Lockdown has had an incredible impact on many industries, with video games (and related sectors) benefitting massively from the fact that people haven’t been able to leave their homes for months. One of the more unexpected beneficiaries of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the world of Pokémon trading cards, many of which have seen their value skyrocket as bored fans look to bolster their personal collections.
It’s not just vintage Pokémon cards that are in demand, either – when McDonald’s ran a promotion recently which featured exclusive cards, scalpers were quick to snap up as many Happy Meals as they could in order to sell on the cards for a massive profit.
It was this event that proved to be the catalyst for FandomSpot’s new ‘Pokémon Card Hunters’ campaign. Bristling at the unfairness of the recent McDonald’s campaign which saw dedicated fans missing out simply because they weren’t able to get to a local restaurant, FandomSpot decided to take positive action:
That’s why we’ve decided to launch a new service, Pokémon Card Hunters, where we will connect people who have the time to do the hunting, with people who are willing to pay for it.
The process seems simple enough; you sign up on FandomSpot’s site by providing a photo ID for registration, provided you are 18 years of age. You also need to be willing to travel to several stores in your local area or around your state (this is exclusive to the U.S., we should add) or, if the customer prefers it, sit on your computer and trawl the internet for Pokémon card bargains.
FandomSpot also advises that “a contract is written up between the customer and yourself to agree on the transfer of any cards you find or purchase. As well as the hourly rate, professional Hunters can negotiate any travel expenses, as well as an option for you and the customer to agree bonuses should a valuable card be found or purchased.”
It sounds like a noble venture, but it’s worth noting that FandomSpot doesn’t seem to be all that invested in the actual mechanics of the process, beyond connecting people – hence the fact that it recommends both parties agree to a contract before any hunting takes place. With this in mind, we’d recommend caution before signing up, as it seems like FandomSpot is offering very little in the way of support when it comes to ensuring each transaction runs smoothly.
Perhaps we’re just being negative, though – have you already signed up to the program and had positive results? Let us know with a comment below.