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Another question for shop owners/employees

Started by Freiherr,

12 posts in this topic

Freiherr

Freiherr

Posted
Posted

 

 

This is kinda related to a post I mad in the modern, but I would like more info on this particular topic.

 

Has etiquette/attitudes towards new issues placed on the racks changed?

 

Back when I was going to the local shops once or twice a week, new comics were not nearly in the condition they were in when I returned the other day after a 2-year absence.

 

I expect the copy in the front to be beat up. A shop owner I became friends with told me the same. He had no problem with people flipping through the first book and not handling it with kiddy gloves. Customers would decide if they wanted it or not and then carefully chose another behind it. I practiced this habit and I witnessed many other collectors doing the same.

 

The racks I saw the other day in no way showed this. 90% of the books were chipped, rolled or bent. Books at the local grocery were in better condition. Is something amiss in shipping or are people just less considerate?

 

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towards2112

towards2112

Posted
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Almost seems as if there is a 'bend it so no-one else gets a mint copy' mentality.

Also the shop owner could be a bit lax on his policy enforcements.

Back in my day,,,,, if I had a customer bending books, I'd politely ask them

to either buy the damaged books or not to do it again. Politely placed and

worded signs on policy helped, but every now and then a lunkhead would

show up not expecting me to enforce my own signage and I'd have to be

firm. Never rude, not comicbookman, but firm.

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

Posted
Posted
Has etiquette/attitudes towards new issues placed on the racks changed?

 

Yes, I think they're generally in better condition today than they were a decade ago. Several of my local comic shops used to use those wireframe racks that had a front support to keep the comics upright. The problem with these is that inevitably customers would bend the books towards the front over those supports looking at comics behind the ones in front, which immediately took the ones in the front down to FN or VF due to huge spine creases. Today, I don't know of one shop in my area who uses front supports anymore; they all just have the books sitting freely upright on a shelf.

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Freiherr

Freiherr

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The first shop I went to had acrylic front supports. Ironically, they had a sign on the back issues reading “Please do not bend comics”. However, it was a hobby shop and the seemed to specialize in sports cards so I didn’t expect much.

 

The other shop was my old regular joint. They have wooden shelves with high dividers for the new issues. They do not have signs and I have never seen them speak to a customer about their handling of the books. Maybe they need to because their comics were just as bad. This was not the case 2 years ago.

 

I’m not too picky because I read my comics and they do not get the best treatment when they get to my house. However, 90% of those comics on the shelves were worse than what I would do. I hope there is no truth to the 'bend it so no-one else gets a mint copy' thing.

 

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towards2112

towards2112

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I also hope that my observation is wrong, but.....

 

Marvel peddled some very nice wooden racks 12-15 years ago

that were slightly overpriced, and came apart of their own volition.

I had my brother make from scratch some very nice tall racks that

didn't allow for much bending. Cost a pretty penny, clear Uvex

screwed to a wooden frame with black gloss motif. Sharp!

Had track lighting to highlight the new issues, worked well.

 

Wire racks and spinners should always be a big no-no.

 

I have an old Archie wire spinner out in the barn/warehouse.

Neat decoration for my office.

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lighthouse

lighthouse

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I used that method for quite a while... and now have them lying flat on a multi-tier gondola I got from a bath shop that was going out of business... I can display roughly 70 new titles in a 12sf footprint...

 

You can see it to the right of the Halloweeen Goth Princess in the famous pictures...

 

After the first week of release, mine go onto racks that were originally designed for coloring books in grocery store... You can see that to the left of the Goth Princess...

 

Some of the independents I rack in a fixture that was originally designed for greeting cards... behind the Goth Princess...

 

And yes, I do have a spinner rack... and I use it right near the front door for kids comics... Reluctant mothers expect to see such a rack when they walk in the door, and having the Archies and Scooby Doos and Ninja Turtles comics there makes them feel a lot more comfortable about their shopping experience...

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Dave_Hennen

Dave_Hennen

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My LCS lays them flat on new book day and when they go to the shelves, they're always bagged and boarded (bags and boards are free with purchase). There are very few messed up books there.

 

That's the way to go, bag and board them out of the box. Then the ones that don't sell can be stored in HG condition and kept that way

 

Dave H

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JohnBull

JohnBull

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I think this is an unfortunate by-product of an instant collectable culture. Let's face it, go to a newstand and look at the papers/magazines. What sort of condition are they usually in ? Exactly the same as the items you mentioned in the comic shop, not mint but perfectly fine to sell.

 

If anything I welcome a new attitude like this. Let's take things back to the way they were through to the 70's. Maybe in 30 years time, we can bemoan that there don't seem too many NM issues from the early 2000's and top grade items can command a premium.

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towards2112

towards2112

Posted
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What are glass showcases going for in the northwest? north-wet?

Big cash flow generator in your store, or more decorative?

Been out of the storefront too long and idly curious.

Ben-gay back ache day.....

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lighthouse

lighthouse

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They retail about the same here as anywhere else... but I have never paid full price for a glass showcase. There are always companies going out of business and I get four or five chances a year to pick up used showcases cheap.

 

Plus the biggest wholesaler of store fixtures in the country is in Portland, and they sell stuff crazy-cheap...

 

Showcases do well for selling statues, and aren't bad for selling card singles... but they are as much for decoration as anything else... confused-smiley-013.gif

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