When starting out with the Digimon TCG, if you’re not testing games online via a simulator, you’ll need to find a place to obtain the physical cards. If your Local Game Store (LGS) doesn’t have a trade binder that houses singles, it often means buying packs or booster boxes to get your cards.
Some of the best Digimon starter decks may have some staples that you need, giving easier access to older cards. If the card only exists in a starter deck, it can sometimes be hard to justify buying the whole deck just to poach one or two cards. Older staples that existed in boxes that are no longer widely available can be very difficult to get a hold of if your LGS doesn’t have stock left. As a result, many players look to buy Digimon TCG cards online.
It is important to note that buying cards online does come with risks associated with buying products from individuals and online businesses. Do your research if a deal is too good to be true, it likely is.
Credit: Den of Geek
Your fellow players
In addition to your LGS store (if applicable), your fellow players often have binders filled with cards that they’re looking to trade or sell. Whether you play Digimon online or in person, your opponents are a great first port of call. This can often be one of the best ways to get a good deal, or at least save on shipping. It is also the only place where you can see the cards that you’re wanting in person before money exchanges.
Ebay
The titan of online person to person selling is a very common place to find Digimon products. Seller ratings and feedback are important to look at here. Shipping costs don’t tend to be collated on eBay in addition to generally higher prices. This means that even if you’re buying multiple things from the same seller, you can often be charged shipping multiple times. Ebay is available everywhere in the Western world so finding sellers on your local eBay should be simple. If the other options aren’t available to you, eBay’s reputation at least affords you peace of mind.
TCGPlayer – Most Common for US Fans
TCGPlayer is an online marketplace dedicated to trading card games. It’s only available in the USA, and is the most common place for American Digimon players to buy Digimon TCG cards. It is also a frequent sponsor of USA TCG focused channels via referral links.
TCGPlayer prices tend to be what sets the market trend for North American markets. With pricing data based on sales history, speculative and competitive buyers can make informed decisions before buying cards. Like with eBay and Cardmarket, online sellers are given online ratings from other buyers. Prices on TCGPlayer tend to be markedly lower than eBay sellers, and bulk orders can be combined. TCGPlayer though does tend to see big fluctuations in prices, with speculative buyers sometimes causing “hype buys” based on new support announcements. Savvy buyers can make excellent purchases and sales if they can keep ahead of the game.
Credit: TCGPlayer
Cardmarket – For EU Fans
Cardmarket is the European equivalent to TCGPlayer. Whilst it does have a referral system, it’s a little more convoluted. You need to type in usernames rather than following URLs. It does, however, allow all users rather than a select few to refer new buyers. This allows you to refer your friends and earn a little commission on their own transactions on the site.
Credit: Cardmarket
Cardmarket also features seller feedback, sale history and market averages. Unique to Cardmarket is its Shopping Wizard. This handy tool calculates the cheapest or fewest package route based on a shopping list and user set parameters for easy buying, taking into account shipping fees!
Facebook Trade Groups – Buy and Sell Digimon TCG Cards
Trade Groups on Facebook are a great way to find people’s trade binders online, even if you’re just learning how to play the Digimon TCG. Facebook trading is similar to trading or buying in person at your LGS. People will show what they have, are looking for and/or prices of things they’re looking to sell. While there’s no metric for seller ratings, most things are public so bad actors will be called attention to the group. It is worth seeing if your local area has a local trade group, in addition to the wider region ones.
