A Harbinger # 1 story (from 5 days ago) at a LCS

Valiant_1 · Post by **Valiant_1** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 5:00 am

The owner of this local comic shop near my town has put out around 10 boxes of "his personal" stuff to sell and try to fund a new project I suppose. So I go through the boxes, and most of it is all newer stuff, until I find, lo and behold, a Harbinger # 1 w/coupons.
This shop doesn't price it's books, rather the owner keeps a copy of WIZARD at the counter and proceeds to try to "haggle" the value, hardly ever going less than 100% guide. But I persevere.

He looks surprised to see that HARBINGER # 1 is back in the WIZARD, and up to $25.00 (which is still a low value for me). I tell him, well, I'll go ahead and give you $25.00 for the book.

He proceeds to tell me that he had alot more invested in the book at one time, something like $100.00 and that he decided to keep the book. He takes the HARBINGER # 1, and places it behind the counter, where his "best books" are to be found.

Maybe I could get a group of say 40 people to call this shop and just ask the owner if they have a copy of Harbinger # 1? Sure would make me feel a little better.

wrunow · Post by **wrunow** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:53 am

Valiant_1 wrote:The owner of this local comic shop near my town has put out around 10 boxes of "his personal" stuff to sell and try to fund a new project I suppose. So I go through the boxes, and most of it is all newer stuff, until I find, lo and behold, a Harbinger # 1 w/coupons.
This shop doesn't price it's books, rather the owner keeps a copy of WIZARD at the counter and proceeds to try to "haggle" the value, hardly ever going less than 100% guide. But I persevere.

He looks surprised to see that HARBINGER # 1 is back in the WIZARD, and up to $25.00 (which is still a low value for me). I tell him, well, I'll go ahead and give you $25.00 for the book.

He proceeds to tell me that he had alot more invested in the book at one time, something like $100.00 and that he decided to keep the book. He takes the HARBINGER # 1, and places it behind the counter, where his "best books" are to be found.

Maybe I could get a group of say 40 people to call this shop and just ask the owner if they have a copy of Harbinger # 1? Sure would make me feel a little better.

I would never spend a dollar in that guys shop again and i would tell him so.

tssgery · Post by **tssgery** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:37 am

I had a similar experience with a LCS two months ago. I had picked up some books that he had priced at $2 and headed toward the counter.

The guy proceeded to reach for his Wizard, saying... "these books have gotten hot so I'll need to validate the prices." When he came back and said they'd be $10 a piece I told him to keep the books and the 10-15 others I was interested in. I walked right out and haven't been back since.

blazeknight · Post by **blazeknight** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:35 am

same here in the great white north, a LCS has books out on the shelf, you pick them up, take to the counter, and then he looks them up in wizard AND does a quick ebay search to see what they are going for, then gives you a price and a story, does the same for all his action figures.
Hell, his new comics, he only puts one on the shelf bagged and boarded, you bring the book to the counter, and he grabs one from the back. last time i was there a picked up a book, just out the day before, and he was like, oh, this is my last one, and i have it saved for someone, sorry....but i try to help you, i can sell to you for $X.XX (which was 2x the cover price)
saty away people if you live in the Vancouver area

KO2003 · Post by **KO2003** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:37 am

I'll do you one better. A LCS owner in my area doesn't use Wizard. He prices everything by checking Ebay's latest auction for the particular issue you are interested in buying.

He even does this for weekly new issues. I saw him pull a stack of Action Comics #812 off the shelf and sell them for $12 bucks a piece the day they came out.

Now I am a fan of the Capitalist society that we live in. If you own something then you have the right to sell it for whatever you want. I just exercise my right to buy from someone else who sells it cheaper. God Bless America

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:46 am

KO2003 wrote:I'll do you one better. A LCS owner in my area doesn't use Wizard. He prices everything by checking Ebay's latest auction for the particular issue you are interested in buying.

He even does this for weekly new issues. I saw him pull a stack of Action Comics #812 off the shelf and sell them for $12 bucks a piece the day they came out.

Now I am a fan of the Capitalist society that we live in. If you own something then you have the right to sell it for whatever you want. I just exercise my right to buy from someone else who sells it cheaper. God Bless America

How the hell does a store owner like this keep any repeat customers? You know in the "customer retention ERA" that our economy is in, customer service really does lack in most comic shops.

Brother J · Post by **Brother J** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:37 am

Doesn't this kind of crap remind you all of the last time comic dealers tried to get greedy, meaning early 90's? I know print runs aren't as high as they were back then, but the feeling of greed, selling new books at more than cover price, multiple variant covers, it all looks too familiar. Comic shops are supposed to be in the business of selling comics, not holding onto books and trying to falsely pump up demand. I guess those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it...

Escaflown4 · Post by **Escaflown4** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:49 am

Brother J wrote:Doesn't this kind of crap remind you all of the last time comic dealers tried to get greedy, meaning early 90's? I know print runs aren't as high as they were back then, but the feeling of greed, selling new books at more than cover price, multiple variant covers, it all looks too familiar. Comic shops are supposed to be in the business of selling comics, not holding onto books and trying to falsely pump up demand. I guess those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it...

Well those that repeat it will eventually go out of business....

Greed can be such a *SQUEE*.

Don't you love survival of the fittest.

KO2003 · Post by **KO2003** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:38 am

x-omatic wrote:
KO2003 wrote:I'll do you one better. A LCS owner in my area doesn't use Wizard. He prices everything by checking Ebay's latest auction for the particular issue you are interested in buying.

He even does this for weekly new issues. I saw him pull a stack of Action Comics #812 off the shelf and sell them for $12 bucks a piece the day they came out.

Now I am a fan of the Capitalist society that we live in. If you own something then you have the right to sell it for whatever you want. I just exercise my right to buy from someone else who sells it cheaper. God Bless America
How the hell does a store owner like this keep any repeat customers? You know in the "customer retention ERA" that our economy is in, customer service really does lack in most comic shops.

Well here is where the poetic justice variable comes in to play. Through constantly hoarding comics his backstock is overtaking the store and his storage units. He is not going to be able to keep holding onto this much inventory. It will come to the point that it will cost him more to keep the comics than it would be to sell them at a much discounted rate. Also when it comes to taxes, depending on how he files, the gov't counts inventory value as unaccounted for income. Its more of a tax advantage to sell at a loss than to hold on to multiple copies of highly valued inventory. I learned this from two other former hoarder stores in my area. I am so looking forward to an end-of-the year sale when the comics will be sold for a buck a piece despite ebay values

That's the beauty of capitalism. The market will correct itself. Just be patient

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:41 am

Nah, they'll just show up on Ebay.

"I'm no grader, but these all look near mint to me. $12.99 for shipping media mail."

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:13 pm

A comic book store in South San Jose (CA) just recently closed down; it was open about 6 months ago. Anyways, another comic book store bites the dust. Is this the trend in other areas.

Mikeman · Post by **Mikeman** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:55 pm

My comic store was more than happy to sell me the Valiant back issues I needed (those they had, anyway). They were sitting in the back issue bin anyway. In fact, this month's Wizard shows higher Valiant prices and my LCS guy mentioned it to me. He laughed and commented on how screwed up Wizard is.

mrwoogieman · Post by **mrwoogieman** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:12 pm

One of my local LCS has lots of valiant stock. I've bought literally dozens of the gold and pre-unity issues from him over the past few years.

Just recently though I asked him about an upgrade for my Harby #1. He says, yeah, I think I have a few unopened packs of that one in storage, I'll have to check. Okay, very exciting right? I go back two weeks later and inquire. He said, I looked but I just can't seem to find them, sorry about that!

greg · Post by **greg** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:20 pm

mrwoogieman wrote:Just recently though I asked him about an upgrade for my Harby #1. He says, yeah, I think I have a few unopened packs of that one in storage, I'll have to check. Okay, very exciting right? I go back two weeks later and inquire. He said, I looked but I just can't seem to find them, sorry about that!

I'd be willing to bet he DID find a couple unopened packs of HARDCorps #1.
(Pretty close alphabetically, you know?)

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:33 pm

Mikeman wrote:My comic store was more than happy to sell me the Valiant back issues I needed (those they had, anyway). They were sitting in the back issue bin anyway. In fact, this month's Wizard shows higher Valiant prices and my LCS guy mentioned it to me. He laughed and commented on how screwed up Wizard is.

Mikeman, go ahead clean out that guy of anything he has of worth. The Valiant mini-revival is slowly getting around Edmonton and the LCSs are starting to catch on... Sask. will be next.

KO2003 · Post by **KO2003** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:52 pm

depluto wrote:Nah, they'll just show up on Ebay.

"I'm no grader, but these all look near mint to me. $12.99 for shipping media mail."

Nope, he is already weakening. I've gotten two notices about upcoming sales.

mrwoogieman · Post by **mrwoogieman** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:23 pm

greg wrote:
mrwoogieman wrote:Just recently though I asked him about an upgrade for my Harby #1. He says, yeah, I think I have a few unopened packs of that one in storage, I'll have to check. Okay, very exciting right? I go back two weeks later and inquire. He said, I looked but I just can't seem to find them, sorry about that!
I'd be willing to bet he DID find a couple unopened packs of HARDCorps #1.
(Pretty close alphabetically, you know?)

lol He probably found a couple of CASES of that one! But I think what he was referring to is the bundles of 10 or 20 books that come pre-wrapped from the distributors. Like those xo 1's in escaflown's post on another thread.

All I know is this guy has been a good source for books and he's gotten more in after I cleaned the shop out.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:25 pm

I have been to a store that charges you prices he looks up on eBay AND a handling fee since he claims they've been in his wherehouse for some odd years and he tries to justify it by saying shipping prices for comics on eBay is the samething.

WTF is he smoking?

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:04 pm

Charging more than the marked price is illegal in the United States, according to several Consumer Protection Acts. The reasons are numerous, but the main one is 'bait and switch', wherein someone advertises an item for a GREAT sale price, and then, when you walk in, the proprietor claims they 'sold out of that particular ONE item...but here, here's some more, at regular price!'

If you wish to press the issue, you can file a complaint with the state Licensing bureau (the people who license businesses)...enough complaints, and they lose their license. You can also raise a stink and threaten the owner, because what they are doing IS illegal BUT...of course, you risk whatever consequences that may befall you should you pursue this course.

Remember, this ONLY applies to books that are otherwise marked...cover price doesn't count (obviously)...so, while it's shady to look up 'recent prices' on unmarked comics, it's not illegal (sadly.)

I told a story of an owner who noticed I 'found' two Deathmate golds in his '50 cents each' comics bins, and he quickly says 'oh, THOSE weren't supposed to be in there, I can't sell those for 50 cents.'

I told him that was illegal...diplomatically (you know, in that 'ha ha, you know that's illegal, heh heh!' kinda way)....and I said 'fine...how much?'

He said 'what are they selling for on eBay'...I said '$3'. He said fine.

I bought them. I also told him that he shouldn't be using his customers as filers, and it was HIS job to remove the books from the boxes he didn't want to sell BEFORE they got to the customers.

Now, you all realize what this means? It means that, next time I'm around, I will be buying two NORMALLY PRICED $3 comics and pretending they were in the 50 cent bin.

Why? Because what this man did was illegal...but comic shop owners are ignorant...or play ignorant...of the law, and no one ever questions them. Besides, I don't want to make a big fuss...you never know how he might help in the future...

However..the man DOES owe me $5, and I WILL extract it from him, whether he knows it or not....and he had the balls to tell me the next time I was in that they 'sold for more than $3 each'...what are they, $4 books now?

Fair's fair.

KO2003 · Post by **KO2003** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:31 am

whetteon wrote:I have been to a store that charges you prices he looks up on eBay AND a handling fee since he claims they've been in his wherehouse for some odd years and he tries to justify it by saying shipping prices for comics on eBay is the samething. WTF is he smoking?

Hey Whet, you should make the point to deduct ebay's insertion fee and the 5% final value fee from the price he quotes.

I got the LCS owner's attention when he said a particular item was selling for X amount on ebay. I replied, "Cool, I'll go snipe one when I leave here. Where is your fifty cent bin?"

I stick to buying cheap undervalued issues, sales items, and bags and boards at that guy's shop.

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:30 am

I can't believe you guys have to deal with jerks like that in comic shops. They don't deserve your business; they deserve a flaming bag of dog crap on their doorstep.

I've been going to the same shop for about eight years. The only thing they ever did that ticked me off was gave me full change on a $20 when my comics were $10.02. And even then I'm not sure I had a good reason to be ticked.

You can build up some goodwill with your customers over the years, and once in a while a shop can make mistakes but customer service is the main thing that will keep people coming back.

Christopher Martin · Post by **Christopher Martin** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:19 pm

I have a good experience to report. Today I was digging around and found a unity gold marked $8. I took it to the counter with my other selections and asked if that is what he really wanted for the book. He said no, you can have it for a buck! I also walked away with a Solar 1, Harby 3 w/coup and some other pre-unity issues for $2 each. All in beautiful shape I must add.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:05 pm

The last time I was in a comic shop the owner seen me looking at the Valiant stuff and remarked something like.. Hey, I hear Valiant is getting hot again. That was my cue to exit. I could tell by the excitement in his voice he thought that he was going to recoup all of the money he lost on the stuff years earlier.

Valiant_1 · Post by **Valiant_1** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:40 pm

That 'Valiant is getting hot again" line has been used in at least 3 other shops I frequent here in and around Nashville. Too bad it was after I got a Unity # 0 Red out of the back bins for $2.99 !

Shops seem to come and go in this area. The good ones are the ones that recognize if they accidentally slid a GOLD book in their dollar boxes and go ahead and let you get it, admitting to their error. The crappy ones are the ones that try to pass the buck to you, and make you pay for it.

I won't be going back to that shop again. I say that and this time I mean it. A few years back I called them looking for later issues of Marvel's G.I.JOE comic. They said "Oh we have plenty of those, c'mon up and look them over!" When I got there (45 minute drive, thank you), the lady working proceeded to tell me that she had noticed G.I.JOEs were getting "HOT AGAIN" and that she didn't want to sell ANY of them!!!

Can I get an "I feel your pain"?? I didn't want any of their crappy RAI and the Future Force # 9s anyway.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:55 pm

Valiant_1 wrote:That 'Valiant is getting hot again" line has been used in at least 3 other shops I frequent here in and around Nashville. Too bad it was after I got a Unity # 0 Red out of the back bins for $2.99 !

Shops seem to come and go in this area. The good ones are the ones that recognize if they accidentally slid a GOLD book in their dollar boxes and go ahead and let you get it, admitting to their error. The crappy ones are the ones that try to pass the buck to you, and make you pay for it.

I won't be going back to that shop again. I say that and this time I mean it. A few years back I called them looking for later issues of Marvel's G.I.JOE comic. They said "Oh we have plenty of those, c'mon up and look them over!" When I got there (45 minute drive, thank you), the lady working proceeded to tell me that she had noticed G.I.JOEs were getting "HOT AGAIN" and that she didn't want to sell ANY of them!!!

Can I get an "I feel your pain"?? I didn't want any of their crappy RAI and the Future Force # 9s anyway.

I feel your pain, man. I TRULY feel your pain.

And going one step further...the TRUE GENIUSES in selling CONSTANTLY slip 'higher dollar' (ie, $10-$20 ACTUAL VALUE) books into the dollar boxes....it encourages people, gets them ALL excited...and makes them look for MORE. THEN...while they're LOOKING for more....they see OTHER items that they may want, but which aren't INCREDIBLE deals...but they buy them anyway, because, heck, 'I'm here, I've already searched, might as well pick it up.'

I cannot tell you how many times I have been to convention, sifted through a long box, found NOTHING worth anything, and didn't look through the other 30 long boxes...I ALSO cannot tell you how many times I found a $20 book 'mixed in', and looked through EACH and EVERY long box to find 'more stuff'..which I invariably did, but ALSO ran across DOZENS, if not HUNDREDS of 'other issues' that weren't total deals, but I wanted them, I saw them, I bought them....

Marketing 101, ladies and gentlemen....Marketing 101.

Who's the better off? The dealer who sold me NOT ONE SINGLE BOOK FOR ANY PRICE...or the dealer who sold me FIVE $20 books, and 195 $1 books for $200?

Hmmmm.....?

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A Harbinger # 1 story (from 5 days ago) at a LCS

A Harbinger # 1 story (from 5 days ago) at a LCS

Re: A Harbinger # 1 story (from 5 days ago) at a LCS

i hear ya