When I have some spare time and a few extra dollars, I enjoy driving over to my nearest Half Price Books to pick up some decently-priced reading material that could be anything from computer hardware/software books to comic books (obviously). The deals you find are great at times but I do have a bone to pick with the pricing on their comics. Now, keep in mind that I have nothing against Half Price Books and I do enjoy shopping there, but the only HPB location with the best deals on comics is the Kenwood location in Cincinnati. At 25 cents you can't beat that with Daredevil's billy club. No matter how angry he is. However, every other location in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area don't really follow the 'Half Price' logic. And I'm talking about also seeing the exact same issues priced differently from one store to another. Drastically different.
There is nothing 'Half Price' about a 21 year old comic in so-so condition that costs 100% of the original price when it was first put on shelves when I was 7. Furthermore, there is nothing 'Half Price' about a comic in so-so condition that costs 400% of the original price either.
Unfortunately, this doesn't change my shopping there. They still have the best prices around and I'll continue to go there regularly. But I did write HPB over two months ago asking why I see things like an issue of Detective Comics for 25 cents at their Kenwood location and the same issue going for $4.00 at the Colerain store. I never got a response. So I went to their site and looked for their pricing policy and found this:
"COMIC BOOKS are half price unless otherwise marked with our sticker."
Doesn't really answer my question, but I also saw this:
"The vast majority of the books and other items we sell are priced at half the current list price or less—but a few are not:
I can see them trying to make a good profit on the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics, but "Collectibles and out-of-print materials" simply cannot apply to any 'Ultimate' issues of Marvel Comics that are only a few years old and not necessarily considered "collectibles" just yet. Come on, now.
-Danny
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| The only difference between buying this at HPB now and hot-off-the-shelves in 2009 is nothing. |
There is nothing 'Half Price' about a 21 year old comic in so-so condition that costs 100% of the original price when it was first put on shelves when I was 7. Furthermore, there is nothing 'Half Price' about a comic in so-so condition that costs 400% of the original price either.
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| While searching for the logic being used , I found the answers here. |
"COMIC BOOKS are half price unless otherwise marked with our sticker."
Doesn't really answer my question, but I also saw this:
"The vast majority of the books and other items we sell are priced at half the current list price or less—but a few are not:
- Specially priced promotional items (These are books, budget audio, and other items produced specifically for the value-conscious consumer and priced by the publisher. Therefore these items may not be half price.)
- Collectibles and out-of-print materials."
I can see them trying to make a good profit on the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics, but "Collectibles and out-of-print materials" simply cannot apply to any 'Ultimate' issues of Marvel Comics that are only a few years old and not necessarily considered "collectibles" just yet. Come on, now.
-Danny
Well, there's a Half Price Books over in Northgate, pretty good. I buy books there when I'm out that way with my mom and stepdad. But I have to say, that I never knew bookstores sold comic books. Might have to start looking thru them to see if there are any Punisher comics. IDK why, but he always struck me as kinda cool.
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