Demise of the local comic shops

[General Zod]

I actually try to display at least a few old keys at all times but I am always worried about leaving them up too long and having the covers fade. Maybe I'm overthinking but it is a concern. See you soon!

 

At home I have that problem with displaying my books in a couple of cases, so I solved it by rotating the comics (into the dark closet) every couple of weeks or so to keep exposure to a minimum and having something pretty to look at in the meantime, although printed photocopies wouldn't be a bad idea either.

 

I'm still waiting for somebody to come up with an affordable UV protected wall display frame/case.

[nocutename]

14th and 7th? whats the name of this spot? I never heard of it. I frequent Midtown Comics, Jim Hanley's and Bulletproof Comics in Bklyn. I used to go to Metro Comics in downtown Bklyn as well. They have a decent stock of back ssues last ive been there.

I am 99% sure he is referring to Roger's Time Machine.

 

I did a quick search last night and found this article about NYC shops that was a fun read.

 

The Comic Book Stores of NYC

[comicstock]

>>BTW, Internet comics service provider mailordercomics.com is the KING of customer service. Tell Mike that Sterling sent ya! <<

 

I just started using mailordercomics.com and after 2 orders shipped, I'm quite pleased. A nice alternative.

 

[kidcolt]

I agree that the internet has had a big effect on LCS. However the internet can be a very useful resorce for comic shops. They could buy good comic lots cheap and resaell them in their shops at individual issues and make a good return on them.

 

As a comic buyer I use the internet for the variey available. LCS only have so much available, wutgh the internet you can usually find any issue you want for sale some where out there. I remember how different collecting was before the internet. Key issues were rarely available and if you missed an issue at you LCS then you might have to wait years before you see another on FS.

 

Another big difference now is when a collector decides to quit or sell off their collection they usually sell them on the internet. Before they were usually forced to sell them to the LCS or at a local flea market. My LCS is always complaining that he never has anyone in trying to sell him books anymore. His back issue inventory and sales are suffering because of this. Like I mentioned earlier these shops need to use the internet to buy inventory for resell purposes.

[kidcolt]

Thanks for the link, what a great article. It brought back memories of the first time I visited a comic shop and how I became hooked.

 

 

14th and 7th? whats the name of this spot? I never heard of it. I frequent Midtown Comics, Jim Hanley's and Bulletproof Comics in Bklyn. I used to go to Metro Comics in downtown Bklyn as well. They have a decent stock of back ssues last ive been there.

I am 99% sure he is referring to Roger's Time Machine.

 

I did a quick search last night and found this article about NYC shops that was a fun read.

 

The Comic Book Stores of NYC

[nocutename]

Thanks for the link, what a great article. It brought back memories of the first time I visited a comic shop and how I became hooked.

 

 

14th and 7th? whats the name of this spot? I never heard of it. I frequent Midtown Comics, Jim Hanley's and Bulletproof Comics in Bklyn. I used to go to Metro Comics in downtown Bklyn as well. They have a decent stock of back ssues last ive been there.

I am 99% sure he is referring to Roger's Time Machine.

 

I did a quick search last night and found this article about NYC shops that was a fun read.

 

The Comic Book Stores of NYC

 

No problem. It made me miss my LCS alot. Next time I am in the city I have to check out Time Machine.

[awe4one]

One of the two LCSs here in town put a for sale sign up last week. Talked to the owner about a month ago, this is the same guy who has the store backstock I've been going through, and he said then that it was time to get out of the business. He has no real hope anyone will buy the comics/games portion of the store but he's lucky enough to have the back half of his warehouse serve as a storage area and has gotten some bites for that.

 

Won't be long before the LCS is a memory and the storage business taking up the complete building...

 

Jim

[MR.COMICBOOK]

My LCS is always complaining that he never has anyone in trying to sell him books anymore. His back issue inventory and sales are suffering because of this.

maybe he should pay more for the comics and they wouldn`t have to sell on Ebay.

[awe4one]

My LCS is always complaining that he never has anyone in trying to sell him books anymore. His back issue inventory and sales are suffering because of this.

maybe he should pay more for the comics and they wouldn`t have to sell on Ebay.

 

The owner of the big LCS in town has the same problem. All he sees come in is stuff from the early-90s and up. He thinks it's not a matter of people selling the quality stuff on-line but rather the decreasing number of collectors in the area...

 

Jim

[Designer Toast]

+1

I've been going to the same LCS for about 24 years now mostly due to the customer service. There discounts are somewhat sub-standard, but they grade well and price at or below the current OS. They treat me as a valued customer and I have managed to develop a good relationship with the management where I find random back issues in my pull box once or twice a month. They know what I collect and will give me first dibs if it something they think I might be interested in.

 

Mike Richardson from Dark Horse told me he would always get to know his customers and if he saw something he thought they might like, or something the customer had been looking for, Mike would take the time to pull it and put it in their box or tell the customer about it.

 

I went to one of Mike's stores when I was much younger and he was there working. He was one cool guy and treated a fourteen/fifteen year old kid like a star customer, even though he knew that kid (me) was only in town for a day or so.

 

I know a few shops that won't even maintain a want list for their customers or will automatically pull a customer's box if they don;t come get their books within four weeks. If a customer suddenly stopped coming in I'd at least give them a call to see if they were okay or if there was something else going on.

 

Glad to hear your LCS is taking good care of you (thumbs u

[VintageComics]

The world is changing and any business that does not adapt will go down quick.

 

I know of local comic stores that do terrific.

 

Walt and Mike from Big B in Hamilton Ontario for one. My buddy Andreas Brast from Carry On Comics in Waterloo isn't doing poorly either but he has a long (multi decade) client base that carried over from when he managed Now And Then Books, Canada's longest running Comic book store.

 

They always have killer books coming in (back issues), great con stock (Big B does cons not Carry On) and great customer service.

 

Walt is also a new Overstreet advisor this year.

 

LCS only die away when they do not adapt.

 

R.

 

 

[Gone Phishin']

Like others have said, I go to my LCS once or twice a week for the customer service. Yea its nice getting a student discount, but as soon as I walk in, my books are pulled, and the owner and I will just talk about comics. Besides for Lester Dean and KoR, I have zero friends in person that like comics, so it is refreshing to talk about modern comics with someone.

 

I thought about going to DCBS, but with how greatly I am treated, I feel it is only right to give my money to them, esp in the current state of our economy

 

----- I am across the street from college campus, and my LCS is almost always busy, but they are cutting way down on ordering Indys that are not on someones pull list

[the blob]

"and works out a price, always a good deal over the current Overstreet list."

 

I think you meant VERSUS (or compared to or relative to) not "OVER". Roger's Time Machine usually whacks a chunk off guide. He's good about that.

[FlComicFan]

After being on both sides of the aisle and now owning a store I'd love to comment on a few things brought up on this thread. First off regarding discounts. Its not realistic for a brick and mortar store to offer much beyond a 10% discount. For the sake of argument say an average store does $20,000 in sales per month in new floppies and trades. They manage to maintain a sell through of 100% (pipe dream)The shop would have a gross profit of $10000 before any discount and of course all the business expenses. If you offer 10% off then it becomes $8000 still doable. Now make it the 40% your online site typically offers it becomes $2000 To get back to that $8000 figure you would need so sell $80,000 worth of books. A brick and mortar is not going to get enough extra business to play discount wars.

 

Now again one poster mentioned he doesnt buy his monthly books locally but instead opts to do it online to get 40% off versus I am guessing a 10% discount. He buys 25 titles. Lets say they are all $3.99 so instead of paying $90 he gets them for $60 plus shipping. So he's saving $30 give or take a month. In plain terms is the $30 savings going to break you? Is having a LCS to go to and buy books on impulse , pick up supplies, get back issues, or just go to hang out worth the $30 per month? I'm bet if you have a smart owner at your LCS he probably can and would make up that diff in deals on collections he picks up etc.

 

An online seller has to win you over just on a price. A local store is going to win or lose you based on not only the stores wares but the personality of both the shop and its owner/employees.

 

Every week I get customers who stop in for the first time and complain how there arent stores around like mine anymore. Half of those people only purchase the things they cant get online or are too expensive to ship (supplies, price guides any sweetheart blowout deals I might have) Not realising it , local businesses of all types are being put out by the Internet and if it applies faceless big box stores. If you cherish having local places to take your business that have an athmosphere you enjoy spend your dollars locally. Dont but the new cd at wal mart as a loss leader pay the few extra bucks so when you need a hard to find item a specialty shop will be there for to get it. Hate to think of the faceless existence we'd all have it everything was drag and click and a Wal-Mart.

 

I'll discuss my take on selling back issues in a few (lunch time) Chet

 

 

[the blob]

I understand the LCS not being so willing to deep discount their file customers (although I'm pretty sure my old LCS gave a 25% discount if you left a deposit, put your CC on file, so that they wouldn't get burned), it would be up to them to let customers know that while they can't do 40%, a regular file customer will get additional discounts elsewhere like in back issues where the shop has more flexibility (usually).

 

one of my more regular LCS is very good in a lot of ways, but I don't get the sense there is much room to haggle. they do offer some books at great prices and some others at a little bit too much for me, i wouldn't mind haggling those other prices down but it just doesn't seem like that's how they do things.

[kidcolt]

I am getting a 30% discount on anything I buy.

[bergdoll]

My LCS knows me and knows what I collect. This means that when a collection comes in - I often get a "front of the line" chance to buy the books I want - which, given that much of what I collect is very hard to find makes this relationship important.

 

Also, I can special order books, I can find out about new books, and ... I can be a comic-geek live, and on-stage!

 

All that stated: A few dollars saved at Amazon or via the Internet doesn't stack-up.

 

However, I have noticed something very interesting.

 

Selling my duplicates and down-grade copies to my LCS has turned out to be better than selling them on eBay. By the time I pay the eBay fee, the PayPal fee, and the shipping (which is always a little higher than what I charge on eBay) - the price the LCS pays is looking pretty good.

 

Plus, I don't have to worry about non-paying bidders.

 

This may be a local thing, and it may also be the types of books I am bringing in - but it is pretty interesting.

 

I'm not sure the LCS will die, but they certainly need to adapt and make the shopping trip an "experience" rather than just a place to pick-up the books.

[ft88]

Speaking from a nostalgic point of view, there was a time in my distant past where there were no Local Comic Stores. Comics were bought at airport stands, supermarkets and convenient stores along side magazines.

 

Most got thrown away and the few that survived are now cherished to the point of big money.

 

Yes I realize we will never go back to that time period, but we fret about the big box stores beating up on the romantic mom and pop LCS. Didn't the LCS help bring the demise of universally sold comics due to the direct distribution model? I wish that had never happened.

 

I'd rather see this nostalgic newspaper stand of yesteryear than today's LCS, but that's just my preference.

 

 

 

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Speaking from a nostalgic point of view, there was a time in my distant past where there were no Local Comic Stores. Comics were bought at airport stands, supermarkets and convenient stores along side magazines.

 

Most got thrown away and the few that survived are now cherished to the point of big money.

 

Yes I realize we will never go back to that time period, but we fret about the big box stores beating up on the romantic mom and pop LCS. Didn't the LCS help bring the demise of universally sold comics due to the direct distribution model? I wish that had never happened.

 

I'd rather see this nostalgic newspaper stand of yesteryear than today's LCS, but that's just my preference.

 

 

plus so much neater and better organized then my local hole in the basements.

[Mr. Zipper]

Speaking from a nostalgic point of view, there was a time in my distant past where there were no Local Comic Stores. Comics were bought at airport stands, supermarkets and convenient stores along side magazines.

 

Most got thrown away and the few that survived are now cherished to the point of big money.

 

Yes I realize we will never go back to that time period, but we fret about the big box stores beating up on the romantic mom and pop LCS. Didn't the LCS help bring the demise of universally sold comics due to the direct distribution model? I wish that had never happened.

 

I'd rather see this nostalgic newspaper stand of yesteryear than today's LCS, but that's just my preference.

 

 

 

Action 35, Superman 10 and Worlds Best #1. Wow! What a line up!!