Worst pack searcher ever?

[Drewk86a]

Stopped at the local Target which requires a mandatory stop at the sports card shelves. There was an older guy (30's?) blocking up the whole section so I did the rest of my shopping planning to stop again on the way out. 20 minutes later he is still there taking packs out of a large cardboard box on one of the closed cash registers. Figuring he was stocking the shelves, I went over for a look at the cards.

Turns out the guy was pack searching. He was taking packs out of this big box and feeling them up 30+ seconds per pack and putting them back in the box. After a minute or two her reached in the cardboard box and brought out an entire rack box out and placed it on the shelf. He then took another rack box off the shelf, put it into the bigger cardboard box and began searching those packs! Seriously! He was not searching the open retail boxes on the shelf, but removing the gravity-feed rack boxes, opening the top, taking all the packs out, searching them and putting the losers back. Then he would re-hang the rack box and take down another.

I mentioned his antics to several staffers and they could not have cared less. This has to one of the worst, most brazen, acts of pack searching I have ever seen. All for what? A $1-$2 jersey card or auto? Truly pathetic.

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I know I'll generate some controversy but I have to say that in the card collecting circles of hell pack searchers are the lowest of the low. Searchers will defend themselves by claiming it's a victimless crime, that I'm just mad because they got there first, that they're collector's too, or that they should not be vilified simply because they found a way to game the system.

First, it's not victimless: What about all the people who buy packs thinking they have a shot at a decent card, not knowing that you molested the entire box. Really, the way you felt up that pack, you should have, at least, bought it dinner first!

Second, it's not about getting to the box first. It's about being deceitful and putting the "rejected" packs back as if they had not been searched. If pack searchers had any decency they would at least leave a note saying "SEARCHED" on the box to warn their fellow collector's

Third, 99% of pack searchers are not collectors, they are flippers. They try to score jerseys and autos which they can sell on eBay. How else do you explain all the "hot pack" listings? Pack searchers gone wild.

Finally, The fact that you found a way to cheat the system doesn't mean you should do it. If you knew which ticket would win the raffle or lottery and you bought only that ticket, how fair would it be for everyone who came after you thinking they had a shot at winning? Why don't you scratch off all the lottery tickets before deciding which one to buy? It's the same thing.

Sorry for the long rant, but these pack searchers are... (holding back what I really want to say)...not nice. They are a blemish on the hobby and ruin collecting for many people. OK - Now all you searchers can crawl out of the card aisle and defend yourselves.

[Kessel_fan_87]

I remember reading about this same situation before (can't remember which trading forum it was on), but ya. That's low. Real low. Slimy and ignorant and despicable.

[oogabooga99]

I do realize that one would like to increase their odds of getting a "hit" in the pack they bought. Packs are always a gamble and we can only hope us fellow collectors can be honest enough not to rummage through and cherry pick everything. I for one, would be embarrassed to be seen standing in that isle, pack searching.... I also firmly believe that people like that, are the reason the hobby is slowing down (which I wont get into). I know I've slowed down, as I don't trust to buy packages anymore. It's a real shame... I have absolutely no respect for that guy.... pisses me off the more I think about it ;) haha

[reoddai]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

Don't buy rack packs. It's a shame too because they are perfect for kids and busy parents.

Cheers,
Reoddai

[mooneyes]

On a semi related note, bizarre how lax Target is with customer satisfaction, especially after they invested a fortune in Canada and quickly went belly up due to a lack of customers...

[pwskelly]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

Don't buy rack packs. It's a shame too because they are perfect for kids and busy parents.

Cheers,
Reoddai

+1

[10-4 collector]

I am never buying loose packs, only boxes. The last time I bought loose packs was a few years back, the local store I went to had 14 loose packs of Spx. The lady told me she had opened the box earlier that day and a guy purchased 4 packs, I bought the rest of the box which had 18 packs originally. Surprise! No hits in the 14 packs! No jerseys, no rc jersey autos nothing! That was it for me. 100$ for base cards.

[30ranfordfan]

I wouldn't touch those products anyway (retail rack pack style) but it does ruin them for others.... and I think is an awful thing to do.

My LCS: They do sell loose packs, but they're all behind the counter. "I'll take three of X" and they give you three. No searching (and based on the hits I've pulled from lose packs over the years, they don't search 'em either)

[Drewk86a]

Also saw they had some small boxes of Topps Turkey Red (baseball) that had a red (tamper proof) band around the box under the shrink wrap. Neither the red band or the shrink wrap bore the Topps logo which made me wonder if these had been opened & resealed.

Not having a hobby shop around, my only options are online and Target. When I do buy at Target, it is limited to sealed blasters.

[Drewk86a]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

Kind of ironic to read about the Tragedy of the Commons, when commons is all pack searchers leave behind!