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Does anyone understand Metropolis?

Started by The Black Hand ®,

224 posts in this topic

The Black Hand ®

The Black Hand ®

Posted
Posted

For the last six months or so, I've been receiving want list emails from Metro about a particulat book on my want list. I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it online, plus I called Frank to confirm that the book was in stock and my online order recieved. I checked the site and they pulled the book and listed it as sold and sent me an order confirmation, the order number is #37857. This was the 20th. This morning I recieved a want list email about the exact same book, so I went to their site and sure enough the book was now listed for sale again. Is metro messing with me, or is this just a holiday screw up?

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TheWatcher

TheWatcher

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I'm guessing holiday screw up. Just drop them an email (or call) and it'll probably get cleared up. I was waiting for prices on some books, and when I looked two months later they weren't listed anymore. I emailed them about it and, sure enough, the books were still unsold. For some reason they had taken them off the site. Stuff happens when you got that many books, I guess (shrug)

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nearmint

nearmint

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I've become increasingly frustrated with Metro since they stopped pricing a large % of the books on their site. I don't want to "call" and make an offer, or inquire about books that are perpetually "not yet processed".

 

Why does the Action #47 CGC 8.0 say "call" on the website when it was priced at 3K in San Diego 5 months ago? These changes in their site just make me want to spend my money elsewhere.

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bigfiver69

bigfiver69

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No question, the 'not processed' thing is a pain... they shouldn't be toying with customers.

 

That said, I have a great year buying from these guys, nailing a couple of very tough war books, and one total grail of mine (Our Army at War #218, CGC 9.4 Oakland).

 

Frank in particular has been really helpful... and I'm just a shlub who only spends a coupla hundred dollars at a time.

 

When it comes down to it, these guys simply have the books, and keep getting them. That's why - despite some of the headaches - I keep going back.

 

Give Frank a call on the 27th... betcha he'll be in there.

 

Shep

 

 

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nearmint

nearmint

Posted
Posted
lately they have a lot of books listed as not yet processed so i think they are way behind in inventory- probably an honest mistake - hopefully you can straghten it out on wednesday - if not they just don't like you do they-lol!

 

I'd like to think that they're just behind, but part of me thinks this is a new selling strategy for them. There are books on their site that have "not been processed" for several months. Also, the "call" strategy, more accurately described as the "make an offer" strategy, is clearly new for them(in the past 6 months or so).

 

Also, if a book hasn't been processed yet, why put it on the site at all?

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Scheradon

Scheradon

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This is a Crippen copy, so I don't think there are multiple copies. I've sent an email, but don't expect an quick reply on sunday. I looked up the order number and said that the order was voided.

 

How did you pay? Was it by CC? If so, perhaps when they tried charging your card, it didn't go through for some reason. That could be one guess. (shrug)

 

I'd definately call to get some clarification.

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awe4one

awe4one

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This is a Crippen copy, so I don't think there are multiple copies. I've sent an email, but don't expect an quick reply on sunday. I looked up the order number and said that the order was voided.

 

Was it relisted at the same price?

 

Jim

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Sal

Sal

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lately they have a lot of books listed as not yet processed so i think they are way behind in inventory- probably an honest mistake - hopefully you can straghten it out on wednesday - if not they just don't like you do they-lol!

 

I'd like to think that they're just behind, but part of me thinks this is a new selling strategy for them. There are books on their site that have "not been processed" for several months. Also, the "call" strategy, more accurately described as the "make an offer" strategy, is clearly new for them(in the past 6 months or so).

 

Also, if a book hasn't been processed yet, why put it on the site at all?

 

It's all a function of "we don't want to leave any money on the table," which appears to work for them.

 

I dunno. I would like to think that as a retailer who has likely the best access to stock replacement inventory, they would view cash flow and turnover to be better for their business than getting that extra percentage by being able to make the customer take the first step in pricing. They've been in business long enough to make their own decisions, obviously, and they must be working for them. I keep thinking about "opportunity cost" for some reason...

 

(shrug)

 

All it does is keep me from seriously looking over their site more often than once a week to see if they've dropped the "Not Yet Processed" pretense

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nearmint

nearmint

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All it does is keep me from seriously looking over their site more often than once a week to see if they've dropped the "Not Yet Processed" pretense

 

That's what I'm doing, too. :juggle:

 

But I fear it's the new normal. Once a book is posted with the "not yet processed" logo, it never seems to get processed.

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arexcrooke

arexcrooke

Posted
Posted
lately they have a lot of books listed as not yet processed so i think they are way behind in inventory- probably an honest mistake - hopefully you can straghten it out on wednesday - if not they just don't like you do they-lol!

 

I'd like to think that they're just behind, but part of me thinks this is a new selling strategy for them. There are books on their site that have "not been processed" for several months. Also, the "call" strategy, more accurately described as the "make an offer" strategy, is clearly new for them(in the past 6 months or so).

 

Also, if a book hasn't been processed yet, why put it on the site at all?

so they cvan gauge interest and price accordingly :shrug:

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awe4one

awe4one

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so they cvan gauge interest and price accordingly :shrug:

 

This method probably works with most GA and limited rare SA material. Anything else and they are probably going to lose sales. They don't have a monopoly on these comics and if they aren't willing to "process" the comic, then I move on to someone else who has it...

 

Jim

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