Comments on: EW explains http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:35:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: promosyon http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-2060758 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:38:32 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-2060758 Thanks for articles, I have searched blog same this since long time Thanks for articles, I have searched blog same this since long time

]]> by: markus http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37424 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:39:04 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37424 The thing is, EW really has no business posting Midtown's list. With all due respect to the establishment, it's sales are not relevant for a national magazine. Clearly marking them as such doesn't matter in this context. Just as e.g. an article lamenting the lack of children in America ... based on three of the authors friend who don't have any or an article praising the value of old automobiles based on the sales of the used cars salesman within walking distance of the office has no place in a national magazine. Especially since there is better and more comprehensive DM information available from Diamond the magazine has no business printing the sales of a single story because even with the disclaimer it's misleading in that it contains the claim that this stores sales are representative enough to be appearing in a national magazine. Unless of course they're incompetent or simply do not care. The thing is, EW really has no business posting Midtown’s list. With all due respect to the establishment, it’s sales are not relevant for a national magazine.
Clearly marking them as such doesn’t matter in this context.
Just as e.g. an article lamenting the lack of children in America … based on three of the authors friend who don’t have any or an article praising the value of old automobiles based on the sales of the used cars salesman within walking distance of the office has no place in a national magazine.
Especially since there is better and more comprehensive DM information available from Diamond the magazine has no business printing the sales of a single story because even with the disclaimer it’s misleading in that it contains the claim that this stores sales are representative enough to be appearing in a national magazine.
Unless of course they’re incompetent or simply do not care.

]]> by: Gerry Gladston http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37122 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:14:59 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37122 Our list is not the result of bar codes being scanned. This list is generated AUTOMATICALLY BY OUR WEBSITE SALES-whether a book is free or not! Tons of customers simply put this title in their cart... VOLUNTARILY! And there's nothing wrong with that. As Guy suggested above, would anybody be talking about this if it were a Dark Horse book? Case in point, the Dark Tower FREE sketchbook is on the SAME list posted by EW. Has anyone mentioned that? Nope. Midtown will not be changing any policy due to this "controversy". We will continue to provide the same info to our customers. As entertaining as this has been, I won't be posting on this topic anymore... I've got a huge stack of comics in front of me that I'm going to start reading. And speaking of the Escapists, have I ever mentioned that BK Vaughan is one of my favorite comic book writers at the moment? James Robinson, also... Starman is another one of my faves. How 'bout that Brubaker? Who ever thought his Daredevil would out-Bendis Bendis? Love & Peace, Gerry Our list is not the result of bar codes being scanned. This list is generated AUTOMATICALLY BY OUR WEBSITE SALES-whether a book is free or not! Tons of customers simply put this title in their cart… VOLUNTARILY! And there’s nothing wrong with that.

As Guy suggested above, would anybody be talking about this if it were a Dark Horse book? Case in point, the Dark Tower FREE sketchbook is on the SAME list posted by EW. Has anyone mentioned that? Nope.

Midtown will not be changing any policy due to this “controversy”. We will continue to provide the same info to our customers.

As entertaining as this has been, I won’t be posting on this topic anymore… I’ve got a huge stack of comics in front of me that I’m going to start reading. And speaking of the Escapists, have I ever mentioned that BK Vaughan is one of my favorite comic book writers at the moment? James Robinson, also… Starman is another one of my faves. How ’bout that Brubaker? Who ever thought his Daredevil would out-Bendis Bendis?

Love & Peace,
Gerry

]]> by: Alan Coil http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37030 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 20:26:59 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37030 Gerry Gladston wrote: "Free or not, the database doesn’t differentiate." ---------- The database only outputs what is inputted. It can only know that C&A was present in the customer's purchase if you scanned the C&A bar code. Therefore, your actions did put C&A on the list as the #1 seller. So my question is: Do you scan ALL free items every time a customer takes one? Otherwise, perhaps a change in policy is warranted vis-a-vis free items. Gerry Gladston wrote:
“Free or not, the database doesn’t
differentiate.”
———-
The database only outputs what is inputted. It can only know that C&A was present in the customer’s purchase if you scanned the C&A bar code. Therefore, your actions did put C&A on the list as the #1 seller.

So my question is: Do you scan ALL free items every time a customer takes one? Otherwise, perhaps a change in policy is warranted vis-a-vis free items.

]]> by: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37029 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 20:17:13 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-37029 I wonder if it were a Dark Horse promotional giveaway of, say, The Escapist, that was ranked #1 that week, and Scott Rosenberg weren't involved at all, would anybody be talking about this? I wonder if it were a Dark Horse promotional giveaway of, say, The Escapist, that was ranked #1 that week, and Scott Rosenberg weren’t involved at all, would anybody be talking about this?

]]> by: Gerry Gladston http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36973 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 17:09:38 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36973 In defense of our friends at EW, I am compelled to mention that they very clearly posted our list as "Midtown Comics' Best-Sellers", and did not represent it as a national best sellers list. As stated in their response, EW does occasionally print charts from regional stores. The merits of listing a free item may be debateable, but our chart is indeed factual, and is based on number of units moved. Our list is intended for consumers, in particular our own customers. Like EW, we do not represent it as a national best sellers chart. Furthermore, we applaud EW for bringing some of the best and most consistent comic book coverage to mainstream media. We hope that the backlash by an overzealous few in our industry does not deter EW from continuing this wonderful coverage. Because if they don't do it, who will? In defense of our friends at EW, I am compelled to mention that they very
clearly posted our list as “Midtown Comics’ Best-Sellers”, and did not
represent it as a national best sellers list. As stated in their response, EW
does occasionally print charts from regional stores.

The merits of listing a free item may be debateable, but our chart is indeed
factual, and is based on number of units moved. Our list is intended for consumers, in particular our own customers. Like EW, we do not represent it as a national best sellers chart.

Furthermore, we applaud EW for bringing some of the best and most consistent comic book coverage to mainstream media. We hope that the backlash by an overzealous few in our industry does not deter EW from continuing this wonderful coverage. Because if they don’t do it, who will?

]]> by: markus http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36488 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 03:38:49 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36488 To the defenders of EW: - someone there really thinks taking sales data from a single store is in any way representative. That's so much beyond ignorant a monkey could be trained to do a better job. - the person copying the sales data from the web to the print article has such severe problems of reading comprehension that they failed to notice their #1 is a promotional freebie. Simply put, most school papers are far more professional. To the defenders of EW:
- someone there really thinks taking sales data from a single store is in any way representative. That’s so much beyond ignorant a monkey could be trained to do a better job.
- the person copying the sales data from the web to the print article has such severe problems of reading comprehension that they failed to notice their #1 is a promotional freebie.

Simply put, most school papers are far more professional.

]]> by: Gerry Gladston http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36415 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:27:05 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36415 As an owner of Midtown Comics, I'd like to clear the air on this subject. Why would a retailer list a free product on its best seller chart? We agree that Cowboys and Aliens is not technically a "seller" and this may have caused some confusion. However, this is exactly why the book was (and still is) listed as "Cowboys and Aliens TP Free Giveaway (Limit 1 per customer while supplies last)" on our site. And just to clarify, Cowboys and Aliens was not arbitrarily added to every order -- customers voluntarily added this book to their cart, and it was tracked just like any other title. Cowboys and Aliens appeared at the top of Midtown's Top 25 list because the list is automatically generated by our database, and more copies of C&A were added to customer's cart than any other title for the time period tracked. Free or not, the database doesn't differentiate. With all due respect to EW, I know that they meant no harm altering our list. After EW's staffer came in, they did contact us via e-mail, seeking approval to use our list, and I responded asking for a return call, and the call was not returned. We thank EW for printing a clarification in an upcoming issue As an owner of Midtown Comics, I’d like to clear the air on this subject.

Why would a retailer list a free product on its best seller chart?

We agree that Cowboys and Aliens is not technically a “seller” and
this may have caused some confusion. However, this is exactly why the
book was (and still is) listed as “Cowboys and Aliens TP Free Giveaway
(Limit 1 per customer while supplies last)” on our site. And just to
clarify, Cowboys and Aliens was not arbitrarily added to every order
– customers voluntarily added this book to their cart, and it was
tracked just like any other title.

Cowboys and Aliens appeared at the top of Midtown’s Top 25 list
because the list is automatically generated by our database, and more
copies of C&A were added to customer’s cart than any other title for
the time period tracked. Free or not, the database doesn’t
differentiate.

With all due respect to EW, I know that they meant no harm altering
our list. After EW’s staffer came in, they did contact us via e-mail, seeking approval to use our list, and I responded asking for a return call, and the call was not returned.

We thank EW for printing a clarification in an upcoming issue

]]> by: Doug http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36391 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 22:51:06 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36391 <blockquote>I mean you’d think that there would be one guy in the office who’d be like, “What the heck is this Cowboy and Aliens thing?”</blockquote> Why? Midtown Comics is a respectable retailer. They state that <i>Cowboys and Aliens,</i> despite the fact that it's being given away, is their best-selling graphic novel (and I checked the site right before posting--they're still making that claim). Why shouldn't <i>EW</i> take them at their word? They're not printing a list of nationally best-selling graphic novels, they're just passing along what Midtown says are their top titles, and they never suggest that they're doing anything more than that. What does it matter to Midtown's list if Jim Hanley's Universe has a different title on top? You can worry about their doing a "half-ass" job if you want, but <i>EW</i> is taking the situation seriously enough that they're publishing an explanation in their next issue. That seems a responsible move to me.

I mean you’d think that there would be one guy in the office who’d be like, “What the heck is this Cowboy and Aliens thing?”

Why? Midtown Comics is a respectable retailer. They state that Cowboys and Aliens, despite the fact that it’s being given away, is their best-selling graphic novel (and I checked the site right before posting–they’re still making that claim). Why shouldn’t EW take them at their word? They’re not printing a list of nationally best-selling graphic novels, they’re just passing along what Midtown says are their top titles, and they never suggest that they’re doing anything more than that. What does it matter to Midtown’s list if Jim Hanley’s Universe has a different title on top?

You can worry about their doing a “half-ass” job if you want, but EW is taking the situation seriously enough that they’re publishing an explanation in their next issue. That seems a responsible move to me.

]]> by: George Khoury http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36343 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:18:10 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36343 Well, if they are going to do a "half-ass" job on reporting about comics, spare us the favor. I mean you'd think that there would be one guy in the office who'd be like, "What the heck is this Cowboy and Aliens thing?" Phone a second store and check it out. It's not very hard to pick up a phone. Of course, comics aren't important to them. But I'm sure they realize that it is a niche that they want to be a part of. Well, if they are going to do a “half-ass” job on reporting about comics, spare us the favor.

I mean you’d think that there would be one guy in the office who’d be like, “What the heck is this Cowboy and Aliens thing?” Phone a second store and check it out. It’s not very hard to pick up a phone.

Of course, comics aren’t important to them. But I’m sure they realize that it is a niche that they want to be a part of.

]]> by: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36339 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:08:49 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36339 <i>Real top-notch research staff at EW. </i> How is this EW's fault? I think it's just a nice little object lesson, really, that comics aren't nearly as important in "the mainstream" as comics people think they are. Real top-notch research staff at EW.

How is this EW’s fault?

I think it’s just a nice little object lesson, really, that comics aren’t nearly as important in “the mainstream” as comics people think they are.

]]> by: Jim Caldwell http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36302 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:39:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36302 He does ask a good question: <I>I’m puzzled about why a retailer would list a free product on its “top sellers” chart</i> He may feel it doesn't matter, but why indeed? He does ask a good question: I’m puzzled about why a retailer would list a free product on its “top sellers” chart

He may feel it doesn’t matter, but why indeed?

]]> by: George Khoury http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36276 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:28:18 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/01/12/ew-explains/#comment-36276 Real top-notch research staff at EW. Real top-notch research staff at EW.

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