No back issues

[NaveenM]

I made my first visit to a comic shop here in Philly, Brave New Worlds. As far as I could tell, they had no back issues stocked in long boxes like you do in most stores (at least, that I'm aware of).

Is this a common trend? I would imagine the margins are higher on those, though you've got to take physical space into consideration and whether or not it's worth the trade-off.

[Richard Bishop]

I've seen this more lately. I think there are a few reasons for it.

1. Stores can save on floor space, and thus rent, by not keeping large back stocks. A few of them keep backstock off site, in a self-storage or home environment, so if you want something, you have to tell them and they will get it for you and have it the next time you stop in.
2. Trade paperbacks of popular series take up far less space and can be displayed on traditional shelves rather than hidden in long boxes, making it easier for people to find what they want and can get more issues to read for less cost.
3. At least here in Pittsburgh, from the conversations I've had with some of the LCS owners, the back issue market is pretty much dead except for diehards like myself. With the economy the way it is and with the rising cost of new monthlies, they see no reason to keep backstock because they can't move it; the folks who frequent their shops are only interested in the most recent stuff. I've run into two shops that only deal in the current month's books and the issues from the past two months; they have nothing older than that and have no interest in acquiring or stocking any.

[NaveenM]

With the growth of trades, I suppose there is less reason for back issues. They're more for the collector as opposed to just a reader.

[Jonnytech]

I've seen a few articles about this... the shops just refered there customers to mycomicshop.com or milehigh.com or comiccollectorlive.com and focused on moving current stock (promotions, outreach, etc). It cost more to have staff to inventory, bage, board, back issues than it was worth.

The few back-issue websites and ebay have really put the boom down on local back issue markets.

[Village Idiot]

Retailers, by directing customers to shop online, are cutting their own throats. Once the customer gets into the habit of buying back issues online, it's only one small step to ordering new comics online.

[Richard Bishop]

I've seen a few articles about this... the shops just refered there customers to mycomicshop.com or milehigh.com or comiccollectorlive.com and focused on moving current stock (promotions, outreach, etc). It cost more to have staff to inventory, bage, board, back issues than it was worth.

The few back-issue websites and ebay have really put the boom down on local back issue markets.
This is a great point. I think eBay has had a huge influence on the back issue market since people with old comics don't have to rely on finding a LCS and getting only 40% of the book value by selling there; they can bypass that step and get full current market value for their books.

I think the Internet in general has a major impact on this as well. It's harder and harder to find great deals at a flea market or garage sale, because anyone with a computer and Internet access can go online and find out what a book is worth. Few and far between are the times you can find a box of old comics sitting at the flea market marked "$1 each"; now there are individual prices on each book because those people have done their homework and aren't just getting rid of their comics for a few cents.