I’ve been collecting comics for over 20 years and I’ve seen a lot of shops come and go and the ones that don’t make it are overpriced or poorly managed
Toys' R' Us went under from high prices too. People have to make their wallets stretch in this economy and the first thing to cut back on are usually toys, games and collectables.
My son and I have visited a few comic shops in my hometown and they had NO PRICES on any of their long box comics. So, at the first location, I found a handful of comics & as I'm finding books, I ask the only worker there (who happens to be the owner) what were the prices. Each time he'd say, "We'll discuss when you're done." I thought that was odd, but I kept looking. He had a minimum of 30 tables with long boxes on and under the tables. When my son and I finally get to the front counter, he says, "Alrighty, now let me just go on ebay to see what they're going for..." I said, "You know what? I think I'll have to pass." The entire time my son and I were looking, he was playing a videogame on his phone. When we entered, he never said a word to us. Didn't ask if we needed help. No greeting. I've never heard of that way of selling before and I've been buying comics for over 40 years. Crazy. #Omega Red
@@whynotcomics3291 I never knew that was a thing! I hope other comic shops don't use this practice of selling. Everything needs to be priced prior to customers entering your store. If I wanted the eBay prices, I would just buy off of eBay, right? 😆 They're shooting themselves in the foot with that method.
Yup, same exact thing happened to me a few times, I straight up tell them that I shop according to prices so there's no reason to waste my time at all if their books arent priced. Literally lazy douche bags at the counter and bins so full you can't even look thru the books because they just don't sell em at all with that method..they never seem to get it..🤦💀
I had a comic book store owner do that. I was trying to look for a bargain find. I too said no thanks and walked out. They are no longer there as a store. A sports store did that on slim sleeves of cards. A whole box use to cos $18 a month back, then he said the box now costs $36 on Ebay
i think alot of these mom and pop shops dont actually realize that people can buy comics online now, and most of the time alot cheaper than from their booths and stores.
You're right! Bugets are tight now and days. I honestly don't mind paying alittle bit over because a shop has to make money. But there is a big difference between helping each other out, and ripping someone off
Never owned a store, but from their reality perspective - selling a bunch of $20-$50 comics for low ebay price ($2-$3) isn't going to pay that $3000/month rent bill. Same with sports cards and other collectible shops. That's why these shops are now going out of business. Ebay has always been both a blessing and a curse for hobby collectors.
The problem is they're not 20-50 dollar books they just are trying to rip people off. Most reputable shops sell on Ebay as well as in the store and the pricing is usually close. I will pay a little more if I get to see the book in person and don't have to roll the Ebay dice (a dollar or 2 but not 20 for a 2-dollar book).
@@fredgilbert2032 Came here to post something similar, most of my in person buying is at small to mid-sized conventions where it's tough to overcharge unless you want to take everything back home that you brought.
@@stevebc957 Same for me. We have a really nice local convention every year. I would consider it on the upper end of mid-sized. It always seems to be mixed bag. You have to do a lot of searching to find good deals and there are certain shop's table I avoid due to the over pricing.
Well rent is expensive and opening a comic shop now is a disaster as most of us want it for cheap and not any expensive comics but i overspent when I was new on some signed graded comics which I will never get back
Exactly! If you put your prices way to high people is going to keep buying online. They are destroying their own business. Great Omega Red giveaway, count me in
Most comic book shops way over price their stuff. 500% hike up. They're too greedy and chug along for the short term until they close up. It's usually a mix of not understanding the market, the customer base, the items they sell, marketing, etc. It's very difficult to run a business, and hiking up your prices is a one-dimensional solution to a multi dimensional problem. Businesses like that are only destined to fail.
A good comic shop that's run well can pay off your mortgage at least. If your not selling high priced key books your going out of business in this era.
@@andrehanderson That's a good point - leasing a storefront is expensive whereas an online seller can just stack their inventory in their garage or spare bedroom with the shipping materials and just put them in the mail as they sell.
The problem with my local comic book shops is that they go through everything they have and take out any key issues and just leave crap in the bins to look through 🤦
Both in a comic book store and a card games hobby shop I got kind of the opposite problem to what the comments are mostly saying. Having the clerk greet me I say I'll just be looking around and receive the usual "take your time and call if you need anything/when you are ready". Then the clerk proceeded to follow me back and forth in silence across the long wall. When I wanted to ask about something, the clerk would then react jumpy as if I was about to immediately ask to buy the items. After a couple visits I started reacting like "Do I REALLY wanna go in and look around? hmmmm"....
I recently moved to Dubuque Iowa, and there IS ONE comic store. And they failed rule number one. No hello, no anything I can help you find? Have you been here before? All I got was weird glances from Employees and what I gather were their friends. Didn't spend one cent and will never go back. Everytime I drive by it I flip them off for good measure.
Venom. Awesome awareness video, there are a lot of people that don’t know where to look for comps to get a reference of pricing, definitely feel it helps the community
It's been a while since I've bought comics but I remember antique shops were always hit or miss. I think some vendors automatically place a high price because its an "antique" shop and back in the day before wide spread internet access they were more successful at this tactic. When I acquired my Shadow #1 and Invincible Iron Man #1 from an antique mall I had to haggle some to get a decent price and this was just when eBay was starting out. These days I wouldn't buy from a shop where the prices seem really off, especially on modern books. It almost looks like that first shop in your video just priced everything mint + some antique store premium.
Great video. That is a big problem nowadays. A lot of shops especially antique stores get greedy. Overrate their books. In this economy books are down right now. Those books will just sit there.
Nice finds! Thank you for the chance at winning! Also i hate companies that overprice their stuff and then have "50%" off sales but the prices they ask either match or are still more than graded versions in the same grade
I'm new to your channel. I liked the point you made and agree with that customers come 1st and that shops shouldn't overprice if they want potential customers to return. Put me down for Omega Red!
My first time seeing ur channel and I must say, I am hooked. On my birthday my son took me to a comic book shop. I felt so bad because everything in store was OUTRAGEOUSLY over priced. I mean this guy had old comics with covers ripped off, water damage and writing. But they were priced up $20 bucks and up.
A lot of this seems like common knowledge, but its amazing how many people don't know this stuff, great video brother. Earned yourself a subscriber! Venom!!!!!
I got to agree especially as a comic book collector I know just when and what to say because some comic book owners will look at you right straight into your very own eyes just to see if you are taking advantage of some of there customers coming inside there stores which I meet so many collectors
Hey awesome video Man completely agree with you when it comes to prices these days are overpriced at antique shops not everything is an antique or worth that higher price. Nice hunt. And omega red
i agree with you! i see it alot where i live, especially in antique shops and flea markets! the people that have these booths obviously dont do their research and dont truly know the value of their books! they think they have a gold mine, and well they dont! its frustrating cause i find good books that i want all the time, but i just refuse to pay their asking price!
I'm still upset Half Priced Books changed their comic book pricing to all be $2 (unless othwise marked), even the junk with spine ticks, spine rolls, cover creases or other condition issues. I'm sure they bought it from some poor sap of $0.10 each...if that!
Yup same around here, used to be half off cover if not sticker..they rarely put anything good out in the bins anymore, it has to be stuff they don't care or know about then you can get lucky, key books for mainstream marvel characters they must keep em all for themselves. 💩
I live in South Jersey and a lot of shops around here have closed up. The surviving stores have stopped carrying new books. It's becoming too expensive for the stores to stock them and no one is buying new books. Also, something else I have noticed in New Jersey is a lot of places are selling flood damaged books. I started to notice this ever since hurricane Sandy. I bought a Thor book for $10 at a show. When I got it home and opened it up it was full of mold. Before you buy any back issues check the staples. If they look rusted don't even bother.
Good video! I am in Long Island, NY (I couldn't stand NYC anymore) and I've been extremely pleased with the comic shops and local shows. I like that I am not bothered when I am digging and comics are organized. Folks are friendly and always answer my questions. I like that the occasional minor keys are sprinkled in and not just taken out and repriced. One shop forgot to price a few books and he said cover price. He could've looked up books on eBay. Be well! Omega Red, please.
This is why Japanese manga is killing it and why I could never get into comics as a kid. I'd head over to the comic shop and look at all the 30 page $25 Spiderman and Batman comics. Then you go to the Barnes and Noble and every 250 page One Piece manga were all $10 each. You get so much more bang for your buck it's not even a contest.
Yeah unfortunately comics aren’t holding the value they once held…these are hard times and comic book stores and movie theaters are usually the first to go …but thankfully times change and things have a chance of coming back
I'm your 600th LIKE! First time viewer. Nice video man. Good advice. I've been collecting comics since I was 12 back in 1977 and I've been lookinng at thrift stores and antique malls for a long time but unfortunately (as you pointed out), most of the comics are over priced but occasionally you can find a cheap one that's a diamond among tons of coal. NOTE: For anyone new to collecting... I strongly suggest that you don't count on getting a lot back for your comics (1) Buyers are very out to buy for less than the value of the comic books condition according to The Comic Price Guide (I mean everyone is trying to get a good deal and make money; so they will often downplay it and tell you that your books are in worse condition and honestly, they might be right... There is a whole section on how to learn what to look for when you are determining the actual condition). (I was very picker when I got a comics and looked it over carefully to make sure I had a mint copy (or that it was worth the price I paid) and I put them in bags with board, with the tabs taped shut (also be careful when you put them in or take them out, so the tape doesn't accidentally get stuck to the front of the comic; I had a $40 comic get reduced to $10 from that happening, sigh. And it can happen to experienced collectors too. (3) Make sure that you aren't putting too much importance on the return value, that you lose sight of the joy of reading comics (That happened to me when I went to sell my collection... I did everything right and I still didn't get the money I was expecting to get and it was very disheartening and almost made me bitter and quit buying altogether. Fortunately, I had someone remind me to remember all the good times I had reading them. So when I decided to get back into collecting...I made a promise to myself to not get caught up (again) in the $ value that lose sight of the priceless value in fun and enjoyment you get from the stories and art. I hope my advice helps someone. Sincerely. :)
I use to go to shops often as a kid. One place I could rent bootlegs and fansubs VHS copies of all kinds of stuff you couldn’t find till the internet. That said some guys could be really douchey to customers, especially casuals. Comic book guy parodied on the Simpsons was a pretty accurate representation of some of my experiences. Prices at the time seemed reasonable to me but I was mostly interested in current stuff so I wouldn’t expect it to be crazy for back issues a few years old. Up until a fire I had held on to most of what I got in my youth. Sucks how life goes sometimes.
Half the time you go into an antique shop you see some of the craziest prices on junk books but there are times where you can find some gems hidden in the books.
Had a guy in my hometown a couple decades back who always charged mint or near mint even if the book had a coffee cup stain on the cover or was dog eared. Not surprisingly he didn't last.
I've been to a lot of shops like this if I find comics usually I would say 80% of them are over priced badly I seen 1st appearance of Lobo raw copy selling for $500 and I when seen that I just walked out. But you do come across a honey hole with cheap prices just wish people would learn to come back and price them correctly thanks the good content you put out omega Red
Thrift shops and antique shops are just ridiculously hit-or-miss. Sometimes I'll find a great deal, but mostly they're just overpriced. The hunt is always fun though. Thanks! Omega Red
My local shop closed because the owner of the plaza wanted to renovate all the units and raise rent, obviously, so they closed. The owner moved away, unfortunately, because of family. His shop was so reasonably priced and found some good variants for such a steal at times. Miss that shop to this day Venom
Great advice!! Venom would be my choice 😉 many antique store prices are slightly inflated to try and recoup from their monthly cost. In the case with the books… it could be that they are not updating the costs on a regular basis. Maybe bundling some books together could help with the overinflated prices 😉
I completely agree with you that there are some places that have their comics way overpriced. There’s not a whole lot of that in my area, but it does happen. I find it mostly at the antique malls with the overpricing. Keep up the great work! I would be interested in winning either one of those books for your giveaway. 😎
this is par for the course mostly across the country. antique stores dont know or care about comics, plus theyre going to ask 20% above max possible on anything / everything regardless of reality. all they look at is age. if its flashy or dynamic looking and or with a big known name like batman, spiderman or superman on it then they basically slap a $20 tag on it. they look at it at basically a dollar a year for age. they just dont realize the absolute glut of the majority of books. 90s mass produced crap they just see as "thats thirty years old" so there cant be many still around. not knowing its crap, but also everyone has 5 already / still.
You are so right about this. So many times I've seen books way overpriced and never went back to the store that was selling them. I mean, we live in the age of the internet, and everyone has cell phones with access to pricing apps and eBay. It's self-defeating to price these books way over market.
Great video, totally agree if prices ae high I won't go back. but always go back for great prices and great customer service. the Venom comic is really nice.
The only comic shop I liked going to for years constantly moved locations. It never bothered me. What did bother me is when management changed the management talks down to customers whose opinion they don't agree with even if the customer it being polite and respectful. The energy feels bad in the store under new management. It doesn't help when you try to build a relationship regular with the store. Yeah overpriced is definitely an issue when I want to go in in blow $100 and come out with a haul but be careful with how you treat your customers as well. I've easily switched to buying on eBay or just ordering new because of this.
Stores have to pay rent, utilities, and, in some cases, employees. Ebay doesn't have that overhead. This is why comics can cost more in comic book shops. I do admit there is overpricing in some cases.
First time visitor. I agree price correctly. Local store does good job and even has some fun mystery packs of indie comics which I enjoy reading now more then when ai was a kid. Venom
I've lost count at the number of times I've not been greeted walking into my regular store. It's even more frustrating when the next customer after me gets greeted. It really depends on who's working. Certain employees always greet me while others are hit or miss.
There is a variety shop in a neighboring town (about 15- 20 minutes away) with a booth that sells comics. They are really overpriced. The opposite direction there is a neighboring city (about 20-25 minutes away) with a local comic book shop. Absolutely LOVE that place. They have a HUGE selection of dollar bins, and they have everything in their physical store cataloged, and available through their online shop. Outstanding customer service. I don't go back to the overpriced booth at the variety shop, but I'm getting stuff from the local comic shop every week! Omega Red :)
The problem with stores like this is the owners treat the store as their own personal collection, and they price like that because they really don't want to sell. Jimmy Palmioti has an office at my LCS and he was there a week or so ago and was talking about how he really likes the store because the owner wants to sell books, he wants them to move on to new homes. He is not sentimental about his stock. They have $ bins 2$ bins back issues are clearly marked, wall comics are all priced. they work with you on price, I got an amazing deal on a Sensation She Hulk because he was like "wow I've had this for a year what if I knock it down 30%, would you buy it?" I took it and ran! I know that it sounds stupid but I really believe these places don't want to sell (at least nothing impressive anyway). Sorry rant over.........Venom :-)
that is why i stopped collecting years ago. it is like every shop thinks they have gold. and the attitude is terrible. God forbid you have to ask a question..so i gave up.
Agree 100% Walked into a store it was like the Simpson's comic book guy. Surly ,no customer service ,and prices were outrageous. Walked in with $109, walked out with $100.
Good video brotha. Over pricing books absolutely will hurt your business. I understand that there are overhead costs like rent, distribution, employee pay, buying collections. But you will make no money and lose customers if they don't come back. If you don't have time to look through your inventory then once in a while have a sale with a % off and try to get customers in the door. Or you can have a regular that comes to your shop help with back issue pricing for store credit. I'm sure plenty of us collectors would love to do that. Lol. Omega Red for the win. 👊🏼
Venom - used to love hunting for comics at antique/flea market places. Found one in Florida I would go to and get great deals. Last time I went, they started pricing according to ebay and now over priced. I'll still go back just in case something falls through the cracks.
Antique stores and flea markets are terrible. If its old to them, its prices at 100 bucks. Like that one box you flipped thru, EVERY comic was 10 bucks. lol
I don’t have an LCS near me. I did find an antique shop near me awhile back & my experience was way different than yours. Books were reasonably priced & I picked up a few keys that have since held or increased in value. Like a near mint Star Wars 1 I got for $60 &20% off at the register. Also picked a few ASM silver & bronze books too. Happy Hunting!
Not just comics, but collector stores in general. I’ll leave if I see artificially inflated prices. If it was a at same cost or slightly lower on collector items I’ll buy. Take like a collector figure that’s retired, if the market value is like $150 (original price like $50) and the guy is willing to sell at like $135, you got my money and I’ll likely come back again.
The last time I was at an antique store buying comics, I asked the store owner to hold the comics with both hands while ringing them up. And she had a huge fit about that. A lot of these "antique booths" and comic book stores are really just places for people to show off their collections and hoard comics.
OMEGA RED! Woop woop 🔥 I struggle to walk into an antique shop and find comic book deals. Especially the shops with multiple booths where the owners are not even there. So you can't even negotiate on the price. There was an old bookshop in a mall I used to go to. They had books EVERYWHERE! You couldn't even walk into the shop because there was that many books. The owner used to sit outside the shop because he couldn't even get in! 😂 This bookshop always had a few boxes of comics outside. Every single comic was always insanely overpriced. It was ridiculous. He permanently had a 50% off sale. But even after the discount, the books were still overpriced. Every collector I spoke to said they never go to his shop.
I worked at a comic book store in 93, the thing that closed the store was that the owner was a moron... I need to check my collection, i have a bit over 2000 comics, 80's-90's some older ones, they have been in storage for decades now.
Its been a while since I've seen an actual comic book store. The local hobby shop stopped carrying them two decades ago. Overall I would say my experience with selling comic books was by far the worst I've ever had. Both buyers threw absolute tantrums and I will never deal with your community again.
I collected comics off and on for about 40 years and I gotta say the shops I was loyal to were the ones I got quality customer service at. If I got good service I shopped there exclusively for years, but if not I walked out and kept looking. At one point I was passing multiple shops to get to the quality shop I frequented, even though there were shops closer to home. Good customer service is key at a comic shop.
Some pretty good stuff you found. I stopped going to a shop years ago specifically for jacking up prices too much. And I'm always gonna say Venom. Venom is SO my jam
Sometimes people just don't have a clue a book's worth, they think, ooh, got a stack of "good" books and Jack up the prices for uneducated collectors out there!
The other irritating thing is some (sketchy) LCS repricing back issues up at the register when you’re checking out. When questioned about it they point you to obscured sign that states that they reserve the right. I have an idea, instead of BSing/ debating with “friends” and playing games. How about you or your staff, repricing those back issues on a schedule. I’ve yet to have one price check them down.
They can claim they have the right, but stores get in trouble with state regulators all the time for posted prices not matching what they ring up at the register.
That's not a comic "shop" that's what I call a hobby hole. The stores where there is ALWAYS a "Steave and Dave" from those kevin smith films 🤣 They always smell, are poorly lit and have old boxes and black mold somewhere in the shop.
Most ppl that sell comics but don’t know much about them…believe everything old has value. Comic Shops that over price are just idiots. Especially when they get pissed when you show proof you can get it cheaper online.
There's a place here in Phoenix AZ called Bookmans that sells 90% of their comics for $2 a comic regardless of actual worth and even the really good, rare ones are still way below regular ebay prices. Im not sure if Bookmans stores are nationwide but if your ever hear in Phoenix Arizona, its definitely worth checking out. I recently bought a motu action figure still inbox unopened and in pristine condition it was one of the rare giants Tytus which sells for $120 to $250 average on ebay and i got ut for $60 way below common value. Great content btw i think I'll subscribe.✌️
I completely disagree with you on eBay is your friend you can't rely on asking prices to see what your Comic collection is worth, 1. Asking prices don't equal value/worth. 2. Accepted offers are deceptive. 3. Exceptions are not the rule.
Omega Red! - I haven't seen this at our local comic shop, but you're right, the antique malls, they don't know what they have, and the few good that they have, they are wanting WAAAAY too much!
So I'm thinking this is just storage for a collector. They know nobody will buy, they just want a cheap space to store their collection. Probably cheaper than a storage unit in some places.
My opinion, is that you have different variables to contend with. There's on line, over excess of super hero movies, TV series, overpriced comics and most of all the economy. When you go into a brick & mortar you go in for the nostalgic experience, you want to forget the crap that's going on in your life and just want that mental and emotional relief. No one wants to be treated like they're insignificant. Back in the late 90's early 2000's there was this owner who's regular job was at a mental institution. He knew how to read and treat people and was always calm and engaging. Always positive and in a good mood.There were other stores in the area but as soon as you would walk In you would get "the glance." Yeah man I'm not feeling this and don't want to deal with it so I would leave. The other owner knew that and even though he was located in a rough area he would get more customers than the others.
We had only one comic shop in my parish & it was so overpriced. I was like good God. The price tag on the back of the comic (new comics) was regular price. But the shop was selling them for $25. The og price was $9.99. So i google it when I was in the store & everyone else was selling it for $9.99. So i just ordered it online with $4 shipping. The older ones had crazy prices in that store. Omega red or vemon 😅 you may want one of them
I’ve been collecting comics for over 20 years and I’ve seen a lot of shops come and go and the ones that don’t make it are overpriced or poorly managed
Toys' R' Us went under from high prices too. People have to make their wallets stretch in this economy and the first thing to cut back on are usually toys, games and collectables.
The quality of the stories in Marvel and DC have been just subpar for the last few years. Anything new worth reading?
The new ultimate spiderman is probably I reccomend
The ones that do survive, the owner was already rich before they opened the shop...
@@anthonysantos3366 I worked for Toys 'r Us for about 7 months. They needed to close. Very questionable business practices.
My son and I have visited a few comic shops in my hometown and they had NO PRICES on any of their long box comics. So, at the first location, I found a handful of comics & as I'm finding books, I ask the only worker there (who happens to be the owner) what were the prices. Each time he'd say, "We'll discuss when you're done." I thought that was odd, but I kept looking. He had a minimum of 30 tables with long boxes on and under the tables. When my son and I finally get to the front counter, he says, "Alrighty, now let me just go on ebay to see what they're going for..." I said, "You know what? I think I'll have to pass." The entire time my son and I were looking, he was playing a videogame on his phone. When we entered, he never said a word to us. Didn't ask if we needed help. No greeting. I've never heard of that way of selling before and I've been buying comics for over 40 years. Crazy. #Omega Red
Hate when that happens thanks for watching happens to me all the time
@@whynotcomics3291 I never knew that was a thing! I hope other comic shops don't use this practice of selling. Everything needs to be priced prior to customers entering your store. If I wanted the eBay prices, I would just buy off of eBay, right? 😆 They're shooting themselves in the foot with that method.
Yup, same exact thing happened to me a few times, I straight up tell them that I shop according to prices so there's no reason to waste my time at all if their books arent priced. Literally lazy douche bags at the counter and bins so full you can't even look thru the books because they just don't sell em at all with that method..they never seem to get it..🤦💀
I'm not going to haggle after I spend time picking out books I like!
I had a comic book store owner do that. I was trying to look for a bargain find. I too said no thanks and walked out. They are no longer there as a store. A sports store did that on slim sleeves of cards. A whole box use to cos $18 a month back, then he said the box now costs $36 on Ebay
i think alot of these mom and pop shops dont actually realize that people can buy comics online now, and most of the time alot cheaper than from their booths and stores.
I agree
Or not have to buy them at all
True, but I like physical comics. And I have all my "92-2010"s. Plus, being an artist I understand why
A lot is two words
True
You're right! Bugets are tight now and days. I honestly don't mind paying alittle bit over because a shop has to make money. But there is a big difference between helping each other out, and ripping someone off
Totally ageee thanks for watching
Never owned a store, but from their reality perspective - selling a bunch of $20-$50 comics for low ebay price ($2-$3) isn't going to pay that $3000/month rent bill. Same with sports cards and other collectible shops. That's why these shops are now going out of business. Ebay has always been both a blessing and a curse for hobby collectors.
The problem is they're not 20-50 dollar books they just are trying to rip people off. Most reputable shops sell on Ebay as well as in the store and the pricing is usually close. I will pay a little more if I get to see the book in person and don't have to roll the Ebay dice (a dollar or 2 but not 20 for a 2-dollar book).
@@fredgilbert2032 Came here to post something similar, most of my in person buying is at small to mid-sized conventions where it's tough to overcharge unless you want to take everything back home that you brought.
@@stevebc957 Same for me. We have a really nice local convention every year. I would consider it on the upper end of mid-sized. It always seems to be mixed bag. You have to do a lot of searching to find good deals and there are certain shop's table I avoid due to the over pricing.
Few comics are worth $20-$50. If you're pricing comics that high you're insane.
Well rent is expensive and opening a comic shop now is a disaster as most of us want it for cheap and not any expensive comics but i overspent when I was new on some signed graded comics which I will never get back
Exactly! If you put your prices way to high people is going to keep buying online. They are destroying their own business.
Great Omega Red giveaway, count me in
Most comic book shops way over price their stuff. 500% hike up. They're too greedy and chug along for the short term until they close up. It's usually a mix of not understanding the market, the customer base, the items they sell, marketing, etc. It's very difficult to run a business, and hiking up your prices is a one-dimensional solution to a multi dimensional problem. Businesses like that are only destined to fail.
Absolutely thanks for watching
It's not greed--It's overhead. They have expenses that online sellers may not have. Comic Book store owners aren't getting rich off of comics.
A good comic shop that's run well can pay off your mortgage at least. If your not selling high priced key books your going out of business in this era.
@@andrehanderson That's a good point - leasing a storefront is expensive whereas an online seller can just stack their inventory in their garage or spare bedroom with the shipping materials and just put them in the mail as they sell.
I say partly not true my local comic book stroe been around for 50 years now I don't like the custom service I get.
But it's only strie in my aera
The problem with my local comic book shops is that they go through everything they have and take out any key issues and just leave crap in the bins to look through 🤦
That happens way to often
And then mark up every back issue by several dollars above what they are worth.
No bargain bins. Idk how these shops stay in business tbh.
@falleneldor caterers keep in business so dose magic night Pokémon night yuioh night and dnd night .
Keep in business
Both in a comic book store and a card games hobby shop I got kind of the opposite problem to what the comments are mostly saying. Having the clerk greet me I say I'll just be looking around and receive the usual "take your time and call if you need anything/when you are ready". Then the clerk proceeded to follow me back and forth in silence across the long wall. When I wanted to ask about something, the clerk would then react jumpy as if I was about to immediately ask to buy the items. After a couple visits I started reacting like "Do I REALLY wanna go in and look around? hmmmm"....
Yeah, that's too much. Just a simple "I'll be right over here if you need anything" would suffice.
I 100% agree with this. "Overly Friendly" is just as bad as "Not friendly at all".
I like digging through boxes and finding books i didn't expect. Great video. Ty Omega Red
Glad you enjoyed
Every comic shop should have a 50 cent bin. Parents will let their kids buy multiples and hopefully it will make them consistent customers
I recently moved to Dubuque Iowa, and there IS ONE comic store. And they failed rule number one. No hello, no anything I can help you find? Have you been here before?
All I got was weird glances from Employees and what I gather were their friends. Didn't spend one cent and will never go back. Everytime I drive by it I flip them off for good measure.
Venom.
Awesome awareness video, there are a lot of people that don’t know where to look for comps to get a reference of pricing, definitely feel it helps the community
It's been a while since I've bought comics but I remember antique shops were always hit or miss. I think some vendors automatically place a high price because its an "antique" shop and back in the day before wide spread internet access they were more successful at this tactic. When I acquired my Shadow #1 and Invincible Iron Man #1 from an antique mall I had to haggle some to get a decent price and this was just when eBay was starting out.
These days I wouldn't buy from a shop where the prices seem really off, especially on modern books. It almost looks like that first shop in your video just priced everything mint + some antique store premium.
Hate it when I find a spot and its ruined with overpriced books. Omega Red!
great video i’m glad someone said it because it’s true if your items are overpriced people won’t come back everyone looking for a deal
👍🏼
Great video. That is a big problem nowadays. A lot of shops especially antique stores get greedy. Overrate their books. In this economy books are down right now. Those books will just sit there.
Great point!
Nice finds! Thank you for the chance at winning! Also i hate companies that overprice their stuff and then have "50%" off sales but the prices they ask either match or are still more than graded versions in the same grade
Thanks for watching
$75 dollars for one G.I. Joe. This is why I've ordered the compendium.
Antique shops are definitely the worst when it comes to overpriced comics.
I know nothing about comics own zero but you have nice tunes and nice vibes much love
I'm new to your channel. I liked the point you made and agree with that customers come 1st and that shops shouldn't overprice if they want potential customers to return. Put me down for Omega Red!
Comic books ain’t worth shit now. That’s why I stopped collecting them
My first time seeing ur channel and I must say, I am hooked. On my birthday my son took me to a comic book shop. I felt so bad because everything in store was OUTRAGEOUSLY over priced. I mean this guy had old comics with covers ripped off, water damage and writing. But they were priced up $20 bucks and up.
Nice video! Do you normally tell the owners about their mispricing?
A lot of this seems like common knowledge, but its amazing how many people don't know this stuff, great video brother. Earned yourself a subscriber! Venom!!!!!
I got to agree especially as a comic book collector I know just when and what to say because some comic book owners will look at you right straight into your very own eyes just to see if you are taking advantage of some of there customers coming inside there stores which I meet so many collectors
Hey awesome video Man completely agree with you when it comes to prices these days are overpriced at antique shops not everything is an antique or worth that higher price. Nice hunt.
And omega red
i agree with you! i see it alot where i live, especially in antique shops and flea markets! the people that have these booths obviously dont do their research and dont truly know the value of their books! they think they have a gold mine, and well they dont! its frustrating cause i find good books that i want all the time, but i just refuse to pay their asking price!
Same buddy
I'm still upset Half Priced Books changed their comic book pricing to all be $2 (unless othwise marked), even the junk with spine ticks, spine rolls, cover creases or other condition issues. I'm sure they bought it from some poor sap of $0.10 each...if that!
Totally 👍🏼 thanks for watching
Yup same around here, used to be half off cover if not sticker..they rarely put anything good out in the bins anymore, it has to be stuff they don't care or know about then you can get lucky, key books for mainstream marvel characters they must keep em all for themselves. 💩
It's crazy some of the prices out there. Especially on slabs. I'd love a shot at that Venom.
Thanks buddy stay tuned
Nice grabs, and good reminder for everyone buying and selling to always check prices of everything! Also, Venom!
I live in South Jersey and a lot of shops around here have closed up. The surviving stores have stopped carrying new books. It's becoming too expensive for the stores to stock them and no one is buying new books. Also, something else I have noticed in New Jersey is a lot of places are selling flood damaged books. I started to notice this ever since hurricane Sandy. I bought a Thor book for $10 at a show. When I got it home and opened it up it was full of mold. Before you buy any back issues check the staples. If they look rusted don't even bother.
Good video! I am in Long Island, NY (I couldn't stand NYC anymore) and I've been extremely pleased with the comic shops and local shows. I like that I am not bothered when I am digging and comics are organized. Folks are friendly and always answer my questions. I like that the occasional minor keys are sprinkled in and not just taken out and repriced. One shop forgot to price a few books and he said cover price. He could've looked up books on eBay. Be well! Omega Red, please.
This is why Japanese manga is killing it and why I could never get into comics as a kid. I'd head over to the comic shop and look at all the 30 page $25 Spiderman and Batman comics.
Then you go to the Barnes and Noble and every 250 page One Piece manga were all $10 each. You get so much more bang for your buck it's not even a contest.
Yeah unfortunately comics aren’t holding the value they once held…these are hard times and comic book stores and movie theaters are usually the first to go …but thankfully times change and things have a chance of coming back
I'm your 600th LIKE! First time viewer.
Nice video man.
Good advice.
I've been collecting comics since I was 12 back in 1977 and I've been lookinng at thrift stores and antique malls for a long time but unfortunately (as you pointed out), most of the comics are over priced but occasionally you can find a cheap one that's a diamond among tons of coal.
NOTE: For anyone new to collecting...
I strongly suggest that you don't count on getting a lot back for your comics (1) Buyers are very out to buy for less than the value of the comic books condition according to The Comic Price Guide (I mean everyone is trying to get a good deal and make money; so they will often downplay it and tell you that your books are in worse condition and honestly, they might be right... There is a whole section on how to learn what to look for when you are determining the actual condition).
(I was very picker when I got a comics and looked it over carefully to make sure I had a mint copy (or that it was worth the price I paid) and I put them in bags with board, with the tabs taped shut (also be careful when you put them in or take them out, so the tape doesn't accidentally get stuck to the front of the comic; I had a $40 comic get reduced to $10 from that happening, sigh. And it can happen to experienced collectors too. (3) Make sure that you aren't putting too much importance on the return value, that you lose sight of the joy of reading comics (That happened to me when I went to sell my collection... I did everything right and I still didn't get the money I was expecting to get and it was very disheartening and almost made me bitter and quit buying altogether. Fortunately, I had someone remind me to remember all the good times I had reading them. So when I decided to get back into collecting...I made a promise to myself to not get caught up (again) in the $ value that lose sight of the priceless value in fun and enjoyment you get from the stories and art.
I hope my advice helps someone.
Sincerely. :)
I use to go to shops often as a kid. One place I could rent bootlegs and fansubs VHS copies of all kinds of stuff you couldn’t find till the internet.
That said some guys could be really douchey to customers, especially casuals. Comic book guy parodied on the Simpsons was a pretty accurate representation of some of my experiences.
Prices at the time seemed reasonable to me but I was mostly interested in current stuff so I wouldn’t expect it to be crazy for back issues a few years old. Up until a fire I had held on to most of what I got in my youth. Sucks how life goes sometimes.
Half the time you go into an antique shop you see some of the craziest prices on junk books but there are times where you can find some gems hidden in the books.
Had a guy in my hometown a couple decades back who always charged mint or near mint even if the book had a coffee cup stain on the cover or was dog eared. Not surprisingly he didn't last.
I've been to a lot of shops like this if I find comics usually I would say 80% of them are over priced badly I seen 1st appearance of Lobo raw copy selling for $500 and I when seen that I just walked out. But you do come across a honey hole with cheap prices just wish people would learn to come back and price them correctly thanks the good content you put out omega Red
Thrift shops and antique shops are just ridiculously hit-or-miss. Sometimes I'll find a great deal, but mostly they're just overpriced. The hunt is always fun though. Thanks! Omega Red
love the channel your family is awesome thanks for sharing happy holidays my friend
Dude, you should snap up all the Archie and Jughead comics. Their value appreciates more than Bitcoin!
My local shop closed because the owner of the plaza wanted to renovate all the units and raise rent, obviously, so they closed. The owner moved away, unfortunately, because of family. His shop was so reasonably priced and found some good variants for such a steal at times. Miss that shop to this day Venom
Great advice!! Venom would be my choice 😉 many antique store prices are slightly inflated to try and recoup from their monthly cost. In the case with the books… it could be that they are not updating the costs on a regular basis. Maybe bundling some books together could help with the overinflated prices 😉
Totally agree!
It appears the last store you videoed had the best deals so far. Cheap key Venom books are always a good grab! 😊
I completely agree with you that there are some places that have their comics way overpriced. There’s not a whole lot of that in my area, but it does happen. I find it mostly at the antique malls with the overpricing. Keep up the great work! I would be interested in winning either one of those books for your giveaway. 😎
Looks like I need to start checking out antique stores! Awesome Venom find!
this is par for the course mostly across the country. antique stores dont know or care about comics, plus theyre going to ask 20% above max possible on anything / everything regardless of reality. all they look at is age. if its flashy or dynamic looking and or with a big known name like batman, spiderman or superman on it then they basically slap a $20 tag on it. they look at it at basically a dollar a year for age. they just dont realize the absolute glut of the majority of books. 90s mass produced crap they just see as "thats thirty years old" so there cant be many still around. not knowing its crap, but also everyone has 5 already / still.
I can’t believe how some of those books were priced! They must think that the speculator boom is coming back. Omega Red
Dang. Seeing a lot of the old comics I used to have and lost when the house flooded. Brings back memories.
You are so right about this. So many times I've seen books way overpriced and never went back to the store that was selling them. I mean, we live in the age of the internet, and everyone has cell phones with access to pricing apps and eBay. It's self-defeating to price these books way over market.
Great video, totally agree if prices ae high I won't go back. but always go back for great prices and great customer service. the Venom comic is really nice.
The only comic shop I liked going to for years constantly moved locations. It never bothered me. What did bother me is when management changed the management talks down to customers whose opinion they don't agree with even if the customer it being polite and respectful. The energy feels bad in the store under new management. It doesn't help when you try to build a relationship regular with the store. Yeah overpriced is definitely an issue when I want to go in in blow $100 and come out with a haul but be careful with how you treat your customers as well. I've easily switched to buying on eBay or just ordering new because of this.
Stores have to pay rent, utilities, and, in some cases, employees. Ebay doesn't have that overhead. This is why comics can cost more in comic book shops. I do admit there is overpricing in some cases.
First time visitor. I agree price correctly. Local store does good job and even has some fun mystery packs of indie comics which I enjoy reading now more then when ai was a kid. Venom
I agree, pricing is extremely important. Don't chase away your customer.
Been watching for awhile I’m the local guy we’ve spoke before Venom all the way have a good Christmas
I've lost count at the number of times I've not been greeted walking into my regular store. It's even more frustrating when the next customer after me gets greeted. It really depends on who's working. Certain employees always greet me while others are hit or miss.
Venom! I remember i used to get good deals at HPB but they want too much nowadays. Nothing keeps my money in my pocket faster than over priced books.
Venom!!! Sweet channel bro
Appreciate it!!
There is a variety shop in a neighboring town (about 15- 20 minutes away) with a booth that sells comics. They are really overpriced. The opposite direction there is a neighboring city (about 20-25 minutes away) with a local comic book shop. Absolutely LOVE that place. They have a HUGE selection of dollar bins, and they have everything in their physical store cataloged, and available through their online shop. Outstanding customer service. I don't go back to the overpriced booth at the variety shop, but I'm getting stuff from the local comic shop every week! Omega Red :)
The problem with stores like this is the owners treat the store as their own personal collection, and they price like that because they really don't want to sell. Jimmy Palmioti has an office at my LCS and he was there a week or so ago and was talking about how he really likes the store because the owner wants to sell books, he wants them to move on to new homes. He is not sentimental about his stock. They have $ bins 2$ bins back issues are clearly marked, wall comics are all priced. they work with you on price, I got an amazing deal on a Sensation She Hulk because he was like "wow I've had this for a year what if I knock it down 30%, would you buy it?" I took it and ran! I know that it sounds stupid but I really believe these places don't want to sell (at least nothing impressive anyway). Sorry rant over.........Venom :-)
that is why i stopped collecting years ago. it is like every shop thinks they have gold. and the attitude is terrible. God forbid you have to ask a question..so i gave up.
Agree 100%
Walked into a store it was like the Simpson's comic book guy.
Surly ,no customer service ,and prices were outrageous.
Walked in with $109, walked out with $100.
The hobby shop I visit doesn't even put price tags on their stuff anymore because the prices fluctuate too frequently these days.
Good video brotha. Over pricing books absolutely will hurt your business. I understand that there are overhead costs like rent, distribution, employee pay, buying collections. But you will make no money and lose customers if they don't come back. If you don't have time to look through your inventory then once in a while have a sale with a % off and try to get customers in the door. Or you can have a regular that comes to your shop help with back issue pricing for store credit. I'm sure plenty of us collectors would love to do that. Lol. Omega Red for the win. 👊🏼
Venom - used to love hunting for comics at antique/flea market places. Found one in Florida I would go to and get great deals. Last time I went, they started pricing according to ebay and now over priced. I'll still go back just in case something falls through the cracks.
Those are some crazy prices there. No way would I be back to shop there if they were pricing like that. That Venom looked great!
Thanks buddy
Antique stores and flea markets are terrible. If its old to them, its prices at 100 bucks. Like that one box you flipped thru, EVERY comic was 10 bucks. lol
Thanks for the heads up!
Any time!
I don’t have an LCS near me. I did find an antique shop near me awhile back & my experience was way different than yours. Books were reasonably priced & I picked up a few keys that have since held or increased in value. Like a near mint Star Wars 1 I got for $60 &20% off at the register. Also picked a few ASM silver & bronze books too. Happy Hunting!
Not just comics, but collector stores in general. I’ll leave if I see artificially inflated prices. If it was a at same cost or slightly lower on collector items I’ll buy. Take like a collector figure that’s retired, if the market value is like $150 (original price like $50) and the guy is willing to sell at like $135, you got my money and I’ll likely come back again.
The last time I was at an antique store buying comics, I asked the store owner to hold the comics with both hands while ringing them up. And she had a huge fit about that. A lot of these "antique booths" and comic book stores are really just places for people to show off their collections and hoard comics.
OMEGA RED! Woop woop 🔥 I struggle to walk into an antique shop and find comic book deals. Especially the shops with multiple booths where the owners are not even there. So you can't even negotiate on the price.
There was an old bookshop in a mall I used to go to. They had books EVERYWHERE! You couldn't even walk into the shop because there was that many books. The owner used to sit outside the shop because he couldn't even get in! 😂
This bookshop always had a few boxes of comics outside. Every single comic was always insanely overpriced. It was ridiculous. He permanently had a 50% off sale. But even after the discount, the books were still overpriced. Every collector I spoke to said they never go to his shop.
I agree thanks for watching
I worked at a comic book store in 93, the thing that closed the store was that the owner was a moron... I need to check my collection, i have a bit over 2000 comics, 80's-90's some older ones, they have been in storage for decades now.
Great video! I first noticed this at comic con... vendors put their price tags on the underside of their products ✍️🏾✍️🏾
Love digging through long boxes at antique malls/flea markets. Omega Red first appearance would be super cool to have.
Thanks for watching 👍🏼
Its been a while since I've seen an actual comic book store. The local hobby shop stopped carrying them two decades ago.
Overall I would say my experience with selling comic books was by far the worst I've ever had. Both buyers threw absolute tantrums and I will never deal with your community again.
I collected comics off and on for about 40 years and I gotta say the shops I was loyal to were the ones I got quality customer service at. If I got good service I shopped there exclusively for years, but if not I walked out and kept looking. At one point I was passing multiple shops to get to the quality shop I frequented, even though there were shops closer to home. Good customer service is key at a comic shop.
Some pretty good stuff you found.
I stopped going to a shop years ago specifically for jacking up prices too much.
And I'm always gonna say Venom. Venom is SO my jam
Sometimes people just don't have a clue a book's worth, they think, ooh, got a stack of "good" books and Jack up the prices for uneducated collectors out there!
👍🏼
The other irritating thing is some (sketchy) LCS repricing back issues up at the register when you’re checking out. When questioned about it they point you to obscured sign that states that they reserve the right. I have an idea, instead of BSing/ debating with “friends” and playing games. How about you or your staff, repricing those back issues on a schedule. I’ve yet to have one price check them down.
That's when you walk out.
Thanks for watching
They can claim they have the right, but stores get in trouble with state regulators all the time for posted prices not matching what they ring up at the register.
That's not a comic "shop" that's what I call a hobby hole. The stores where there is ALWAYS a "Steave and Dave" from those kevin smith films 🤣 They always smell, are poorly lit and have old boxes and black mold somewhere in the shop.
Venom is fire! I love my local shop! Always fair pricing but yeah I've seen some crazy prices at antique malls.
Most ppl that sell comics but don’t know much about them…believe everything old has value.
Comic Shops that over price are just idiots. Especially when they get pissed when you show proof you can get it cheaper online.
There's a place here in Phoenix AZ called Bookmans that sells 90% of their comics for $2 a comic regardless of actual worth and even the really good, rare ones are still way below regular ebay prices. Im not sure if Bookmans stores are nationwide but if your ever hear in Phoenix Arizona, its definitely worth checking out. I recently bought a motu action figure still inbox unopened and in pristine condition it was one of the rare giants Tytus which sells for $120 to $250 average on ebay and i got ut for $60 way below common value. Great content btw i think I'll subscribe.✌️
This kind of thing happens all the time. Its sad to watch.
If someone said "lets see when you pick them up", id just leave.
I completely disagree with you on eBay is your friend you can't rely on asking prices to see what your Comic collection is worth, 1. Asking prices don't equal value/worth.
2. Accepted offers are deceptive.
3. Exceptions are not the rule.
Omega Red! - I haven't seen this at our local comic shop, but you're right, the antique malls, they don't know what they have, and the few good that they have, they are wanting WAAAAY too much!
Great video! Got me thinking, per usual. Venom
So I'm thinking this is just storage for a collector. They know nobody will buy, they just want a cheap space to store their collection. Probably cheaper than a storage unit in some places.
Love the video! Great finds! Omega Red
Thank you
My opinion, is that you have different variables to contend with. There's on line, over excess of super hero movies, TV series, overpriced comics and most of all the economy.
When you go into a brick & mortar you go in for the nostalgic experience, you want to forget the crap that's going on in your life and just want that mental and emotional relief. No one wants to be treated like they're insignificant.
Back in the late 90's early 2000's there was this owner who's regular job was at a mental institution. He knew how to read and treat people and was always calm and engaging. Always positive and in a good mood.There were other stores in the area but as soon as you would walk In you would get "the glance." Yeah man I'm not feeling this and don't want to deal with it so I would leave. The other owner knew that and even though he was located in a rough area he would get more customers than the others.
Lol, those 90s comics still had their 90s speculator price tags on them. 😂
#Venom
That was some good info man.
Its people looking at graded costs and marking stuff like that. So many people don't understand grading
I doubt I'll win, but ill play along. I think I like the Venom comic more and would want that even if the Omega Red might be the better spec.
$50 for a mystery pack is insane 😮
We had only one comic shop in my parish & it was so overpriced. I was like good God. The price tag on the back of the comic (new comics) was regular price. But the shop was selling them for $25. The og price was $9.99. So i google it when I was in the store & everyone else was selling it for $9.99. So i just ordered it online with $4 shipping. The older ones had crazy prices in that store. Omega red or vemon 😅 you may want one of them