Hot take: The vibe at my local shop is shifting

Aaron Mason · 2026-03-28T00:55:03.724467+00:00

I was at Gotham Comics in Springfield yesterday and noticed a lot more people just flipping through books for a minute before putting them back. The owner said he's seen a 30% drop in single issue sales this year compared to last. Are other shops seeing more casual browsers than buyers?

nathankim4mo ago

I read comics stores in three states are seeing this same shift.

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keith885mo ago

Yeah, it's not just comics. I see it at the book store by my place too. People come in, take pictures of covers with their phone, and leave. They treat the whole place like a free showroom, then go order it online for two bucks less. It's killing the vibe for people who actually want to hang out and talk about stuff.

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miller.thomas5mo ago

Ever notice that at record stores too, @keith88? Folks will snap a pic of the vinyl, then just walk out to find it cheaper. It really does suck the life out of the place.

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mia_baker5mo ago

My local shop just started charging a five dollar "browsing fee" for people who don't buy anything.

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