Forum - View topicNEWS: Mature Anime and Manga pulled from Suncoast Shelves
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sailor_moon
 Posts: 37 |
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Hey guys. This thread caught my eye and I just had to throw in my two cents. I am the video product specialist at the Taylor, MI Media Play. Basically, I'm in charge of the entire department. I love anime and manga and it really shows because I've devoted an entire section of the store to anime. We even moved the manga section so everything could be together. We also started an anime club at my store. Customers get 10% off, we watch anime, and everyone gets free food. It's really cool. Oh, in case you guys don't know, Media Play is the better third of Musicland, Inc, which includes Sam Goody and Suncoast. Our prices are better because we're not a mall store and we have so much better selection because we're bigger. We're basically a Best Buy without appliances and car audio plus we sell books.
Now, here's the thing. I was so mad when my ship/receive manager got the email to send back the Steel Angel Kurumi manga among others. Here's the thing though, I saw the email and the only thing it said was to pull them because of "adult" subject matter. It didn't really give a reason at all. I'm guessing it's because they weren't sealed, like Battle Royale. (For some reason we still have Battle Royale vol. 4 on the shelf.) What's funny though, is way back in November we got the fourth volume of Seraphic Feather, and to this day, it still sits on the shelf. This is what it boils down to; corporate isn't smart. They don't know what's going on. I imagine a bunch of old guys in suits sitting around a table reading a nasty letter from some mom whose 8 year old bought a manga with "adult" material. Of course, it's not her fault for letting her kid come in to the store and buy the manga. It's our fault. I don't know how many times I've had a parent complain that we didn't babysit their child for them. Since there's nothing you can really do about it, the next best thing is to fight it. If you want a certain title, just go up to the nearest sales associate and ask to special order it. All books are always 10% off when you special order them, which includes manga. This isn't a monthly promotion or anything, it's ongoing. I've found that when you've ordered something enough, the warehouse will ship it to the store and it will become regular inventory. So, if eveyone goes out and special orders adult manga and hentai, it will eventually become regular inventory. As for the prices at Suncoast, I really can't help you. At Media Play, most anime runs about $27.99. Our cost is normally around $15. We make a killing. Some manga though, is on sale for 20% off this month. I personally, even with my discount, don't buy DVDs at my store. The only anime I ever bought there was the first volume of Final Fantasy Unlimited, and that was on sale for an insane $9.99. If I was a regular customer I'd probably cash in on the replay program and buy everything on triple point days. Otherwise, I'd never stop there. As for the "hentai is basically porn, and since porn has its own section, hentai should too" argument, I can tell you this. Most "normal" people aren't comfortable with hentai. People at my store laugh at customers that special order "cartoon porn," as they call it. Hentai isn't for everyone and neither is regular porn, but our society just hasn't accepted hentai like it has porn. Also, there really isn't that much demand for hentai, at least at my store. I've worked there for three years and I'd have to say that only 5 people have ever ordered hentai. Now it's true that there may be more people that would buy it if it had its own section, but the demand just isn't there. It's just not lucrative to make an entire section for something that might not sell. I think that's why Media Play, Suncoast, and Sam Goody have signs that say "Mature Anime Available." If you order it, then we'll get it in and corporate will see that people want it. As far as the mainstream public goes, hentai and mature manga are still a fairly new concept. It has to catch on before stores will regularly stock these titles. 
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JJR
Posts: 12 Location: Omaha, NE |
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The entire chain pulled the mature Manga with 1 announcement that was sent to all the stores. From what i can guess is that the manga was not registered in the system as that title, but as a Generic Paperback book. (aka a person messed up) -in response to another question with the Beserk manga-
We carry no overstock in store whatsoever of the Mature titkes, so its a 1 week wait to get it. |
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cyrax777
 Posts: 1825 Location: the desert |
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call me old fashined but I get my books(manga in this case) at a [sarcasm]*GASP*[/sarcasm] book store. The Selection is better and I dont have to put up with the "would you like to preordered our overpriced dvds that sell for about 5-10 less everywere else" from the employees. Only Time I go into suncoast is when they have the buy one get one 1/2 sales or the buy 2 get 1 free sales on manga and they haven't had one in a while.
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rage-demon
 Posts: 356 Location: WA, USA |
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You know, the sad thing is that Suncoast has the best selection of manga that i've found so far. They beat both Barnes and Nobel and Walden Books. Keep in mind that i'm talking about the area just north of Seattle, not some unpopulated place out in the middle of nowhere. Truthfully i'm happy with their selection, but i still find it easier to order manga online through amazon.com. Although there is also a Japanese hobby shop what has been special ordering manga just for me  . I just email the owner a nice long list and every now and then he gets in a big order for me and me alone 
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remmus2k
Posts: 1 |
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Some people are steriotyping anime as some kind of cartoon and that pisses me off
 . I don't know what us anime fans can do about it, the other people are too busy destroying anime to even know or care. I can't say what these people are thinking but to me they act like selfish chrildren who only listens to one source.
One time I was ordering The Anime Network and the guy whom I was trying to order it from didn't understood what it is. When I told him what it was he laughed and hung up. I had to call their manager but I could do nothing about it. Now I don't have that channel cause of that idiot but when I tried agian they told me they canceled it because it was a channel based on "cartoons". I can do nothing but ged mad. I get alot of experiences like this all the time. The only other people who also watch anime in my school are my two friends. 
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JJR
Posts: 12 Location: Omaha, NE |
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Well its nice to see that another Musicland employee actually responded to their best of ability too on this subject. Granted I am envious of you working at a Media Play I can say a few things are different between all of the chains for certain reasons (a few things I won't go into as I don't want my butt reamed by corporate) but in the end it comes down to this - each store is well another store.
Suncoast and MP actually have different sales running, but at times we do have items priced the same. (like Suncoast locations do not share the 10% special order discount year round - its this month only) We also have different types of customers and their tolerences are way different as well. (but then again, MP and SG do as well) Yeah, I don't buy anime from work ether. (especially ADV....) but I will with Manga and the Trend goods. (aka Toys) Customer wise, I always recomend to abuse the Replay program and to reserve reserve reserve! Buy gift cards on triple pts days and buy a game system! Buy gift cards to pay for titles later and use the Replay certificates on the same transaction! The gift card is your friend in abusing the system. (also after holiday sales too...) |
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Luff-Chan
 Posts: 79 Location: Scottsdale, AZ |
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Well, I finally went to my Suncoast on Friday, and looked. Of course all the mature manga was gone. Couldn't say the same about anime though. They seemed to have all the Beserk and such there. I was going to yell at the employee's but they seemed to know nothing but to take it down and not have it in the store. They said to buy my manga at Atomic Comics and not there. (atomic comics was accross the street from the mall)
Just to say, I am sick of the whole Replay Card thing. They never let me in to say no, I open my mouth to say something, and they seem to add MORE. They just don't accept that I don't live near any Suncoast stores! Luckily, I went again, and a guy did a 10 second version of it. I was happy Ok, done now.
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JJR
Posts: 12 Location: Omaha, NE |
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Usually PT employees push it more than Keys/Managers as they can (and will) be fired if their numbers go down.
I honestly could care less about the long talks for most people - the ones that would get like $25 right off the bat I will make it be WELL known but in the end I just see it as a person who is willing to pay more than they need to at Suncoast. |
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Luff-Chan
Posts: 79 Location: Scottsdale, AZ |
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 I was having trouble e-mailing them, so I looked. And I couldn't find their coorporate address. Does anyone know if it was on their website?
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