There's something inherently magical about the moment you crack open a fresh pack of Pokémon cards. The anticipation builds as you carefully tear away the packaging, knowing that inside lies the potential for rare and coveted cards. It's a feeling of pure nostalgia mixed with the excitement of discovering something new. And when you're surrounded by friends, the experience becomes even more special.
Opening Pokémon packs with friends is a bonding experience like no other. It's a chance to relive childhood memories, reminisce about favorite Pokémon, and share in each other's excitement as you uncover the contents of each pack. Whether you're trading cards, debating strategies, or simply reveling in the joy of collecting, it's a shared adventure that brings people together in a unique and meaningful way.
In recent years, the rise of YouTube and other social media platforms has taken the experience of opening Pokémon packs to a whole new level. Now, fans can share their pack-opening adventures with a global audience, creating communities of like-minded individuals who come together to celebrate their love for all things Pokémon.
Kai and I created our YouTube channel for exactly this reason!
YouTube channels dedicated to opening Pokémon packs have exploded in popularity, with content creators amassing millions of subscribers eager to watch their favorite personalities unbox packs, react to rare pulls, and engage with their audience in real-time. These videos offer viewers a chance to experience the thrill of opening packs vicariously through their favorite creators, fostering a sense of camaraderie and excitement among fans around the world.
What makes watching Pokémon pack openings on YouTube so compelling is the element of surprise. You never know what you're going to get when you open a pack, and that uncertainty translates into electrifying moments of suspense and exhilaration for both the content creator and the audience. Whether it's pulling a holo Charizard or stumbling upon a shiny Pokémon, the reactions are always genuine and infectious.
Moreover, YouTube has become a platform for collectors to showcase their prized possessions, share tips and tricks for improving their collections, and connect with fellow enthusiasts from every corner of the globe. It's a vibrant and inclusive community where everyone is welcome, regardless of their age, background, or level of expertise.
In essence, opening Pokémon packs with friends and on YouTube taps into the essence of what makes being a Pokémon fan so special: the sense of wonder, adventure, and camaraderie that comes with exploring the Pokémon universe together. Whether you're huddled around a kitchen table with your closest friends or tuning in to your favorite YouTube channel from the comfort of your own home, the experience of opening Pokémon packs is a timeless joy that continues to unite fans of all ages and backgrounds.
So, the next time you find yourself with a fresh pack of Pokémon cards in hand, consider sharing the experience with friends or documenting it for the world to see. Because in the end, it's not just about the cards themselves—it's about the memories you create and the connections you forge along the way. And that's something truly magical.
]]>I’ve had a little mind worm as a result of some conversations I’ve had with casual Pokemon flippers. Flippers are the people who see little opportunities in the hobby, and make money from buying and selling. They are the guys who will take a 100 dollar card and flip it for 120. Or buy a collection and sell each card individually.
Most times, this is ‘under the table’ profit. Flipping is not a bad thing. Often their getting people immediate cash for their card and saving that person extra hassle of selling it to someone else.
What I wanted to talk about, is when to stop ‘under the table’ flipping, and get your official flipper license. What this means is when do you go ahead and Operate as a business rather than a casual under the table endeavour.
This isn’t for everyone and probably only applies to a sliver of people in the Pokemon collecting hobby. I’m just going to put some ideas out there. I’m not a tax advisor / accountant. These are thoughts and ideas – not instruction.
Lets set the stage:
Let’s say you make good money:
The tax man withholds around 24k.
When Tax time comes, you’ll try to claw some back some tax with registered retirement savings. (RRSPs and 401k) that you’ve done. You try to take advantage of any tax credits you might have as an individual. You’re a fireman, or you had to spend money on work boots – stuff like that. Spend money on childcare. You have a receipt for it – and the government gives you a break.
The government likes to help you with tax breaks for things that spur economic economic activity. Things that get them more money, or boost their economy – they usually have a tax break for it.
This kind a stuff might get you another 4k refund –
So Pokemon:
Ebay says you sold 10k in Pokemon Cards. Question would be, did you earn 90k this year, or did you bring home 70k in income?
Neither!
10k in revenue, you likely
Your profit might only be 1500$.
Here is the difference. If you exchanged your time for an extra 10k… They want to tax you for it. The tax man would want his 4k cut.
If you flipped cards and earned 10k of revenue, you didn’t just exchange your time for money – you spent a bunch of money on other things.
If you are running flipping as a business, the costs associated to flipping get factored in. There can be tax considerations against your income when you are spending money on inventory, shipping, service fees, etc.
Picking up extra hours, doing a 2nd income is far more lucrative than flipping Pokemon.
But if you cannot get a second income (this is my situation) or you just enjoy doing it (me too) – You really should investigate establishing a business and operating your flipping like a business. We went full online business with distribution, importing, trade-in credit, etc. A business can also focus purely on flipping.
If you made the money buying and selling things, using services – all the other funds used on economic activity are considered.
This is where I’ll say “I’m not a tax advisor”, “seek advice from a professional tax advisor”. If you are making money in Pokemon, there are benefits to doing it under a business umbrella. Here is what will happen if you are a real business:
Your profits will get taxed.
So say 1500$ -- Government wants 300$ of your profit.
But, the government will also give you tax reductions for money you spent making that profit.
Let’s say you spent 1500$ on shipping and ebay fees. Government will give you a tax credit for a portion of it. Say 300$. So you’ll end up back to that 1500$ bring home.
So here it is – you operated as a business, but you didn’t make any more than flipping ‘under the table’.
So here is the thing – there are things you already pay for in your day to day life as a casual flipper that you might be able to consider. Consult a tax advisor! A portion of the things you already pay for can be considered business expenses if you become a ‘business’ in flipping cards. Examples might be:
If you are operating under the table, these costs to you are just sunk. If you operate as a business, those costs get considered in how much tax you pay. Let’s say you spend another 500$ on the above. Boom – more tax credit. You didn’t bring home 1500$ -- when the other stuff is considered – you brought home 1600$ in profit.
So: How do you do it?
The first part is “Register a Business”. This will depend on where you live and I think you are basically going to become either a “Sole Proprietor” or a “Limited Liability Company”. I run my business as a sole prop, but there are advantages to having an LLC. They are more work though and cost more.
After you have a business, then you get into bookkeeping. This may seem scary, or an extra thing to worry about – but its really just documenting.
Book keeping is keeping track of all your sales and all your expenses. Every dollar you spend, every dollar you make – just record it. Put it in a spreadsheet. Keep your receipts. Don’t just just have a pile of receipts, have a digital record of everything and keep it updated. Daily, weekly.
Don’t do it any less than weekly. You don’t want to get to the end of the year and have to remember anything. You’re running a business – so you run the business. It no longer just flipping – its flipping as a business.
This is where becoming a professional flipper can suck some of the fun out of it. You really get a much better picture of how much you spend – versus how much you ‘profit’.
When I first started my business, I worked with an accountant who gave me a spreadsheet. Since the business is simple, I was able to work with it for multiple years managing my business.
I’m going to put a link to it in the description. Its Excel and it has the formulas in it. You just have an add a row for each new sale, each new purchase/spend.
In essence, there are 2 main columns. There are also columns which categorize your expenses and sales.
Money In. Money Out.
Tracking your business becomes as simple as entering a line item whenever you make revenue, and whenever you have a business expense.
At the end of the year, this shows you the following:
Big deal right?
It can answer a lot of questions. How is my business going, how much did I buy, did I sell, etc?
The interesting thing, and how it relates to taxes. When you are doing this, you must break out things according to categories.
Revenue! Taxes Collected!
Taxes Paid
Bad Debt – someone doesn’t pay you or scams you / charge back.
Bank Fees and Interest Charges
Inventory Purchases
Internet and Phone
Rent
Office Supplies
Advertising and Promos
Shipping and Packing Supplies
Shipping and Freight Fees
Sub Contracting, Safety Equipment, Legal and Government Fees, Services, Travel.
If you pay a fee for PSA to grade your cards – that’s a service fee.
If you buy business cards or stickers to give away at Card Conventions – that’s Advertising.
Pay a fee to Ebay – that’s a service fee.
Travel and stay overnight at a card convention and pay for a table – Travel Fees.
Take every receipt you can, and pop it into one of these bad boys after you record it in your spreadsheet / general ledger.
All of these are activities that trigger economic activity. The government doesn’t give you this back. But it does let you offset taxes you might have to pay when you “spend money to make money”. If you have income tax, it might offset some tax there. If you have profit on Pokemon sales, it might offset some tax there.
I do my own taxes, and there are spots that ask me questions on what I spent, what I collected. Its quite simple and I don’t need a big tax advisor. I get a break on some of the taxes I pay. Many people swear how important a good tax advisor or accountant can be. It is true if you take this step.
In Summary:
So functioning as a “real business” and earning 1500 in profit results in some further tax savings. The 1500$ in profit you make – might be more when the government understands how much of your money goes into the flipping activity.
If you have a good tax advisor and accountant, there are benefits to operating your flipping as a business versus ‘making profits under the table’.
So there you have it, becoming a professional flipper might not be a bad idea if you are already doing it.
The biggest change becoming a business is keeping track of your costs and sales. It doesn’t cost much more than 100$ to register a sole proprietor business – and that government fee might also be tax deductible.
So consider it. Are you flipping cards already? Is it worth flipping the switch and becoming a full fledged business?
Even if you are considering it, look into what I might mean to keep track of your expenses. Even as a collector it’s a good thing to do – but very scary.
So if you’re an amateur flipper and considering the ‘big leagues’, do your research. You could be better off as a business rather than an under the table side hustle.
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Here is Why!
It's a "high class set" which means
...although there are only 10 booster packs in the box, every single pack will have a guaranteed 'hit'. This would be an ex card or better.
...there is a chance of a 'god pack' in these special sets. The 'god pack' is something very few collectors get to experience. Every single card (all 10) in a god pack are secret rares. (Baby Shinys, Full Art Shinys)
...Kids love pulling Charizard, and this set has 3 charizards to pull.
...many of the Japanese cards (beyond the guaranteed hit) will be nice enough to put together on Christmas Day (in a new binder full of memories..)
... They fit in a stocking!
...With many kids only experienced with English packs which only yield a hit 30% of the time -- its a very different experiencing ripping packs that 'hit' every time!
I gave my 9 year old a box of Vmax Climax for Christmas in 2021 - and I wish I had a video of that opening. It was fun, exciting and very memorable.
Note: People will promote and pump certain products when they have an interest in their sales. I have stock in Shiny Treasures ex and Vstar Universe. I believe in the above, and I stocked my store with these boxes because I think so highly of both these products.
(I only wish I had more stock of Vmax Climax)
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Our method is simple:
- You provide a list of the cards you want to trade in (Set and/or Card Number, Condition if not NM)
- We build a spreadsheet looking up tcgplayer market values for each card.
- We calculate the total TCGplayer market.
- We calculate the total amount in Canadian Funds.
- We calculate 75% of that Canadian Funds amount.
Trade In Balances can be issued in gift cards which can be used on the website order as well as trade in time exchanges for the products desired.
We are open, clear and precise with our calculations.
You get what you want immediately - and other collectors can find the cards on our site!
As always, please reach out to us on facebook.com/pokechalet or instagram.com/pokechalet and on TikTok.
-Ryan Donovan
(Owner, PokeChalet.com)
TKK Gamecards and Collectables
September 23rd (2PM to 5PM)
Bedford Yard Card Party
The PokeChalet will be hosting a Pokemon Show and Tell and Trade Event on September 23rd from 2PM to 5PM.
Events
Show and Tell – Many of our friends and family don’t want to hear us talk about Pokémon, so let’s talk about it together. Bring a backpack or binder with some of your collection pieces you’d just like to ‘show off’.
Trade & Vend – Part of our hobby is buying, selling and trading. Bring your trade binder and feel free to sell your dupes to your fellow collectors or pick up some jewels.
This is an “Any chance of humidity/rain/fog/shower – cancellation policy event”. Cardboard and moisture don’t mix, so we will cancel if it isn’t a sunny 0% precipitation day.
What is the Venue Like?
As many of you know, I run the ‘PokeChalet’ online business out of my home. In our backyard is a Patio and lawn area where we will be setting up chairs, tables, displays and spaces to relax and look at cards.
Our goal is to have a fun afternoon of exploring the Pokemon hobby. I've never done this before, so we'll see how successful it might be.
Children of all ages welcome!
Please leave a comment if you are considering coming. I’ve had as many of 50 people before, but if we grow to over 100…. I’ll need more chairs!
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There are many many cards. There are many cards, card arts, card types and Pokemon to collect. There are many different type of collectors as well:
Favourite Pokemon Collector - someone who collects cards of a specific pokemon.
Favourite Artist Collector - someone who loves a particular artist art style and collects cards illustrated by that artist
Theme Collector - like roofs? there are people who collect cards that have roofs on them. World is your oyster! Under water collectors unite!
Set Collector- someone who likes to have 1-200 (of a 200 card set) in a binder. They don't need the secrets, the variants - they just one one version of a card.
Master Set Collector - someone who wants all of the 200 cards, the secret rares, the variants, the non-holo rares, the promo cards, the full set.
Absolute Rarity Collector - There are cards that you can only get under certain circumstances. They are hard to find, hard to get and very few of them. People search for these unique and difficult to get!
Sealed Collector - Someone who likes to have the beauty of a sealed box sitting on their shelf.
ETB Collector - Someone who likes the art on ETBs, and collects one of each!
Booster Box Collector - Someone who collects booster boxes and resists the urge to open.
Graded Slab Collector - These are plastic encased cards that have been labelled with a 3rd party opinion.
-- and you don't have fit into any of these boxes.
Collect what you like! Collect within your budget!
]]>Here are some of our favourite things about collecting:
As owners of a Pokemon store, our father and son escapades are something that is linked to meeting other collectors (and customers) and being able to grow our store. We've had to make hard decisions (re-home great cards with customers) in order for us to stay open.
We always assume that if we maintain quality relationships with our customers, they will know that we will assist them with their purchases, trade-ins and questions.
So how do you find community? (if you are not a store)
Social Media Channel - You don't need to be a YouTube personality. Even an instagram where you post pictures of your favourite cards and collection pieces will do. Often you can strike up conversations with other collectors who have similar interest than you.
Trade Nights - We've gone to a few trade nights with a backpack full of cards. (binders, slabs) Often its fun just to let someone surf your duplicates and talk about / appreciate your cards. Best thing - you also get to look at others and see what they have. Striking up a conversation at trade nights is hard, but just do it. That is why people are there.
Discord - There are a few Discords that are highly recommended. We haven't found the larger discords are as fun as smaller ones. Often the big ones such as Rattle Pokemon (https://discord.gg/rattlepokemon) feels like questions and comments are just ignored. There are so many comments, that the chat doesn't really read every message.
Play the Game - Game night - or even just inviting a friend to learn to play is a great way to enjoy Pokemon. Decks can be expensive, but it is also possible to get inexpensive decks (Battle Decks) or decks that depend on uncommon cards rather than ultra rares.
]]>There are lots of good collection practices that you can adopt as someone who doesn't have a store. Here are some ideas:
We will be carrying additional products:
Pre-orders were initially meant to inform stores, distributors and Pokemon about the demand for a product. They have been also used by stores to "promise" product that they cannot guarantee - only to cancel their orders later.
When we do Pre-Orders at PokeChalet.com, this is only when we have confirmed shipping numbers and dates from our distributor.
The Charizard UPC was a great example of stores (Gamestop!) taking pre-orders and then having to cancel so many.
Our approach to selling the Charizard UPC was to review our client list and offer the chance to purchase at MSRP + tax for those who have been loyal to our store and organization - and one per person.
With our October allocation being completely sold, we will not be accepting pre-orders for the December allocation until we receive solid numbers and dates.
]]>For a little while, we couldn't understand pack opening streams and rip and ship activities. We thought it weird that you buy packs and not open them yourself. We didn't know if this was bad for the hobby, but in the great Pokemon shortage of 2021 - we didn't like that streamers had access to those card packs and we didn't.
As we developed our store, we changed our mind about streaming of Pokemon pack opening. We believe there are a few reasons why people buy on streaming platforms such as Tiktok, WhatNot, Drip and YouTube:
- People don't have a peer group to share the excitement with. Online communities provide that group of collectors and spectators who share the experience of being surprised by an excellent pull. Streams are better than just watching PokeRev open packs. You get to be part of the experience!
- Some people are really interested in the continuous collection of cards and the chance (gambling side) of pulling that chase card of high value.
- Buying on card streams is a lot like fast food. You get that immediate satisfaction of a pack opening with none of the wait (going to the store) and none of the cleanup! (bulk!). All this from the comfort of your own home!
- Streamers have access to unique product, collections, singles, slabbed cards that you cannot see in your local Walmart.
When we started to look at streaming from this perspective, we believe people are paying higher prices for the experience of streams over the experience of buying at Walmart or the local LGS. Streaming is so compelling because it is an entertainment aspect to the Pokemon collecting hobby.
So the PokeChalet supports streamers. If you are a streamer in Halifax, NS, please contact us for information about bulk purchases of cases and products - and we will seek to provide access to prices.
Is streaming gambling?
Card pack opening fits the description of gambling, but some analysis has shown that it doesn't tend to lead to problem gambling scenarios. People have often over leveraged in their hobbies (expensive cars, art purchases, more books than you can read) and it's an important thing to keep in mind.
Streaming is entertainment - and you need to keep your personal budget in mind when buying from streamers.
Streamers often increase the stakes with bounties, pull games and mystery bags.
Bounties - Some streamers identify a specific 'hard-to-pull' card and associate a prize with pulling that card for increased pack prices. Whereas a pack may be 5$ opened, it may increase to 7$ to include a bounty. This increases both the cost to buy and the potential award (and excitement on the stream).
Pull Games / Mystery Bags - Often a set of random items of varying values. The seller chooses a price (often the average) and you choose a mystery bag. Based on the choice, you could receive goods based on the floor (lowest value item, often less value than what you would normally pay), the average (equivalent to what you paid) and ceiling (the highest value item in the bags or box). The higher the discrepancy between the floor and ceiling the stakes of getting value for your money can change dramatically.
Judge carefully about mystery bags because product prices are often overvalued when calculating floor/average/ceiling and some streamers use mystery purchases to send away lower value goods. (junk slabs, bulk cards)
Buying Singles
People in the Pokemon hobby know that its cheaper and faster to just buy the single card rather than trying to open packs. Trying to pull your favourite cards is not a good way to engage in the hobby. If you are looking for a specific card on a budget, buy singles. it is the best way to get that card!
PokeChalet supports Rip and Ship activities and streamers but buyers beware! Buying from streamers is entertainment and can contain elements of moderate (pack opening) to extreme (mystery bags and pull boxes) gambling. Spend wisely!
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Vivid Voltage ETBs coming March 25th, 2022!
Also check our our "New Player" bundles which include TCG decks for play and Brilliant Stars booster packs to augment your deck!
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This isn't your fault, nor your child's fault! These cards are great to hold, look at, shuffle - and really are meant to be played with.
Collecting cards has changed the standards by which your #shinycardboard should be treated when you open a pack -- store in your binder -- or display the card art on your shelf.
With beautiful colours, holographic foil, texture and eye catching art - comes with the ability to get scratched, bumped, bended and blotched if they are not cared for properly.
A modern Pokemon card pack has six common cards, three uncommon cards and one rare card. They also have a code card and an energy card. Packs have at least one foil (sometimes a reverse foil + premium card) card. Although all cards are great, these 2 cards are usually the most sought after for their collectability.
When you (or your child) are opening packs, make card care part of the excitement of loving these cards! Celebrate! Sleeve to protect, and secure for display!
Sleeves are the first line of defence against the scratches, dirt and dings that can build up over the lifetime of a beautiful card.
Perfect Fit Sleeve vs Card Sleeve
Perfect fit sleeves (e.g. KMC Sleeves Perfect Fit) are great Japanese sleeves that you should put over your card. The Japanese know all about collectable cards - and these should go on first. They fit very securely around the card and very unlikely to allow them to slip out. They also are very clear and you can see the card in all its glory.
If you are going to be handling / shuffling and playing with the cards, next it should go into a card sleeve. Card sleeves are meant to be shuffled and are a bit more solid than perfect fit sleeves. You can find card sleeves made by DragonShield or within Elite Trainer Boxes.
(Penny sleeves are also used, but they tend to be looser. They are fine in most cases, but make putting cards in binders sometimes too snug.)
You can use both perfect fit sleeves and card sleeves at the same time. Simply put one on from the top, one on from bottom - and you can be sure that dust and moisture are so much less likely to reach your cards.
Get the right binder for storage. Tempting to put in a 3 ring binder, but... see Deep Pocket Monster's great assessment of binder blunders.
Try to buy 'side loading binders' not 3 ring binders for storing your cards. In 10 years, you might find the binder sitting under a tote somewhere, and be pleased that your cards are as fresh. 3 ring binders can damage cards pressed up agains the rings when there is pressure on top.
Top Loaders (e.g. 3x4 ) are a great way to elevate the security and status of any special card. It can protect the card from bends and allow it to be displayed, handled and viewed even by the most rambunctious of collector. Ensure the card is in a sleeve before it goes into the top loader. Cards can still move around (and get damaged) inside a top loader without a sleeve to slow its movement.
Grade Saver
Grade savers are normally used to send in cards for 'grading' for shipping purposes. They are a little more tight than a top loader to ensure the card doesn't move, but not as rigid. They generally don't provide everyday protection.
]]>Our goal is to find and ship Pokémon products available to everyone and seek out rare or hard to get Pokémon products for your collection, wonder, excitement and entertainment.
We will try to provide inexpensive shipping - and bring fun and excitement to the Pokémon collectors here in Canada!
As we collect inventory and establish relationships with distributors, we hope to bring more specialized access to rare Pokémon products.
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