Commander Legends Booster Box Shortage?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Oct. 30, 2020, 11:37 a.m. by CRKFIEND
I've called 3 LGS's in order to buy a booster box. I've been denied a preorder at each store claiming unknown stock numbers. I'm beginning to wonder if there's a more sinister reason. We know that format defining cards will be in these boxes, and I was interested in the box-topper as well, but I can't get it anywhere since none of my local stores will sell me a box. Since all these stores aren't taking preorders, what are they going to do with the box toppers? It's pretty frustrating and the whole thing sounds fishy to me.
Any body else having ordering issues?
Omniscience_is_life says... #3
A few online retailers are out as well--I was wondering a similar thing myself
October 30, 2020 12:12 p.m.
RiotRunner789 says... #4
2 days ago TCG had about 60 or 70 boxes listed at $118. Today there about $130. They typically go up during preview season but it seems to have jumped a little quicker than normal.
October 30, 2020 12:36 p.m.
I have my tinfoil hat on... After several hyper-limited releases I get nervous that they undersupply & LGS start to price it as a premium product. I wish my big-box stores supplied this at a regulated price (because my LGS are horrible price gougers -- they tried to charge $16 for 2 set boosters, which I told them are not supposed to have premium product pricing, more like a $1-$1.50 jump)
October 30, 2020 12:46 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #6
Last I checked, CK had some.
Personally, I’m waiting until the Christmas reprints. I got my 1 preorder in from my lgs to help them out, now I’m holding off till Christmas in case family or friends get me a box. (I only get about 2 boxes of each set, so I don’t blow all my money on packs. Debt’s a beyotch, so I’d rather spend as little time with her as possible.)
October 30, 2020 12:47 p.m.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #7
Usually I just buy off TCG player, because I rarely go to my LGS and its expensive as hell there, easily 20+ dollars more than TCG. I do hope LGS's get them thou as I assume they haven't been very profitable lately.
October 30, 2020 12:54 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #8
I will say, my LGS is amazing. The owner does mark up prices, but half the time, it’s actually cheaper than online. I asked him how he does it at one point. Turns out he has 20% off codes for both the LGS 1 town over AND a major game store across the country. He uses this to be able to sell booster boxes of standard at $110+tax AND MAKE A PROFIT. It’s genius, and it actually supports all 3 LGSs, several charities, and a podcast. This is why I love my LGS. The owner also has deals with several minor sleeve and deck companies where he gets 50% off of purchases he makes from them, and they split any profit he makes off of the gear (he only marks it up by around 10%, but they don’t care).
October 30, 2020 1:03 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #9
I've withheld my usual desire to go straight to CK, as I feel as though I should hit up my local(-esque, the closest one that cares about MTG) store first. But I just hope that doesn't mean I can't get a bunch of CMR product, it's looking likely from my (limited and expedited, but still) research that it'll be tough to pre-order from them... and god knows it'll be impossible to get it after it actually drops
October 30, 2020 1:19 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #13
I didn't want to bring it up... but yes. Tinfoil hats are going on
October 30, 2020 2:36 p.m.
Gabe_The_Controller says... #14
Places not doing preorders early is fairly normal. (my closest lgs gets me the prices roughly the week of because he needs to know how much he's being charged by the distributor first) since there is no longer the msrp the price for boxes is kinda just in the air until distributors and major venues like scg and cfb set prices.
October 30, 2020 3:21 p.m.
I placed my pre-order about a month ago with my LGS before spoilers started rolling in. I agree that some are probably doing some shady shit, but most are probably trying to avoid over selling
October 30, 2020 3:58 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #16
Gabe_The_Controller ...You do realize the set drops in 5 days and that all major outlets have had preorder open for a month, right? They don’t change the price.
(Also, random thing, but I’m really annoyed at the USPS. Their description of where the ZNR commander decks I ordered from CK that were supposed to arrive today are has been so vague. Normally it says “arrived at XYZ” or “Left ABC”. For the past 3 days, the only thing they’ve told me is “in transit, on time” and now “in transit, delayed”. WTF USPS!)
October 30, 2020 4:42 p.m.
That is cool to have an amazing LGS. All the surrounding local ones here have quite a bit more price hike than that 10% (maybe reasonable), it has gotten to the point of me wishing for more regulation & just plain old Big-Box stores with a product cap (not realistic) but the destabilization & inflation around here is incredible. I just have to accept that I will be a singles buyer for a while, which I guess is all right given that my niche strategy is a cheap one... The only problem is that I like to gamble & my surrounding LGS have mostly made that an out-of-reach target. I will not support non-premium products being marked up to $130-140 per box (unfortunately many others will)... I will also take the patient approach as others have advised. It just sucks a little bit if the only vendors keep such blimped up prices based on presale. On a side note: I was happy to see my local Target had accurately priced Set Boosters down to $5.19 whereas my LGS across the street were $7.50 per & the Target product were sold out. Serves those price gougers right IMO
October 30, 2020 4:47 p.m.
RiotRunner789 says... #19
A bit off topic, my small town is getting a Target and I'm super excited.
October 30, 2020 4:52 p.m.
Unfortunately, when you have non-managers that won't listen to you about price-comp at the LGS, all you can hope for is regulated wholesale competitors giving them the business... It is particularly foolish when Big-Red-Box is basically across the street to not take heed when customers are asking: what's the deal?.
October 30, 2020 4:58 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #22
Yeah. Now I’m kinda sad, ngl. I like circle store, but it’s bad when their prices are better than the LGSs and the LGS is blatantly moneygrubbing and the LFS won’t even talk about it, THEN something’s wrong.
October 30, 2020 5:02 p.m.
Gabe_The_Controller says... #23
Not sure how to @ on here. But vamp demigod at least where I'm from (USA) commander legends doesn't come out until Nov20 so it's a full two weeks away for me being able to pick up a box.
I do realize that other venues have had their preorders up. But my lgs is being careful.
With jumpstart he sold the boxes at $100/$120 (can't remember which) on preorder before his distributor came in and told him that the distributor was charging $125 so he had to reach out to everyone that preordered to adjust their price, so he's avoiding that from now on. (which is why we find out the week of, because that's when his distributor tells him the price)
October 30, 2020 5:11 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #24
Just googled to double check. GOSH DARN IT TAPPEDOUT, THEY CHANGED THE RELEASE DATE LAST WEEK UPDATE YOUR SITE!
October 30, 2020 5:18 p.m.
There's a couple things:
For one, it seems like non-Standard releases have had extremely limited shipping to LGSes in my region. Some places never got their Jumpstart deliveries. Extremely limited amounts of Double Masters products. Frankly I have every belief at this point that LGSes aren't going to get much Commander Legends. Certainly not enough for their customer bases.
For two, taking away MSRP was a move that dramatically hurts local stores in favor of big box retailers and Amazon for the fact that your local store needs to turn a larger profit on each individual sale than Amazon does, because Amazon will probably sell more overall. Even aside from blatant markup, they're going to be more expensive because they can't survive on Amazon's margins with the amount of sales they have. Especially in 2020 when there are no tournament entries to help them.
After getting ripped off by their distributor my store only had a limited number of Commander Legends preorders for what they're more certain they can fulfill.
October 31, 2020 6:02 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #26
I always preorder from my LGS when available. They are usually about $15 more than online, but given how much time I've spent there for free (camped there all day for nothing but a snack), I feel that's a fine deal for me (and supports my friends who work there). Plus I can get my box immediately. I've never gotten my box day-of release online.
That said, they admitted seeing how everything else this year has gone, they're being cautious with preorders, but their preorder list was small as of this weekend (pre-Lotus) and I was able to get my name on the list.
November 2, 2020 9:22 a.m.
VampDemigod says... #27
We are 100% living in a post-lotus world.
.
Sorry, I just had to say it.
Caerwyn says... #2
Wizards was having some issues with their printing company--the pandemic slowed them down and Wizards was forced to delay the release of Commander Legends due to these printing delays. It is entirely possible that LGSes do not know how the printing issues are going to effect their receipt of product, and are trying to be conservative and not sell more product than they will actually receive.
October 30, 2020 11:42 a.m.