Trading cards are supplied to retail stores by the distributor MJ Holding and are usually found all together at Walmart, Target and Meijer. Every store is a bit different, but generally sports cards are located somewhere near the front of the store, often in an aisle of their own off to one side of the checkout lines. Rarely will you find cards deeper in the store as they try to deter theft as much as possible, so they’ll usually in an area that is heavily staffed and where there are a lot of people. Each store will restock trading cards depending on the distributor’s schedule, and that tends to switch up regularly.
Along with sports trading cards, you’ll often find other products from Pokemon, and other collectible cards and novelties. This is generally where you’ll find supplies as well – top loaders, soft sleeves, binders and 9-pocket pages, etc.
1. Single Aisle Next To Checkout Lines
Most often, you can find all the trading cards together in one aisle next to checkout lines. Often it will be located right between the self-checkout and the first staffed checkout aisles. Typically this will be near one of the main entrances.
2. RACK NEAR CHECKOUT AISLES
Some times cards will be in display racks in the middle of the main walkway between the checkout aisles and the rest of the store.
3. TOY SECTION
Even though this would make sense, especially with the other packaged collectables, you’ll rarely find trading cards in the actual toy sections. Walmart and Target both experience a high level of theft of toys and collectible items, and their profit margins on trading cards are very slim, so they don’t normally keep cards anywhere but in heavily staffed and trafficked areas. BUT, it’s not unheard of to have at least some trading cards in or near the kids’ toys sections.
4. Customer Service Desk
If the above three options don’t yield results in your search for trading cards at Walmart or Target, try the customer service desk. Many stores experience a high level of theft and/or tampering with sports cards boxes and packs. Often you’ll find them in a locked display cabinet at the customer service desk, requiring an employee to retrieve the product for you.
Where does your Target, Walmart or Meijer big-box store keep all their sports cards blasters, retail boxes and packs, and trading card supplies? Let us know if the comments!