Top Deck Keep — Local services in Riverside

Actual rating would be 1.5 out of 5 stars. Deciding to write a review after being here several times. Top Deck is good if you’re coming in to play and/or buying and walking out. Prices are pretty fair for what they have on the floor and behind the counter, so there’s nothing to worry about with that. The reason for the 1(.5) star review is due to customer service and trading/selling value. Customer service and trading/selling value: there’s only two employees that I hold dear to my heart, they are very kind and very friendly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get their names so whoever the lady is with the medium-length side ponytail and the guy with the glasses and no facial hair, you’re great and amazing. Anyways, the first few times we were there, whenever you would mention that you’re just looking/don’t require any assistance, you’re met with a look. Some—keyword some—will not even say anything to you, but that’s fine, no big deal. The main thing we want to point out is that, again, SOME, employees like to assume why you’re there. To take accountability on our part, as customers, we weren’t as specific with what we asked, our intention for coming in is to trade PK cards, to get one specific card that I’ll mention later. We are doing a master set, however we didn’t inform whoever was tending to us, the employee with the head tattoo. Note that this is important information. The employee with the head tattoo looked through our—my boyfriend and I’s—binder, aggressively handling and pulling the cards out of their slots, and pulled out 5 cards that are $35 in value (we checked TCGplayer) but he told us it was $20 instead. Perplexed, my boyfriend and I just wanted to see the cards that are tradable since we wanted the gold Arceus card (Crown Zenith)—though like I said, we weren’t specific, the employee didn’t know, he just assumed another thing. That’s when the employee asked for our booklet and head to the back with it to see what they have in stock. Not too bad for now, that’s when my boyfriend and I were talking amongst ourselves about the trade and how to go about with it since we’re both introverted and first time trading. For some more context, prior to coming in the store, we have bought 2 more Crown Zenith ETBs, and as you know, with ETBs come their booklets consisting of synergy cards for playing, and a card list for collecting. Now we have 1 for regular checking off what we have, one that’s blank, and the one that’s in the binder is the master list booklet. When the employee came back with our booklet, he told us he does have bulk crown zenith cards and placed down the booklet. Before he left to grab the bulk cards, he turned to the very front of the page to see the label: Master Set List with a small illustration I made of me and my boyfriend as Pokémon trainers; the employee called the illustration cute and left to get the bulk of the cards. When he came back he asked for clarification and what does the crossed off cards mean, that’s when we told him that the crossed off cards are the complete set of that card, we just need reversed holographic cards for those that aren’t crossed off. Keep in mind that we have not expressed that we wanted to complete the set right then and there, he just assumed that we wanted to complete it because of the booklet. Around 20 minutes later of pulling cards out from the bulk box, my boyfriend told him that we wanted to pick out the cards that we wanted, losing hope of getting the gold Arceus card on display. The employee said “okay,” and then walked away with the box. Looking back at it now, he most likely didn’t hear us at all since he had...

TLDR: This place is amazing. They won't gouge you and bleed you dry. A) They have a military discount on non-sealed, amazing. B) They have a ton of product and singles. I have only had a hard time buying a few cards. C) Amazing staff and they have sales on product from time to time. (I missed the after new years sale, $100 collector booster boxes I think it was Midnight Hunt, Crimson Vow, and New Capenna)

The Compleat Edition for Phyrexia just dropped this past Friday. I missed the opportunity to preorder at the $80 price mark from all places. I called around the Friday of. Target had them for $87 this becomes my gauge for value. I'm happy to pay about $95 for this product to support an LGS. I started calling up LGS' near my work in Pasadena. The first one is normally the cheapest in the area. They wanted a $130 per box no limit. The one my boss goes to in Duarte wanted $120 limit of two (I'm supportive of a limit. I was cool with getting my hands on at least one). As I'm heading home I decided to call Top Deck Keep, they have a limit of a box per person at $90. Amazing! (All prices here are pre-tax)

During this time frame I was also working on a commander deck. I sent them the list of 15 cards and expected the cost to come up to $100 based on TCG player prices. Not the case. They didn't have 1 card, Lightning Greaves, on TCG it's $9. My total came out to $72 . So I had saved 19 bucks on buying the cards from them.

My only complaint is that I wish that they had the listings for the products that they had in stock on their site or social media sites. Mainly so I can plan my expenditures better. That's the only improvement that I would make. These guys are tremendous and deserve all the success in the...

BEWARE OF PRE-ORDERS

First time pre-ordering from Top Deck since they had amazing reviews and a good reputation. Sadly, the first time ordering from them was anything but that.

Drove an hour down to them to pick up Surging Sparks early. I ordered online at first to order the Booster Box but saw they had ETBs in stock as well. I missed out on the PC ETB so seeing this at such a good price, I bought an ETB separately. In hindsight, it was too good to be true but I thought it was because it was a reputable store that I got lucky.

Come to today where I picked it up and the process was smooth. Come a few hours later I get home and was devastated that it was not the product I thought I was getting.

I added pictures of what they posted on Top Deck's website compared to Gamestop's site for the ETB and Pokemon Center's ETB. Total deceptive advertising. Their title was not specified on the ETB version but the pictures AND description alluded to it being PC version. Even the pack count for the two versions are different. Messaged them on their Instagram a little over an hour ago since this post and was left on seen.

Very poor first experience here. Hopefully, others can be aware of this so they don't get disappointed and waste their time like I did. Hopefully, their other pre-orders were not like this as well.

EDIT: As of an hour after this review, I have been refunded for the ETB. They called and was apologized by two different reps. Decent customer service but I'm still disappointed it had to come to...