsense, scalpers are wasting their time playing “business” by chasing short-term retail opportunities, without creating any value for anyone but themselves.

A real business requires building repeatable systems: with the same inputs, you generate a product or service that people actually want to buy. You have to create value for others.

Scalpers do none of this.

There is no system of value creation. No one actually wants to buy the output of their work.

Scalping is a cringe-worthy hustle masquerading as a business. It’s the art of leeching off someone else’s work and flipping it without adding a shred of value. There’s no system, no craft, just a scavenger’s knack for spotting a deal and doing whatever it takes to get it.

This is embarrassing because it’s so hollow: scalpers don’t build anything, solve anything, or leave a mark beyond their own wallet. While real businesses sweat over repeatable systems, scalpers just ride the wave of hype and vanish when it crashes. They’re not players in the game; they’re self-interested market saboteurs who only care about their short-term profit.

And, the moment the market opportunity is over, so are they.

To me, this short-mindedness is more embarrassing than the violent behaviour we now see plastered all over social media.

Scalpers are losers.

The good news is that these scalping opportunities will come to an end whenever The Pokémon Company is able to get their supply up to meet demand. And, when they do, the rest of us can continue to use our knowledge and experience to keep creating value for the Pokémon community.

I’ll see you there 🫡