What's important to you in a comic shop?

Brother J · Post by **Brother J** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:21 am

Well, I'm sure everything I'm about to say has already been mentioned, but I'm in a posting mood, so why not make a laundry list?:

Order enough new books so that there are some for the shelves at least for a week or so. I hate dealers who are afraid to order anything but the stuff they KNOW they will sell out on. If you order a copy or two of something obscure, you're doing your customers a favor by letting them try a full spectrum of the comic book world. Comics are not only DC and Marvel.

Be as reasonable as you can with hot books and incentive variants. For hot books, at least price them at cover for the first week they are out. If you feel they'll fly out, then limit it to one per customer, but don't gouge your regulars. As for incentives, if it's an ongoing title, it would be nice to sell them at a discount to the regular pull customers for that book. Does Diamond list a suggested retail price for incentive variants? If so, I think that's what they should be priced at.

Back issues, have a nice selection and have ALL your back issues available to be looked at, not in the back or in the basement. Make sure they are bagged, boarded and priced fairly. For a large back issue inventory, I don't really mind so much if the books aren't pre-priced, because that would be a hell of a lot of work to go through and price them all. There are so many dealers out there that seem to not care if they sell a back issue at all. One in particular in Milwaukee that Myron and I know well makes you jump through hoops to get any back issues.

Bargain bins are great, but they take up a lot of room, and probably don't bring in enough value. For a larger shop, I'd like to see them, but as long as the regular back issues are priced fairly, I don't mind if they don't have them.

Try not to let the place have a nerdy kind of feel. Too many people in comics are kind of geeky, but that type of atmosphere is not going to entice the average person off the street or most females to come in and look around. If you've got a bunch of your geeky buddies sitting around the shop reading books, I don't think that's the best image to have.

Number one, don't lie to your customers and assume they are ignorant, especially in this day and age with so much info available. I've had shops clearly lie to me and tell me a book didn't come out when it did. A shop I used to have a pull list with would do this every time they would miss a book they were supposed to save for me. I think half the time, they didn't have enough and would take your book and sell it to someone else. If I find a shop owner or employee has lied to me, that's the last time I'll visit that shop.

Anyway, I guess that's generally it!

Moe's Tavern · Post by **Moe's Tavern** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:08 am

The most important things to me are respectable business hours and to accept credit/debit cards. My LCS has neither. There are times when I get there at 2 in the afternoon and he isn't open yet. And he doesn't even have a cash register.

whovianone · Post by **whovianone** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:34 pm

Moe's Tavern wrote:The most important things to me are respectable business hours and to accept credit/debit cards. My LCS has neither. There are times when I get there at 2 in the afternoon and he isn't open yet. And he doesn't even have a cash register.

I'll second this one. I usually only hit up the shops once every couple weeks. So, if I go I wanna spend more than the $15 I usually carry around. I don't trust myself with alot of cash. I have a tendency to spend what is in my pocket.

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:53 pm

One of the things I have often thought that would be important to a comic shop is to have well endowed girls running the register. They dont have to know anything about comics, nor do they even need to talk (other than to comment on how attractive I look today) but well endowed girls/women adds hundreds of bonus points to any LCS if you ask me.

Chiclo · Post by **Chiclo** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:24 pm

Knightt wrote:One of the things I have often thought that would be important to a comic shop is to have well endowed girls running the register. They dont have to know anything about comics, nor do they even need to talk (other than to comment on how attractive I look today) but well endowed girls/women adds hundreds of bonus points to any LCS if you ask me.

Thousands of bonus points if they like/read comics. Until they turn out to know more trivia than I do about something I am interested in, then I would feel emasculated by a girl and all those bonus points would be flushed away. Even worse if standers-by are laughing.

steverino · Post by **steverino** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:16 pm

The nearest comic shop is over 70 miles away from me. So being nearby would be a HUGE plus.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:16 pm

I hear the nerdy hot look is back in this year. "Would you like an extra Amazing Spider-Man with that purchase whet"?

*melt*

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:19 am

Knightt wrote:One of the things I have often thought that would be important to a comic shop is to have well endowed girls running the register. They dont have to know anything about comics, nor do they even need to talk (other than to comment on how attractive I look today) but well endowed girls/women adds hundreds of bonus points to any LCS if you ask me.

Best suggestion I've heard so far.

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:22 am

Brother J wrote:Well, I'm sure everything I'm about to say has already been mentioned, but I'm in a posting mood, so why not make a laundry list?:

Order enough new books so that there are some for the shelves at least for a week or so. I hate dealers who are afraid to order anything but the stuff they KNOW they will sell out on. If you order a copy or two of something obscure, you're doing your customers a favor by letting them try a full spectrum of the comic book world. Comics are not only DC and Marvel.

Be as reasonable as you can with hot books and incentive variants. For hot books, at least price them at cover for the first week they are out. If you feel they'll fly out, then limit it to one per customer, but don't gouge your regulars. As for incentives, if it's an ongoing title, it would be nice to sell them at a discount to the regular pull customers for that book. Does Diamond list a suggested retail price for incentive variants? If so, I think that's what they should be priced at.

Back issues, have a nice selection and have ALL your back issues available to be looked at, not in the back or in the basement. Make sure they are bagged, boarded and priced fairly. For a large back issue inventory, I don't really mind so much if the books aren't pre-priced, because that would be a hell of a lot of work to go through and price them all. There are so many dealers out there that seem to not care if they sell a back issue at all. One in particular in Milwaukee that Myron and I know well makes you jump through hoops to get any back issues.

Bargain bins are great, but they take up a lot of room, and probably don't bring in enough value. For a larger shop, I'd like to see them, but as long as the regular back issues are priced fairly, I don't mind if they don't have them.

Try not to let the place have a nerdy kind of feel. Too many people in comics are kind of geeky, but that type of atmosphere is not going to entice the average person off the street or most females to come in and look around. If you've got a bunch of your geeky buddies sitting around the shop reading books, I don't think that's the best image to have.

Number one, don't lie to your customers and assume they are ignorant, especially in this day and age with so much info available. I've had shops clearly lie to me and tell me a book didn't come out when it did. A shop I used to have a pull list with would do this every time they would miss a book they were supposed to save for me. I think half the time, they didn't have enough and would take your book and sell it to someone else. If I find a shop owner or employee has lied to me, that's the last time I'll visit that shop.

Anyway, I guess that's generally it!

Looks like most of the discussion has been pretty straightforward things

Good selection of back issues
Nice tidy shop
Friendly/ helpful staff

Why then is sh!t like this m!ssing from the average comic shop...? How difficult can it be to do?

Anyone been to Midtown Comics in NY? Is it the bees knees?

MedicAR · Post by **MedicAR** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:10 am

cobra_commander wrote:Anyone been to Midtown Comics in NY? Is it the bees knees?

I've dealt with them online, but never been to the store. They're A-OK in my book!

Schmakt · Post by **Schmakt** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:36 am

There is very little more I could ask for from my LCS (Heroes Aren't Hard to Find) He runs that fantastic HeroesCon every summer, the store is very well-lit and well organized... everyone there actually has an interest in and knowledge about comics, the owner is very often seen in the store doing some kind of work, and he's incredibly nice and easy to talk to about stuff. The guys who work there know my name, and pretty much always have my pull-bag correct. And, if there's a mistake, it's never big, and it's always, "Oh man, I'm sorry, we did it again!" or something.

The back issue (both premium and not) selection available is pretty great, but the REALLY nice stuff isn't on display, and there are lots and lots of issues that occasionally have to be looked for by staff. (but they're always willing to do it) I do, however, wish that it would rotate out more often... but that's a pretty minor complaint.

If anyone's ever in Charlotte, I highly recommend stopping by.

(or check the link above and look at some of those pictures - the Spidey vs. Doc Ock thing was custom made and houses all of the wires necessary for running the cash register... they run through spidey and through Ock's tentacle to the display case. Very cool stuff.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:44 pm

One of the things that hasn't been mentioned, but has been touched on:

Have your regular customers buy books "on approval."

Sell them the book, tell them to take it home, read it, and if they like it, keep it....if not, bring it back and get a full refund, or store credit, whatever they'd like.

9 times out of 10, you'll not only make THAT sale, but get the reader hooked.

Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:10 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.

YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:10 pm

cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.
YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you

You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:27 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.
YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:01 pm

cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.
YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards

Like I said...you have no idea.

This "persona" you see here? Nothing like the persona I have in real life.

whovianone · Post by **whovianone** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:10 pm

cobra_commander wrote: I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Whatduyamean, first dude?

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:14 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.
YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards
Like I said...you have no idea.

This "persona" you see here? Nothing like the persona I have in real life.

Awww

(Not that I don't like your board persona. In fact quite that opposite)

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:20 pm

cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote: Man, I can't wait to open up my shop.
YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards
Like I said...you have no idea.

This "persona" you see here? Nothing like the persona I have in real life.

Awww

(Not that I don't like your board persona. In fact quite that opposite)

You don't get to see my board persona in real life until you've known me in person for quite some time......or I've consumed large amounts of liquor.

Chiclo · Post by **Chiclo** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:27 pm

Schmakt wrote:There is very little more I could ask for from my LCS (Heroes Aren't Hard to Find) He runs that fantastic HeroesCon every summer, the store is very well-lit and well organized... everyone there actually has an interest in and knowledge about comics, the owner is very often seen in the store doing some kind of work, and he's incredibly nice and easy to talk to about stuff. The guys who work there know my name, and pretty much always have my pull-bag correct. And, if there's a mistake, it's never big, and it's always, "Oh man, I'm sorry, we did it again!" or something.

The back issue (both premium and not) selection available is pretty great, but the REALLY nice stuff isn't on display, and there are lots and lots of issues that occasionally have to be looked for by staff. (but they're always willing to do it) I do, however, wish that it would rotate out more often... but that's a pretty minor complaint.

If anyone's ever in Charlotte, I highly recommend stopping by. (or check the link above and look at some of those pictures - the Spidey vs. Doc Ock thing was custom made and houses all of the wires necessary for running the cash register... they run through spidey and through Ock's tentacle to the display case. Very cool stuff.

Take out the part about the large backstock of premium books and you have Big Apple Comics, my LCS.

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:35 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote: YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards
Like I said...you have no idea.

This "persona" you see here? Nothing like the persona I have in real life.

Awww

(Not that I don't like your board persona. In fact quite that opposite)
You don't get to see my board persona in real life until you've known me in person for quite some time......or I've consumed large amounts of liquor.

I just get depressed about OA and comics that I got sniped on when I drink

whovianone · Post by **whovianone** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 5:33 am

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
cobra_commander wrote: YOU in a servivce industry?! You know...there will be times when customers will disagree with you
You have no idea.

Truly.

Do you know who the best people at Customer Service are?

The people who understand what it's like to be treated poorly by idiots who don't know what the words mean.

You don't get a 99.9% positive feedback rating as a seller by disagreeing with CUSTOMERS.

You don't be a waiter for three years in fine dining by disagreeing with your CUSTOMERS.

The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS right.....even when they have their head up their *SQUEE*. Do you think I rag on and on and on and then turn around and do the same thing I'm ragging about to MY customers?

I dunno...I see you handling genuine complaints very well...but if a customer has a different point of view to you on something...whoa...that might be the first ever fistfight recorded in a comic shop

Unless of course you plan to handle differences of opinion in your shop differently than on these boards
Like I said...you have no idea.

This "persona" you see here? Nothing like the persona I have in real life.

Awww

(Not that I don't like your board persona. In fact quite that opposite)
You don't get to see my board persona in real life until you've known me in person for quite some time......or I've consumed large amounts of liquor.

I think I'd pay to see that.

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:55 am

Jay Tomio wrote:Can't possibly be. Around 1996-97 a friend of mines pop owned a comic/card shop and me some friends positively beat the *SQUEE* of two young boots (who now that I think about were my age) who were walking the strip back to base from a bar up the road acting dumb. I was out of comics at the time - but that's the type of *SQUEE* that happens to you when you disrespect locales where The Dark Knight is sold to kids.

What happened? You got into a fight with 2 kids outside a comic shop?

What did they do to p!ss you off?

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:51 am

Jay Tomio wrote:I was in the store with some friends and my boy was there to bum money from his pop (owner of the shop) so I was jsut kind of hanging out when two boots

By the way, whats a boot?

Jay Tomio wrote:(who were trashed rather early) were obviously walking back to base and decided to take a breather in the parking lot (which is cool). The issue I had was that they were planting these *SQUEE* on my car. Now, this is the time of Euro Craze - when every kid subscribed to Sports Compact Car magazine and I had a completely tricked out Type R Acura Integra

Oooh. Nice car

Jay Tomio wrote:(which there was only like 2,500 in the U.S the first year it was released) - you know Jackson supercharger, 18 inch racing wheels,

18's? Thats going a bit overboard isn't it?

Jay Tomio wrote:tricked out suspension, header and coolants. I was also a teenager and it's like a code - you don't sit on other people's cars,

Thats very true

Jay Tomio wrote:and in a parking lot full of beat up hick-trucks and mom-mobiles they of course pick mine to sit their *SQUEE* on.

except cr@ppy cars...they're all for sitting on sorry Slym

Jay Tomio wrote:So I got out there and just ask them to please remove themselves from my car and go back inside

Thats fair enough

Jay Tomio wrote:- and they did - but they did it slowly and while I was (again back inside they decided take their time and I was watching them through the glass window/door of the store which I think they took offense to and they came inside and just started trying to lip off at me and make a discussion out of something that was rather pointless, to which I said something to the effect of "I already have what I want - you're off my car - there really isn't nothing more that needs to be said" which I thought was rather mature of me at the time, but in hindsight I definitely am aware I had a very innate condescending manner about me in general.

Now, I'm not sure on specifics (as fights tend to simply occur - they are out of control by nature) but I know what it set it off is a friend of mine taking one of those (I don't know what they are called those poles that you use to drag down the metal door of a shop when you close) to one of them and ended up being a hassle for for a couple of weeks afterwards (random things happening to my car - which I think is the biggest *SQUEE* move a guy can pull - that's women *SQUEE*) until I finally had to settle the manner in more definitive fashion.

Holy sh!t your friend took a pole to someone! Man...rough kids!

Jay Tomio wrote:Things like this are very normal occurrences around large bases (from my experience) - it's just the product of having a lot of young people in a small place with nothing to to do.

I can remember fights and some pretty crazy stuff when I was a kid...one time a tazer was involved... but taking a pole to someone takes the cake. Kudos to some pretty ballsy stuff

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:13 pm

Jay Tomio wrote:
Some of it was awful, and honestly scary as hell, but I have to admit I wouldn't wish away any of it - I really think this is the healthy way to grow up. Sometimes I look at younger kids these days and I just wonder if George Carlin is right about the *SQUEE* of America.
.

It's better to let kids get into a fistfight to settle their differences (provided it's not a bully situation), than to let it bottle up, turn into rage, and blow away half the school in a hail of bullets.

I understand kids who shoot their schools up. They don't deserve all the blame. The ones who DO, however, are the idiot parents who don't 1. teach their kids how to defend themselves and stand up for themselves, and 2. teach their kids not to be jackasses, because they're jackasses themselves.

First thing I will ever teach my kids is how to defend themselves. The second thing I will teach my kids is to not be jackass troublemakers.

Sadly, the continuing puss-ification of America is making it harder and harder for kids to grow up well adjusted.