Diamond To release online pull and hold service 1 1

[comicquant]

I’m sure all the negative Nancy’s will say this is useless but at least they’re trying.  I’ve not seen it yet but it was not a cheap endeavor.

Diamond To release “PreviewsWorld PullBox”

Edited February 23, 2018 by comicquant

[Prince Namor]

On 2/23/2018 at 12:56 PM, comicquant said:

I’m sure all the negative Nancy’s will say this is useless but at least they’re trying.  I’ve not seen it yet but it was not a cheap endeavor.

Diamond To release “PreviewsWorld PullBox”

If they set it up for customers to PAY for the items ahead of time, ship the items to us efficiently, and then cut us a check once a month, I'm all for it.

Of course that's not how it's going to work.

This is the equivalent of a cold callers LEAD SHEET.

See! You have 50 more people in your area than you realized who want Generation X #85!

Yeah right.

They're going to CHARGE retailers for a right to access this database, all so we can UP our orders for people who may or may NOT come in and pick up the comics!

 

If Diamond and the Publisher's want Comic Shops to order more copies of comics because they believe we don't know what we're doing, then maybe it's time THEY pony up and put the financial burden on their own shoulders for a chance to increase sales. We offer 10% discount, free bags and boards, and a free copy of the PREVIEWS Magazine each month to regular subscribers and we STILL have people who just randomly order stuff and then never pick it up.

I'm not sure giving random people the ability to order on a added online whim, with no financial responsibility behind that impulse, is really going to necessarily increase sales.

It might increase sales for the Publisher and for the Distributor, but it's the Retailers who'll get stuck with all of the extra stock.

[shadroch]

I think it can be a very helpful tool, depending on  the actual expenses involved. I suspect successful shops will incorporate into their business plans while shops that struggle will tell us why it won't work for them. 

[comicquant]

On 2/24/2018 at 4:44 PM, Chuck Gower said:

If they set it up for customers to PAY for the items ahead of time, ship the items to us efficiently, and then cut us a check once a month, I'm all for it.

Of course that's not how it's going to work.

This is the equivalent of a cold callers LEAD SHEET.

See! You have 50 more people in your area than you realized who want Generation X #85!

Yeah right.

They're going to CHARGE retailers for a right to access this database, all so we can UP our orders for people who may or may NOT come in and pick up the comics!

 

If Diamond and the Publisher's want Comic Shops to order more copies of comics because they believe we don't know what we're doing, then maybe it's time THEY pony up and put the financial burden on their own shoulders for a chance to increase sales. We offer 10% discount, free bags and boards, and a free copy of the PREVIEWS Magazine each month to regular subscribers and we STILL have people who just randomly order stuff and then never pick it up.

I'm not sure giving random people the ability to order on a added online whim, with no financial responsibility behind that impulse, is really going to necessarily increase sales.

It might increase sales for the Publisher and for the Distributor, but it's the Retailers who'll get stuck with all of the extra stock.

I'm unsure of the details of how it will work with the shops but I've got 3 and 5 yr old boys who love to go to the LCS once a week and pick out some comics and a couple of toys.  Because I focus primarily on them (and I'm being selfish) I never get to pick things out I want to read so for me this is perfect.  We can go there and do our routine and I'll have a box of books waiting for me.  I hope it provides some sort of benefit for the shops.

Edited February 26, 2018 by comicquant

[Fan Boy]

On 2018-02-24 at 1:44 PM, Chuck Gower said:

... and a free copy of the PREVIEWS Magazine each month to regular subscribers and we STILL have people who just randomly order stuff and then never pick it up.

I'm not sure giving random people the ability to order on a added online whim, with no financial responsibility behind that impulse, is really going to necessarily increase sales.

It might increase sales for the Publisher and for the Distributor, but it's the Retailers who'll get stuck with all of the extra stock.

I don’t know what the local comic stores in the States do with the PREVIEWS magazine(s) if they ordered for customers. But in my area as one example case. The LCS where I go to get my new books/items ... they always order one copy for the shop use by employees and some specific customers (like me). But they also did orders a few extra copies for the customers who wants one for their own use. 

I do look in the PREVIEWS and selected what I want to order. Wrote on a note with my name and gave to the employee, he input my orders online and shoot the form to Diamond to fill out orders. 

In the past when PREVIEWS first come, many comic book stores ordered a lot of copies for customers. I did in the beginning but later realized it was a bad way with too many copies. That is why the LCS just ordered one or few copies ... because they are disposable! It is just a catalog 

My 

[letsgrumble]

This is a much better approach than manually creating a list on paper (with those Diamond codes) or marking up a catalog. It will save the retailer plenty of time too. Need to see the final product before jumping for joy, however.

Comixology has/had a pull list system (which they're discontinuing next month). It was very easy to use. You could just select by month/publisher, click on the books you're interested in, enter the quantity, and generate a list when you're done. Downside of the system is that it did not include all variants or editions. Was always surprised that the online Previews didn't have something similar... up to this point. It makes sense that they'd introduce this feature, and one that is tied to a retailer's account.

[Juno Beach]

I now type up a list in a word doc and attach it to an email to my LCS so this sounds promising to me.

[999ghosts]

15 hours ago, letsgrumble said:

This is a much better approach than manually creating a list on paper (with those Diamond codes) or marking up a catalog. It will save the retailer plenty of time too. Need to see the final product before jumping for joy, however.

Comixology has/had a pull list system (which they're discontinuing next month). It was very easy to use. You could just select by month/publisher, click on the books you're interested in, enter the quantity, and generate a list when you're done. Downside of the system is that it did not include all variants or editions. Was always surprised that the online Previews didn't have something similar... up to this point. It makes sense that they'd introduce this feature, and one that is tied to a retailer's account.

I used the Comixology list via my Comic dealer (yes, like drugs dealer). I added the books and my online dealer would get my order. My dealer would then send my books monthly. From the moment the Diamond version goes live my comic book dealer will be using their system. Easy for my modern book fix.

[letsgrumble]

6 hours ago, 999ghosts said:

I used the Comixology list via my Comic dealer (yes, like drugs dealer). I added the books and my online dealer would get my order. My dealer would then send my books monthly. From the moment the Diamond version goes live my comic book dealer will be using their system. Easy for my modern book fix.

Interesting. It seems like I didn't use Comixology to its fullest potential. I just used the pull list feature to maintain a list of books I was interested in and generated it into a PDF when done, then copied it into an e-mail (with some tweaking) and sent it to my LCS guy (who then manually entered it into his order). Lot of extra steps!

[Kevin76]

Order a bunch of books on pre order, cause you're bored, then once they come in to your LCS...never pick them up!  What could be easier for the customer?