Verkkokauppa.com saved Pokémon's 30th anniversary cards from scalpers for real fans
Press Release October 9, 2026
In October, Verkkokauppa.com shut down a large bot and scalper network that attempted to buy out Pokémon's 30th anniversary products within seconds. Monitoring systems detected unusual purchasing behavior within minutes, and led by customer service, technology, and product teams, nearly 1,000 bot orders were canceled during a 24-hour operation. The released cards were redirected to nearly a thousand genuine collectors.
Verkkokauppa.com detected a large bot and scalper network attempting to buy out the highly sought-after Pokémon 30th anniversary products within seconds. At its peak, Verkkokauppa.com's systems received 90 requests per second. Based on investigations by the technology department and customer service, the bot network placed nearly 1,000 orders for Pokémon 30th anniversary cards.
Customer service, technology specialists, and product managers worked around the clock in an exceptional effort. They carefully analyzed and identified fraudulent orders, canceled them, and blocked new bot orders from going through. In the October incident, hundreds of bot orders were canceled. The released products were redirected to nearly a thousand individual customers.
"Pokémon cards are hugely popular and availability is limited, so many try to profit from the situation. For us, the issue was completely clear from the customer's perspective. We wanted to ensure that these sought-after cards go to genuine collectors and not into the hands of bots or scalpers. We put in tremendous work to identify the abuse and return the products to customers who genuinely care about them," says Erika Forsell, Head of Customer Service Operations at Verkkokauppa.com.
The incident shows how fierce the competition for the most popular Pokémon collectibles has become. It also demonstrates how quickly automated purchasing bots can clear out inventory. Purchase limits are circumvented in many ways, and Verkkokauppa.com continuously works in stores, technology development, and customer service to prevent these attempts.
"We're constantly developing our technical and operational capabilities to ensure products remain as fairly accessible to everyone as possible," Forsell says.
The next batch of Pokémon collectible cards is arriving in early November and is also expected to sell out quickly.
Additional information
press@verkkokauppa.com (Ulkoinen palvelu)
Verkkokauppa.com
Verkkokauppa.com is Finland's leading online retailer, offering a wide range of products from home technology to leisure and business needs. Operating since 1992, the company is one of the world's oldest online retailers, combining e-commerce and physical stores into a seamless omnichannel customer experience. Verkkokauppa.com's four megastores are located in Oulu, Pirkkala, Raisio, and Helsinki's Jätkäsaari district. To deliver an exceptional customer experience, the company delivers products to your door in as little as one hour, around the clock, using automation and robotics. Verkkokauppa.com employs approximately 600 people, and the company's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
