MTG scalpers already reselling newest Secret Lair at absurd markup. Pass it on A questionable situation just happened with the latest exclusive product release from the popular TCG, a Chaos Vault offering showcasing a specialized deck inspired by a unique two-player format where both players use an identical deck. Originally pioneered by a enthusiast in 1996, the "Forgetful Fish" format centers around a particular fish creature from the title's very first set. The company doesn't typically offer pre-constructed decks as part of Secret Lair, but this latest offering - that launched this week - was an 80-card deck with 46 gorgeous, full-art foils and 34 featuring classic retro frames. Priced at $99, the product was entirely purchased within 27 minutes. Rapid resale market emerges. Approximately thirty more minutes, numerous offers popped up on major retail sites selling for over twice the original price. As of now, the going price - based on available listings - is around $242. Elsewhere, you can find several offers priced at around $300. The exact number is unknown, but close to a hundred resale offers have since been posted, upselling the item significantly. A persistent problem: bots and scalpers. The common use of bots and scalpers buying up these products has long been a topic of controversy. A senior director recently discussed the problem in a recorded conversation, stating, "I always want everybody to obtain their desired product, especially if it's a novel offering." They added, "It is never the intention for any product to sell out before the queue is cleared." "It is never the goal to sell out before the queue is cleared." However, in online discussions, reports are already emerging from customers who added the item in their cart losing it due to it no longer being available. The scale of the issue. During the interview, the official noted that, historically, only about a tiny fraction of purchases are attributed to "problematic buyers" and that other precautions are in place to stop them from acquiring all the product. The website has apparently become more efficient at identifying bots, but tracking individual resellers who hop in the queue early, make a purchase, and then immediately list it on another site at nearly three times the launch price is presumably quite a challenge. Innovative drops and previous issues. They referred to this product line as a unique branch that tries to be "innovative and bold." This specific type of drop is, according to her, "the boldest" approach, one that experiments and challenges even more. These unusual experiments don't always work. Earlier this year, an analogous release model titled "Prints Charming" used a pick-your-price model with multiple price points. The first buyers paid only $9.99 compared to the standard cost of thirty dollars or higher tiers of $35.99 or forty dollars. When the lower-priced options sold out quickly, the only option was to buy the cheapest version that remained available. According to the director, 95% of the orders were paid at a typical price or cheaper - but the small remainder still sold at higher price points. "Reviewing that data on the website, it's understandable why that appears unfavorable," they admitted, doubling down to state that these experiments would continue. A promise of openness. "There will continue to be times when there's controversy and things that are not perfectly received," they said. "This is almost a certainty, but what I can also promise is that we'll continue to adapt based on these experiences, and that we'll always try to make our explanation as transparent and clear as possible." Only a few weeks following the last controversy, a new one has begun swimming in the release program's waters. The writer Antonio sanders. A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and startup ecosystems.

MTG scalpers quickly flipping newest exclusive drop at absurd markup. Something fishy just happened with the latest Secret Lair drop from the renowned TCG, a experimental offering showcasing a specialized deck based on a unique 1v1 game format where both players use the same deck. First created by a player in 1996, the Dandân format centers around a specific fish creature from the game's original expansion. The publisher rarely offer pre-constructed decks as part of these drops, but this release - that launched this week - was an complete deck with dozens of gorgeous, borderless foil cards and 34 cards with classic retro frames. Priced at ninety-nine dollars, the drop was entirely purchased in under 27 minutes. Rapid secondary market emerges. Approximately thirty more minutes, numerous offers popped up on popular online marketplaces selling for more than double the original price. The current going price - based on available listings - is over $240. Elsewhere, there are several offers priced at around $300. The exact number is unknown, but nearly a hundred resale offers have since been posted, upselling the product drastically. An ongoing problem: automated buyers. The common use of bots and resellers buying up these products has remained a contentious issue. An executive commented on the problem in a recorded conversation, saying, "My goal is for everybody to get what they want, particularly if it's a novel offering." The director continued, "I never want anything to be unavailable prior to all customers have had a chance." "It is never the goal to be sold out before the queue is cleared." Yet, on community forums, reports are quickly surfacing from players who had the deck in their cart only to have it removed due to sudden unavailability. The scale of the issue. During the interview, the director said that, in the past, only about 0.5% of purchases come from "problematic buyers" and that additional measures are in place to prevent them from scooping up all the inventory. The website has seemingly grown better at weeding out bots, but monitoring individual resellers who hop in the queue first, buy a product, and then immediately list it on another site at almost triple the launch price is likely quite a challenge. Experimental drops and past issues. The director referred to these releases as a unique branch that tries to be "innovative and bold." This specific series is, according to her, "the most experimental" approach, one that experiments and challenges even more. These unusual attempts aren't always successful. Back in February, a similar release model called "Choose Your Price" employed a choose-your-own-price system with multiple price points. The first buyers paid only a low price as opposed to the typical price point of $29.99 or higher tiers of $35.99 or forty dollars. As these price tiers sold out over a brief period, the remaining choice was to purchase the cheapest version that was still in stock. Based on statements from the executive, the vast majority of the sales were completed at a typical price or lower - but the remaining 5% still sold at higher price points. "Looking at that on the website, I can see how that doesn't look great," they admitted, reiterating to state that these experiments would persist. An assurance of openness. "We will undoubtedly see instances when there's controversy and strategies that are not perfectly received," they said. "That I can almost promise, but what is also guaranteed is that we'll continue to adapt based on those things, and that we'll always try to provide clarity as transparent and clear as possible." Mere weeks following the last controversy, a new one has begun swimming in the release program's ecosystem. Tonya anderson. Award-winning photographer and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in visual storytelling and gear analysis.

TCGPlayer CEO rob Bigler exits after 3.5 years leading ebay-owned trading card marketplace. Published: Oct 1 2026 Updated: Oct 1 2026 Update 10/1/2026 It's now LinkedIn official. Rob Bigler says he's leaving TCGPlayer. Rob Bigler is reportedly leaving his role as CEO of eBay-owned TCGPlayer, according to an email sent to some sellers this week. The message, shared Wednesday by TCGPlayer seller Poke Pastor TCG, said Bigler "has made the decision to leave TCG Player to pursue an opportunity outside the company and begin the next stage of his career." The email also thanked Bigler for his impact on the company and seller community. Christopher Hamze, co-owner of South Dakota trading card store Izzi's Gym, also posted about the departure on LinkedIn, joking that he was updating his resume for the job while thanking Bigler for "actually listening to sellers." Hamze said whoever takes over should continue that engagement, suggesting the next CEO sit down with 50 sellers, "the small ones, not just the top accounts," and pointing to fees and seller tools as areas that need attention. The leadership change came just five months after eBay completed its ~$295 million acquisition of TCGPlayer and in the middle of a contentious union battle at the company's Syracuse Authentication Center. Workers had voted in March 2023 to form TCGUnion-CWA Local 1123, becoming eBay's first US union. Workers spent more than two years bargaining for a first contract while filing additional unfair labor practice charges and repeatedly pressing eBay and TCGPlayer over wages, benefits and working conditions. The dispute eventually drew pressure from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and city pension funds, leading eBay to commission a "Living Our Values" assessment of whether its actions were consistent with the company's Human Rights Policy. The assessment concluded eBay had not interfered with workers' choice to unionize and had acted consistently with its commitment to bargain in good faith, though pay, benefits and working conditions were outside its scope. Lander later called the review "hollow and toothless" as workers remained without a contract. In May 2025, Bigler announced TCGPlayer would close the Syracuse Authentication Center and consolidate its Direct verification and fulfillment operations into eBay's Louisville, Kentucky facility. Bigler said space constraints and operational inefficiencies had left the Syracuse site operating at a loss with no viable path to breakeven. The move resulted in layoffs of more than 200 unionized workers who were still bargaining for their first contract, while TCGUnion-CWA accused the company of closing the facility to evade its bargaining obligations and filed another unfair labor practice charge. The union later reached a closing agreement with eBay providing additional severance and benefits for affected workers, while TCGPlayer operations moved to Kentucky. Bigler was still publicly representing the company at that facility in August, joining eBay executives and local officials for a ribbon cutting celebrating expanded operations at the 145,000-square-foot Louisville Authentication Center. The site now houses eBay sneaker authentication alongside TCGPlayer Direct verification, sorting and fulfillment. Bigler said the investment demonstrated the company's "long-term commitment to supporting our community of buyers and sellers, and the growth of the trading card hobby." Bigler's tenure also brought increasing scrutiny over how TCGPlayer and eBay compete with businesses using their platforms. In 2024, TCGPlayer began selling cards directly on eBay through a TCGPlayer-branded account, including sealed products, without prominently disclosing on the listings that TCGPlayer was owned by eBay. TCGPlayer said the inventory came through its Direct program, but the move drew criticism because eBay has long positioned itself as a marketplace that does not compete directly with third-party sellers. Around the same time, a group of TCGPlayer sellers took broader complaints directly to Bigler, eBay CEO Jamie Iannone and eBay's board, alleging anticompetitive conduct, retaliation and restrictions that interfered with their ability to use competing platforms and services. Some of those allegations were later included in a Responsible Online Commerce Coalition petition asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate eBay's acquisition of TCGPlayer and related business practices, including its ownership of BinderPOS and ChannelFireball and restrictions on third-party tools. TCGPlayer disputed many of the claims, saying the actions cited were based on legitimate business, fraud and policy considerations. The company later updated its Direct Seller Agreement and stopped selling sealed products acquired through Direct, while continuing to invest in fulfillment, inventory management and tools aimed at local game stores and other professional sellers. The Poke Pastor TCG video sharing the departure email noted that TCGPlayer had taken significant criticism from sellers earlier this year but said recent changes, including improved protections for orders that go missing, had started to address some of those complaints. Bigler's departure could also revive questions about whether TCGPlayer may factor into GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen's pursuit of eBay. Cohen has repeatedly pointed to the overlap between the two companies in collectibles and trading cards, while GameStop's acquisition pitch emphasized using its store network for authentication, fulfillment and other services across a combined business. Some investors and sellers have speculated that TCGPlayer could ultimately figure into a deal or broader negotiation between the companies, though Cohen has not publicly identified TCGPlayer as a target and there is currently no evidence connecting Bigler's departure to the GameStop situation. Bigler's LinkedIn profile still listed him as CEO as of October 1, and TCGPlayer has not publicly announced who will replace him. Neither eBay nor TCGPlayer had responded to Value Added Resource's requests for comment as of publication. Liz Morton is founder and editor of Value Added Resource. She spent 17+ years operating ecommerce businesses before launching VAR. Her reporting focuses on seller experience, marketplace strategy and corporate accountability.