COMIC BOOK SHOPS ARE DYING… CAN THEY BE SAVED?
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
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Here's an idea: #1 issues are $1 for the 1st week.
That way you get more people into series that they otherwise might not have tried!
Got fed up with comic book stores years ago, stuff all over the floor, nothing priced, comics hanging on the wall in direct sunlight, creepy employees who think they know it all and know nothing. Running a comic book store is not much different than any other retail, needs to be clean, well lit, if you say opens at ten, be there at ten, don't accuse everyone who comes in to be a shoplifter, and if I want to examine a book behind the counter I don't want to be told "I will only get it out if you are going to buy it." I quit.
You are describing my experiences
Very agreeable
start making quality comics that people want to read.
now this I can get behind!
I went to a shop that did not price their books until you took them to the register and right to ebay they went to check prices. that shop is no longer there by the way.
hahaha that sorted itself out
The newsstands and spinner racks at the local 711 or pharmacy used to be most people's introduction to comic books.
Pricing at the counter drove me away from LCS 1. The unwelcoming/disrespectful store owner drove me away from LCS 2.
The sad part in all this? LCS 3 who had an owner that was WELCOMING and GRATEFUL for any business received, is no longer in operation. 😑
wow nice guys finish last in that scenario
He was likely too nice and paid more than he should for collections. The money to be made is made when you buy a collection not when you sell each individual item. If you're buying at the right numbers you can give great deals and move through books, if you are buying too high you will feel the need to squeeze every dime you can out of them.
Brought my kids to a local comic store and asked where the comics for kids were located. He said everything now is just printed for old collectors with adult themes. Never went back and kids dont read or know comics.....
Very wise advice. You have definitely summed up the many ailments that are running rampant with some comic book shops and comic book vendors at comic cons.
Nothing will ever compare to stepping into the 2 local mini-stores,on the way to school,and staring up at the simple display of assorted Marvel and DC comics and the friendly store owners who appreciated the monthly purchase of the 1 or 2 15c comic books and some candy. Those were the great time periods of comic books(late '60s-lare '80s)
Thanks for watching
@@Stickygoosethis video really helped me brother
My comic book shop could tell I have a comic book addiction for the past three years
They would sneak comics in my list
I would ask them and say to them
Why is this Batman story in my list
I didn’t ask for
Why is this variant or issue in my list
They are sneaking comic story lines
To try and get me
Try to get me
A new owner just took over my LCS. He has such a bad attitude, it’s not fun to going in there. Yesterday I was telling an employee I was looking for a certain 80s series, to get a “I Told You, If We Had It, It Would Be In The Dollar Bin!!!” from across the store. Constant little jabs, it’s like they don’t want my money.
Insulting in multiple ways wow
I was fortunate enough to grow up in an area where there were 4 or 5 good LCS's. The one from which I bought the bulk of my new weekly books was the one that bagged and boarded their new books. Saved a lot of money on bags and boards that way.
wow you are fortunate to have had that many shops
@@Stickygoose I agree..
We're rich in shops today, some are a short drive.. but I can travel to most and pick up key books.. so I love the value..
Great time to load up on key issues, the public is catching on slowly. Some properties are limited, and 9.8 9.6 level key books will be in high demand when 2024 2025 movies start rolling.
New Supes , The Batman 2, Gunn, Fiege, xmen saga, ff, young Avengers, secret wars will revitalize the comics..
Collectors can kill hobbies. They really don’t get comics they’re just looking at comics from at different perspective
If i go to a shop and they price at the register I just leave the books there
same
Part of what's hurting comic shops is what's killing malls. People want to skip the line and shop at home. The brick and mortar store that isn't a service center or a restaurant or a bank or loan company is dying....
One issue I deal with personally is visiting a shop so frequently that I outgrow the store. Meaning, I have been there so often I have the inventory memorized and it'll take them acquiring a lot of inventory for it to feel fresh.
Its really sad people dont even want to leave their homes
@@Stickygoose getting outside and being around people is good for the soul.
I would love to go to a comic book store every weekend but my nearest comic book store is like almost an hour away so sometimes I have no choice but to shop online :(
@@ScorpionMaster1224 we do what we can.
@@bottomtiercollector Most comic book fans are toxic to be around. I'd rather order from online.
late to the party on this video but when you talk about LOWER THE PRICE that is always something I think as well - - - It feels like many store owners dont put a dollar value on the square footage of their store - And if that 12 year old faded, dust boxed Deadpool bust isnt moving for 90$ when its 35 on ebay, time to lower!
I bought these books for $.16 to $.50 in May and June #sold on ebay in june:
• Ultimate Fallout 4 .. $478 raw (2,3,4,5)
• 1st Electra DD 268? $324 raw
(268-271)
• Batman 1 N52 $45 raw
The industry is on 🔥.. my raw copies are going for cgc and cbcs prices 🤑..
books are definitely selling
@@Stickygoose hot as fire 🔥 rn
Don't get it if you own a store aren't supposed to be nice to the customers. I've noticed going to comic book stores they act like a bunch of A holes , like they are doing so good they don't need the business
You nailed that most act that way
I want to support my LCS more but it's hard to do when they are selling mid-grade wolverine filler books for $8-10 a pop.... so I just have a small pull box open because I mostly buy back issues from older series.
It makes you not want to support a place like that
A well-known LCS in my area had about 7 branches prior to 2015, and down to only ONE by 2023. I don't see that one store lasting another 10 years. The way the brick-and-mortar stores are going down is real aggressive. Real fast.
Kids these days are just not into comics. They've got their mobile phones, social media, internet, Netflix, Xbox and Playstations. Back in the day we only had comic books to keep us entertained. And if we wanted to see Gambit or Psylocke we had to have a comic book because that's the only way to see our favorite superheroes. Now we just Google Gambit or Psylocke and thousands of images and videos appear right before our very eyes. You don't need comic books to see your favorite superheroes anymore.
There's no saving the LCS, just as there's no saving the phonebooth. The future is digital comics, just as the phonebooth evolved into the cellphone.
You’re 100% on the money here. Great video. Also great that you went for solutions right off the bat. 👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed
My comic book dude is pretty good. He has everyone on text notices and before books come out he messages everyone to get orders. That’s how he can gauge wether or not he has enough interest in a book to obtain the variants. The shop is really clean and easy to maneuver through. He has the $1 bins and everything a comic reader could want. No Funko pops but action figures. My only beef is pricing of key issues. He has an Uncanny X-Men 141, raw, for $200. Says on its best day after a cleaning and pressing it could be a 7.5 or 8.0 CGC candidate. He charges $20 to send it to CGC, then you pay the fees for grading. So basically it’s $240, give or take, for a CGC 8.0 on that book. I found multiples online under $200, even one for $150 shipped, all 8.5 CGC. So his book is WAY overpriced 😂
PSA: Shonen Jump Online is $2.99 a month.
Great video!
My LCS perfectly alphabetizes and bags all their .50/$1 books plus they also give 20% off books on NCBD. That’s how you keep customers coming back
Yes indeed
Dude great video!!!! This makes me feel really good about our shop, we are organized, friendly and starting to build a online presence.
I will say this though, distribution has been a major hurdle for comic shop owners. We have been struggling with distribution for a while and been relying on back issues and recommending classics and indies.
That is awesome!
All comic shops need to tap into online revenue, it's there for the taking.. June was so heavy, I took a week off from selling
Hi I had a question about comic book stores. I’ve recently gotten back to the hobby but was curious as the how the profit margins are. Last weekend I was digging through their $1 bins and wondered is the shop selling these comic books at a loss? I found some that were released earlier this year so I asked the clerk if these were leftovers from their new release rack and she confirmed it was and when new inventory comes in whatever they can’t sell gets thrown in the $1 bin. There are occasions where I do buy new releases at the cover price but I’m not sure how much the comic book shop actually pays for each issue to make a profit margin.
There are a couple of really good stores in Australia. One in Melbourne has the best customer service I've had in a comic store. And it's just a beautiful store. Older TPBs are not overpriced or have their prices raised to 'current' prices, which is very rare here. Good range of vintage toys as well. Happy to support this store by mail order. Along with another one which has good, priced books and fantastic packaging. Both stores have great staff which does count for a lot.
People in the US are so spoiled for choice when it comes to stores to choose from.
By the way, love that Detective Comics 359 behind you. Sensational!
You are right about that Americans are spoiled
LCS’s are ordering less and less and not taking risks on new publishers. They can’t afford the risk. Makes it almost impossible to casually pick up a new book off the shelf since it’s not even there. It’s a self-perpetuating mode of self-destruction for both brick-n-mortar and the publishers themselves. The market is becoming a niche market of a niche market of a niche market. If it goes completely online to buy physical new monthly books it will shrink even further…without the ability to physically browse on-shelf books. Plus it is quickly becoming a large city only market for even finding comics at retail.
Big city markets with big city prices
Very true Ewok I came from a rural mid western town in Kansas and my nearest LCS is a little over an hour away sadly….. EBay is my lcs
I would think that most LCS would stock most major publishers / top characters, even if they are reluctant to stock more obscure or 'indie' titles.
The owner of my LCS is chill quite dude but his prices are good and a lot of the times he’ll knock off a little more at the register especially to loyal customers & his shop is always clean everything’s just perfect in there, he just gave me a signed book Vinyl by Doug Wagner for buying one of wagners plush books
That’s awesome
Great analysis and info. I hope some shop owners watch it.
If you've ever seen any of those "restaurant rescue" programs, like Gordon Ramsay's show, _Kitchen Nightmares_ one of the common threads is that owners often think they can overcome all problems by continuing to do things their way, despite evidence that "their way" isn't working. I could love to see a "comic shop rescue" program on TV.
Also, I have worked in quite a few settings and industries over the years, and so just for the heck of it, here are some observations about other things that can hurt a business badly...
* Lack of involvement by the owner in the business' day-to-day operations;
* Theft and/or embezzlement by employees;
* Little or no effort to deter shoplifting;
* Revenues being diverted inappropriately (owner's wife stops by and demands money from the cash drawer so she can go shopping, etc.);
* Crappy treatment of employees, causing good staffers to leave and giving sleazy staffers incentive to not care about the business and just do whatever the heck they want;
* Lack of concern about the appearance, cleanliness and safety of the building's exterior and surrounding property (parking lot, etc.);
* Lack of concern about paying expenses that cannot be shrugged off, notably taxes.
I should have talked about some sort of surveillance to improve security
Ever think about pitching a “save my comic shop” program to a cable TV channel?
They can be saved!! I have one local shop, bad service, tiny space.
Currently getting legal so I can open my own physical store. Everything you say shops need to evolve into is SOOOO true.
Good luck to you! Let me know the name of shop and location when you’re up and running
@@Stickygoose
I will, good sir!
Great points especially the over ordering to get the ratio covers.
Absolutely!
The funko pop phenomenon happened to Hot Topic too; if you were/are an emo kid, you know what Hot Topic used to be like. It was actually dedicated to alternative culture, now its just funkos and disney/anime merch
Man-bun store owner, appreciates your input…😂😂
What a “goof”
Wow, right on. I stopped buying new comics years ago. I still go to my shop to pick up cheap back issues and to talk to other customers for the most part.
That’s what comic shops should become and get completely away from new comics
We haven’t had a LCS in my town for at least 10 years. There was a real nice couple who opened one up in 2021. They closed up last Christmas. They had a small selection of comics, they had tables for gaming and had tons of funko pop. I’m 60, I’m not a gamer. I wanted to find older comics and maybe buy a few new ones. The reason I didn’t shop there very much, they didn’t have in new titles what I was looking for. They only way they would get it in is if I started a pull list and I didn’t want to do that. I want to pick up the book and look through it first before I buy it. They didn’t have that much selection of older books. It was a very small store, kept nice. They mostly catered to the gamers. They had game nights a lot. Nicest couple, but the store didn’t fit what I was looking for. I was sad to see them close. I could tell he really liked the community and was he was holding back tears on his last night. He has a booth in a local antique store now. I go there every once in awhile, but I’m not finding anything I’m looking for.
This is a very common thing the table top games bring in significantly more revenue for stores
Everything in true. Especially no more disgruntled shop owner. They need young guys who are enthusiastic and have good customer service but also knowledge
I feel like that shouldnt even be that hard to ask for lol
@@Stickygoose shouldn’t be. They just need fundamentals of running a small biz. Or fundamentals of life 😂
Love that Thanos Bust Behind Ya.....🔥🦸🔥🦀💯📺💯🦀🔥🦸🔥
As customers, we need a uniform way to order books. I use comic hub, but only 1 out of 4 stores in my area use it. I miss out on variants as comic hub won’t release images until a certain date. Other shops use order catalogs? I didn’t want to use/buy catalogs just to order a book.
The thought of going through a physical catalog to make a pull list is ridiculous
Saved? No. The price starts with the printers and distributors, until they take a hint and drop prices, the only thing small stores have to look forward to is potentially breaking even on merch, while comic book readers complain that a table of comics is not enough to look through. The overhead in this industry is insane, and you would have to be mad to willfully engage in it.
Organization and back issue comics in order with room in bins to actually flip through and not 100% packed is a big thing for me.
they rarely are
canadian here, while my LCS doesnt do this specifically. I know a few shops that will either mark up 20% because the cover says US or they will reprice a back issue you find to see if it went higher but wont sell it to you if it went lower those shops i stay away from
Oh my gosh wow that’s a scam
Over priced paper… same with plastic … its not worth the money… invest your money into gold ❤
😂 stop giving advice
As in the gold foil variants? Gotcha! Will do.
I’m in gold and it s been going up faster and beating majority of comics in valu
When john travolta from Battlefield Earth comes back Gold will be king
Great discussion!
Thanks VP its necessary to imo
Variants are not worth it. IMO the new comics coming out are horrible, but they are also the lifeblood of the comic book shop. I take a quick look at the new comics wall, then head to the back issues. There's just no comparison to older books. The artists today aren't as good, the writing is subpar and many times it's spread across multiple books to get you to buy more books. I have to tell you I cracked up when I saw your screenshot of Jim at Cosmic Comics saying "best I can do is $55". That's Vegas!
Hmm so I noticed a lot of comic book stores in my area are tucked in very obscure places where foot traffic is limited. I’m guessing the rent is much cheaper in comparison to the mall or visible shopping centers. I am always curious to know the profit margins on comic books. On very few occasions I will buy a new release and pay the cover price. I’m not sure how much the comic book store actually pays for these comics. One thing that I question when digging in their $1 bins is are they selling these comics at a loss? When digging the other weekend I noticed I found some comic books that were released earlier this year and had a cover price of $6 selling for $1. I asked the clerk if these were left overs from their new release rack and she said yes. Over a certain period of time when new releases come out, whatever they couldn’t sell on the rack before new inventory comes in gets thrown in the $1 bin.
I have never read fantastic four. Which omnibus would recommend to start?
John Byrne
Two of the only shops within 30 minutes from me are absolutely atrocious. Theyre jammed full with books, unorganized, smelly and the environment isnt very friendly. Im still gonna shop there because im dedicated to the hobby, but good grief they need a maid
what was you opinion on the two shops you went to in Winston Salem in terms of what you are talking about in this video?
Sale fish got it right
I left a shop cause the boss there that was rude to people and made derogatory remarks. He has since sold his shop to another comic owner that knows how to deal with customers.
I currently buy my comics from a different guy in a different state. Guy is fantastic. We’ve become friends.
well thats positive its in better hands
Great video bro with so many problems/solutions mentioned! I’m slowly venturing out to discover comic shops in my area since relocating recently! I really miss my old LCS. They have a huge, well organized space with new releases and a huge back issue section. I would spend hours in there just digging away and I have found so many gems that way. The staff were always friendly and they didn’t care if I used my phone or not. That was great since I often checked to see if I already had a title or what I was missing to complete a run. Add to that, they had a great 20% off program on all new and back issues. I hope I can find a LCS like that one in my current location. In the meantime, there are various online vendors that I also enjoy buying from!
Kenny I like your positivity keep it up!
@@Stickygoose Right on my guy, that’s how I roll! 👍🏾😀
I absolutely hate the ratio variant covers. Never bought one, never will. Such a blatant gimmick and scam.
Absolutely agree with you. Luckily I have a awesome comic shop in my city. He's fair and really helpful , hell he just submitted 4 book's for me and I'm grateful for him.
That is awesome!
Great advice my friend 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
On the other side- they have to lookout for thieves, counterfeit bills, product coming in years late, product not coming in at all, damages that aren't worth the retailers time to report, overcharges on shipping by diamond. That's just a few things that can close the shop.
All stuff I should have talked about
SPOT ON,,,,,,,,,,,,,,MOST STORES IN MY AREA ARE NOTHING BUT TOYS AND GAMES,,,VERY FEW BACK ISSUES AND ALL NEW CRAP. POOR SUPPLY STOCK
probably the only things that are selling
Sticky I agree with you 95% You have to also remember the cost of doing business . Rent, electric. Water sewage, employee's, cost of shelving and displays .. the day to day operation cost the owner. But # is customer service and offering a good product at a fair price.
Completely understand that
Your shirt is awesome !!!
Thanks!!
I agree with most of your points though the one I don't agree with is your take on ratio incentives. The fact of the matter is there is a strong segment of the collecting community that chases after not only ratio incentives but store exclusives. Of course your right to ask if it makes sense for a brick and mortar shop to be buying 100 copies of a book just to get one 1:100 exclusive considering that the main book will most likely not sell out and that they have overhead that their online competitors simply do not have. I think that most brick and mortar shops if not all are eventually going to go away and we will be left with strictly online retailers in the not to distant future.
that will be a sad day if its only online stuff
Slightly different take - I believe we’ll see fewer comic shops carrying new comics, but will continue to see back-issue comics offered at brick-mortar stores, often in tandem with used books, vinyl records, etc.
In smaller towns, that model is fairly common, and in places where there’s cheap retail space available, there’s some incentive to open a shop of this type.
I do think that online sales are going to be important to the survival of most shops, but if you have a large inventory and a local collector community, it’s not that crazy to consider putting your inventory in a retail space as opposed to your home or a rented storage space.
@@reprintranch I agree with you but to me the definition of a "Comic" shop is you need to have an account with one of the distributors i.e. Diamond, Lunar, Penguin...etc for the purpose of ordering new comics. If you don't have an active account and in turn not ordering new comics then your not a comic book shop your a collectibles shop selling vintage collectibles. There is actually a collectibles shop near me that sells vintage collectibles with at least half their inventory being back issues.
I was strictly referring to the traditional comic book store where you go and by the latest releases. As they find it harder and harder to sell their books as they have a shorter reach than an online retailer. Add that to the overhead that a traditional comic shop has like rent and utilities and you can see why it becomes much more difficult to stay solvent. From what I have seen right now the only shops that are making real money from comics is the online retailers with the exception of say a Midtown Comics or Golden Apple comics who have brand recognition as well as strong online presence anyways.
I think I understand your perspective and don’t disagree with much of it, Big difference is, I still consider a business a comic shop even if they don’t carry new comics and do carry non-comic merchandise in large quantities.
But yes, I agree that shops carrying only comics are probably going to decline in number, except in big cities.
Great content 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
Appreciate that
Most comic shops in big metro area can do wel if they do some online sales and live events.
small towns comic shops are not doing well
That bad book🙄: #Spiderboy was selling for $100+ at a 9.8 cgc in June 😂
makes me sad to see that
@@Stickygoose lmaoooo 😂... I'm watching trends daily
Yes! I agree
Really good video again
Glad you enjoyed!
So glad they’re going away. They’re not needed anymore and have made their money. Also I’ve never met a shop owner I liked that didn’t seem like a total slime ball
Comic shops can re-invent themselves like book shops. Your points are valid. Bad or poorly developed businesses collapse all the time (Pan-Am, Sears, Leahman Brothers, Silicon Bank). Let them go. Don't support them. Look, they need to work together. Amazon grew itself because they centralized the Authors and publishing houses. They finally set their own prices and forces change. Maybe Disney and Warner Bro's. are now beyond that? Who knows. I say don't buy the multiple #1's. Don't purchase the 50 variant covers for a crap issue (you can tell its crap if the last bunch of prior issues suck). Get as many shops in the area together and buy as a co-op! (They join together under the banner and purchase together, not set the shops prices) Split the more unusual or rare issues, etc... The secondary issue is do parents want their kids reading. Today, in the south, there are folks who literally demand classics removed from their school's library. "To Kill a Mockingbird will ruin our children"...Sticky Gooses auto-biography is too woke and will make our children want a healthy life. etc...😉 😂
exactly 0 people would read the autobiography of sticky goose
@@Stickygoose You never know.
Good informative video.
Glad you think so!
Spot on.
I Think Companies be making 2 Many Variant Covers,2Hide Badd Story Telling.....🖼️🖌️🎨📚💯🦀💯📚🎨🖌️🖼️
I agree 100% man , Most LCS are still at comic boom pricing and have no intention to reprice to current market pricing, last time I went to my LCS , they were pricing books with the highest ebay number they can see , for that I rather just purchase books online and ensure I secure the best price possible. I have no issue paying MP or near MP , but to overpay for raw books that are overly inflated got really old for me personally
I’m not sure who is doing this still. Who are they selling these books to
I agree with all of this
It’s difficult though to introduce a customer to the older stuff cause Marvel and DC doesn’t keep it in print and ready to order you have to either find it used or hope a New Omnibus or collected edition is printed I could understand Omnibus going out of print but soft cover trades should stay in print
I’ve decided to take a break from buying at my comic shop my pull box experience has been a nightmare for awhile
I sent the shop a message asking for Batman 900 the Neal Adams and Dell Otto cover they messaged back saying they’ll see what they can do I went to FCBD no Batman 900 was pulled for me they had 3 copies of the Dell Otto on the rack and I grabbed one
I also messaged them about Battle Chasers issue 10 the J Scott Campbell cover for Next week along with the Red Sonja 50th anniversary poster book coming in July but I’m not going to hold my breath on either after Batman 900
What really annoyed me was I was buying the last Silk series I never got Issue 5 in my box cause they said they got shorted on their order and they never tried to get a replacement copy I was pissed I don’t know how it ended and I spent money on the singles when I could’ve bought collected and I’m not buying it collected for 1 issue
They don’t send books to grading companies but one week they had a ASM 316 asking around $250 raw I absolutely avoid that cause that’s graded prices I have one it’s maybe a 7.5 I got for $12 at the same shop
I’ve shopped there for around 15 years and I’ve found lots of good stuff but I have had bad experiences with their Raw wall books so I don’t buy raw anymore from them they had a Raw Hulk 181 asking 3k I saw it after on their Ebay and it was missing the Stamp but that wasn’t posted on the book anywhere only the price maybe it was a different copy but I definitely wouldn’t have paid that much with it missing and it probably went to their Ebay because it was missing the stamp and wouldn’t sell
Omnibus as well I mentioned I didn’t feel that the MSRP of $100 for the Pérez Wonder Woman was worth it should’ve be a $75 book since it wasn’t the full run it was just the 1st volume
I don’t see them as abandoning American comics for Manga but it outsells the new comics by millions..also Marvel with their shady deal having shops buy the books at full price cause the Foil covers and then they have to Mark up the books on their customers to not sell it at a loss
They already don’t make a lot per book with their discount it’s just going to stick shops with Marked up cover price books that won’t sell
I agree they should stop ordering to get those Ratios dynamite doesn’t make you buy as many they have 1 in 7 or 1 in 15 but most shops buy for that person looking for the 1 per store or the 1 in 500
Usually, if a given product 'doesnt sell' the shops will then lower the price, in hopes of getting buyers then.
I don’t understand the laziness in these shops especially with the pull list
@@Stickygoose I can’t either when they said we’ll see what we can do I thought maybe they saw my message after ordering and extras might not have been available
But those 3 Dell Otto covers were the only copies left and one should’ve been placed in my box before they went to the shelf because I asked for a copy and that cover I can’t say how many Neal Adams were extra but I wouldn’t be surprised if 1-2 was extra and they got bought before I went in on Saturday
Feels like what’s the point of asking for things when it’s a 50/50 chance you’ll get one even if you ask weeks before it’s released
When you said coming up with solutions: yes!!!
Got to can’t just say more problems
Comic shops need to be more social media savvy. Get online and be active. Other than that comic shops are not the problem. The problem is the publishers and distributors. Majority of what you’re blaming the shops for are not their fault. They need to stay in business.
How was Jaws : The Revenge?
One of the most movies I have ever seen.
Imo manga is way easier to follow. Like I would love to read Batman for example but there’s no way for me to read or better yet buy a copy of the original stories. Unlike manga.
Omnibus
Yup. Affordable Comics in norco is one of them
Good or bad?
It can be saved its admitting yhat the industry has been self destructive for over 40 years will be working on a book on it soon
You’re writing a book?
@@Stickygoose man I would love to hop on a stream because your close to the facts especially on the shops but missing the fact that these shops in the digital age have more choices than ever before, but yeah I'm writing a book because I have watched over 500 hours but most don't want to admit that the industry has self destructed since the comics code
Unpopular opinion: 1:10, 1:25, and 1:100 etc covers are probably one of the main things keeping comics relevant and allowing local shops to even opperate in todays market. Not only that, it trickles down to benefit the collector over time. A shop ordering 100 books to get a single copy of a book that sells for $80-100 ensures that shops stay overstocked and constantly needing to cycle the books in their bargain bins. This ensures that comics dont hyper inflate in cover price for EVERY issue by allowing publishers to print more which allows them more purchasing power by buying paper and inks in bulk. I could go on and on but lets talk with just math. $2.00 (dealer cost per book) x 100 = $200. Assuming a book has 1:10, 1:25, 1:50, and 1:100 options this would mean that the shop would get 10, 4, 2, and 1 copies of each respectively. If they sell their 1:100 for $80 and both of their 1:50s @$40ea they have already earned back $160 on their $200 investment before even beginning to sell the other incentives and Cover As.This also ensures that shops have a copious amount of cover As available to eventually find their way into sales, run packs, and finally $1 bins. If a shop has enough clientele to sell even 1/3rd of their Cover As at full price and all of their incentive ratios then it keeps the machine turning and enough money in the coffers to open the doors again the next week. Since a healthy amount of traffic for the average shoo is bargain hunters and hype followers hoping to find that leftover gem in the bargain bins then it allows those clients to leave happy more often. Like i said i could go on and on (which i have already done enough) but incentives are probably VITAL to keeping the whole industry afloat. And for those people complaining that books are overpriced and not enough quality content is going into every series at all time it also allows THEM options to purchase higher end and rarer copies of the titles they believe in and actually like. Better to save your money up for the incentives you CARE about then to spend the same amount and come home with a bunch of cover As that will inevitably dissapoint you. Long live the ratios because I truly believe there would be less titles, less artists being supported, and less collectors willing to pay $10 a book if they were to dissapear. Food for thought.
Sad that people are only buying those books for the cover and story inside can be complete trash and no one even cares
There's nothing sad about that at all. There are so many ways to enjoy comics beyond what the story is. Collecting is a hobby all in it's own.
Amen
all the points are basically just open a web shop haha
it kind of does solve a lot of the issues haha
In the past you have stated that LCS rip their customers off. If that’s the case, I don’t understand why you would be interested in saving them.
Only through rehabilitation will they be absolved!
Appreciate the debate but this would be more interesting if you had data to support your claim that they’re dying.
We don’t provide “data” here at stickygoose corporation
Full disclosure…former comic book store owner.
Some good points here…but to tell comic shops to stop ordering variants is shortsighted. If comic collectors stop wanting variants, stores will stop ordering them.
Making quadruple on a collection that walks in? You show me a random collection where you sold every issue that came in in less than a month.
I think you are trying to be a reporting but are unable to remove your perspective as a flipper or collector. Most of your arguments are from that lens. If you are going to do this, and do it right, ask others for their opinions and then report on it.
I’m just stating opinions nothing more
I understand. But you do come off as educated and I think people can get confused.
For example…how much do you estimate a consultant would cost? I run a successful online business because it’s all I have time for: even with limited fixed costs, a consultant fees would put me in the hole.
Take the time to get insight from your subscribers. I want you to be successful. There is a reason you butt heads with so many people.
My only real complaint about my LCS is the general back issue pricing (reader/filler stuff). My local shop has a TON of back issue boxes, but nearly all the comics are $3.99, across the board. So, if I go and buy 10 books, trying to fill a couple mini-runs of random, irrelevant early 2000’s indies, it costs me over $40. Not sure how long I’ll be able to continue that.
There are only 2 things, really, that would stop me from going into an LCS. The no phone policy, and pricing at the register, while I wait like an idiot to find out how much the shop is going to fleece me for. These are no-brainers. Everything else is on a bit of a scale (I.e., like how dirty is TOO dirty, how rude is too rude, etc...), but these policies are an immediate, hard NO.
I've had books put away for over 40 years. I collected because I liked them and didn't really think about the re-sale value. But today I am starting to look at selling. One of the issues is Ebay and how it exposed books that were deemed rare, but weren't. Too many books on sale which killed the rare idea.
If your selling I’m buying
Respectfully disagree, Stiick. You've gotta keep in mind shops are beholden to DIAMOND and the distributors. And Manga and Funko sells for them, to help them pay their bills. They're in a rock and a hard place dude.
No doubt about that
The only comics at the shop I go to are like 12 boxs of random old stuff and a small display of new. Now the only new on display are ones they will get refunded if don't sell. This is why "The Exiled" comic which is way cooler than anything Marvel or DC is not on the shelf in my store. It's Retarded
Location....location.....location.
That’s huge to should have discussed that
100% they are dying, unf
still hope
Sell magna😊
That’s a guaranteed way to make money
#comicsgate
I dont follow any of his stuff
@@Stickygoose "his" ????? Huh what ?
Just look at what campbells comics is doing on whatnot. It is literally like going into a shop and searching long boxes. Lcs is so dead.
Not a big whatnot guy
the main difference between online collecting / buying and shopping at retail stores is the instant gratification / ownership that comes with the latter.
In times past, I have walked away from comic shops when the owner has treated me with disrespect. Yesterday, I was going to spend around 50 bucks on a 1970 iron man at a lake street store. LÒ, they had a sign in their window requiring masks to enter They lost a 50-buck sale. That requirement will be the last nail in the coffin for comic shops.
From the LCS "We buy at 40% of the Overstreet Guide, there is no mark-up for CGC grading when we buy and will give you our grade, we sell for one dollar more than the highest price we find on E-bay" ... support small business
you have got to say the name of this shop lol
Diversity is needed to stay alive
For sure
No they can’t be saved, and you can blame the woke DEI writers for that. I remember one of the woke female comic writers saying “we took over comics, sorry not sorry”. You’re wayyy off base here. Has nothing to do with the owners.