May 29 2013, 11:37 AM
QUOTE(munchoong @ May 28 2013, 10:47 PM)
If comic shops are to charge following exchange rate, sure die lo. The biggest killer is the shipping costs. Again, Singapore is at an advantage due to the strength of the SGD.
Despite the gains of the MYR against the USD, the increase in shipping costs negate whatever gains are obtained. Plus, let's not forget overheads such as employee salaries, shoplot rental, utilities, et al. And after all this, still need to make a profit.
And the only reason why Kinokuniya and Borders can afford to have a 3.42 exchange rate for their graphic novels is because of amount they order from Diamond Comics. The more you order from Diamond, the more discounts you get.
I am quite certain that Mind Shop and Comics Corner barely order enough for anything more than the minimal discounts offered by Diamond Comics (the minimum to maintain a Diamond Comics account is to order US$1500 worth of products every month without fail).
While the demise of brick and mortar comic shops in Malaysia is an inevitability, platforms such as eBay, Facebook, and Comic Collector Live can allow business to live on as a purely online presence, which is the route Earth 638 is taking. By doing so, they eliminate most of the aforementioned overheads, and perhaps then we will see a reduction from the 4.2 exchange rate.
Similarly, fans of comics themselves will continue to remain active in Malaysia thanks to the efforts of Borders (especially with outlets like The Curve who make an effort) and Kinokuniya.
As much as I would love to see a reduction in comic prices, I also understand the business factors that would make such a move impossible.
Thanks for the insight into the retailer's point of view. Yes, the LCS will suffer badly if they lower rates AND the number of comic buyers remains constant.Despite the gains of the MYR against the USD, the increase in shipping costs negate whatever gains are obtained. Plus, let's not forget overheads such as employee salaries, shoplot rental, utilities, et al. And after all this, still need to make a profit.
And the only reason why Kinokuniya and Borders can afford to have a 3.42 exchange rate for their graphic novels is because of amount they order from Diamond Comics. The more you order from Diamond, the more discounts you get.
I am quite certain that Mind Shop and Comics Corner barely order enough for anything more than the minimal discounts offered by Diamond Comics (the minimum to maintain a Diamond Comics account is to order US$1500 worth of products every month without fail).
While the demise of brick and mortar comic shops in Malaysia is an inevitability, platforms such as eBay, Facebook, and Comic Collector Live can allow business to live on as a purely online presence, which is the route Earth 638 is taking. By doing so, they eliminate most of the aforementioned overheads, and perhaps then we will see a reduction from the 4.2 exchange rate.
Similarly, fans of comics themselves will continue to remain active in Malaysia thanks to the efforts of Borders (especially with outlets like The Curve who make an effort) and Kinokuniya.
As much as I would love to see a reduction in comic prices, I also understand the business factors that would make such a move impossible.
But I would like to posit the possibility of lowered prices leading to an INCREASE in readers & subscriptions. For hardcore comic collectors who buy 5 - 10 titles a month, a reduction of 10 - 20% goes a long way.
Yes, shipping from the US is a huge bane for retailers and consumers. Often times the shipping costs of a comic from eBay costs more than the comic itself. e-Commerce is the most viable way moving forward and I wouldn't mind not having a physical shop to go to if it meant cheaper rates coinciding with the continued sustainability of the local comics industry.
There's always more value when buying TPBs or digital downloads but for true collectors, nothing but floppies will do. The comic collecting experience
for me, is comprised of reading and collecting. Nothing like rushing to the store to buy a copy of a comic that's rare or valuable.
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