I have visited this card shop several…
I have visited this card shop several times now, and unfortunately each visit has left me feeling disappointed.
One of the biggest issues for me is how confusing the store's organisation and pricing system is. Many cards in the binders are not clearly priced, which means customers constantly have to ask staff for prices. This makes it difficult to stick to a budget and slows down the buying process for both customers and staff.
The binders are also organised in a way that can be very confusing. For example, cards that are part of a "6 for £5" offer are often mixed together with individually priced rare cards on the same page. If a card is displayed alongside cards included in a promotion, it is reasonable for customers to assume it is part of that promotion too. Having dedicated binders, sections, or clearly labelled pages for different price categories would make the experience much easier to navigate.
As an autistic customer, clear organisation and pricing are especially important to me. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect cards to be separated into logical categories or for prices to be clearly displayed. This benefits everyone, not just autistic customers, as it allows people to make informed purchasing decisions without repeatedly asking staff for assistance.
Another issue is that I often feel looked down upon by staff because of the types of cards I buy or bring in for trade. The impression I get is that unless you are bringing in highly sought-after cards such as Charizards or Gengars, your collection is not considered worthwhile. As someone who enjoys collecting to complete sets and build binders, rather than focusing only on high-value cards, I have never felt particularly welcome.
When I have brought cards in for trade, I have generally felt dismissed. As a result, I have sold cards on eBay instead, often for a profit. I would have preferred to trade them into the shop and support a local business, especially since many of those cards could easily have been sold in the shop's lower-priced sections.
I understand that sorting stock, maintaining binders, and clearly pricing cards takes time and effort. However, that is part of what customers expect from a specialist card shop. Better organisation, clearer pricing, and a more welcoming attitude towards collectors of all kinds would significantly improve the customer experience.
Unfortunately, based on my experiences so far, I do not feel that the average Pokémon collector trying to complete sets or build a collection is particularly well catered for here.
Upon my initial review every concern I had was dismissed by the store. I will not be shipping here again and advise other collectors to do the same.