[...] previously talked about how leading retailers argue for longer time periods between issue releases and their eventual [...]

As far as stocking what you want to buy – sometimes you have to let the store owner know your interests. I am sure you have seen Previews and know how many hundreds of comics and graphic novels are there – we just can’t order them all because of both space and money. But, a good retailer should carry things that a customer expresses an interest in.

The computer thing can be annoying too. I have been in stores like that. Sometimes they’re just passive, not wanting to be “pushy” to customers as they browse. Other times they are “busy” or have some other excuse for not paying attention to customers.

Not all comic book stores are good. Some are, some are not. And, I have always said I’d rather see someone support an on-line business over supporting a bad comic book store. But, if there is a good comic book store in the area, it should be supported by those that claim to want a good comic book store. Just also keep in mind that often running a good store is more expensive than running a bad one – so they need more support.

[...] my post on Brian Hibbs’ take on collections, there was much commenting from various perspectives. Christopher Butcher weighs in with a measured [...]

Even shipping was usually around what I would have paid for sales tax at any store in the area.(TX has an 8.25%)

Even if I had a store that I just loved to go to, who stocked everything I wanted, treated me like a long lost relative and the like. I’m not sure I would pass up those kind of savings, as that allows me to try so much more stuff.

I know it may sound cold blooded to retailers, but I have to look out for what is best for me. Retailers don’t have a right to my business, and I’ll get my comics from the best place, and way for me to get them in.

Of course currently I’ve just been forced to switch jobs, and have a lower paying one. So I’m not ordering period right now as I adjust. Yet I’m still reading a ton of stuff, as my library uses to interlibrary loan program which is working out great!

Also – one thing no one has brought up is the fact that on-line discounting has greatly damaged small retailers. Hobby shops and game stores are just one example. As I said in the post, I too bargain shop from time to time. However, if I go to a store that treats me well I will, more often, buy from them rather than saving $2 after shipping by purchasing an item on line. Why? Because I want that store to stick around. Sure, it costs me more, but I also understand the larger picture. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

And whether selling fewer copies for more money actually makes someone more profit is a function of specific math. It may not be the case. If I go from selling 30 at $10 to selling 10 at $20, then I’m losing money, for example.

If you choose not to compete on price (instead maybe choosing service and convenience as your differentiators), then that’s your right. But saying “no one else should be allowed to compete on price either” is petty.

Also, I do know that many stores implement the prepay policy in order to protect themselves from being burned by customers who order more than they can afford and end up financially burdening the retailer. You might not do that to your store, but there is a reason for the policy. We don’t do take prepayments at my store, but there have been times that has really burned us.

When I, the customer, am the one taking the financial burden by preordering and prepaying. I think I am absolutely entitled to some portion of the retailers discount for guaranteeing a sale with cash up front.

Never. And anyone arguing that full price isn’t fair is an idiot, and should be rightfully ignored. But by the same token anyone arguing that everyone has to pay full price is also completely delusional.

If I can make $4.99 selling manga for $9.99, and you can make the same, hey, that’s great, life is fair. If I decide I am willing to sell my manga for $8.99, and only make $3.99 in profit, that’s generous, but stupid. But if by selling my manga for $8.99 I attract your customer away from you, so that I make $7.98 and you make $0, well, that’s capitalism.

Smaller retailers deserve a level playing field, so there should be laws against dumping, but if MEGA*MART(TM) finds it can sell it’s manga for $5.01 and still make “sufficient profit” to meet it’s expectations, well, it should. But you can’t say “We deserve a profit, that’s capitalism” on one hand, and then claim “We deserve protection from capitalist competition” on the other. That’s just whinning.

Do you WANT to be able to shop at a brick and mortar store? Because if you do, then understand they need to MAKE A PROFIT. A profit is made when a business sells something for more than what it costs them. If I pay $5 for a manga should I sell it to you for $5, or for the suggested $9.99? What’s fair – that YOU get a deal, or that I keep my business open? Sure, your interest is your own self preservation – so understand that my own self preservation is my priority. No matter how much I like you, I CAN’T afford to sell you that manga for the same price I paid for it because my costs for HAVING a store would cause it not to just be a break-even, but actually a loss. So, either you want stuff for cheap or you want to be able to buy it in a B&M. Decide.

Now, if I have that manga on my shelf for 6 months and no one buys it, I might sell it for $5 because I need the cash flow and the item is now just taking up space that I could use for items that I could sell for a profit. Sure, I’ve lost money, but at least I have gotten something out of that “dead” item.

Now, let’s go to that game thing – I am pretty sure I never said I didn’t want any competition. I simply applauded Mayfair Games for supporting the stores that work so hard to get their products into the hands of gamers. For many people, the brick & mortar game store is where they get their game information, where they play games, and how they see the game and decide if they want to buy it or not. Then, after the game store does all of that work for Mayfair, people go and pay the same price that the brick and mortar store paid for the game. Mayfair saw the problem – which was resulting in game stores closing and then resulting in fewer of their own products being sold – and decided to create a policy that would help level the playing field and hopefully serve to have people going into brick and mortar game stores where they would be introduced to, and hopefully purchase, more Mayfair games. AGAIN – preserving their own self interests. HOW HORRIBLE!

I guess your employer should sell items for their cost – I mean to be fair they shouldn’t want to profit. And that means that they then cannot afford to pay you. But that should be OK, because well, it’s only fair, right? You being so selfless shouldn’t mind as long as your making a product that helps others. And you shouldn’t have any problem working for nothing because, well, that’s what your employer thinks is fair. Or how about this – you get paid more than some of the other employees at your company. Is that fair? Just because you might have been there longer or do the job better or have a more difficult job doesn’t mean that they deserve to earn less than you, does it? How dare you feel that you should be entitled to more – it simply isn’t fair.

See, this is a market economy. We need profit – it isn’t a dirty word – it keeps our country going. If no one made a profit and everything was “fair” then this country would cease to exist. I will not apologize or make excuses for wanting a profitable business and the ability to pay myself a wage that I can survive on. And I won’t hide my opinions by discussing this on some other blog instead of directly at the source.

[...] Heidi noted that Vertigo is in a precarious state and then Johanna noted Brian Hibbs suggesting that the way to get sales up is to mandate a long wait period before a [...]

As the retailer in question I can tell you we report all damages/shortages on Wednesday usually before we finish putting the new books up.