News Brief: Trading Card Boom
Summary
Trading card sales for brands like Pokémon and sports sets are experiencing massive growth, driven by adult nostalgia and investment interest. While retailers are capitalizing with exclusive releases and prominent displays, analysts note the category may not see a major holiday spike as many purchases are for personal use rather than gifting.
Key Points
- Explosive Growth: Target’s trading card sales are up nearly 70% year-to-date, with the category expected to generate over $1 billion in annual revenue. Online platforms like Walmart Marketplace reported a 200% sales jump.
- Driving Forces: Millennials and Gen Z are key buyers, driven by nostalgia and “affordable luxury.” Some also view cards as alternative investments, with Pokémon cards showing returns over 3,800% since 2004.
- Holiday Challenge: A significant portion of sales are self-purchases (19% of adults bought Pokémon cards for themselves recently), suggesting less gifting demand during holidays compared to other toys.
- Year-Round Appeal: Cards are not highly seasonal, selling consistently throughout the year, making them attractive to retailers for offsetting seasonal risks.
- Category Leaders: Pokémon is the top performer, while sports cards (especially NFL and the rapidly growing WNBA) are also surging in popularity.
- Future Focus: Retailers are investing in exclusive sets, limited drops, and expanding the consumer base across age and gender, with soccer expected to surge ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
新闻简报：集换式卡牌热潮
总结
宝可梦和体育系列等集换式卡牌销售正经历巨大增长，这主要由成年人的怀旧情绪和投资兴趣驱动。尽管零售商通过独家发售和醒目的陈列来利用这一趋势，但分析人士指出，该品类可能不会出现重大的假日销售高峰，因为许多购买是用于自用而非送礼。
关键点
- 爆炸性增长：Target的卡牌销售额今年迄今增长近70%，预计该品类年收入将超过10亿美元。像Walmart Marketplace这样的在线平台报告销售额跃升了200%。
- 驱动因素：千禧一代和Z世代是主要购买力，驱动力来自怀旧情绪和”负担得起的奢侈品”心态。一些人也将卡牌视为另类投资，自2004年以来，宝可梦卡牌的价值累计回报率超过3800%。
- 假日挑战：很大一部分销售额是自购（近期19%的成年人为自己购买了宝可梦卡牌），这表明与其他玩具相比，假日期间的礼品需求可能较弱。
- 全年吸引力：卡牌销售没有明显的季节性，全年销售稳定，这使得它们对零售商来说具有吸引力，可以抵消季节性风险。
- 品类领导者：宝可梦是表现最佳的品牌，而体育卡牌（尤其是NFL和快速增长的WNBA）的人气也在激增。
- 未来重点：零售商正投资于独家套装、限量发售，并扩大跨年龄和性别的消费者基础，预计在2026年国际足联世界杯之前，足球卡牌将迎来热潮。
Original Article Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/18/target-and-walmart-trading-cards-growth-like-nfl-for-holiday-season.html