In light of significant damage reports affecting the recently released blind bags of Marvel’s Ultimate Endgame #1, comic book retailers are taking proactive measures to ensure customer satisfaction and transparency.
According to Bleeding Cool, comic book shops are grappling with an influx of damaged copies of the blind bag editions of Ultimate Endgame #1 that were shipped on Wednesday. The question remains: how are retailers managing this predicament?
Secret Origins Comics in Collingswood, New Jersey, noted, “A fantastic way to kick off the new year. All the ultimate blind bags we received are, in fact, damaged. I am reporting all of them as damaged to PRH, and we will see what unfolds. No one will receive a blind bag today, and anyone who gives me trouble will be sent to the Phantom Zone.”
Rebel Base Comics of Charlotte, North Carolina, commented, “Hello everyone! You may have seen online reports regarding the Ultimate Endgame Blind Bags released on Wednesday. There are reportedly substantial damages to a portion of the books, including spine dings and rolls. However, the open order books are unaffected! This issue pertains solely to the blind bags. Since Marvel has remained silent and taken no responsibility, here’s how we will manage it. Subscribers who wish to inspect their books in-store can do so before purchase. If your pull is damaged, you need not take it, and we will return it as damaged. Should you choose to leave with it in the bag, you acknowledge that it may be damaged, and the book will be non-returnable/refundable. We will keep a list of customers who opt for unopened books. Remember, this is about ensuring customer satisfaction regarding their pulls, not dissatisfaction with a cover choice. Our staff will assist in inspecting the books. Please bear in mind that we are not obliged to do this; we simply want to keep our customers content. I will keep everyone updated if Marvel issues a statement before Wednesday. Thanks so much. ~Michael”
Big Alpaca Comics of San Antonio, Texas, stated, “Our shipment of Marvel’s Ultimate Endgame blind bags arrived damaged. Given that this issue appears to extend beyond our store, we cannot, in good faith, offer them for sale. We’ve made the difficult decision to cancel all pre-orders and issue full refunds. We understand this is disappointing and greatly appreciate your understanding. The regular open-order covers will still be available this Wednesday.” Mike Choi added, “That’s a decision that will sting in the short term, but your customers will trust you more in the long run. Sorry this happened; I hope Marvel or PRH finds a way to make it up to all affected retailers.”
Golden Apple Comics of Los Angeles reported, “We noticed several shops received their bags early, opened them, and subsequently reported condition issues. Receiving product early can benefit retailers who need to count, process, and check the condition of their shipments. Retailers have specific restrictions regarding the handling of books prior to the release date, including blind bags—they should not post content of opened bags before the official release.”
Interestingly, while other publishers have enacted such restrictions, Marvel Comics did not. They noted, “We opened a number of cases at random, taking books from the tops, bottoms, and centers of the boxes. We inspected roughly 40 bags—strictly checking for damages without sharing the contents. We found less than 1-2% in 9.0-9.2 condition, while most are rated NM 9.4 or better, with many approaching NM 9.6-9.8 thanks to the quality cardstock used for these covers. This 1-2% includes some bags that were visibly bent and appeared likely to contain damaged items.”
Given the widespread nature of these concerns, how has your store adapted to manage these issues?
Based on reporting by https://www.facebook.com/richard.james.johnston. Read the full story at https://bleedingcool.com/comics/how-comic-stores-are-handling-the-ultimate-endgame-blind-bag-damages/.