Toys R Us and Diamond Select Toys make a deal

[drmego]

Isn't going to leave a lot of comic shops in the cold? Hey I'm all for mass appeal but EMCE started selling just on line and in comic shops now TRU? Wow

Actually I never said - nor did the press release say - that the EMCE Star
Trek figures would be in TRU. No one has mentioned anything to me (yet).

As for comic shops, I think next year will see a lot of them going under
because of the economy. A comic shop is like a knitting store - you have
a very specialized customer base and it's very much a non-essential item.

Almost all comic shops are mom & pop's - most without the mom too -
so every month is a struggle to survive, even in good times. There is
a lot of product coming out from a lot of companies and the on-line
world is always luring away your customers.

[txteach]

True dat! On-line is destroying a lot of family owned and small businesses. I guess it's just survival of the fittest. Darwin would be proud his theory was right.

[MIB41]

That is true, but many comic book stores do not stock these items which is why you have to go after them online. I am priviledged to have three relatively big comicbook stores in my town. They have huge stocks of comics, but only two stores carry new figure lines, but the availability is limited and often not replinished. Of course this translates into higher prices which often keeps them warming shelves. With this kind of unpredictability, it's easier to just order them online and save time and gas running around.

Dr. Mego also makes an excellent point about stores going under. I'm something of a stock junkie (more watcher than investor right now) and it didn't occur to me to think if GM is facing restructuring, what this might mean for local staples like the corner comicbook shop. Of course no one is immune in this historical period of economic crisis, but hopefully we will find a light at the end of this tunnel which will reveal many of our comic shops and action figure companies still standing. My fingers and toes are crossed.

[Meule]

Oooh, that gives me hope that i might actually be able to walk in a toy store and get the EMCE's myself one day

[spotter]

if mass retail was behind expect a dropp off in quality since your production runs would be larger BUT IT WOULD BE SO COOL!