Comic Store Etiquette

[lemonman5]

I deal with alot of annoying comic store guys, but usually shrug it off, because in the end its their store and they can do what they want. The worst stores are the ones that have no prices and everything is looked up on their computer.

 

I had a bad experience recently. There's a store I go to all the time and buy statues and comics from from time to time. The owner is friendly and he knows I'm a good customer who spends $500+ in there all the time.

 

I was in there about on a Saturday looking through the $2 boxes. I asked the owner if he had any more back issues. He told me sure, and the drop by on Tuesday and I can go into their storage room and look at the books (not uncommon). I told him that the store is pretty out of the way, but I'm still going to stop in after work on Tuesday. I get there on Tuesday and the owner tells his employee (who has a bad attitude) to help show me the books, and the employee (who clearly just being lazy) tells him that the back room is too messy and that I can't go in there. I told them that I came out of my way to look at these books based on the conversation I had with the owner and the employee said sorry you can look at the books up front (which I've already seen). The owner just stood there and said nothing while I walked out the door furious.

 

I won't tell an owner how to run their store, but this really made me mad. Some store owner's need to realize that they own the store and not the employees.

[kav]

That's inexcusable.

[dupont2005]

I can't remember the last time I got short with someone at their work. I know I've done it, but it's been a very long time and I haven't done it very often. I remember once ten years ago or more I bought a video game at Walmart. You had to pay in the electronics section and walk it out the store. I had dropped the receipt on the way to the door, not thinking anything of it. When I got to the door the senior citizen greeter asked to see my receipt. I reached in my pocket, realized I must have lost it, said sorry don't have it. She said "I can't let you leave without that receipt" I said "Are you going to stop me?" She said she'd call the police. I said why don't you call the electronics department instead and ask if they sold this particular game just now to a person who looks like me? She said she's not allowed to do that, so I walked on out.

[kav]

SHE'S 'NOT ALLOWED' TO CALL THE ELECTRONICS DEPT!!

I'd say lady-STOP LYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Unca Ben]

Sometimes expressing simple disappointment can make such people uncomfortable and any anger they manifest will intrinsically be directed more at themselves than you.

 

Expressing simple disappointment doesn't give them any opportunity to take control of the situation. Though you have criticized them, you don't provide them with any emotional involvement on your behalf that they can seize upon.

 

Words to live by

 

(though, sometimes easier said than done, in my experience)

[The-Collector]

When I walk into a shop and find out everything is priced at the counter:

 

 

 

In my experience the only stores that do this are the ones where the books are never organized or taken care of to begin with. Finding anything takes hours as back issue bins are a mess or seemingly placed randomly under tables or on top of shelves, under piles of empty boxes from Diamond, or tucked underneath stacks of TPBs. Not wasting my time with all that grunt work just so the owner behind the counter can quote me an inaccurate price on an overgraded book. I can get that experience sitting at home browsing ebay.

 

+1

 

they are relying on proactive and informed customers to do the work for a lazy owner.

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

Had a very poor experience at a comic store this weekend while on a trip.

 

The store was 3 hours away, so no chance of going back there. I rummaged around for about an hour and left with nothing.

 

I'm glad I didn't give the store my money, but mad I wasted so much time there.

 

I really wanted to give the employee my , but just left instead.

 

Is there ever an "appropriate" time to tell people how you really feel about their pricing/service/attitude, or do you just suck it up and leave?

I was mistreated constantly by an obnoxious clerk in a local store and I finally had enough one day and decided to write the owner a polite letter.

 

He fired the employee.

 

As it turns out, the owner was having his own issues with this employee, but couldn't really do anything about it until a client put something in writing. It protected his bacon and provided proof of the employee's poor attitude and performance. It's also important to speak with your wallet but to let ownership that you will not spend your money there because of the service.

 

It's a whole different animal if the problem is with the ownership's business model/philosophy.

[wardevil0]

..... should you ever find yourself in beautiful Southeastern Virginia ..... seek out Bender's Books, Zeno's, Trilogy, Comic Kings, Comic Cubicle, Atomic Comics, or Heroes and Villains ...... any of them will provide an experience with a "Real Comic Book Store" ...... Bender's has been in business for over 35 years and you can still find a book that still has it's price from then..... and has the obsequious Comic Store Cat ....... Dave will likely remember your name as early as your second time there. GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

I have recently found myself in Southeastern Virginia, and can vouch for the "Real Comic Book Store" cred of the Atomic Comics on Mercury Blvd in Hampton. Lots of back issues, including some pretty obscure Copper Age small press in the discount bin and some Golden Age DC in the display cases. Atlantis Games on 1st View in Norfolk is more like the shop the OP's was referencing, but not in a bad way. After a half-hour of going through their bins, I had a small pile but no clear idea of thier pricing. Basically, if it had no price tag it was a dollar, and if it had a tag it was the price marked (even though some of the tags were labelled as other stores in the area!). So it was kind of a crapshoot, but I did get a Michaelangelo micro-series 1st print from 85 in VF for $3.

 

I have a lot of fun compiling this kind of info on comic shops as I travel for work, so I know whether or not to try to go again. Now I have added several shops in the area based on Jimbo's recommendations.

[manetteska]

This shop - and the employee - are behind me. I'm never going back there and I will never give them my money.

 

I would probably say something, or write a letter (as per voorhees' post) if I had moved and it was now my only comic store.

 

I also feel that writing a bad review will do no good. If someone is looking for a comic store, and this is the only one in the area (which it is), people will go there no matter what.

 

Just venting my frustration and seeing what is the best way to handle this situation if it happens again. I have had good and bad experiences with shops that don't price until you're at the counter, so I won't discount them entirely. Next time I will have to find a "test" comic sooner.

 

And since we have some discussion on GOOD stores, I'll be heading out towards DC next month; any suggestions out that way? I will not have a car, so that may limit me.

 

Thanks, everyone.

[RCheli]

There are a couple of niche types of stores -- music, books, comics -- where a small (but significant) number the owners/employees think that they're doing you a favor letting you shop there.

 

I've gone into record shops where I get a snide comment about the CD I'm buying and in those instances, I just put it down and walk out the door.

 

Too many comic shops are not run like real businesses, but because there are just so few of them in a lot of places, people put up with mess because they need their weekly fix. I dream of opening a comic shop that is run like a business, with good employees, fair pricing, clean, well-lit... everything you would want from any type of business you frequent.

 

Now I just need to get off my butt and do it...

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I've never had a store try to change or alter prices at the counter. I think MD has a law about pricing as advertised/labelled. Don't most states?

[wardevil0]

And since we have some discussion on GOOD stores, I'll be heading out towards DC next month; any suggestions out that way? I will not have a car, so that may limit me.

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

It all depends on how far out of the city you can get... within the Beltway, Alliance Comics is in the north-central area and is pretty good. I always try to stop in when I'm in the area, they have a lot of good discounts downstairs. According to Googlemaps, Alliance is about a 15 minute walk east of the Silver Spring metro station on the Red Line.

 

There are multiple Big Planet locations, and they are solid for new and recent books and TPBs. The online reviews say vintage comics, but not by my definition.

 

If you can get into Virginia, Victory Comics Group in Falls Church has a good selection but expect to pay near-guide. E.G. Comics in Vienna is one of my current favorites in the National Capitol Region (NCR). Nice guy, good prices, decent selection. Oddly, has better books in his longboxes than on his wall for the most part.

 

Googlemaps lists two shops in Arlington that are not worth the trouble: Comics and Cards Collectorama and Aftertime. Aftertime had the potential to be a nice shop, but the store was in disarray and new books were in wire racks with big spine bends. Last went in about a year ago, no plans to go back.

 

Hope this helps.

[wardevil0]

I've never had a store try to change or alter prices at the counter. I think MD has a law about pricing as advertised/labelled. Don't most states?

 

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/metric/upload/US-Pricing-Laws-All-States_2.pdf

 

Here's a link to a PDF document that compiles retail pricing laws as of 2009. Most states don't appear to have legal protections, but Maryland's are relatively extensive. I wonder if they would claim some exemption based on the fact that the comic itself has a price clearly printed on it by the manufacturer that is not the current selling price, therefore it may not be safe to assume that the white sticker on the bag is the current selling price?

 

I think a lot of these headaches would be solved by comic shop owners acting like they were actual businesses and posting their policies. Very rarely do I see a sign explaining pricing policies.

[chrisco37]

And since we have some discussion on GOOD stores, I'll be heading out towards DC next month; any suggestions out that way? I will not have a car, so that may limit me.

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

It all depends on how far out of the city you can get... within the Beltway, Alliance Comics is in the north-central area and is pretty good. I always try to stop in when I'm in the area, they have a lot of good discounts downstairs. According to Googlemaps, Alliance is about a 15 minute walk east of the Silver Spring metro station on the Red Line.

 

There are multiple Big Planet locations, and they are solid for new and recent books and TPBs. The online reviews say vintage comics, but not by my definition.

 

If you can get into Virginia, Victory Comics Group in Falls Church has a good selection but expect to pay near-guide. E.G. Comics in Vienna is one of my current favorites in the National Capitol Region (NCR). Nice guy, good prices, decent selection. Oddly, has better books in his longboxes than on his wall for the most part.

 

Googlemaps lists two shops in Arlington that are not worth the trouble: Comics and Cards Collectorama and Aftertime. Aftertime had the potential to be a nice shop, but the store was in disarray and new books were in wire racks with big spine bends. Last went in about a year ago, no plans to go back.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jeff's shop probably has the best selection for vintage material in the DC/Metro (proper) area. Marc Nathan's store Cards, Comics, and Collectables is the the best, but he's well over an hour North of the city (without traffic) and is in the Baltimore area as opposed to DC.

[Ken Aldred]

There are a couple of niche types of stores -- music, books, comics -- where a small (but significant) number the owners/employees think that they're doing you a favor letting you shop there.

 

I've gone into record shops where I get a snide comment about the CD I'm buying and in those instances, I just put it down and walk out the door.

 

Too many comic shops are not run like real businesses, but because there are just so few of them in a lot of places, people put up with mess because they need their weekly fix...

 

Mainly because of health issues I started to find it difficult to make a weekly trek to a comic shop, about 15 miles away from where I live. I'd reduced my pull list to just two books at the time but that week they hadn't even managed that, despite having finished everyone else's. I was on the phone, asked what the problem was, and got hung up on.

 

When in the shop a few weeks later, I pointed out to their colleague that if this was all too much of an imposition then I might as well not bother anymore. The shop was empty and the employee took the opportunity to say that, well, as soon as I walk out the door my new, carefully-selected books were worthless anyway and basically I'd been wasting my money, time and effort over the last five years. And so, at this juncture, they lost someone who had been a loyal customer.

 

Common sense not to continue, really. Four years ago this week.

[Griff]

can I add to the list?

Last year I called a comic shop that was only an hour + away I always try and call before the long arse drive to a new shop.

 

me

"I collect golden age Nedor/ Better/ Standard comics do you have any in stock?"

 

pimple face

"um sir we have all types of comics from most publishers I am sure we can find something you will like"

 

me

can you check please its a long drive for me to come to your place

 

pimple face

not at the moment we are very busy but if you leave your number I will happily call you back.

 

3 days later I received a call telling me they had a few issues of "The black terror in stock"

 

Tried to call them back "twice" and got a busy signal each time

 

drove up the next day and you guessed it nothing even remotely golden age. as for the black terror comics it was the modern stuff.

 

/sigh

 

oh well since i'm here lets look at their "Wall of Great comics"

..... seriously this is "The good stuff"? X-men 200 was the best issue they had

 

so the only positive thing I can say is I got to go to In&Out that day. the shop was a waste of my time. I don't mind that they didn't have golden age books. I just wish they wouldn't have gotten my hopes up.

 

Is it me or have LCS Wall of goodness gone WAY down hill since we were kids. I mean the drek they put on display hardly seems worth bagging for the most part.

/rant off

 

 

[Darkowl]

There are a couple of niche types of stores -- music, books, comics -- where a small (but significant) number the owners/employees think that they're doing you a favor letting you shop there.

 

I've gone into record shops where I get a snide comment about the CD I'm buying and in those instances, I just put it down and walk out the door.

 

Too many comic shops are not run like real businesses, but because there are just so few of them in a lot of places, people put up with mess because they need their weekly fix. I dream of opening a comic shop that is run like a business, with good employees, fair pricing, clean, well-lit... everything you would want from any type of business you frequent.

Now I just need to get off my butt and do it...

 

So Jay & Bob's Secret Stash?

 

Just joking. I really wish there were more comic shops like your dream one.

[RCheli]

 

So Jay & Bob's Secret Stash?

 

I was there about 12 years ago, and it was just a regular ol' comic shop. Nothing great. I suspect that the TV show has made them make some changes to create a more professional place.

 

In my Chicagoland store thread, there were a couple that had the elements of a really professional store, but were missing just one thing or another that would put them over the top (and that usually had to do with selection and some display issues). It can be done, and the extra work would certainly translate into extra sales.

[Darkowl]

 

So Jay & Bob's Secret Stash?

 

I was there about 12 years ago, and it was just a regular ol' comic shop. Nothing great. I suspect that the TV show has made them make some changes to create a more professional place.

 

In my Chicagoland store thread, there were a couple that had the elements of a really professional store, but were missing just one thing or another that would put them over the top (and that usually had to do with selection and some display issues). It can be done, and the extra work would certainly translate into extra sales.

 

I'm sure the TV show has magnified everything about the store. I am surprised, however, when a customer walks in asking for a particular book, and lo and behold, they have it.

 

 

[Chaseman210]

 

So Jay & Bob's Secret Stash?

 

I was there about 12 years ago, and it was just a regular ol' comic shop. Nothing great. I suspect that the TV show has made them make some changes to create a more professional place.

 

In my Chicagoland store thread, there were a couple that had the elements of a really professional store, but were missing just one thing or another that would put them over the top (and that usually had to do with selection and some display issues). It can be done, and the extra work would certainly translate into extra sales.

 

I'm sure the TV show has magnified everything about the store. I am surprised, however, when a customer walks in asking for a particular book, and lo and behold, they have it.

 

 

I see what you're trying to say, but I would assume they don't record or show the customers who come in asking for a book that the shop doesn't have.