About a month ago it was revealed that the Shining Fates special expansion set was to be allocated as there was not enough supply to meet demand for the product. People are now asking whether there will be a Battle Styles allocation as well.
Over the last 4 weeks demand for all sealed Pokémon products has remained steady with many items selling out as soon as they hit the shelves.
Battle Styles is the 5th expansion set in the Sword and Shield series and is eagerly anticipated by fans of the Trading Card Game and collectors alike. The set is due to be released on 19th March 2021 and has already sold out at most stockists.
Will Battle Styles be Allocated?
It is hard to find any reliable information on whether or not this set will be allocated, but it seems likely.
In the United States, some stockists are reporting a 30 – 40% Battle Styles allocation while in the United Kingdom 50% and over has been suggested. How accurate these figures are remains to be seen.
Some sources are stating that there will be an initial allocation but that the set will be released in waves so that ultimately stockists will get their full allocation.
What does this mean for prices?
When Shining Fates was first released prices of single cards was very high. However, as more product has become available prices of individual cards have begun to fall. However, prices of sealed products are still selling way above manufacturer’s recommended selling price (MRSP).
At pre-order, Battle Styles was priced slightly below MRSP – around £3 for a Booster Pack, around £100 for a Booster Box and £40 for an Elite Trainer Box. If demand continues to exceed supply then it is likely that prices will rise above MRSP until more stock is available. The prices of single cards will depend on how many cards are in circulation. If Battle Styles is heavily allocated then the prices are likely to be high initially and fall as more products become available.
While it is natural to want the latest set as soon as it is released, the savvy buyer, collector or investor should ignore initial prices, be patient and wait for prices to fall as more stock becomes available.
19th March 2021 – Update
Today is the official release day for the Battle Styles expansion set. The initial concern that the set would be heavily allocated does not seem to have been realised. A number of stockists have, this week, advised that some customers may see a two-week delay in receiving orders but that all pre-orders should ultimately be fulfilled.
