quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Some comic book store owners may not have liked having no option besides Diamond. If Diamond goes out of business, they are going to like it even less. At least Diamond has an interest in keeping comic stores healthy. ATT&T and Warner Brothers can do without them if they are too much trouble for too little profit.

quote:

Originally posted by barobehere:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Some comic book store owners may not have liked having no option besides Diamond. If Diamond goes out of business, they are going to like it even less. At least Diamond has an interest in keeping comic stores healthy. ATT&T and Warner Brothers can do without them if they are too much trouble for too little profit.

As a former comic book shop owner who still talks with other comic book shop owners. You are incorrect in thinking that Diamond cared about any shop other then the major few. Every small shop was bullied, neglected and treated as serfs who owed their business to Diamond and if you said otherwise you might get your books late or find that instead of getting your order of 100 different books you get 15 books and "accidentally" 85 copies of Captain America 573. Most small shops felt that Diamond was an enemy they had to ally with not a business partner.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by barobehere:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Some comic book store owners may not have liked having no option besides Diamond. If Diamond goes out of business, they are going to like it even less. At least Diamond has an interest in keeping comic stores healthy. ATT&T and Warner Brothers can do without them if they are too much trouble for too little profit.

As a former comic book shop owner who still talks with other comic book shop owners. You are incorrect in thinking that Diamond cared about any shop other then the major few. Every small shop was bullied, neglected and treated as serfs who owed their business to Diamond and if you said otherwise you might get your books late or find that instead of getting your order of 100 different books you get 15 books and "accidentally" 85 copies of Captain America 573. Most small shops felt that Diamond was an enemy they had to ally with not a business partner.

Unfortunately what you are calling bullying and neglect has been woven into normal business practices and the cost of doing that business. Since we are discussing comic book or hobby stores I'll stick to that, but "requesting" that dogs be purchased in order to get the hot item is not confined to hobby products.

Diamond absolutely cares about the food chain that its distribution runs through. No, not directly the little guy or last one in line, but the upper levels or what you refer to as the major few. That it demands a certain number or amount in the order or that specific titles be bought from the little guy is standard practice.

For his part the little guy wants all the hot items that he/she knows can be sold easily and the rest of it, that they know will sit in the basement until they go into fifty cent blowout boxes or be given away at Free Comic Book day, those they don't want.

Every manufacturer wants to sell their entire product line, not just let middlemen cherry pick only the good ones so that they make the profits while the maker drowns in their mistake items. It's true in comics, it's true in trading cards, its true in toys. Diamond is not the manufacturer, its the distributor, but its the sole distributor so its close to the same.

Do you really think that DC won't operate the same way? They would be foolish not too, only they are the maker and they can revise their distribution any way they want to. They don't even need small comic book stores if they can get large retail instead.

Diamond is the Devil everyone knows. Be careful what you ask for.

quote:

Originally posted by barobehere:
Being a thug might be acceptable to you in your business and Diamonds but most business owners are more civilized.