I have to wonder: What do you say back to these people? Do you just kind of nod and go 'yeah...' until they go away or are you just as frank back to them with how you feel about the stupid thing they just said? I'd imagine you have to be nice to an extent- since you're an employee... but I'm sure you get a tad snarky, right? Reading some of these- I would not have a job anymore if I were you, it would be too hard not to go off on them.
There is a definite market for tactile and real comics as opposed to the digital one. If you are going to be looking at something primarily for the pictures (otherwise you'd be reading a book) then getting something real is worth it.
From a business perspective, she kinda has a point. As digital channels of distribution continue to become more and more popular, they will pose a threat to traditional brick-and-mortar channels. Look at the big brick-and-mortar retail book store chains (e.g., Borders) who must adapt their business model to the current demands of the digital age, or perish. Not to say a small mom-and-pop comic shop can't manage to stay in business, as there will always be people that want "vintage" material, but I wouldn't say it's an overwhelmingly profitable enterprise now, nor does the brick-and-mortar comic shop appear to have a solid, competitive advantage in the future. That said, the older and rarer a comic book is, the more margin one can claim for it, so one strategy to remain afloat would be to focus on selling older, rarer stuff. B/c the profit margins on newer stuff is slim (and may get slimmer), and there's only so much volume you're going to move at a mom-and-pop store.
ok ill admit...i do read manga online but most because the books are 10, 11 dollars and the series i read are usually locked up in translation hell and thus are not coming out in america any time soon
And yet, here YOU are, standing in the middle of a comic book store. And I seriously doubt the only reason you came in here was just to tell me that. \:)
I have to wonder: What do you say back to these people? Do you just kind of nod and go 'yeah...' until they go away or are you just as frank back to them with how you feel about the stupid thing they just said?
ReplyDeleteI'd imagine you have to be nice to an extent- since you're an employee... but I'm sure you get a tad snarky, right?
Reading some of these- I would not have a job anymore if I were you, it would be too hard not to go off on them.
Well she was right, wasn't she?
ReplyDelete@Eola: Only if you're an ingrate.
ReplyDeletejust smile and wave boys... smile and wave...
ReplyDeleteThere is a definite market for tactile and real comics as opposed to the digital one. If you are going to be looking at something primarily for the pictures (otherwise you'd be reading a book) then getting something real is worth it.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you keep on downloading for free, there soon won't be any comics at all.
ReplyDeleteTHINK people.
@Entertainer13: Just like there's no music now, because people downloaded music.
ReplyDelete@Koltreg: agree. Have you tried reading comics on an iPad, though?
A friend linked me to this and I read the whole blog in one sitting. You just can't make this stuff up!
ReplyDeleteI just bought three comics from three different countries this weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat was a she?
ReplyDeleteLook how that worked out for Scans_Daily.
ReplyDeleteI actually heard someone selling comics at my comic book store say that.
ReplyDeleteFrom a business perspective, she kinda has a point. As digital channels of distribution continue to become more and more popular, they will pose a threat to traditional brick-and-mortar channels. Look at the big brick-and-mortar retail book store chains (e.g., Borders) who must adapt their business model to the current demands of the digital age, or perish. Not to say a small mom-and-pop comic shop can't manage to stay in business, as there will always be people that want "vintage" material, but I wouldn't say it's an overwhelmingly profitable enterprise now, nor does the brick-and-mortar comic shop appear to have a solid, competitive advantage in the future. That said, the older and rarer a comic book is, the more margin one can claim for it, so one strategy to remain afloat would be to focus on selling older, rarer stuff. B/c the profit margins on newer stuff is slim (and may get slimmer), and there's only so much volume you're going to move at a mom-and-pop store.
ReplyDeletejust sayin'...
ok ill admit...i do read manga online but most because the books are 10, 11 dollars and the series i read are usually locked up in translation hell and thus are not coming out in america any time soon
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, here YOU are, standing in the middle of a comic book store. And I seriously doubt the only reason you came in here was just to tell me that. \:)
ReplyDelete