Earlier this month, The Pokémon Company released the First Partner Illustration series 2 collection, a starter-focused set with nine collectible full-art cards. It's supposed to cost $15.99. If you want this new Pokémon set, though, you're probably paying more than double the suggested retail value. Scalpers have set the First Partner's market price at $58. By the time you read this, that price may be higher.

The situation with this starter Pokémon set isn't unusual. Buying Pokémon cards without a markup is nearly impossible right now. Online Pokémon card drops see bots hammering websites until the product sells out. Pokémon cards selling at MSRP sell out within minutes online when there's high stock. Many trading card game sets sell out in seconds.

There are many options for buying Pokémon cards, and nearly all of them are bad. Vending machines typically sell out of Pokémon products. If not, then the machines are surrounded by scalpers ready for a fight. Workers who bring Pokémon products to retail stores are sometimes tracked and harassed by scalpers, a phenomenon that has led to randomized restocking times. Other Pokémon vendors are also rumored to be in cahoots with........

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