They need to do something about pack searchers...

[Dispatches]

I went to Meijers yesterday to get a few groceries. I always check out the cards even tho I never buy them. They had 25% off all cards and supplies not too long so I got sleeves and toploaders for cheap.

I noticed they had 09/10 UD Series 1 at the checkout Card rack. The Young Guns have the same odds as Hobby(1:4) so I thought why not grab a pack or two for 3$ each. They didn't appear to be searched, but I pulled a pack out and looked at it and wouldn't you know it, every single pack was barely opened at the top. I'm not going to buy a pack of cards that's been handled and messed with.
Earlier today I was stopped by Walmart on my home to check and see if they had 09/10 UD Series 1 too. Well they did, and every single pack had been searched and was barely opened at the top too.

The retail version of these cards were released only 5 days ago and people have already searched them all at both stores. They need to do something about this. They're getting opened now.

I know what you're going to say and I agree. But I don't have a hobby shop I can go to around here. And I'm not paying 5$ shipping on a $3 pack of cards. I plan on only buying boxes from Dave and Adam's when I have the money for cards. But it would be really nice to pick up a $3 pack of cards every now and then when I'm at Meijers or Walmart. I can think of a lot of things that could reduce and maybe prevent people from searching the packs. I just think its kind of messed up that they haven't figured something out. Its 2009, how long has this been going on? I'm not going to make a big deal over a $3 pack of cards, but I just think it screws a lot of people over.

[RGM81]

Sounds like you've got a few dirtbags in your area that like to ruin the experience for kids and other collectors alike. Wal-Mart here, for a good while, had a glass case for all the cards and you had to get an employee to open it up, and they'd take the box all the way to the checkout for you to pay there. The case is gone now, and though I haven't seen any searched boxes, it's still a shame in a way because it does allow the opportunity for unscrupulous people to have at it.

[flemingc04]

I know the exact feeling! There have been a couple of times I went to see what Wal-Mart had for retail blaster boxes and I was surprised how much nerve people have! Not only was the plastic opened on the boxes and tins, but the wrappers and cards were all over the shelves and it looked like a bomb went off. Even worse, this was back when Wal-Mart sold packs of Trilogy ($25 each) and the same people, opened those up and left the base on the shelves.

This year I was quite surprised that Upper Deck decided to hold off using decoys in UD Series 1. I can only imagine the increase in searching for jerseys because that's what used to happen in the past. Needless to say, I shared my thoughts with a few UD reps at the Fall Expo about deciding to not use decoys. Last year I was really impressed when Upper Deck decided to insert a decoy in every UD pack that didn't have a jersey. Pack searching completely sucks for everybody...especially the kids.

[hockeygreg]

That sucks man, I have seen this as well and it is indeed frustrating.

[CoolHandLuke]

Your only request is to go and complain to the store manager and ask them to put them behind a counter out of client reach. That is the only thing you can do is to voice your opinion to the only person that can actually do something for you in your region, to prevent it.

We had thief since men are men, this is not going to change but some preventive mesure can prevent this from happening.