Murphy's Law is being enforced this new year.

Late comics were a problem that grew last year; by December, it was impacting on sales momentum. Twice last month I got huge shipments, 14 boxes one week, and 11 boxes the next week, but the only missing boxes both weeks was the heaviest and most important -- the comics.

Try to explain to customers that not only are the publisher's dates wrong on their websites, but that even the titles that really were supposed to show up -- didn't.

Funny thing I've noticed. Lots of customers would rather believe a web site, than a retailer. Which is strange when you think about the fact that I have absolutely no incentive in not putting product out for sell as quickly as possible, while the publishers and creators have every incentive to obscure the fact that they've been irresponsible and missed another deadline.

Any product that exists on a list on the web is vaborware if it hasn't actually showed up in a shop. And every shop in America gets their comics on the same day, usually Wednesday, except after holidays when they show up a day later.

For the last two weeks, all retailers in the western part of America have been shorted a significant part of their shipments. So now I have to explain that, yes, the comic came out, but no I didn't get it. (You just hope they are listening when you tell them that we'll get the title next week, and that no one else this side of the Rockies got it either.)

This week there was only one major title missing. Murphy's Law was that it was the biggest selling title of 2006, as well as a title that has already been significantly delayed twice: CIVIL WAR #6. So I'll have to spend a couple of minutes today explaining and reassuring and convincing every regular customer who comes in.

I used to get upset over these things, but now I try to take it in stride. Acts of god.

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Big Change #3;

An obvious change is the computer and the web. I actually fought this for awhile. Now I can't imagine not having this tool. It has cut days off my ordering process, allowed me to institute a 'just in time' policy, fed me tons of information, and has even made me feel less the lonely comic retailer. I've really only begun to touch the potential of this tool.