If comic cons are always packed, then why are comic shops closing down?

[vane]

I had the same experience when the death of Superman issue came out. The line of people were out the store. I was a regular that had to wait 20 minutes just to get into the store. I walked around pulling all different comics and then had to get in another long line to pay at the counter. This was when I was buying multiple copies of many titles. I noticed everyone in line only had copies of the Superman comic. I finally get to the cashier (the owner whom I never saw operating the register before) with my stack of about 40 different titles (with many multiples for a total of about 60 comics). The cashier tells me I can't buy two copies each of the Superman comics (regular and black bag). In fact he won't even let me buy one of each, just one total). I tell him I'm not opening the black bag, and won't be able to read it, if you won't sell me the regular issue. He doesn't care. Says he has to limit quantities so he has enough for everyone. I tell him I've never seen any of these people in his store before, and he'll never see them again after they get the Superman comic. I tell him that's all they are here for. He tells me to come back tomorrow. If they have any left over. he will sell it to me then. I go back tomorrow. He has about 50 black bag comics on the wall for $40 and another 30 regular issues for $20 each. And a couple boxes full in the back room. He won't sell me the regular issue for cover price, even after I explain how he told me to come back today. That was my last visit to his store ever. I was spending hundreds of $$ a month there. Multiply that by other regulars who got the shaft, and it's probably why he went out of business less than a year later. Turns out the regular cashier ( who was bagging the purchases that day) slipped a regular copy of Supes into my bag for me. So I did get the comic and didn't even pay for it. I met up with that employee several months later at a sports bar and thanked him for the comic. He said he was pissed at what the owner was doing, but he had $$$$ on the brain. He asked me why I never came back, but he already knew the answer. He said many of the regulars protested and quit shopping there the same time I did. Said all their good customers are gone and closing up the shop is inevitable. The Death of Superman. Oh, the irony.

 

 

That had happen in my LCS area but my parents bought it for my birthday.

 

It's one thing these LCS owners try to rip off adults BUT Children! Come On! they're just complete scum of the earth. Children are the innocents ones and believe whatever diarrhea coming out of their LCS mouths

[the blob]

"There wasn't one priced book that made sense. They had a Chew #2 for $75,"

 

Considering I recently sold a Chew 2 on ebay for $65 within a few hours of listing it I don't think $75 is all that nuts for a store.

[Doc Joe]

"You don't own a comic shop. It's an entertainment store that specializes in comic-related merchandise."

 

(thumbs u

 

fantastically well put.

 

Having said that our local comic store The Source closed down recently

 

Because their enormous store was too small, they moved to a bigger location

 

Huge numbers of gamers, lots of figures etc but they do have comics, all the new issues and a bunch of back issues, nothing to exciting but its nice to know they are there.

 

There must be something to the people who hang out, Starbucks lets people do it with their stupid laptops for the whole day taking up space. The gamers must buy something.

[the blob]

My LCS owner took a big family trip to Europe this year, bought his wife a Rolex, etc. I think he's doing alright, despite the huge number of 2 month old issues that seem to be going in the dollar box. He also pays Manhattan rents and has several employees (though his location is pretty good in terms of people with money to spend it there). In terms of back issues...his pricing is decent, but 99% of the time not decent enough for me to see a good flip in what he has other than the bargain box. Basically he tends to charge what things cost, roughly, on ebay, if sold by a seller with a lot of feedback, etc.

Two words: money laundering

 

I don't think so. New comic day is an absolute madhouse in there with everyone picking up a huge stack of books. He is routinely selling $500 boxes of baseball/sports cards and $200 packs (or whatever they are) to finance types looking to hit the lottery with a "rare" auto card.

 

I also think that wile he is paying Manhattan rents, he might have re-did his lease at a good time. When it gets renewed he might be SOL.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I think some of the LCS owner did it to them selves.

 

I remember growing up in the 90's and at one time there were 4 comic shops that I could get on my bike and ride to. Now there's only one that sells limited current release titles and the back issues goes back as far as 3 months.

 

But going back to the 90's, I remember one comic shop it was named "I'm Comics", when DC vs. Marvel came out I rushed over there to get the first issue But it was already sold out. The next day I went back and saw them had 30 copies on there selves selling for $20. Of course as a young kid I bought it ( I really had to beg my parents for that $20). And that's not the only time I've dealt things like that with other comics shops. Even to this day...once awhile I'll stop by a LCS and they have their back issue way over-grade and over price. If a young kid wants to see what's a comic book is all about, all they're seeing is the price they can't afford.

 

Thank goodness for the internet and CGC. Before then it was a nightmare getting a legit book and the grade you're looking for.

 

 

My opinion...if the LCS wants to drive more young kids into the hobby, they need to start selling their comics for a dollar. Titles like a month old from the day it came out. That would help the younger generation to buy books and the future for the hobby. So when the kids become in their twenties, they'll remember buying comics in the 2010's. Now we have a new generation buying older comics, so that means it's keeping the hobby alive. Some would argue that they'll loose money, Well guess What! If you don't sell you'll close anyways!

 

 

While I strongly want to support my LCS, I have experienced that type of "profiteering" also.

When Captain America 25 came out it was an instant sensation...thank goodness it was in my file pull list I thought! I went to the store to pick up my file on new release day and was told they had a shortage of Cap 25's so I didn't get one. Disappointed I went to the cash register to pay and noted there was one hanging on the wall behind them with a hundred dollar price on it. I casually said I would take the Cap 25 on the wall. The employee was about to ring in 100 dollars when I said "I am paying cover price also."

The employee and I got into a small arguement regarding whether this book was for files or a store ordered copy for them to sell as they please, he went and got the store owner who I have known for years, and they wouldn't give me my Cap 25. I closed my file on the spot, and I have never set foot in that store since. I told this story to every single comic book buyer I knew and I would like to think I had something to do with them having to close that store and downsize to a smaller location.

 

Good for you! (thumbs u

This shows the short sightedness and what a terrible businessman that lcs owner is,as I bet you had spent much more than $100 yearly at his now out of business store. Talk about a boneheaded and greedy move by that lcs owner.

[Ken Aldred]

My worst experience was Forbidden Planet in London in the late 80s, the day Batman 428 appeared on the shelves here as UK distributed copies. Should've been 40p, the manager tearfully claimed that the book was in really, really short supply and as a result they had no option but to charge £8.50. I went around the corner to Comic Showcase and picked a copy up for cover price.

 

Quite pitiful. Then again, a chain of shops so big never needed to care about losing me as a customer.

[Junkdrawer]

My hats off to the dealers who brave the circuit of shows throughout the year. I'm sure the expenses and stress at years end, equal if not dwarf the LCS owners. If everyone who attended a comiccon actually bought a comic book, then I'd say being a dealer was like livin' on easy street, but we all know that a large portion of the crowd hasn't any interest in back issue comics. Thanks to the dealers who bring the cool books that I want to see and buy. I dont care for much of the hoopla.

[the blob]

My hats off to the dealers who brave the circuit of shows throughout the year. I'm sure the expenses and stress at years end, equal if not dwarf the LCS owners.

------

 

Yes, but they can budget their stress...decide to only do 15 shows a year or whatever, so basically they kill 15 three day weekends most of the time. They can do other stuff to make money, sell on line, etc.

 

On the other hand, I never understand the inability of some places to stay in business in really low rent locales. Junky, you were paying some absurdly low price for your space if I remember correctly (understanding that it is a part-time thing for you and not a comic shop per se), I can't understand how a comic shop paying $500/mo rent can't figure out a way to make money...if nothing else, use your dead time to list stuff on ebay. My main LCS in Manhattan is a small space, but I suspect the rent is well over $5K a month...on the other hand, they have constant customers coming in, even on non-new comic day, due to foot traffic.

[the blob]

junk - you don't really keep an AF 15 in your store window, do you?

 

i envy that space, not that i'd ever even have time to do a place like that even 2 hours a day with little kids, and it would cost me like $3K a month to rent it even in ghetto brooklyn where i live

[Junkdrawer]

junk - you don't really keep an AF 15 in your store window, do you?

 

i envy that space, not that i'd ever even have time to do a place like that even 2 hours a day with little kids, and it would cost me like $3K a month to rent it even in ghetto brooklyn where i live

No actually the ups guy delivered it that day. The AF15 spent the day in the window. Infact I had my eye on it all day and hoped I wouldnt forget to take it with me when I left.

[rjrjr]

My LCS sells back issues at 100% guide and refuses to buy or sell on the internet. From time to time, I pick up a $10 back issue here and there, but I can't pay $100 for a SA Silver Surfer issue that gets $30 on Ebay.

 

I'm sure that has hurt business. And now with digital - my pull has one or two sympathy books in there that get me to stop in twice a month, but eventually - the LCS will probably be gone.

 

I can't throw a rock without hitting a comic book store.

 

They're everywhere.

 

That use to be the case here in Phoenix, AZ as well. But many of the stores have closed over the years culminating with the closing of Atomic Comics last year. At least All About Books & Comics is still around.

 

[rjrjr]

I think some of the LCS owner did it to them selves.

 

I remember growing up in the 90's and at one time there were 4 comic shops that I could get on my bike and ride to. Now there's only one that sells limited current release titles and the back issues goes back as far as 3 months.

 

But going back to the 90's, I remember one comic shop it was named "I'm Comics", when DC vs. Marvel came out I rushed over there to get the first issue But it was already sold out. The next day I went back and saw them had 30 copies on there shelves selling for $20. Of course as a young kid I bought it ( I really had to beg my parents for that $20). And that's not the only time I've dealt things like that with other comics shops. Even to this day...once awhile I'll stop by a LCS and they have their back issue way over-grade and over price. If a young kid wants to see what's a comic book is all about, all they're seeing is the price they can't afford.

 

Thank goodness for the internet and CGC. Before then it was a nightmare getting a legit book and the grade you're looking for.

 

 

My opinion...if the LCS wants to drive more young kids into the hobby, they need to start selling their comics for a dollar. Titles like a month old from the day it came out. That would help the younger generation to buy books and the future for the hobby. So when the kids become in their twenties, they'll remember buying comics in the 2010's. Now we have a new generation buying older comics, so that means it's keeping the hobby alive. Some would argue that they'll loose money, Well guess What! If you don't sell you'll close anyways!

 

 

Well, I don't know about selling books for a dollar, but this situation is one reason why I don't feel sorry for the LCS going under. My LCS (yes, the Atomic Comics that went out of business last year and made the news) did price new issues above cover within days of the issues hitting the stands. I don't know if they sold through the original order and had to spend more on restock copies, but whenever a "hot" book hit, you could count on that book not being priced at cover for very long. They were my LCS for almost 10 years and I don't miss the frustration of seeing the "hot" books priced over cover.

 

I also saw this at other CSs over the years.

 

 

[dupont2005]

I think selling back issues at a buck is a smart move, except of course the hot back issues. Before the internet it was common practice to up the price on every comic going into the bins. Just because it's a month old it's now a dollar more. Why? It obviously didn't sell out. But back then they really had a monopoly on back issues. If someone in your town had that same issue and wanted to sell it, his only place to sell would have been to the LCS for a quarter. And the only place you could buy it was at the LCS for $4. Now the middle man has been cut and we have Craigslist. Usually it's a bunch of overpriced garbage but if someone wants to sell his common back issues locally for a decent price odds are there will be a local buyer. The LCS has to compete with that now. Instead of increasing the price of everything that goes into the bins I think they should decrease the price unless it's going to be a wall book or something. Use color coded tags and drop the price a buck for every year it sits in the bins. Move product instead of paying to store it for years and years. That's how a clothing store operates.

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

Move product instead of paying to store it for years and years. That's how a clothing store operates.

 

Yeah, but does CGC grade and encapsulate clothes?

 

The Clothes Guarantee Company?

 

I would pay more for slabbed clothes just for the authentication check, alone.

 

No more buying knock-offs at genuine article prices for me.

 

[dupont2005]

Move product instead of paying to store it for years and years. That's how a clothing store operates.

 

Yeah, but does CGC grade and encapsulate clothes?

 

The Clothes Guarantee Company?

 

I would pay more for slabbed clothes just for the authentication check, alone.

 

No more buying knock-offs at genuine article prices for me.

That could actually be valuable on eBay. I wouldn't buy a watch or sunglasses on eBay. If I were a woman I wouldn't buy a designer handbag there either.

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

Move product instead of paying to store it for years and years. That's how a clothing store operates.

 

Yeah, but does CGC grade and encapsulate clothes?

 

The Clothes Guarantee Company?

 

I would pay more for slabbed clothes just for the authentication check, alone.

 

No more buying knock-offs at genuine article prices for me.

That could actually be valuable on eBay. I wouldn't buy a watch or sunglasses on eBay. If I were a woman I wouldn't buy a designer handbag there either.

 

It might be tough getting the handbag into the slab.

 

I think everything should be graded and encapsulated.

 

It sure would make it easier to select the freshest loaf of bread. People give me dirty looks when I squeeze all the bread.

[dupont2005]

 

It might be tough getting the handbag into the slab.

Not my patent pending handbag slab

[Kevin76]

The LCS is a dungeon. Bad lighting, very dirty store, owners with no personality, bad back stock, new comics have high cover prices.

 

A comic store near me actually closed because as I was told by another comic store, "The owner would yell at the customers, people got sick of it and everyone left"

 

Again, getting back to the owners who have no personality...

 

Bad location has a lot to do with it, The successful stores like Midtown Comics for example, or even New England Comics, they are well stocked, excellent lighting and very clean.

 

You have to treat it like a business even though it's comics, still a business, not a glorified fanboys' bedroom with his comics everywhere.

[Kevin76]

Move product instead of paying to store it for years and years. That's how a clothing store operates.

 

Yeah, but does CGC grade and encapsulate clothes?

 

The Clothes Guarantee Company?

 

I would pay more for slabbed clothes just for the authentication check, alone.

 

No more buying knock-offs at genuine article prices for me.

That could actually be valuable on eBay. I wouldn't buy a watch or sunglasses on eBay. If I were a woman I wouldn't buy a designer handbag there either.

 

I've heard horror stories from women who pay 2K+ on ebay for rare designer handbags/shoes only to find out they are fake. You really have to know who you are dealing with on who sells authentic. Certain small things to look for are how the name brand is spelled Dolce & Gabbana is real, while Dolce&Gabbana is fake. If you really want piece of mind, just buy directly from the designer store/website, you'll pay more but least it'll be real.

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

Will there be CV (Clothing Verification) stickers on the slab to tell us which handbag is more visually appealing than the next?