Buying Multiple Copies of Hot Books at your Local Shop

Today I tried to walk out of my local shop in New Jersey with 3 copies of We Live #1 and was scolded for attempting to take multiple copies of a hot book. I ultimately was able to purchase 1 copy of the main cover and 1 copy of the 1:15 cover.

Anyone else’s shops not let them buy multiple copies of new books? My old shop was midtown comics in manhattan and I was typically able to buy as many as I wanted unless the book was scorching. So it’s kind of a letdown not being able to load up on books I like… I know it’s fair letting other comic fans get a fair shot at a book and it’s important for the retailer’s business but… I want it!

Yeah, my lcs and some of the other local shops limit hot books to 1 per customer usually.

Thats why you buy comics online…

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I hear of a fair amount of shops doing this and as long as they post it somewhere in the shop I’m fine with it. It’s the kind of shop that tries to let everyone get a copy and deters flippers buying up everything. I mean if you really wanted multiples bring in a friend or relative and have them buy copies as well.

I think preordering when the previews catalog comes out is your best bet to get unlimited quantities at usually the lowest price. Something I’m trying to get back in the habit of doing.

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Nope. My LCS has 1 per customer on all hot comics.

I tend to frequent some local shops in my area and most of them have a way of limiting what can be purchased. What is cool about that is I know I can go into a few different shops on Wednesday/Thursday (and honestly much later) and still pick up sought after books.

One shop put up signs with the rules and when I asked about it the employee explained that ever since the pandemic there have been way too many people coming in just to buy all of what is hot and nothing else.

From a big picture perspective, I applaud this kind of action. Ultimately it assists in putting books in the hands of readers/collectors which I think is better for comics long-term.

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The publisher should produce enough copies for everyone.scarcity is artificial and that increases desire which inturn allows shops to hold copies back and sell at elevated prices…there is 1 shop that has said they will ban me if I order 3 copies again…my reply was that they have no issue with me buying comics noone wants in multiples so why not them that are wanted…all they do is sell comics…just order enough in the 1st place…publishers should help by doing sale or return…simple.

I may get away with buying 2 since I’m a regular. In those cases it’s usually a book on my pulls and I grab one more. I would say generally, it is frowned upon at my shop… especially if it’s a “hot” book.
Quite honestly, if it’s a hot spec book…and not on my pulls… it’s a crap shoot these days to get a single copy.

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Okay I feel a little better then. I used to go to midtown comics and buy 5 copies of a hot book on a regular basis. Unless it was a HA3 level book. I also had a shop on the Upper East Side who I was friendly with and they would bend the rules for me.

I’ve since moved to New Jersey and bought a house and it kind of sucks that I can’t load up in person. The shop owner looked at me like a dirty hoarder haha, but I do respect that he needs to keep comics on the shelves for other customers. And that it’s cool that he doesn’t attempt to mark up or stash trending books.

Over the course of 2 visits I was ultimately able to pick up 2x copies of We live cover A and 1x copy of We live 1:15 cover

Can you elaborate? Are you talking about ordering from the previews catalog? As long as you order before FOC there shouldn’t be any limits when ordering.

TBH this is the second time the owner has told me I couldn’t have multiple copies of a book. The first time was with Thor 2 months ago. I don’t think he can recognize me given everyone is wearing masks. But I got a vibe like if he has to tell me again, I could be banned. Thor and They Live getting me in trouble lol

LCS are suppose to sell comic books so if they are limiting copies to one it will hurt them in the long run with extra unsold inventory every week. Books at my LCS are pretty much destroyed after being on their racks for 24hrs so if someone doesn’t buy them right away it’s probably not selling period. Will be thrown in some long box that maybe not even in the store but a back room so definitely not moving those copies. If a LCS wants to be a speculator them selves I wouldn’t sell new books.

My goto shop now has a limit of 3 on all new books, all covers. I accept that as they have it posted everywhere. After the week is done and over with and they get moved to the back issue shelves, it’s as many as you want.

I have issues when new books they want to limit are not posted as such.

But limits on books is fine by me if a shop wants everyone to have a chance at it. It certainly is the better option than say the shops that “jack the price up to secondary market prices” on release day…

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I buy from all over but try and get everything I can from my LCS because I have a great relationship with those guys.

Every Sunday I turn in a list that has all the stuff that’s on FOC and what extra I want from the upcoming week.

They always take care of me but I feel guilty grabbing multiples of hot books that I didn’t order beforehand, I try and get those from the other shop in town that I don’t have my pull list at.

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We Live is a week old - why would they still be limiting copies?

My LCS doesn’t limit anything that I’m aware of, but I’ve never tried to buy more than two copies of a book from them.

Yeah, caveat to my earlier post…if the book isn’t brand new/just released…or a current hot/spec book…I could buy every copy and they would be happy about it.

My LCS will tell me how many I can take 3 or the stack after I sit there for an hour and a half watching them do subscriptions. But all they limit 3 is Cates stuff.

Doesn’t make sense, maybe they still want people to get a chance since a lot of folks aren’t going out cue to Covid. But yeah, if I was a shop owner, after a week when new books hit the floor, I’d want all the past books gone… you don’t make money when you don’t move your inventory. A week I think is perfect amount of time to give most a chance, after that, if a person wants it all, they can have it all.

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He said he knew it was selling for a minimum $10+ bucks online and wanted to give as many people a chance as possible to buy it at cover price. Which really is the correct way to run a business. However like you said, I already gave everyone 7 days to buy it.

In so many words, he said I could pick up another copy if there were still remaining next week. My local area is often slow on their spec game and this store buys full stacks. Which is why it’s sad I can’t roll the dice on titles I want to.

Maybe the guy momentarily forgot it was a week old and just reacted to me hoarding, idk. I read the issue last night and thought it was surprisingly good. Seems like it should definitely end up on TV or in a Movie

So he’s got a couple weeks rule… I can accept that as well, particularly in current situation. I don’t leave the house unless I absolutely have to.

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