What the Walmart Distribution means to DC Comics and the future market

[millernumber1]

Well, you can stay away from "dirty" and "disorganized" Walmart and not buy those comics. That will be fine.

I mean, if the wild fantasy you keep saying is just as likely as not comes true, then poor Central Power won't have a choice!

Got it, so you spend a significant amount of time checking and double checking that the things you want to read 3 months from now get ordered. You're really committed Should be no surprise why comic sales are in the tank though.

Well, maybe I'm a bad comics fan. I just have a pull list, and I grab things off the shelves when I want them. About once a year, I'll order a comic specially. (I also have a very small pull list - ranging from about 3 per month at the lowest, to 7 at the highest).

But yes, I check and double check. Because I like it. Having a calendar with all my comics on it gives me happy feelings.

Customers with that attitude are the kind that most businesses are very happy to lose.

Well, yes.

[Trey Strain]

Snobbery being practiced by grown-ups who read funny books? Seriously? It wasn't so long ago that grown-ups who read funny books were on the receiving end of snobbery, and even risked getting beaten up if anyone caught them doing it.

I get that a lot of people really, really want to become snobs somehow or other, but over funny books being sold at Walmart? Come on.

I suppose it's part of the "I drink only hipster-brewed beer" thing.

[millernumber1]

Snobbery being practiced by grown-ups who read funny books? Seriously? It wasn't so long ago that grown-ups who read funny books were on the receiving end of snobbery, and even risked getting beaten up if anyone caught them doing it.

I get that a lot of people really, really want to become snobs somehow or other, but over funny books being sold at Walmart? Come on.

I suppose it's part of the "I drink only hipster-brewed beer" thing.

The smaller the slice of pie you're fighting for, the more vicious the backstabbing is.

[matthew]

For that matter, how is it a problem.

If I have to explain to you why preparing your entertainment consumption 3 months advance is a problem in a day in age where people don't need to, and don't, prepare even for what entertainment they will consume that very night, then I'm afraid you're too entrenched in the status quo to ever convince anything of.

[Carabas]

Well, you can stay away from "dirty" and "disorganized" Walmart and not buy those comics. That will be fine.

Welp, they seem happy to sell them all to scalpers so nobody is going to Wall-mart for those comics.

[Trey Strain]

Welp, they seem happy to sell them all to scalpers so nobody is going to Wall-mart for those comics.

Even if it's "only" scalpers, how is "nobody" going to Walmart for those comics? Somebody is going and buying them up. Besides, Walmart doesn't care who buys them. Why would they? The comics shops don't care either.

[CentralPower]

Well, you can stay away from "dirty" and "disorganized" Walmart and not buy those comics. That will be fine.

And, also won't buy the comics that the Wal-Mart comics are meant to compliment. I am not reading Bendis "Superman" or Taylor "Batman". But, at some point, WalMart is going to get exclusive content for a run I am reading. At that point, I will drop the run and (maybe) wait for a compilation.

If I have to explain to you why preparing your entertainment consumption 3 months advance is a problem in a day in age where people don't need to, and don't, prepare even for what entertainment they will consume that very night, then I'm afraid you're too entrenched in the status quo to ever convince anything of.

The three month window is a function of how Diamond works. Yes, they could be more efficient. But, once a reader sets up a pull-file, it mostly takes care of itself.

Snobbery being practiced by grown-ups who read funny books? Seriously? It wasn't so long ago that grown-ups who read funny books were on the receiving end of snobbery, and even risked getting beaten up if anyone caught them doing it.

I use Target (which happens to be closer, but functionally the same as WalMart) for general items. (If I need a toilet seat, Target is the place to check.) But, I do not check Target habitually for items that I would buy consistently.

Target/WalMart is fine for some utilitarian items. They are even good for some hobby items. (Their game aisle is sadly lacking though.) But, comics at a box retailer does not work.

Even if it's "only" scalpers, how is "nobody" going to Walmart for those comics? Somebody is going and buying them up. Besides, Walmart doesn't care who buys them. Why would they? The comics shops don't care either.

True. But, is buying your comics on eBay (at a price increase) better than getting them at the local comic shop?

I mean...going to the grocery store to get stuff is regular for me. I didn't go to Walmart regularly, but it's on my way to many places, so I just go there once a month (or several times, depending on how excited I am... )

The grocery store is different. Generally, you are going to find most of what is on your list. And, not getting...I dunno...microwave pizza one week (or the same brand of microwave pizza) does not impact your decision to buy microwave pizza the following week (nor does it make you question previous decisions to buy said microwave junkfood).

In this case, you need to check Wal-Mart consistently for a product that is meant to be purchased consistently, that WalMart may not stock consistently, if at all.

Keep in mind, we are talking about exclusive content, not merely expanding distribution for existing content. (I would fully support the latter.) This is forcing regular readers to check a store that they otherwise would only bother with occasionally.

Well, maybe I'm a bad comics fan. I just have a pull list, and I grab things off the shelves when I want them. About once a year, I'll order a comic specially. (I also have a very small pull list - ranging from about 3 per month at the lowest, to 7 at the highest).

And, now, you will have to randomly check WalMart to get all your comics, rather than just waiting for them to show up in your pull-file.

That is more than I am willing to go through for my hobby.

[alton]

If I have to explain to you why preparing your entertainment consumption 3 months advance is a problem in a day in age where people don't need to, and don't, prepare even for what entertainment they will consume that very night, then I'm afraid you're too entrenched in the status quo to ever convince anything of.

Have you ever worked an LCS or newsstand? Publications are produced months in advance. The schedule that Diamond has come up with is a distribution mechanism that works within those parameters. Try working in their warehouse for a week. This response like your last 3 make no sense. This is not Netflix. Any store that doesn't follow a monthly inventory list and only bulk orders everything would overstock and go out of business. It would be nice to run an LCS without a pull list policy and order a hundred copies of everything but it ain't gonna happen.

[skyvolt2000]

Well, you can stay away from "dirty" and "disorganized" Walmart and not buy those comics. That will be fine.

Some folks don't have that choice.

We have that. It is called a comic store. (Do you think Wal-Mart is going to order and shelved the second or third volume of King's Bat-run if they still have the first volume?) Do you think that Wal-Mart is going to allow for special orders?

They have no issue doing it with TOYS. As the large pile of unsold DC Super Hero Girls & Justice League movie & Star Wars Rogue One, Last Jedi & Solo toys (unless you are named Finn or Lando) have proven.

In fact they have no issue doing that with DVDs, GAMES or CDS.

And in MANY cases a lot of that stuff never makes it to the floor the first time or get s shipped around. I should not be able to get a 2015 deluxe Xavier Woods figure at Wal-Mart yet there he was with EVERYONE else from that 2015 set.

All of the trades are special order at Wal-Mart no matter sales. They don't stock them.

Well, we need to go out of our way to get a complete run because Wal-Mart is getting exclusive content.

Of crap that will be in trade?

So I guess that crap must be selective as NONE of the 3 Wal-Marts near me have them. I guess we have to settle for the library copies.

[mrbrklyn]

Turning this into a polical vote for or against Wallmart, IMO, is BS.

[millernumber1]

Turning this into a polical vote for or against Wallmart, IMO, is BS.

That's what I was commenting on a few pages ago.

[numberthirty]

Walmart wouldn't bother with it if it weren't exclusive.

BTW, I bought a laptop at Walmart three days ago. I could maybe have found a slightly better deal online, but I wanted one right away. I was surprised by how inexpensive it was, and it works fine.

And I've never noticed a Walmart being unclean or poorly maintained.

If that is indeed the case, you may be living an incredibly sheltered life.

[Holt]

They have no issue doing it with TOYS. As the large pile of unsold DC Super Hero Girls

DC Super Hero Girls actually sells pretty well. In fac,t well enough that the shorts are becoming a full fledged TV show.

[Trey Strain]

If that is indeed the case, you may be living an incredibly sheltered life.

As I mentioned earlier, I went to a Walmart on Sunday and bought a laptop. There was nothing dirty about the place and I had no trouble finding the computers.

I've never been in a Walmart that was dirty or disorganized. I've been in some comics shops that fit that description though. Dirty and disorganized is not an argument that anyone should make against Walmart and for comics shops. Try to come up with a better one please.

[millernumber1]

As I mentioned earlier, I went to a Walmart on Sunday and bought a laptop. There was nothing dirty about the place and I had no trouble finding the computers.

I've never been in a Walmart that was dirty or disorganized. I've been in some comics shops that fit that description though. Dirty and disorganized is not an argument that anyone should make against Walmart and for comics shops. Try to come up with a better one please.

An excellent point. Many LCS are just not super tidy or washed.