Dan Lovett, from The Toy Box in Beccles, has spoken out about the pressure the new release of Pokémon cards is putting on staff, urging customers to show patience and understanding.
The spike in demand follows the launch of the Pokémon Trading Card Game 30th Celebration Expansion, released in mid-September, which has led to long queues, rapid sell-outs and high demand across retailers in the county.
“As you know, Pokémon is off the scale at the moment,” he said in a statement on social media.
“However we are only a little toy shop in Suffolk, not a trading card games shop or a Pokémon shop.
“We only get a very small allocation of stock, we can’t order more and more, if only.”
The shop has been inundated with requests, receiving “more than 500 messages in a single week” alongside constant phone calls and walk-in queries.
“I know not everyone is a scalper or reseller and genuinely collects the shiny bits of cardboard,” Mr Lovett explained.
“But I am sick to death of the entitled people that think I have endless supply of it.”
He also addressed the toll the situation has taken on staff.
“If I come across rude to you I am sorry but the rudeness and abuse to myself and my colleagues I won’t tolerate,” he added.
“I’ve done over 26 years in the toy industry which I love every day, but this year is feeling different.”
The new Pokémon collection had proved hugely popular with collectors and investors, who are eager to get their hands on special edition Pikachu cards, rare new designs and upcoming product releases.
Shops across the region have had to introduce new restrictions for customers due to the demand, including Forbidden Planet in Norwich, which has set purchase limits and packaging requirements for customers and staff.
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