Comic Shop Owners will Understand 0

[kav]

I'm making this sign for my buddy who owns a comic shop, based on the numerous stories he's told me over the years:

We do not sell people's creations here-comics, games or wutever.
If we sell magic cards for say $10, we do not buy them for $10. That would be stupid and essentially a loan of $10
No you do not have a copy of Action #1. The end.
We are a professional business and we know wut we are doing. If we say something pls dont try to change our mind by arguing.
We are not interested in selling/displaying original art. This opens a huge can of worms for us as everyone and their little kid then brings in their "art" for us to sell/display. we dont have room for that, among other reasons.
Look we're here to help and we will, but spending 15 minutes on a $1 purchase is kind of a mean thing to do to us.
If you bring in comics to sell be aware it's highly unlikely they will be worth anything and we wont want them-even free. Pls brace yourself for this fact and dont get mad.

All of these policies are based on repeat past unpleasant experiences and not some 'whim' or us just being meanies.

Edited March 16, 2019 by kav

[DTM700]

I get what you're trying to relay here, but it comes across as smug and pretentious. If there's a way to tone it down I would try to -  or not do the sign at all. I've seen other comic shops with similar messages on their websites and it's a turnoff. 

[kav]

4 minutes ago, DTM700 said:

I get what you're trying to relay here, but it comes across as smug and pretentious. If there's a way to tone it down I would try to -  or not do the sign at all. I've seen other comic shops with similar messages on their websites and it's a turnoff. 

Ha ha I'm just being funny.  there's no way my buddy would hang a sign like that in his store!

[kav]

I was inspired to create the sign because of today's story-

 Some guy came in his store and wanted him to start carrying his board game-he had already put on his website that the store was carrying the game, and started clearing off prime game board space where best selling games were displayed (actual selling games not some nitwit's pet project), the signage he wanted etc.  Basically dude just came in and was like "Ok here's what you're gonna do".  Dude got irate when my buddy had to say sorry, man-  WHY NOT!!!!"  

Millennials!!!! 

Edited March 16, 2019 by kav

[dupont2005]

I love comic shops that sell small press. A Shop Called Quest keeps a healthy stack of zines. And you never know which one is going to be the next TMNT. 

The local shop out here had a strict policy of not buying collections no matter what. He wouldn’t even look. I told him send them my way

[kav]

7 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

I love comic shops that sell small press. A Shop Called Quest keeps a healthy stack of zines. And you never know which one is going to be the next TMNT. 

The local shop out here had a strict policy of not buying collections no matter what. He wouldn’t even look. I told him send them my way

My buddy tried carrying self pub but after 2 years not a single thing sold so he wanted the space back.  One guy 2 books were gone so he wanted my buddy to give him his cut.  My buddy tracks sales and knew they had not sold, just been misplaced by a customer so he said no way.  I'm not policing your stuff.  Sure enough they turned up couple months later in a different spot.  My buddy said think about it-his way, his friend can just come in and hide books then he comes in "Ok where's my money?"  NOPE

And thumbs up on not wanting to even look at collections.  I realize he might miss out but in 9 years nothin much has come in good and plenty of bad and then angry people when he tells em books are worthless.

Edited March 16, 2019 by kav

[dupont2005]

I ended up selling a huge chunk of my collection to the local record store because the LCS, which was the only one in the area at the time, and then complained about the new competition when the record store started selling them at the mall, which was a better location. That was years ago, there’s like 3-4 comic shops now and the record store is still buying collections and selling at the mall. I guess it really depends on the area. And I know a lot of collections are trash and the sellers think they have gold, but I’ve also found some amazing deals. Bought a few full collections and got to cherry pick what I liked out of a few. For such a small area that doesn’t seem to have many comic collectors I’ve been able to piece together a nearly complete set of RAW magazine at $10-$20 per issue locally. And a FULL set of Cherry Poptarts, half signed by Welz, for like $40

[kav]

There's also the pest factor.  One millennial would call up EVERY DAY "Any books sell?" 

[dupont2005]

Shouldn’t bother with consignments at all. Flat out purchase to add to the inventory or tell them to put it on eBay 

[kav]

5 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

Shouldn’t bother with consignments at all. Flat out purchase to add to the inventory or tell them to put it on eBay 

Everyone is convinced they're the next genius.  You should see some of the stuff.  Oh wait you probably have. 

[KPR Comics]

This shop sell back issues?

[NoMan]

I kinda got a soft spot for zines, too and always look. In fact I look at zines before the "pro" stuff. I rarely buy any although in the 80s to mid 90s I bought tons of zines. 

Being respectful is being respectful. Good and bad segments of the population.  Good cops, bad cops. Good doctors, bad doctors. Good kids, bad kids. Only a dummy with no respect bothers a shop owner. You say "Please" and "Thank You" and "Yes, Sir" and "No, sir."

My dad was a small country lawyer. The lawyers in this small town would all sign up to do "Public Defenders" duty (that is until he was kidnapped with my mom at gun point by someone he failed to keep out of jail) and it always made him INSANE when someone he defended came to court wearing a baseball cap. He also refused to take calls during dinner, even if you were calling from jail. 

Edited March 16, 2019 by NoMan

[1950's war comics]

9 hours ago, kav said:

My buddy tried carrying self pub but after 2 years not a single thing sold so he wanted the space back.  One guy 2 books were gone so he wanted my buddy to give him his cut.  My buddy tracks sales and knew they had not sold, just been misplaced by a customer so he said no way.  I'm not policing your stuff.  Sure enough they turned up couple months later in a different spot.  My buddy said think about it-his way, his friend can just come in and hide books then he comes in "Ok where's my money?"  NOPE

And thumbs up on not wanting to even look at collections.  I realize he might miss out but in 9 years nothin much has come in good and plenty of bad and then angry people when he tells em books are worthless.

but the owner could offer (rip-off)  50 cents for a ASM 129 like they did to you back in the day

[Mercury Man]

"No shoes, no shirt, no shower, no service".

[kav]

7 hours ago, KPR Comics said:

This shop sell back issues?

Just like modern back issues of ongoing stuff-not like SA BA CA or anything.   Back issues are books that didnt sell on the new comics rack.  The main reason he hates perusing collections is people tend to use him as a free price guide that will spend a couple hours with his books and give them a ball park of what they're worth. Then sell them elsewhere or tell the guy who's interested in the collection how much they want for it.

Edited March 16, 2019 by kav

[KPR Comics]

Ah. SOme guys open shops just to get first look at stuff that walks in the door.  But that’s not a one size fits all model.

[kav]

1 minute ago, KPR Comics said:

Ah. SOme guys open shops just to get first look at stuff that walks in the door.  But that’s not a one size fits all model.

A1 has good luck with this and has a lot of hi dollar books that I'm sure walked in-but it is a large well known store with several locations.  Small store that mostly sells Magic and new comics and GN's and doesnt have wall books sees mostly garbage come in.

[FineCollector]

22 minutes ago, kav said:

A1 has good luck with this and has a lot of hi dollar books that I'm sure walked in-but it is a large well known store with several locations.  Small store that mostly sells Magic and new comics and GN's and doesnt have wall books sees mostly garbage come in.

Your customers are your best suppliers.  If you dont cater to the back issue buyer, why would one sell you his doubles?

[kav]

3 minutes ago, FineCollector said:

Your customers are your best suppliers.  If you dont cater to the back issue buyer, why would one sell you his doubles?

Yep.  People that collect comics buy back issues from A1.   They know to go there when they want to sell or their family does.  People that just come across some box of comics look for the nearest comic shop and in they come to my buddy's shop with their box full of Youngblood.

[dupont2005]

I didn’t know you even read moderns Kav. They don’t seem your style