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| - The sad part is that I really want places like this to succeed, and I'm so glad to find one this large and with this much inventory, but I've never understood the terrible customer service that I experience in these places.
Can't they understand that they are quickly becoming extinct, and the policy of no eye contact and no interaction with anyone who doesn't work there isn't a sustainable business model?
You literally have to walk past a staff counter on each floor who will not acknowledge your existence, and it's completely understandable if they are busy, they weren't, and I have no interest with a new salesperson friend, but a "hey, how's it goin'" or "can I help you" would be greatly appreciated.
As a person on their initial visit, I would have loved to have a quick overview of the store itself because although there are signs posted as you walk in, I obviously ignored them. I strolled onto the first floor and not being a comic book person, I didn't have an interest in their inventory. It wasn't until I saw someone get off the elevator that I realized there were more floors to visit. I spent way too much time on a floor where I had very little interest because I thought it was all they had to offer. I would have much rather known initially and started my journey on a floor that catered more to my interests.
That being said, for as long as they have been there and as much inventory they had it wasn't what I would call exceptional. Now I don't know a thing about comics, there are two floors dedicated to them and from what I could tell they had some really cool, really old items that I enjoyed looking at just because of their age and graphics, but I'll leave that review up to someone who knows more about them.
The DVD/BR selection was better than average. They have so much and yet it seemed lacking at the same time. There wasn't anything terribly obscure, and there wasn't a lot of volume on the items I thought they would have acquired. I'm usually on the look out for television series and wrestling and I wasn't impressed. No Monk, Psych, not much Family Guy or the Simpsons and nothing really obscure. I'm not saying those are good gauges of a quality store, I'm just saying they are the usual fodder I see stocked and they were markedly absent. Also, there were a couple of items I had to put back because of the price, their prices are a little high for used inventory.
I go into these places because I enjoy looking through these items but I'm savvy enough to know what internet prices are for them, I'm not an economist but if you just charged slightly less than the internet, I'm much more likely to purchase the item.
I also know when an item is obscure and hard to find, but it unnerves me to no end to have my excitement of finding them squelched by the "more than a buy it now" pricetag. I understand supply and demand but I also understand competition and comparison and no matter how obscure an item is, and most of these were not what I would call "holy grail" items, I will always be able to find it online eventually if I really wanted it. When I'm in this situation, I relate these purchases to impulse buys, it's there, it's in my hand and it would be cool to walk home with, but when you make the price equal or greater than what I can buy it for elsewhere, and you have made no effort to connect with me as a customer, you can bet I'm going to leave it on the shelf.
I apologize if this has turned into a diatribe against these types of stores in general, but I did have all of these thoughts while I was there.
The cd selection was good. It is on the top floor and I almost walked out without realizing that it was an approachable floor. Again, read the sign upon entering. Although they had a lot, their downfall was two-fold, most of their inventory seems to gravitate towards the death and dark metal and most of it was new. It's always as if the guy who purchases the cds for the store purchases them for his own interest. Their used selection was small but it wasn't bad. They also do in my opinion the mortal sin of used cd stores, they charge too much for their cds and they don't have a listening station. I'm not throwing down $6 for a used cd for a band that might be good because I like their cover art. My musical tastes are way too narrow for me to justify that expenditure. Now you let me listen to them before I purchase them, I'll grab a handful and quickly listen through them and probably grab a couple, especially at that price. Start at $2 and I'll take a chance unheard. Again, no economist, but 1 purchase from me is more than the none that I made.
The "leave your bag at the front" is understandable, but if you make this policy, I would appreciate a little more attentiveness toward my other purchases.
They have a few toys in the basement, nothing special.
They seem to dabble in a lot and master nothing. I could become a regular but it would only be if I happen to in the area.
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