Derek Tague has a good question and I have what is probably not a very good answer. First, here's Derek…
Here in the Greater NYC area, there are all sorts of TV ads reminding us that restaurants are going through a rough and crucial time and that it is imperative that we assure their survival by utilizing GrubHub, DoorDash, and other contact-less delivery options.
However, what about comic book shops? All the ones I frequent have been deemed "non-essential" and are, thus, closed. With the cancellation of Free Comic Book Day, the San Diego Comic and Wonder Cons, and other "cross-pollination" events like big Marvel movie releases, how will our favorite mom-and-pop comic vendors expect to survive? Should we be going to their websites en masse and ordering a batch of back issues just to keep them busy? Answer me that, Mister Green Lantern.
And now here's me to say that, first of all, I know very little about the business of comic book retailers. I respect the folks who run successful shops and I do not undervalue them as, it seems to me, many in the publishing end of the industry do. But I'm largely naïve about the math involved except to know that it all comes down to math…as most businesses do.
It seems to me the answer to your question — Should we be going to their websites en masse and ordering a batch of back issues just to keep them busy? — is "Of course! How could buying stuff from them not give them a better chance of riding out the famine?"
I'm sure any sales they can get will be most appreciated…and if you have the cash and they don't charge an add-on fee for gift certificates, buy a batch of gift certificates or put money "on account" for future purchases. I did that once for a local store owner who had a temporary cash flow problem.
As long as the stores are in "shutdown" mode, this is about all anyone can do: Buy stuff remotely and support any online benefits that may be announced. Once our Long National Nightmare is over and we all emerge from our private fortresses of solitude, stores can do signings and sales and special events and in-store benefits and try to make up some of that lost revenue. There are problems in this world that can only be solved by throwing money at them and this sure looks like one of those to me.
