This Subtle Target Merchandise Policy Might Surprise You if You’re a Collector

If you participate in a hobby that includes hot new tech like video game consoles, or collecting in-demand merchandise such as sports and trading cards, dolls, plushies and action figures, chances are you've come across the annoying scourge that is resellers.

Resellers will typically swoop in to buy up (and often sell out) large quantities of popular goods at retail price (MSRP), and then "flip" these items by charging way more than the goods would typically sell for after creating a sense of scarcity.

Right now, popular items such as designer sneakers, Jellycat toys, Pokemon cards and Labubu—the mischievous, Hong Kong-created collectible plush toy that's all the rage right now—are prime targets for resellers, who will often camp out at retailers for hours prior to opening or even employ online bots to snap up as much stock as they can, all to turn a massive profit.

It's a frustrating situation for collectors and consumers who ought to be able to purchase their favorite goods at normal retail prices. Thankfully, some retail stores have finally begun to address the reseller issue, from limiting purchase quantities to battling bots with verified accounts and online queues.

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While Target still faces challenges when it comes to online and in-app orders for in-demand products, which are often eaten up quickly by lightening-fast bots, did you know the company actually has an official policy against reselling merchandise?

According to the national retail giant's Terms and Conditions, "Target reserves the right to prohibit purchases of any merchandise to resellers," which Target defines as "a company or an individual that purchases goods with the intention of selling them rather than using them."

Target maintains that they have the right to limit or outright refuse sale to resellers, who are also technically not permitted to use the Target Circle loyalty program.

As for how Target enforces their reseller policy, they reportedly use in-store monitoring of "purchasing patterns and limitations on online purchases," and they also prohibit third-party resellers from listing products on their website.