A “deceiving” Pikachu promo has left Pokemon TCG fans frustrated and empty-handed, leading many customers to report The Pokemon Company for fraud.
The special “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” promo card has caused quite a stir in the Pokemon TCG community. The unique card, which features Pikachu donning a hat reminiscent of those seen in Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portraits, initially proved chaotic when scalpers overwhelmed the Van Gogh Museum, snapping up related merchandise.
In an effort to rectify the situation, The Pokemon Company offered fans a second chance to acquire the card through a special Pokemon Center promotion. Customers who spent at least $30 on qualifying Pokemon TCG items from the Pokemon Center were to receive the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” card but only “while supplies last.”
While this move was intended to deter scalpers and ensure genuine fans could get their hands on the card, it quickly spiraled into chaos — again.
PC won’t be sending out the promos if you didn’t get one. I really hope y’all face legal action for deceiving thousands of people @Pokemon.
They don’t accept returns on trading cards, so a billion dollar company just scammed people into buying their backstock of Fusion Strike. pic.twitter.com/beZsHRwzgO
— Drew (@AuntieSlayer) October 21, 2023
Customers soon discovered that despite meeting the purchase requirements and even having the promo card listed in their order confirmation, they were not receiving the coveted item. The card had apparently “sold out” by the time some users completed their checkout, meaning that they were not only down $30 or more but were without the special promo card, as well.
Customers took to various platforms to express their frustration, with one user on Reddit’s PokemonTCG community sharing a message from Pokemon Center customer support. “Unfortunately, we have determined that the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promotional card was sold out by the time your order was placed due to overwhelming demand for the card,” it read.
The support agent’s message was clear: “Note that adding an item to your cart, including promotional items does not reserve stock and qualifying purchases also do not guarantee a promotional card.”
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Customers were further disappointed to learn that even if they wanted a refund or return for their purchases, they were out of luck.
Some customers are now urging others to report The Pokemon Company International (TPCI) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for “deceptive advertising.”
They argue that TPCI used the high demand for the Van Gogh promo card to clear out old inventory, trapping customers into purchases they wouldn’t have made otherwise.
“This whole scenario just reeks of bait and switch advertising fraud,” one frustrated customer wrote.
It remains to be seen how The Pokemon Company will address the situation.