barnes and nobles exclusive vs hot topic

[Queen of Marvel]

They aren't ruined, spring takes getting used to, but I hardly think about it now.

Yes!

[Bernie]

I am going to be the one who say's there are way too many exclusives out there period.....

but that is the angry old sports card collector in me that blames inserts for the decline in value in cards in general..........

I am not an exclusive hunter in general, but I have lucked across some pretty cool pieces. I am a base set kind of guy......

[PrincessDaisy]

I wish more stores in Canada would carry them... and have exclusives .

HMV is ok but sometimes it can be a PITA to find thins because they're all over the store or not even on the floor. "Oh hang on we don;t keep those out here let me get them from the back room."

[mstg25]

Don't forget the B&N Minions 3-Pack...

[wessco]

I must say that the employees are much more helpful at Hot Topic than they are at B&N. Maybe because I am always in there looking for the ponies. In B&N I find the employees very snippety and rude when you ask for them to help. I also think most B&Ns don't stock well so I hate when they get in an exclusive.

Wow, It sounds like you are talking about the stores where I live. B&N employees rarely ask if I need help and always give rude when I bring toys to the checkout, the kids that work at HT on the other hand go out of their way to be helpful

[Funko Pop! Fan16]

I have to admit that HT employees are nicer.
BAM employees where I'm at are super helpful as well.
B&N, they are pretty nice at the one I go to, they don't ask to help/offer as much as HT, but they do sometimes

[ahaubert80]

i hate all exclusives, but thats just me

Yes, that. First and foremost, exclusives foster scalping and higher prices on the secondary market. What was once a nice perk (finding something somewhere that you'd never seen elsewhere) has become an industry. Particularly when, as noted above, it's staff and scalpers who wind up taking first pick and leaving the 'normal' folk out in the cold.

That's why you make friends with the Hot Topic staff and then you'll be one of the people they call when the new stuff arrives. The staff at my local store are happy to help you find elusive items if they know you're a collector trying to land a missing item for your collection and not flipper that's just going to sell it on eBay.

[ntnon]

i hate all exclusives, but thats just me

Yes, that. First and foremost, exclusives foster scalping and higher prices on the secondary market. What was once a nice perk (finding something somewhere that you'd never seen elsewhere) has become an industry. Particularly when, as noted above, it's staff and scalpers who wind up taking first pick and leaving the 'normal' folk out in the cold.

That's why you make friends with the Hot Topic staff and then you'll be one of the people they call when the new stuff arrives. The staff at my local store are happy to help you find elusive items if they know you're a collector trying to land a missing item for your collection and not flipper that's just going to sell it on eBay.

There are certainly some great staff at many shops, and that's always nice to hear about.

[JTelcontar]

Both having exclusives works for me, but I would prefer that B&N had more than HT. Ever since I've moved to NC from CA, I've had absolutely zero luck getting exclusives at my local HT. Either the employees are lying to me, or they are the ones buying the exclusives, or something... it's just so fishy every time I call. :/ Call Wednesday and they haven't received their shipment. Call the very next day and suddenly they are all sold out of XYZ Exclusive and someone came in and bought them all days ago. WHAT?! Really disappointed since I can't drive 30 mins there and back every day of the week to check if they are lying to me or not. And forget about getting on a "call list" no matter how nice I am to them. BAH. (Sorry, still feeling angsty about this! :P)

B&N on the other hand always has a very large assortment of different POPs in the stores I've been to (both in NC and CA). I've had luck calling and asking about specific ones, and they also seem to have stock of their exclusives when I go in around release time (grabbed their Metallic Optimus Prime last night! woot!).

Yeah, sure, the "thrill of the hunt" to find an exclusive can be fun... But for me personally, the fun is completely drained when it seems like the employees are lying to your face.

[lexiyrock]

Both having exclusives works for me, but I would prefer that B&N had more than HT. Ever since I've moved to NC from CA, I've had absolutely zero luck getting exclusives at my local HT. Either the employees are lying to me, or they are the ones buying the exclusives, or something... it's just so fishy every time I call. :/ Call Wednesday and they haven't received their shipment. Call the very next day and suddenly they are all sold out of XYZ Exclusive and someone came in and bought them all days ago. WHAT?! Really disappointed since I can't drive 30 mins there and back every day of the week to check if they are lying to me or not. And forget about getting on a "call list" no matter how nice I am to them. BAH. (Sorry, still feeling angsty about this! :P)

B&N on the other hand always has a very large assortment of different POPs in the stores I've been to (both in NC and CA). I've had luck calling and asking about specific ones, and they also seem to have stock of their exclusives when I go in around release time (grabbed their Metallic Optimus Prime last night! woot!).

Yeah, sure, the "thrill of the hunt" to find an exclusive can be fun... But for me personally, the fun is completely drained when it seems like the employees are lying to your face.

And not to mention other than the employees buying the exclusives, HT stores are located usually inside malls which are crowded with young people who would buy these stuff. In contrast, you got to drive to a BN to get them specifically.

[fullmetalderpyhooves]

I dislike my HT. Most of the time the items are over retail (and the sales would be great but I'm usually only buying one item, not 2 or 10) and I would prefer B&N for the atmosphere. Like others said, though, B&N has less selection...

[Slim]

I prefer Barnes and Noble because its more accessible for me than Hot Topic