Alternate Universes Blue Bell — Local services in Whitpain Township

This rating is based solely on my attempted Pokémon trade in experience here. I can't speak for other experiences offered in this store.

I came here about 7 months ago to have them pick through my pokemon collection and see what they're interested in. The staff was welcoming at that time. The gentleman mentioned he was not well versed in pokemon, and he knows more about yugioh. Um, ok, fine, hopefully that won't be a problem. Just kind of weird how you have a Giratina V AA on the back of your phone case and you said that...So, he starts picking through and has around 200-250 full art and alt art cards he's interested in. Explained to me they offer 50% tcg in cash and 60% in store credit. Fair enough. I was willing to let him sort through and hear the offer. Came up to $237 cash. I turned him down.

I understand there's profit to be made, staff to pay, and rent. Here's the thing, though. I went home afterward and looked through the higher end cards he had there in that bunch, and with only just a few of them, I was already past his offer, even going at 50% tcg. But I didn't only use tcgplayer to do it. I cross-referenced through tcgplayer, eBay, whatnot, pokedata, collectr, fb groups, even another card shop. The majority of those came up with significantly higher price points.

Also, their selection in both magic and pokemon were scarce.

I'm happy to support the community, but I didn't feel a sense of that here. It felt like I was at a car dealership trying to make a trade-in. That kind of situation where we all know more money is being made off of your situation than is being disclosed to you. It was just like trying to trade in games at gamestop and hearing what their offer is.

I feel how I feel. I saw what i saw. It is what it is. A pawn shop posing as a card shop.

Edit after owner response: Thank you, I appreciate it, but no. That was my second time in your store, actually. My first, i was ridiculed by one of your larger male staff for what I wanted to acquire collection wise in pokemon. It's funny how that happens when I'm buying 2 BBs from you guys at the time... right?

I am happy to continue doing business and participating in events elsewhere. Thank you for your better late than...

Sell you Moderately played cards for the same price as Lightly played cards, then con you when you sell them back for over 150+% profit, your mileage may be different pending on game you play and how valuable the card is. (This is known as Gamestop trades).

Example: Buys a play set of a card for say $33.00 totaling $132.00

The store buys back the SAME cards that they sold for a total for $46.00 (3 for $12, and 1 for $10 due to the "condition" of the card which they sold in that condition; I keep my cards sleeved and in binders for protection and I am gentle with my cards as most TCG players are.)

Then will go resell these cards in that Moderately Played condition for 33.00 a piece which is close to TCG players Lightly Played condition version of the same card.

I understand that local game stores need to make money too, and that's as obvious as the nose on my face. I LOVE supporting local businesses, however when you LOW ball someone that hard It should make you question their integrity. I WAS NOT expecting $132 back but a little more than $46...

Was a long time patron of this place but no more. I will be taking my business to...

Friday night magic was fun, the people there were pretty cool. They were reasonably welcoming to me for my first time at the store. That said, the prices were quite high. It was $15 to draft for Friday night magic, which is pretty standard for many places who give out sizable prizes. Unfortunately, Blue Bell AU was very stingy with the prizes, only giving out about 12 packs worth of prizes when 16 players entered. As a magic online player who already thinks of MODO drafts as terrible value (12 prize packs per 8 players, for a $14 entry if you don't provide your own packs), this was simply painful. I did enjoy myself and have fun, but given that there were only three rounds, I unfortunately would rather just use the money to do an extra draft online sometime during the week, and hang out with friends friday night. I probably won't return for FNM, although I may come back for other fun events such as prereleases where there's more emphasis on just having fun, and I won't feel as bad for...