Better Late Than Never: Marvel Goes Same Day Digital

[CConn]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-same-day-digital-111103.html

They really need to do DC's price drop thing too, though.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Yeah. If they dropped their prices like DC did then they might actually turn me around from the bitter fan I am today. The digital thing does nothing for me.

 

[hippie_hunter]

When DC annihilates Marvel in dollar share by quite a sizable amount despite the plethora of variant covers, far more product, and far more $3.99 titles (along with Fear Itself #7 being $4.99) than DC, Marvel has a problem.

I think a price cut would do wonders for their business.

 

[THANOSRULES]

Yeah why would you pay the same price when you don't even get the product

 

[SpideyInATree]

It's nice to see same day digital from Marvel but, like has already been pointed out, if they don't drop those prices they are just going to further alienate fans. Only 3.99 book I get from Marvel right now is Amazing Spider-Man. I'll be dropping FF, even though I do enjoy Hickman's story, but now they are "reintroducing" Fantastic Four. So, you'll have to get FF and Fantastic Four? Seriously? Sometimes I wonder if Marvel realizes what their doing business wise. All that their doing is making it easier for me to drop certain books and make some room for more DC or Image books.

 

[kguillou]

This digital move means NOTHING if prices aren't dropped. If i were Marvel i would try and one-up DC by making their books even cheaper. Like $1.50 after one month of release. Marvel is still completely, absolutely DELUSIONAL in thinking new people are going to pay $4 for a digital book. It's simple economics 101, people are not going to do it plain and simple. Me for example, i've been dying to read Ultimate Comics Spiderman and Hickman's new Ultimates book, but i refuse to pay $4 for them, so I'm going to wait to buy the trades online where i could get the collection for a much cheaper price than the individual issues. But if Marvel could entice me with a substantially cheaper digital copy, i would gladly buy the individual issues. Thats why DC's been getting alot of my dollars lately. About 3 weeks ago I bought all 6 issues of DC New Frontier for 99 cents an issue, you just cannot beat that kind of deal.

 

[CConn]

While you just pretty much stated my exact opinion, the way you said it makes me want to disagree with you.

 

[kguillou]

Lol maybe my post was a little too "ranty". All im saying is...if marvel eases up on their prices for digital bokks it would be extremely beneficial to them as opposed to believing new readers will pay 4 bucks for any of their titles.

 

[CConn]

It's nice to see same day digital from Marvel but, like has already been pointed out, if they don't drop those prices they are just going to further alienate fans. Only 3.99 book I get from Marvel right now is Amazing Spider-Man. I'll be dropping FF, even though I do enjoy Hickman's story, but now they are "reintroducing" Fantastic Four. So, you'll have to get FF and Fantastic Four? Seriously? Sometimes I wonder if Marvel realizes what their doing business wise. All that their doing is making it easier for me to drop certain books and make some room for more DC or Image books.

But isn't both Fantastic Four and FF going to be $2.99?

 

[E-Man]

I think they should do DC one better and drop the debut price of digital to $1.99 instead of waiting for a month after that. The price expectation for digital items is different from what you get in physical stores, and there is always the idea of making digital items impulse buys. With digital it's so easy to point, click and buy,while if you're in a store you hold it and think about it for a minute.

 

[THANOSRULES]

This digital move means NOTHING if prices aren't dropped. If i were Marvel i would try and one-up DC by making their books even cheaper. Like $1.50 after one month of release. Marvel is still completely, absolutely DELUSIONAL in thinking new people are going to pay $4 for a digital book. It's simple economics 101, people are not going to do it plain and simple. Me for example, i've been dying to read Ultimate Comics Spiderman and Hickman's new Ultimates book, but i refuse to pay $4 for them, so I'm going to wait to buy the trades online where i could get the collection for a much cheaper price than the individual issues. But if Marvel could entice me with a substantially cheaper digital copy, i would gladly buy the individual issues. Thats why DC's been getting alot of my dollars lately. About 3 weeks ago I bought all 6 issues of DC New Frontier for 99 cents an issue, you just cannot beat that kind of deal.

IN general, I think your phrase "delusional" just about sums up Marvel's comic book management for awhile now

 

[kguillou]

I don't think Marvel's stupid, everything we're saying i believe they are well aware of. I just think that they've made the firm decision that they do not want to risk dropping their dollar revenue by dropping their prices on books to lure in new readers. They've decided they're just going to squeeze the pennies out of their existing fanbase and hope everything works out. It's such a damn shame. With Marvel dominating the box office with their movies, especially with their upcoming juggernaut The Avengers, now would be the perfect time to lower prices to entice possible newcomers.

 

[CConn]

Marvel management honestly just seem like a bunch of *****y *****es.

 

[THANOSRULES]

I don't think Marvel's stupid, everything we're saying i believe they are well aware of. I just think that they've made the firm decision that they do not want to risk dropping their dollar revenue by dropping their prices on books to lure in new readers. They've decided they're just going to squeeze the pennies out of their existing fanbase and hope everything works out. It's such a damn shame. With Marvel dominating the box office with their movies, especially with their upcoming juggernaut The Avengers, now would be the perfect time to lower prices to entice possible newcomers.

Have you seen the latest sales figures? Even after the 2 issues, DC has nearly double the market share!

 

[CConn]

Which is probably why they've suddenly decided to go fully digital.

If DC continues to have the market share for another 3-4 months, I'm betting then we'll see Marvel start to talk about pricing changes.

Of course, I think it'll be kind of a tall order for DC to maintain their current sales.