In 2008, Chedy Hampson founded TCGplayer after it transformed into the modern company from a web design company made in 1998.[5] Though it also worked with comic books, it stopped selling and taking in comic books in mid-2023.[6] The company created a "card conditioning" area where cards are authenticated and given a grade based on how damaged they are.[7]
In 2021, DJ and streamer Steve Aoki collaborated with TCGplayer in order to sell "mystery boxes" of Pokémon cards, all the boxes together were worth around 3 million USD.[8]
In 2022, the online marketplace EBay bought TCGplayer for US$295 million.[9][10]
Controversies
In March 2020, a union of around 100 workers was established since, according to the unionists, the health care plan was less than admirable since prices had doubled and pay seemed to not match with the new changes.[11]
In 2023, TCGplayer workers established a union,[12][13] but EBay, the parent company of TCGplayer, used illegal practices including surveiling workers who wore pro-Union insignia and denying workers from joining the union,[14][15] afterwards, they would file multiple complaints to the National Labor Relations Board.[16] In March 2023, EBay would be charged for their illegal practices including implementation of unilateral changes, firing a union organizer, and attempting to dismantle the union altogether.[17][18]