My shop's open... but should it be? 0

[Bookery]

My shop, and all of the shops in the Dayton area, are still open... but, in truth, we shouldn't be.  My staff are not young... we range in age from 40s to early 60s.  But more importantly, all of us have relatives who are age or health-compromised.  All of the businesses around me are closed... some were forced to like the restaurants that are only allowed to do carryout (and judging by the lack of downtown traffic, they probably aren't doing much of that), or the martial arts school, tattoo parlor, and yoga classes that have to shut down by law.

I can handle a 2 or 3 week shutdown in terms of paying my mortgage and utilities, either directly or by short-term borrowing.  What I can't cover are the several thousand dollars per week in pre-ordered Diamond and gaming product without having to stay open and sell it.  And if I go ahead and close anyway, many customers will simply go to a competitor to get product which (a) forces more people into a few small locations, and (b) means my product will never sell once I re-open.  Or, they will get it online, with the same results.

Marvel and DC, and by extension Diamond, need to just stop for awhile.  I know Marvel has offered larger discounts... but that only partially responds to the financial issue, and not at all to the health issue.  Individual shops closing isn't going to work unless everyone operates on an even playing field.  How about you shop owners on the borders in California?  In theory, your customers can just go to the nearest shop in Nevada or Arizona or Oregon and get their comics or games.  And of course, more likely they will just order online.  Having product available in some parts of the country and not others is a terrible practice.

And I wonder how my neighboring business feel about us.  They are closed down by order or voluntarily (antique shops, boutiques, etc.), but there goes my neon "open" sign blinking defiantly and enticing customers to keep coming in.  Will I ultimately be resented by my local business community?

Disney has shut down its theme parks, its movie production, its TV production, and its film releases in order to protect patrons and employees.  But the comic division keeps cranking along.  Why?

Anyway... just curious how other shops feel about this... especially you folks in states with mandatory closures?  I'm actually a bit surprised this issue hasn't come up by now.

[Comicshows]

Some stores doing curbside pickup, mail or delivery themselves, reduced hours, limits of customers in the store at one time etc.  

[DavidTheDavid]

I offered to pay my LCS via PayPal and let them hold my books if it comes to that. I was told yesterday that the Diamond website is down anyhow, so they can't place orders. Looks like the feds are cooking up some small business support, but just how small they're serving and how quickly the support will come, we don't know.

Best wishes to you right now, sir, and your staff.

[BigDaddy1]

New York stated that all non-essential businesses be closed as of Sunday 8pm, unless they are sole proprietors. 2 of my LCS are sole proprietors and are open as of now, but are working on taking precautions for their customers. Such as offering local shipping, curbside pickup, limiting how many people enter the store and social distancing. Both are still planning to stay open and do the best they can. I hope they do well, and to you too.

I hope the best for your store and enduring through this situation, it's always painful to see a good local store close from events outside of our control. 

[Bookery]

Curbside is not an option.  We have a big store... the cash register is 100-feet from the curb.  Having our not-so-young staff scurry in and out to take orders, run the credit card back inside, back out with the product, etc., while keeping an eye on the inside, just not going to work.  Plus it was 27-degrees this morning here in Ohio... running back and forth in and out of a warm store and a frigid outside seems counter-productive.  Before that we had 4-5 inches of rain in 3 days.  And I think curbside is more feel-good than actually accomplishing much... one still handles product, bags, credit cards, cash register buttons, etc.

Again-- I'm willing to voluntarily close up shop for a couple of weeks in accordance with national and state guidelines.  But I need help from the industry... just stop shipping comics/games for a little while.  Back-up the schedule for a couple of weeks is all.  I'll take care of utilities and employee salaries.  Product sales are slowing down anyway... we will get stuck with a lot of this product even without closing.  Plus... should all the folks printing comics, packing them, distributing them at Diamond, putting them in trucks, have this sort of exposure for a non-essential product?  The nation is chastising spring-breakers and bar patrons for continuing their activities, yet we continue on unabated.  Maybe I'm wrong.  I'm not sure.  Which is why I'm curious how others feel.

[gcstomp]

Scary times, the economic impact of millions of small businesses having to shutter down, coupled with how many millions of hourly workers not getting a paycheck, and this may be for months, this will be devastating. you are, maybe, I would guess, in stronger position than many when we go back to regular business as you have decades of inventory and a monster contact list.  the restaurants, movie theaters, hair salon, whatever, wont be able to liquidate a backroom and make up for months of missed work. but this seems to be a monster of a storm to be weathered.

[WolverineX]

Yes, you should be closed.  It takes one customer to infect all your employees and can you imagine if one dies? 

Instead, call your customers and maybe pivot into mailing comics to them with a deep discount.

 

[Junkdrawer]

3 minutes ago, Bookery said:

Curbside is not an option.  We have a big store... the cash register is 100-feet from the curb.  Having our not-so-young staff scurry in and out to take orders, run the credit card back inside, back out with the product, etc., while keeping an eye on the inside, just not going to work.  Plus it was 27-degrees this morning here in Ohio... running back and forth in and out of a warm store and a frigid outside seems counter-productive.  Before that we had 4-5 inches of rain in 3 days.  And I think curbside is more feel-good than actually accomplishing much... one still handles product, bags, credit cards, cash register buttons, etc.

Again-- I'm willing to voluntarily close up shop for a couple of weeks in accordance with national and state guidelines.  But I need help from the industry... just stop shipping comics/games for a little while.  Back-up the schedule for a couple of weeks is all.  I'll take care of utilities and employee salaries.  Product sales are slowing down anyway... we will get stuck with a lot of this product even without closing.  Plus... should all the folks printing comics, packing them, distributing them at Diamond, putting them in trucks, have this sort of exposure for a non-essential product?  The nation is chastising spring-breakers and bar patrons for continuing their activities, yet we continue on unabated.  Maybe I'm wrong.  I'm not sure.  Which is why I'm curious how others feel.

Seriously how many customers per day are you getting. Under 20 and that’s a 1 man job.

[Bookery]

2 minutes ago, Wolverinex said:

Yes, you should be closed.  It takes one customer to infect all your employees and can you imagine if one dies? 

Instead, call your customers and maybe pivot into mailing comics to them with a deep discount.

 

I don't see how having me or my employees running packages to the post office is any better.  And if I do close... a couple of us will still have to stay at the shop to keep receiving shipments from UPS/PO/FedEx.  Diamond shipments will still be showing up every Tuesday.  Game shipments come in on various of the rest of the days.  The point I'm asking is... should the industry... comic publishers and distributors ease off for awhile, giving us shops more leeway in being able to close if we wish?

[Bookery]

4 minutes ago, Junkdrawer said:

Seriously how many customers per day are you getting. Under 20 and that’s a 1 man job.

We have about 500 people per week through the store.

 

[Chaz G.]

27 minutes ago, BigDaddy1 said:

 limiting how many people enter the store and social distancing.

I'm NYC and this is what the supermarkets & drug stores are doing in my area. There are lines outside the stores with folks 6ft apart.

But considering the age & family of your staff, it's not worth it.

[Bookery]

I probably made a mistake with the thread title, because so far no one has commented on the key issue I'm raising.  Every shop is different.  It's not about my specific situation... I'm using my store as a point of reference.  Should Marvel-DC-Diamond-etc. be taking proactive measures?  They've already postponed FCBD.  Should they go the next step further?  Is a continuing influx of product ordered weeks or months ago making it difficult for shops to do the right thing?

[wilbil]

wait 2 days. the federal package should be completed in the final draft, and coupled with your state response which at the moment is waiting on the fed package before official comment, the info can give you insight and more definitive information that can address the practical pressing concern you have, which is financial. the burden that existing customers may have because of their perceived personal inconvenience is on them. if they feel so strongly about it that they consider not remaining customers if you close, then that is their problem, and let them go to competitors that decide to stay open. your  competitors that decide to remain open are doing you a favor, because they are handing you a free tasteful advertising platform for you to use for the general public, when the situation improves to a level that allows you to continue business again. 

[wilbil]

2 minutes ago, Bookery said:

I probably made a mistake with the thread title, because so far no one has commented on the key issue I'm raising.  Every shop is different.  It's not about my specific situation... I'm using my store as a point of reference.  Should Marvel-DC-Diamond-etc. be taking proactive measures?  They've already postponed FCBD.  Should they go the next step further?  Is a continuing influx of product ordered weeks or months ago making it difficult for shops to do the right thing?

they will most likely be the recipient of federal assistance. yes, they should have already taken proactive measures, including support of its customers-you and eventually your customers, because without that audience there is no marvel/diamond/etc.

[Junkdrawer]

32 minutes ago, Bookery said:

We have about 500 people per week through the store.

 

Ya shut that down or restrict people by making online appointments or limited entry at same time. Allow time to disinfect 

[Bookery]

4 minutes ago, wilbil said:

wait 2 days. the federal package should be completed in the final draft, and coupled with your state response which at the moment is waiting on the fed package before official comment, the info can give you insight and more definitive information that can address the practical pressing concern you have, which is financial. the burden that existing customers may have because of their perceived personal inconvenience is on them. if they feel so strongly about it that they consider not remaining customers if you close, then that is their problem, and let them go to competitors that decide to stay open. your  competitors that decide to remain open are doing you a favor, because they are handing you a free tasteful advertising platform for you to use for the general public, when the situation improves to a level that allows you to continue business again. 

Thanks Wilbil, for the response.  As I said, I can take care of my overhead bills and employees at least for awhile... but it's difficult to keep accepting product.  But I may be able to handle that as well.  However... I'm guessing many customers will keep seeking product as long as they know it is available somewhere.  More then my competitors... who I get along with... most, including many on these boards, will seek them out on-line.  Ultimately, when this all settles out, this will do more long-term damage to comic shops than anything.  Readers can already get better discounts from big on-line sellers than in shops.  Shops have the edge of being convenient... you can review the product in hand, get it now, select something off the shelf you might not otherwise have chosen, have personal interaction with staff and customers, etc.  But if we lose the convenience factor (i.e.-- we're not open!), then the very reason for shop existence goes out the window as the public adapts fully to on-line ordering.  This is why product should be halted for all for period-X.  I know it's early on a Sunday morning... but I will look forward to shop owners views on this... especially those in mandatory lock-down areas.

[aardvark88]

A report from Golden Apple Comics from March 20, 2020 that non-essential retailers shut down in states of CA, NY, IL closed down

[wilbil]

16 minutes ago, Bookery said:

Thanks Wilbil, for the response.  As I said, I can take care of my overhead bills and employees at least for awhile... but it's difficult to keep accepting product.  But I may be able to handle that as well.  However... I'm guessing many customers will keep seeking product as long as they know it is available somewhere.  More then my competitors... who I get along with... most, including many on these boards, will seek them out on-line.  Ultimately, when this all settles out, this will do more long-term damage to comic shops than anything.  Readers can already get better discounts from big on-line sellers than in shops.  Shops have the edge of being convenient... you can review the product in hand, get it now, select something off the shelf you might not otherwise have chosen, have personal interaction with staff and customers, etc.  But if we lose the convenience factor (i.e.-- we're not open!), then the very reason for shop existence goes out the window as the public adapts fully to on-line ordering.  This is why product should be halted for all for period-X.  I know it's early on a Sunday morning... but I will look forward to shop owners views on this... especially those in mandatory lock-down areas.

if the final decision is to remain open, then in addition to the obvious social practices that everyone should already be practicing to limit spread, i can suggest that you explore the possibility of a temporary/mobile negative air system. not knowing your facility or the building hvac package, it could possibly be a very minor alteration if the existing system is set up to modify the ahu  or rtu or thru wall systems. it would not hurt to explore, if nothing else. if you look into the possibiity, don't forget to take into account door undercuts and toilet facility exhaust fans.

[aszumilo]

Most of the stores in Las Vegas are closed.  I know one store is doing curb side pickup.  You pay using an app and call them and let them know you are outside and they bring the comics out to you.

[WolverineX]

1 hour ago, Bookery said:

I don't see how having me or my employees running packages to the post office is any better.  And if I do close... a couple of us will still have to stay at the shop to keep receiving shipments from UPS/PO/FedEx.  Diamond shipments will still be showing up every Tuesday.  Game shipments come in on various of the rest of the days.  The point I'm asking is... should the industry... comic publishers and distributors ease off for awhile, giving us shops more leeway in being able to close if we wish?

Do pickup.  You only need 1 person. 

 

And yes,  diamond should be helping you out... but will they... likely not.  They don't care.