Is it crazy for me to ask my LCS if.............

[crnbrd]

Every retail place I've worked (only 2) gives out 10% discounts like candy.

 

1. It makes the customer feel valued and will often favor your business over others.

2. For some reason people think 10% is a lot and will end up spending more on other items than the original discount for the 10% off.

 

Has anyone ever seen an empty or slow Kohls? That place kills it with all their random discounts.

[comix4fun]

.......I asked them for a .25 cent discount on new books?

 

By local, I mean I have to drive an hour to get there but hey, thats not my complaint, I love being surrounded by comics. Since it's not really local, and getting my new books online from DCBS, I still like to support this shop every now and then. I'd say I make about a $50 purchase each month. I talk to the owner every time. Very cordial. This time I was in town and stopped for my niece to see if they had any MLP comics. She has the first two.

Now this shop seems to stock the last 3 months worth of a title in the new comic wall and charges cover. He had the last 4 months of MLP on the wall and the also the micro/mini series too. Total of 6 books. I also grabbed 6 other new titles for myself.

 

Walk up to the counter. "If I purchase these books would it be possible to get a quarter off each book?" I saw by the disgusted look on his face that I just asked a no no.

 

"No way I can do that, pal." he actually called me pal. lol"I can sell them for much more on eBay." That ebay statment really irked me so it's on.

"Well, half of these books were sitting there last month so I think thats a pretty reasonable question."

"You should look into getting you new comics online."

"I do and I get a great discount but I come here because I wanna support a lcs. I would even set up a pull list if I have to but you mean to tell me you can't give me any kind of discount today?"

Again, the Gas Face."Sorry there's nothing I can do for you? I do give out free plastic bags with each comic."

"Wow. Thanks." I put the comics back on the wall and left.

 

Had to vent but now that I think about it, was I the a-hole for asking such a question?

 

 

 

 

Did you say "A quarter off" or "twenty-five cents off"??

 

Maybe he thought you were asking for 25% instead instead of $0.25.

[2staples]

Did you say "A quarter off" or "twenty-five cents off"??

Maybe he thought you were asking for 25% instead instead of $0.25.

 

[kerplunc]

I used to be head of security for a club, and I would work the front door most nights. People would constantly ask for a discount at the door, and it was very damn annoying.

 

However, its sounds like you're not just some rando at this store, and the owner probably should have given you the hookup without even asking. I'm also assuming that when he said he gives out free plastic bags with each order, I'm assuming that means a plastic shopping bag to hold your comics, and not bags for comic storage? That's not really a selling point, it's like saying "I can't budge on the price of this car, but that steering wheel is free."

 

I've been lucky enough to get a discount here and there from my LCS's over the years, but I've never asked for one. I think there is a time and a place for that, and most retail stores do not fall in that category.

 

Anyway, it's a shame the owner didn't give you a discount. But since you asked for one, I don't feel too bad.

[bffnut]

I don't think you were in the wrong for asking for a discount, but I don't think any attitude given by him was necessary. If it were me, I wouldn't have asked for a discount. I frequent my LCS a lot, but if I am buying something for cover, even if it is 5 or 6, I don't ask for a discount. The retailer is providing me with a service by having the comics immediately available and I can inspect them for condition - I think that is worth $0.25 each.

 

Now, if I were buying something marked up from cover, say $5 - $10, I would be mad if they didn't agree to a small discount.

[aszumilo]

I never have to ask for a discount at my LCS. I have a pull box and get 10% off new books, whether I have them on my pull list or not. And if I buy back issues, which they really don't have much, he usually gives me 20% or so. He had a Fatale Ghost Variant, (a week after release date) marked at $8 (My other LCS had them for $20 each on day of release), he knocked off $3 the price. I bought 2 other back issues, the 3 books totaled $23, he charged me $15.

 

I find it odd that more stores don't give some kind of discount. You get a bit of a deal and generally they get repeat business and usually bigger sales than they would have without a discount.

[bffnut]

I think it depends on the market that you are in. If you live in a high cost of living area, like Cali, New York, New Jersey, then you probably won't get a discount because margins are tight. However, in area like mine (tampa, fl), there is lots of competition, cost of living is relatively low, so a buyer can probably position a discount easier.

 

I understand that most shops make most of their money on new comics. So if I am coming off of the street and a buying a relatively new comic right off of the shelf, then I am ok paying cover.

[Jaded Savage]

Some more background: it's a college town with this comic shop being the only one in town. Been going there since I moved to the area about three years ago.

 

I do appreciate that they charge cover price for a 3 month old comic. Some shops can't wait to upcharge on books. And I do feel, like others have stated, that buying new comics online has skewered my views on retail pricing. I was just really put off by his flippant replies and his inability to suggest a counter offer to what I asked.

[natevegas]

this sounds very close to a lcs I seldom visit in my town. The owner is there almost always by himself, he's got good stocks of back issues and case comics but its his attitude I don't care for. He has mentioned to me and a friend on several encounters that he doesn't like collectors. I find this strange that a owner of a comic book store would dislike the hobby so much. I'd be interested to know how he got into this business (since he doesn't seem to smile or talk much) since he doesn't care for it.

Off track there for a minute but yeah I'd never ask him for a discount cause I know he would probably tell me to leave his store.

[gradejunky]

My LCS I have a pull box in does a stamp system. For every $10 you spend pre-tax on new items, the give you a stamp. Once you fill the card up it's $15 off anything in the store you wish to use it towards. If you don't have a box, the card is still good for $10. I always just use them right away as I spend way too much money most of the times. They say some people will just save them up and buy a statue or something after hoarding them.

 

On top of the cards, they also give back issue bucks for every $? spent. These can be used only for back issues though. These are great because sometimes I'll just wait till something I want hits the boxes, and then I get them for free. Especially on $3.99 books. It's a crapshoot on finding nice copies though sometimes.

 

I guess a small shop just can't give discounts and stay alive though. Especially in today's market.

[vader2001]

I got to 2 LCS that are not far apart from each other, my favorite store gives me a 10% discount on everything I buy, plus they take me with to help them work at cons. Granted I work for them during the cons, but I still have time to get stuff. I helped them at C2E2 and a few others. I have a pull box and they usually will give me stuff out of it for helping them at the cons.

 

The second lcs I got to has probably a year of new stuff on their shelves at cover, probably over a year. I get a bag from them and depending on how much I spend over the course of the month I get an amount off the next month. But they only deal in new comics and have hardly any back issues. They buy a lot of new issues.

 

Asking for a small discount is imo no big deal.

[Katchoo]

No it's not crazy to ask. But why did you put your books back? You like to support your LCS but only if they give you a discount?

[Solar]

Because of the attitude he received with the answer to his question? Why would you want to support an LCS that treats you like dirt when you ask for a discount?

 

I don't typically get a discount at my LCS, but they're certainly willing to discuss such things without being condescending .

[Jaded Savage]

What Solar said. (thumbs u

[THB]

My LCS loves me.....15% off anything I buy and free bags and boards. They also save me huge boxes of foam peanuts every Tuesday. Every little bit helps and they have a loyal customer for life. I also get first dibs on variants and pick out my books before they hit the shelf. I would like to think its my amazing personality and friendliness they respond to but it probably boils down to the $$$ I spend every month. As to the original question I never haggle at any other retail or restaurant I frequent why would I at a LCS? Conventions are a different story.

[Katchoo]

Because of the attitude he received with the answer to his question? Why would you want to support an LCS that treats you like dirt when you ask for a discount?

 

I don't typically get a discount at my LCS, but they're certainly willing to discuss such things without being condescending .

 

Maybe he was or maybe he wasn't condescending. He's not here to tell his side of this really cool story.

 

"you mean to tell me you can't give me any kind of discount today?" sounds like the customer being a . ZOMG NO DISCOUNT HOW RUDE.

[2staples]

The owner of a LCS that I frequent recently came up to me and asked me if I could place my BCW comic book stor-folio at the front of the store...you know, so I don't steal anything.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Some more background: it's a college town with this comic shop being the only one in town. Been going there since I moved to the area about three years ago.

 

I do appreciate that they charge cover price for a 3 month old comic. Some shops can't wait to upcharge on books. And I do feel, like others have stated, that buying new comics online has skewered my views on retail pricing. I was just really put off by his flippant replies and his inability to suggest a counter offer to what I asked.

 

Where do you live? This sounds a lot like my situation in college.

 

I used to drive down to a town about an hour south of me. I'd go in every couple weeks to pick up stuff that didn't come in my monthly subscriptions. I had friends that had moved there so it was easy.

 

I was buying a bunch of over priced 90s drek and asked for a slight discount once. The women looked at me like I was crazy. She said they only do that if I was dropping hundreds of collars, but since it was only a few she couldn't help me out. I was still spending like $75 dollars or something and was trying to fill in a short run.

 

One Tuesday I spent the night at my friends and decided to hit up the store on my way out of town as it was Wednesday morning. I spent like 20 minutes going through the stuff while the guy sat on his butt watching me. I went up to purchase the books I had. After I had finished my transaction he said he'd have the new books out in about an hour if I wanted to come back.

 

I also asked them to order me a variant cover and they thought I was crazy. She finally did and I drove down on Wednesday one week to pick it up. She said she didn't have enough because of the subscribers and she'd order me one from back order. She called me a month later to tell me she had it finally. I said no thanks and never went in their store again.

 

Customer service is an incredible thing. I'd say in your situation his reaction alone would have end it for me. He actually told you to shop online? That is just incredible in this day and age.

[darkstar]

I never haggle at any other retail or restaurant I frequent why would I at a LCS?

 

Comic book stores are a bit different than most other types of retail establishments. Its not the same thing.

 

Obviously all stores operate differently in regards to discounts and haggling and what have you, but when you are in the business of selling used things (like old comic books), the price of which is largely dependent on their condition one can see why a customer haggling with the shop owner over the price of a book would be common.

 

And while the books in this specific case were just released new books, it is still a common practice for shops to give discounts to regular customers.

 

Like most users here, I've been in shops where its obvious the "price is the price". I've been to shops where the owner expects a bit of haggling, I've even been to a shop where the owner volunteered to haggle over the price.

 

It all just depends on the owner. There are plenty of decent shop owners out there, just as there are more than a few absolute who act as if your presence in their store is nothing more than an inconvenience. You don't have to be socially adept to run a comic book store.

 

 

[Katchoo]

I never haggle at any other retail or restaurant I frequent why would I at a LCS?

 

Comic book stores are a bit different than most other types of retail establishments. Its not the same thing.

 

Obviously all stores operate differently in regards to discounts and haggling and what have you, but when you are in the business of selling used things (like old comic books), the price of which is largely dependent on their condition one can see why a customer haggling with the shop owner over the price of a book would be common.

 

And while the books in this specific case were just released new books, it is still a common practice for shops to give discounts to regular customers.

 

Like most users here, I've been in shops where its obvious the "price is the price". I've been to shops where the owner expects a bit of haggling, I've even been to a shop where the owner volunteered to haggle over the price.

 

It all just depends on the owner. There are plenty of decent shop owners out there, just as there are more than a few absolute who act as if your presence in their store is nothing more than an inconvenience. You don't have to be socially adept to run a comic book store.

 

 

Is it?

 

I'm gonna haggle over the price of my groceries next time. And if they say no I'm just gonna walk out without them and starve. THAT'LL SHOW 'EM.