Yep midtown isn’t what it used to be at all! Use to have great prices on incentive variants and regular covers prices were never marked up free shipping on orders over $25. Now incentive variants are priced higher than eBay, regular covers get marked up to $25 or $30 out the gate and they have unfulfilled orders at cover like the Punchline 1st’s and free shipping at $100 or more. They became the Walmart of comics and haven’t had any of my business in 3 weeks.
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I did some browsing on their site, and they do have a handful of modern back issues I’ve been struggling to find, and for really good prices. And, I’m past the $75 for free shipping. Another bonus.
But, this thread has me terrified. I’m ok with a longer processing/arrival time if that’s the case. I’m more concerned about book quality. When you’ve purchased modern back issues from the past few years, and they list them as NM, how have your books looked? More 9.6 or more 8.5?
I’ve used Midtown for almost two years. I only do the preview orders, so my stuff only comes once a month, and is packaged very well. I have never received something like an 8.5 from them, but would imagine a couple have been around a 9.2. Their shipping charges are weird, but anywhere you purchase from, other than a LCS, is roughly $3.50-$7, so that isn’t out of line. Their delivery time has always been slow, but after coming out of the hold status the country was in, and more than likely their distribution of DC mixed in, it has gotten slower. As an example, my last order was delivered the beginning of the 2nd week in August, and I was just getting comics that should have come out in April, but had been out in shops for ages.
I did make the decision to move away from Midtown because of that; I do not believe it will correct anytime soon. I have tried TFAW, but am nervous about some of the stories of items being shorted, because they were allocated. In the end, I don’t order more than a couple of an issue anyway, so I don’t think I will be as impacted as some of the others here.
My last two shipments from Midtown have both had books with severely warped backing boards. Usually my orders come in Gemini like mailers but these have been just comics in a paper bag wrapped in bubble wrap and then placed in a shipping box. It’s getting pretty annoying having to replace all the boards when I open my package. Hopefully this trend stops but we’ll see.
The first thing I do with my Midtown orders is I put the books in my own bags and boards. I reuse their free boards for extra packing when I sell comics. I usually slip my books within their bag and board to then self seal. Gives it a little extra protection. But yes, their boards suck (usually really thin) and since they don’t seal the books (I know why, it only adds to the time while paying employees hourly wages), the flaps always end up folded, crunchy, etc…
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Anyone see FCBD Spider-Man 2020 is not ‘free’ anymore at Midtown? Selling for $2.97.
Wow. They’d better bag, board and make sure they’re not folded over like one of mine was.
Now that they’re not free, I’m sure they will. That’s the problem with them folding the covers on the free books, it’s free. You can’t complain when it’s… free.
After the spoilers for Venom 28 it should be back to free.
Haha… Midtown are like a bunch of hobo panhandlers, they need more money… it’ll never be free after they raise the price. Most retailers have a 1 way street when it comes to prices… it only comes up, never comes down… they love secondary market prices to price their items until the secondary market goes back down… 
Only time prices “come down” is for their sporadic sales on select items.
Oh, I suppose those big sales is a way to dump them off but after they end, price goes right back up…
Anyone else notice Midtown is not offering discounts on a ton of Marvel books for pre-order now?
YUP!! I jus seen that earlier. There discounts have gotten less lately.
DC will be distributing comics out of Geoff Johns living room by the end of the year the way midtown is going.
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Lol
Maybe shipping will be faster…?
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All the previews books are still discounted except true believers. Seems to only apply to next week’s books.
I just placed an order with Midtown. I’ll report how it turns out. Fingers crossed.
We’ll happily await your followup around Halloween