1 Like
I got it, but why the reaction?
because we dont need three covers
Technically we don’t need any covers.
I can’t figure these things out some days. Duke was getting hyped by Bleeding Cool and Image heavily yet doesn’t sell at all meaning no later printings are needed since all the A covers are still here yet Ulitmate Spider-man #1 sells out in store and all E-Bay copies in less than 24 hours with almost no buzz I’ve seen. Diamond and PRH are also out of restocks for Ultimate Spider-man #1 A cover. They have several other cover variants still in stock as of last night so even the 2nd print isn’t needed yet until after we get some alternative variant covers in and sold out.
I can only speak for my own interests. I haven’t been buying the first prints knowing the “style” that has been the second print.
They are not pushing these extra prints because the prior printing sold out. They are just releasing them strategically to get people to first buy more variants (white backgrounds of featured characters or connecting covers), and thus more copies.
I know their game, so I’m just waiting it out for the later printing, skipping the first. I haven’t cared much for the 1st prints of Void Rivals, Transformers or GI Joe so far.
1 Like
My beef has been when Diamond had control they would typically stock enough overage that we could under normal buying get to the next issue or two before they sold out and frequently had enough left to make the clearance list eventually. Since Lunar got in control, Image and DC titles frequently are sold out the week they come out leaving us with no choice. I still have people that come thru and will not touch a 2nd or later printing with a 10 foot pole. At some point it doesn’t even make sense to try like with the next round of Void Rivals coming barely before the arrival of the trades? As a reader, I’ll take the trade and saving a few dollars over the cover price of buying all the later printings individually. I understand you’re buying for the cover or for spec hopes but some of us wish they would just bump the 1st print runs back to normal so we could restock on demand instead of being out for 4 weeks waiting for a reprint and missing sales opportunities when demand exceeds expectations like the US1 yesterday. If they can plan out those later printing covers ahead of time, just make them variants orderable as 1st prints so there’s no delays or waiting. We could always increase initial orders for 1st prints before FOC but that’s pretty much gambling when books are non returnable. For everyone we’d guess right on, we’d eat multiple others there is no demand for to cover the extra ordering.
Sounds like smart financial business making going on right there. They’re not buying more than what’s ordered, thus the whole reason for additional prints.
This happens to way more comics than just the one’s that get reprints and like mentioned, it costs $$ in lost sales while we’re waiting for the 2nd prints to finally get here and more if the customer is going to refuse the 2nd print and just wait on the trade or worse not start at all due to the delay and changing preferences by the time something actually arrives. It’s not like they would get stuck with comics. Diamond had a clear path to move leftovers thru their every other week clearance lists. They’re costing themselves and their retail customers money when they can’t fulfill.
I’ll give you another example. I just sold 5 Invincible trades Diamond would normally have in stock and Lunar only has 1 of the 5 in so there’s really no reason for me to order even that one right now. At the same time a customer asked me for 2 trades that Diamond stocks and both were available. All 5 of the Invincible trades are in stock at Diamond so now I’m forced to either do without or reorder from Diamond at the lower discount and higher cost, lower grade shipping. I’m still deciding.
1 Like
Going to be a case by case basis. If they stocked up on all titles in hopes retailers coming back for more before the next printing arrives, they’d find themselves sitting on a bunch of stock cause not all titles are equal in sales. So I"m sure the approach is, all or none and they choose none, they stick to what was pre-ordered. Their in the business of moving inventory, not sitting on it.
1 Like
I disagree, they’re in the wholesale business and the business model that’s been established has been to keep enough stock on hand to last until the next issue arrives. They get new customers that are starting stores and may need them then there’s all the other stores that may need restocks. They’re not taking care of the needs of their retail customers which is costing them and the retail customers money. There is no way they get stuck with unsold stock. A simple clearance list would move it out and they also have a direct retail operation on the other side of the building. There are options that have been standard practice for years at Diamond available. I believe it was here I read a rumor that they were sneaking the leftover ratio’s out to the other side and directly retailing them instead of keeping them for their wholesale customers. Diamond does a lot of stuff badly but inventory availability was never one of those items. Lunar’s great at the packing and shipping but lacking in a number of areas we are used to and some of those directly cost money in lost sales like having to wait for later printings to eventually arrive.
I can’t put a number on how many times I’ve had a new customer start a series because I could go to Diamond and let them select which cover they wanted for the first 4 issues that were already out while subscribing to the one’s not published yet. They may not have had every cover to every issue but I could usually get a reader set assembled and in letting the customer pick which variants they wanted. Customers don’t tend to want to start something new with issue #3 when #1 is a reprint, #2 is out of stock and not getting reprinted and #4 is past FOC with no gaurantee the overprint will be enough to fill the order.
Just had a phone in for US#1. I had to tell them Monday but check first to make sure PRH gets something out the door by then before driving up. I have a feeling this one’s going to be chaos for a few weeks.
1 Like
Or just send them to Ollie’s!
Good stuff cheap.
1 Like
I’d show you a picture of the “Liquidation Lists” at Diamond but the site doesn’t allow pictures to be embedded with posts is the message I get when I try. This is the week that the Liquidation List for toys, figures and apparel goes active on Thursdays. Next week it rotates back to the comics and trades list and has been alternating for decades I expect. I love my sale lists. I can occasionally find some great items to offer the locals at great prices if the shipping department doesn’t mess us over shipping them the most expensive way possible.
And that’s how business lose money, by sitting on stock and not moving it. They’ll happily order more copies from the additional printings.
Diamond likely did this, buy more than you need and was selling in hopes more orders come in and look where that’s now landed them… New world after covid, print to order and leave it at that is the smarter business decision to keep costs low and inventory moving.
You’re completely missing the point that inventory IS NOT MOVING if there’s no inventory on hand while you’re waiting for a later printing and even then if the customers refuse to purchase the later printing. It’s a piss poor choice on their part that’s leaving retailers stuck and losing money.
Diamond’s a different discussion but their problem was not paying suppliers when stores stopped paying them during covid which caused DC to bolt and others to follow. Diamond having stock for a month or two is and continues to be a good thing. That even benefits the spec people when you can grab more of a hot title where now the copies appear to get rolled to the other side of the building if they were even any printed.
Losing sales while we wait for a reprint is not good and there’s no way to spin that and make it good. Lunar would sell every copy they have one way or another. Diamond still does.
No, it’s not. They don’t want to sit on all the extra copies they ordered they can’t move either. You are missing the point entirely that you move inventory, not sit on it, this goes across the board from printer, distributor to retailer… Aren’t you the same shop owner who claimed to also have to take loans out with Paypal to buy books? Anyways… I’m done, run your shop how you want, I’m just saying, I understand why they don’t want to sit on inventory, their in the business of moving it.
@infinityG https://www.tfaw.com/nov238049-vengeance-of-the-moon-knight-1-2nd-ptg-cappuccio-variant.html?SSAID=839512&sscid=11k8_eqzrw
Why is it not crystal clear to you that they are not moving inventory if there’s no inventory there to move because they under ordered it? By your definition I should only order what subscribers ask for and put NOTHING on the store shelves telling anyone that shows up on new comic book day they can place an order and wait for the 2nd print to arrive. It’s the same thing. Stores try to stock enough to have inventory when #2 gets here and wholesalers are expected to have enough to supply us until #2 arrives. That’s been the model for this business for decades while Diamond controlled it. #2nd printings and such would still come out when needed but even in terms of those seeking mega payout potential low print run spec like Venom 3rd printing, it helps them to by keeping the reprint number smaller since the previous hasn’t actually sold out. You don’t run a business telling people to come back in 4 weeks when the next print arrives. When you don’t have it, many do without and move on to other things or find it elsewhere. Whatever profit you make selling 2nd prints 3 or 4 weeks after the 1st print came out isn’t going to be as much as what you could have sold having the 1st prints in hand during that period you had nothing to offer. I’m fine moving on from this topic but I’m never going to fine with some of the bad business choices Lunar made and I hope to see them learn how to stock properly soon for the sack of everyone, not just the few who want an additional cover choice.