Are LCSs the new enemy or have they always been?

[Robot Man]

I want to start this by saying I don't know ANY comic book collector or dealer that has gotton 'rich" flipping comics... Some have made a decent living but nobody is moving to the Riveria on comic book money.

 

That being said, REALLY? I don't care if you are a comic book store owner, dealer, flea market mogel or little 'ole lady. If you got something to sell, do your homework. No excuse. I sell a lot of different types of antiques, comics and collectibles all the time. I do shows, ebay and have an antique mall space. I always do as much research as I need before it goes out for sale. If I don't do my homework and someone pays my price and gets a steal, I have nobody to blame but myself. A lot of times, I sell stuff under, even way under, what the going price is. I know I am doing it either to move stuff, give someone a deal or I need the dough. If some one makes a buck off me they are more likely to come back and buy more.

 

If I am shopping and I get a good deal or even a steal I pay up and move on. I have done this for a LONG, LONG time and have done my homework. School of hard knocks. I have EARNED those good deals. And, I don't feel bad about it at all. If someone asks me what something is worth, I will tell the truth even if it means I won't get the item. I don't volunteer info if not asked though. I have never lied to someone but I feel that my experience and hard work should come back to me from time to time.

 

There are dealers that know I fish their "mistakes" out of con boxes. But I buy a lot of stuff and don't grind them so they know it's the cost of doing buisness. If I were in a store doing that, I probably wouldn't just buy the mistake but spend a little more with them to make up for it. I want them to stay in business. But, I'm not going to go out of my way to rub their noses in it.

 

If you want to be sucessful in life you had better be willing to work hard for it. If you are a good person and work hard, sucess wll come your way.

[Bookery]

 

We don't view our customers as the enemy, and hopefully our new location won't give anybody the wrong idea...

 

 

 

[Chip Cataldo]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

[Chip Cataldo]

We don't view our customers as the enemy, and hopefully our new location won't give anybody the wrong idea...

 

ROTFL!!!

[raybowles]

No I'm not flipping. I'm putting three sets away for my kids and I'm getting the best possible condition for them in case they want to sell them one day. If I put away a VF set for each of them they won't have any future value.

[Steeler Nick]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

 

Isn't that where all the profit is? New comic sales are the only thing keeping some LCS in business.

[Prince Namor]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

 

Isn't that where all the profit is? New comic sales are the only thing keeping some LCS in business.

 

Are there ANY comic book stores in America who would be able to survive just on back issues?

[jaeldubyoo]

No I'm not flipping. I'm putting three sets away for my kids and I'm getting the best possible condition for them in case they want to sell them one day. If I put away a VF set for each of them they won't have any future value.

 

How does the LCS know that you're not a flipper? If they have a limit, it should apply to all. They'll only going to run into more problems when they start making exceptions. Besides, anybody can give a sob story in an attempt to buy more copies. Like that's never happened before.

[BettrFastrStrongr]

No I'm not flipping. I'm putting three sets away for my kids and I'm getting the best possible condition for them in case they want to sell them one day. If I put away a VF set for each of them they won't have any future value.

 

More than likely your kids are not even gonna like comic books, thus you'll be flippin'.

[FineCollector]

By running the fly by night customer out of there - what is it you're really losing? The books are hot anyway - they'll sell. Why not make sure MORE people get a copy of a hot book? That increases your customer base.

 

By NOT having those books for more customers, you give your regular customers an excuse to go look for it at another shop. The flipper is going to be looking at other stores anyway, he's not loyal to anyone but himself.

 

(thumbs u

 

Catering to customers with no loyalty is a wasted effort, you can't count on them or plan around them. By all means, take their money, but you have to make your loyal customers happy, or else they'll end up someone else's loyal customers.

 

Comic flippers ONLY buy the hot, underpriced books. There, I've said it. Flippers don't walk into a store, grab the new hotness off the rack, fish out the underpriced bin books, and then stop to fill in runs of bin fodder, or buy a full-priced wall book. Doesn't happen. The only value to that kind of behavior is when they come to complain here after someone at the store sniffed them out

[Chip Cataldo]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

 

Isn't that where all the profit is? New comic sales are the only thing keeping some LCS in business.

 

Are there ANY comic book stores in America who would be able to survive just on back issues?

Search me, but my store isn't going to be just comics. Vintage toys, posters, ephemera, records, video games, non-sports cards, etc.

[Couchy81]

By running the fly by night customer out of there - what is it you're really losing? The books are hot anyway - they'll sell. Why not make sure MORE people get a copy of a hot book? That increases your customer base.

 

By NOT having those books for more customers, you give your regular customers an excuse to go look for it at another shop. The flipper is going to be looking at other stores anyway, he's not loyal to anyone but himself.

 

(thumbs u

 

Catering to customers with no loyalty is a wasted effort, you can't count on them or plan around them. By all means, take their money, but you have to make your loyal customers happy, or else they'll end up someone else's loyal customers.

 

Comic flippers ONLY buy the hot, underpriced books. There, I've said it. Flippers don't walk into a store, grab the new hotness off the rack, fish out the underpriced bin books, and then stop to fill in runs of bin fodder, or buy a full-priced wall book. Doesn't happen. The only value to that kind of behavior is when they come to complain here after someone at the store sniffed them out

 

Hah that's wrong. People who flip can have a pull list at the same store. So much insane POV on these boards.

[wombat]

Is there any other business where people have an issue with customers wanting to buy stuff?

[bababooey]

Is there any other business where people have an issue with customers wanting to buy stuff?

 

[jsilverjanet]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

 

Isn't that where all the profit is? New comic sales are the only thing keeping some LCS in business.

 

Are there ANY comic book stores in America who would be able to survive just on back issues?

 

there's one in Chicago and I don't know how he's paying rent. He has someone bring in new issues but I can't imagine it's doing well

 

I think he does most of his sales on eBay

[BarryAllen]

[jsilverjanet]

Chip

 

when you get a store, I'll be sure to stop by and complain about it

 

 

[bababooey]

[Azkaban]

Chip

 

when you get a store, I'll be sure to stop by and complain about it

 

 

[youmechooz]

I'll tell you one, thing...Assuming I'm lucky enough to get a shop someday, I won't be selling new comics. That's too much of a butthurt headache.

 

Isn't that where all the profit is? New comic sales are the only thing keeping some LCS in business.

 

Are there ANY comic book stores in America who would be able to survive just on back issues?

Didnt heroes and dragons stop selling new comics? Think thats what i heard.