Recent increase in manga prices

[thesirensings]

Has anyone else noticed this? While looking at the last two volumes of Fruit's Basket, I noticed that they were $10.99, while all previous volumes were $9.99. Also, the quality of the paper went down. Junjou Romantica volumes used to be $9.99 as well, but now they are $12.99. Nightschool? From $10.99 to $12.99. Does anyone know why this is happening? Are scanlations to blame? Are the manga publishing companies being forced to up prices because no one buys them anymore and profits are down?

[tofutakeout]

Well it could also be because of Companies. Most Yaoi's have usually been 12.99 but that's because their slightly larger in size.

But it's also the same for anime. Its because of scanilations, downloads and because money is been tight.

[superjaz]

all books are getting pricey, its only going to get worse as e readers become the norm,   there are ways to save, kinokunya membership Card saves 10 % and borders has coupons a lot

[jaybug]

From an old guys view, everything costs more than it did a few months ago. I can't think of one thing that costs the same or less. And they say there is no inflation. My electricity went up, water/sewer, loaf of bread yadda yadda yadda.

WE'll be living like they were in the film Always-Sunset on Third Street. A film I went to see hoping others from here would go see, but noooo! I think it was taken from a manga. I thought it was great.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488870/

[The_Geek]

Standard rate and rules of inflation. 
I get quite a bit of my manga from secondhand book stores and garage sales, I save 50-90% that way.

[VampireFangs103]

Yup. :/ Shojo Beat prices have also raised from 8.99 to 9.99 I believe. With the bad economy and all the scanlations. I suggest anyone in the Portland area to get as much of their manga from Powells if they can. XD

[tofutakeout]

So because of this topic my friend and I decided to investigate prices at Barnes and noble. I think the price inflation only depends on the series and the company that provides it. A lot of series seem to stay the same price and their not some of the most popular series either.

Either way, you'll still get it cheaper at Powells.

[camname21]

You should cross reference the books and prices with the writers, publishers, and who they use to ship them with.  See if you can come up with any correlations there. 

[Banshee]

I know what you are talking about with the prices.  The publisher I really noticed this on was BLU.  One of the books they first published (Black Knight) was only $9.99 while one I picked up a few weeks ago (Madness) was $14.99!!  Talk about sticker shock.  Of course there was at least one price hike between the two, but still there is only about 6 years difference between the publishing date of the two as well.  I find that both a little sad and rather worrisome.   

Blu (or rather TP) isn't the only one that has incerased their prices.  I think everyone has, though they have increased them faster then others.  I know that Viz has only gone up a buck, but then I think they are a more stable company.

As stated before I'm sure the economy played a part, increases in the cost of paper, gas for transport, what have you.  I hadn't thought about the e-readers, but I'm sure that plays a part in things as well.  Heck, I'm sure scanlations aren't helping anything either.

About the paper I did hear on another forum that TP (including BLU) had switched to a diferent paper that was cheaper, but got tons of complants about it (thin paper that tore really easy, and blury art work) and later switched back, or to something else.  I know that I went and checked some of my earlier volumes of Kyo Kara Maoh, and found the page count about the same, but the thickness of the books were quite different.

[cloud-9]

tsubasa went up to 10:99 

[NARUNIK]

It's because Shonen Jump is kicking ass.
WOOT WOOT.

[Kurohime]

I don't know the ins and outs of manga pricing,  but I still find it odd that after naturally higher Japanese prices and import tariffs, new Japanese manga is still HALF the price of American edition manga.  

[Tanuki19]

i was so mad when D.Gray-Man went up to 10 dollars from 8. DX

[Kimiski]

*will be taking advantage of the lower priced manga at Kumoricon* Especially on Sunday

[korin]

I know Tokyopop hasn't been doing so well lately. They canceled a lot of different series. I guess that's part of why I get so mad when I see people camped out in book stores reading manga. This isn't a library and you are breaking the spine on a book someone might want to buy. >:[

[camname21]

Not everyone is breaking the spine, and some of them are there seeing if they like it before they buy.  Sure some just read and leave, but most people read it, see if it is any good, then buy or put it back and look for another.

[Mykath]

I remember when all my Manga was $6ish.

I miss those days. I really can't afford to spend $11 on a volume I can read in an hour. I haven't bought manga without some kind of big discount since the price hikes.

[Tanuki19]

I know Tokyopop hasn't been doing so well lately. They canceled a lot of different series. I guess that's part of why I get so mad when I see people camped out in book stores reading manga. This isn't a library and you are breaking the spine on a book someone might want to buy. >:[

i feel EXACTLY the same way. i constantly go to the library and if they dont have a manga i really want to read, i go to a book store and i buy it. i think the people who run the bookstores should kick those freeloaders out. >:I

[camname21]

Stores kind of like the people who come in and read a bit, it makes you look like you have a healthy store.

[Banshee]

Not everyone is breaking the spine, and some of them are there seeing if they like it before they buy.  Sure some just read and leave, but most people read it, see if it is any good, then buy or put it back and look for another.

While it is true that most people read a little to see if a book is something they might like (I do this as well when I see an unknow title) it is beyond annoying to have people camped out infront of the shelves reading books from cover to cover.  What is worse is when they won't move out of the way and let you get to the books behind them.

Still if people are doing that at least it shows an intrest in the books and the stores are more likely too keep them up and in stock.  I would rather have to step over a few people and look for unbent books if it means the store has a larger selection on hand.  I may go online to find out what the latest releases are, but head to the book store to to check out the actual art work and over all quality of the book.

[camname21]

I usually go to barns and noble (C. town center) for my books, they have a 5-10 person sitting area plus more around the windows for people to read.  I don't see to many people sitting by the self reading, they go to the comfy seats.  The good seats are almost always taken

[Tanuki19]

in the bookstores i go to, the people just sit in the middle of the isle and read the entire book.

[camname21]

in the bookstores i go to, the people just sit in the middle of the isle and read the entire book.

bums

[Tanuki19]

totally. and they always clog up the whole isle so i cant get in.

[cloud-9]

I dont like it when theres 6 of the same book and all of the spines are messed up 

[camname21]

Some people just don't learn that the broken book is the one you read and the rest are their for selling >.< GERRRR

[cloud-9]

every tear is 1$ off the resale value ><

[Saberchan]

What really irritates me is when they put those darn security stickers in the middle of the manga!   It's distracting, ruins the artwork, can leave a sticky residue or even tear the page if you try to remove it after buying! I complained a number of times at Barnes and Noble and they said manga was at high risk of theft or something, so they randomly find a page and place the sticker! D: I had to return a manga because the sticker ruined it...I don't like buying manga when they ruin it like that...Sometimes I get lucky and can find one with the sticker on the first page or two with the ads...or specially order it... but that's such a pain!! You shouldn't have to page through the entire manga to make sure the store didn't ruin it!  

[camname21]

stickers in the manga? I wouldn't buy a book if it was defaced in any way.  Then I would complain to the authors publisher or something, okay only if I wasn't so lazy.  IT COULD HAPPEN!

[Tanuki19]

What really irritates me is when they put those darn security stickers in the middle of the manga!  It's distracting, ruins the artwork, can leave a sticky residue or even tear the page if you try to remove it after buying! I complained a number of times at Barnes and Noble and they said manga was at high risk of theft or something, so they randomly find a page and place the sticker! D: I had to return a manga because the sticker ruined it...I don't like buying manga when they ruin it like that...Sometimes I get lucky and can find one with the sticker on the first page or two with the ads...or specially order it... but that's such a pain!! You shouldn't have to page through the entire manga to make sure the store didn't ruin it! 

oh i know! i just bought a DGM manga the other day and it had one of those barcode stickers in the middle of it. the thing i hate the most about that is they always put them right up near the spine of the book so you have to really bend the spine to get the sticker out. >:[

[Kurohime]

A lot of the manga I have bought have the barcode in the middle of the book somewhere, and I ALWAYS take them out.  I haven't had any rips with them, but I would recommend buying from a different store.  And I'm not sure why sellers here haven't picked up on the Japanese method of unwrapping the front copy and leaving all the rest in their plastic wrap.  I won't buy anything for new price if it's got obvious signs of use, and even a single read breaks the spine enough that the manga puffs out from the center.  And when Powell's has a ready supply of near-mint used manga, it must frustrate the booksellers (and picky customers like me!) to have new copies that look quite used out on the shelves.  

[Zangetsu]

it must frustrate the booksellers (and picky customers like me!) to have new copies that look quite used out on the shelves.  
[/quote]

I know what you mean, I bought a new volume of manga a couple of weeks ago, carelessly, I might add, and after I took it home and put it on the shelf the outside had a white line from the volume being opened way too wide from someone else who had read it at the store.

[@random]

A lot of the manga I have bought have the barcode in the middle of the book somewhere, and I ALWAYS take them out.  I haven't had any rips with them, but I would recommend buying from a different store.  And I'm not sure why sellers here haven't picked up on the Japanese method of unwrapping the front copy and leaving all the rest in their plastic wrap.  I won't buy anything for new price if it's got obvious signs of use, and even a single read breaks the spine enough that the manga puffs out from the center.  And when Powell's has a ready supply of near-mint used manga, it must frustrate the booksellers (and picky customers like me!) to have new copies that look quite used out on the shelves.  

True. There is the argument that shrinkwrapping can potentially damage things (and Lord knows I've seen DVDs with badly-wrinkled outer sleeves, or warped discs inside). But the damage shrinkwrapping can do to a book is almost nonexistent compared to the various kinds of damage caused by someone with a bad case of HOBO grubbing through every page. *shudders*

[kalagei]

I don't entirely believe that scanlations affect the prices that much... it's sort of like music/movie piracy.... where there's a combination of people that read a scan/listen to an mp3/watch a movie, then go and buy it... or they are people that wouldn't have seen it if there wasn't a scanlation (due to lack of money or interest).

Not saying piracy is right or anything though, if you like something, pay for it! That way the person that made it can keep getting the money it takes to make more