With the latest Scarlet and Violet sets having done so well, and the rising popularity of collecting Pokemon cards reaching record highs, demand for products has never been higher. Specifically in Japan, demand has gotten so high that if Pokemon TCG products had been continued to print at their normal rate, the demand would have been nowhere near met. Due to this high level of demand observed in both Japanese and international customers, manufacturing changes had to be made. This is when Creatures decided to make certain sets' booster boxes made to order.
In order to keep up with the seemingly unending escalating demand for cards Creatures chose to forgo regular booster box printing procedure, and instead opted towards a ticket based system. This system would work like a lottery, with Japanese consumers hoping to purchase a booster box being assigned a ticket which allows them to purchase the product they want. The ticket works for only one booster box of the given set, however it confirms that you will receive the product, even if the current supply does not allow it. The ticket is a promise that a booster box will be printed for you within the next several months, meaning customers can rest assured and not scramble to buy what they want.
It is essential to understand that these made to order booster boxes do not replace the standard printing of products. These made to order booster boxes should be seen as a supplementary method which is being implanted in order to alleviate some of the stress which is being felt by vendors and collectors alike. With the guarantee of a product given through the made to order booster box system, Creatures' hope is partially to undermine scalpers.
Creatures owns 1/3 of the Pokemon Company, alongside Nintendo and Game Freak. Each of these three companies as a whole are what make up and operate what we know as Pokemon, with Creatures being responsible for the printing of Pokemon cards in Japan specifically.
