Walmart Pulls Baseball Cards from Shelves, Leaving Collectors and Kids Disappointed
In January 2023, Walmart made the surprising announcement that it would no longer sell baseball trading cards in its stores across the United States. The decision came as a blow to many collectors and kids who have long relied on Walmart as one of the most accessible retail outlets for purchasing new baseball card packs and boxes. However, Walmart indicated the move was necessary due to ongoing organized fraud and theft rings targeting high-value sports cards.
While the specific details of Walmart’s decision have not been publicly disclosed, sources indicate store management and loss prevention personnel documented a significant rise in resealed or completely emptied sports card packaging being returned over the past year. Instances of entire boxes and cases of newly released products going missing from stock rooms and loading docks also rose dramatically. Some estimates indicate Walmart was losing over $1 million annually just from baseball card theft and fraud at its US stores.
Security camera footage and investigations traced many of these incidents back to organized criminal operations. Rings would have members shoplift entire supplies of cards or wait for delivery trucks and intercept shipments. The stolen goods would then be opened, resealed to look unopened and resold online or through local collectors. In some cases, ring members had identified former baseball players or celebrities willing to purchase large supplies of the hot new releases, allowing them to quickly launder and profit from stolen cards.
The level of organized criminal activity targeting sports cards appears to have increased significantly since the pandemic. With more people spending time at home, the popularity of collecting cards as a hobby surged. Scarcity drove values of coveted rookie cards and autographed memorabilia to new highs. At the same time, shutdowns and economic hardship may have contributed to more people turning to theft and fraud rings for easy money. This Perfect storm of factors overwhelmed security and loss prevention efforts at Walmart stores.
Walmart considered several alternatives like restricting high-end cards to behind-the-counter sales or increasing security. The personnel and infrastructure requirements were deemed too costly for what the retailer sees as a discretionary and non-essential product category. With shrink rates over 5% of sales just from baseball cards alone, Walmart determined it made better business sense to pull the entire category from stores rather than continue fighting a losing battle with determined criminal operations.
The loss of Walmart deals a major blow to the accessibility of the hobby. For years, collectors of all ages relied on stores’ endcap displays and impulse buys of the latest releases. Many kids saved their allowance precisely to purchase packs alongside family grocery trips. Proponents argue the removal may have some positive impacts too. With less product readily available on store shelves, theft rings have fewer targets of opportunity which should help reduce criminal activity levels. Scalpers who instantly resold hot new boxes online for inflated prices may also see their illegal operations disrupted. And scarcity could stabilize speculation-fueled card values back to a collectibles hobby rather than volatile investment asset class.
For collectors lamenting the loss of their local Walmart card aisles, alternative retail options do still exist, though selection may be more limited. Big box stores like Target and Meijer along with dedicated local card shops should still carry a core baseball card inventory. Online retailers like Dave & Adam’s Card World, Steel City Collectibles and Blowout Cards can fulfill orders for out-of-stock items. Sports card conventions provide opportunities to meet with dealers face-to-face too. Ultimately, while less convenient than a simple Walmart trip, enthusiasts determined to keep the hobby thriving will adapt to this “new normal” of distribution without the giant retailer involved.
Only time will tell if other major chains follow Walmart’s lead in removing baseball cards over similar security issues. In the short term, the loss intensifies spotlight on hobby organizers, manufacturers, law enforcement and legislators to find collaborative solutions curbing the organized crime now disrupting the collectibles industry. With cooperation across stakeholders, hopefully the future will see security improvements allowing stores like Walmart to feel comfortable restoring at least some level of baseball card sales once more for enthusiasts of all ages. But for now, collectors will need to venture beyond the blue big-box aisles to feed their sports card habits.