| Author |
Discussion |
Connor1313
Collector in Training
Posts: 2
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 20, 2016 5:55:48 pm
- Hi guys, I work at a shop and after recognizing "comic books" as a sales weakness I decided to take over and it's created a pretty decent profit since starting my new strategy.
Now the question I have is a very common question.....with a bit of a twist.
I'm trying to convince the stores owner to start carrying a retail line. He was a comic collector in the late 80's early 90's and watched comic shops shut down left and right.
In our community there is already one established seller who has been in business for a good twenty years, and yes would be direct competition....they however do not buy collections and actually carry less back issues than we do.
Now I believe I have covered all my bases with funding, special strategies(pre bagging and boarding/longer store hours) and incentives.(Selling at cover price in a CAD market)
Now the real question is would you buy retail books from a " shop"?(we are extremely retail friendly.....50/50 almost)
If you wouldn't, what would be your hangups on why not?
Would you change your go to shop for a 30% discount?
In short do you think this idea is feasible or flawed?
Thank you all for any help you can provide.
|
|
|
junobeach
Wise Beyond the Years
moderator 
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
Posts: 2148
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 20, 2016 10:10:04 pm
- I wouldn't care where I got my books if it had a 30% discount. You could sell them out of a dumpster if you wanted.
|
af15
Grasshopper
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 193
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 20, 2016 10:50:14 pm
- Agreed that there would be absolutely no issues with buying comics at a shop. Probably the biggest issue on your side is marketing to the local collectors that you have the product.
|
Veenstra1
Collector in Training
Location: Alberta
Posts: 65
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 20, 2016 11:07:04 pm
- Friendly competition is good for all. 30% might make someone feel richer than they are and they'll pick something else up from your establishment!
|
StillOnly35Cents
Teacher
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 288
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 21, 2016 10:13:13 am
- How big is your shop? The stars around here aren't megastores like the one on tv.
It seems like to do it right, it would have to take over the shelf space.
|
stormraider
Teacher
Posts: 257
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 21, 2016 11:57:53 am
Connor1313 said:
Hi guys, I work at a shop and after recognizing "comic books" as a sales weakness I decided to take over and it's created a pretty decent profit since starting my new strategy.
Now the question I have is a very common question.....with a bit of a twist.
I'm trying to convince the stores owner to start carrying a retail line. He was a comic collector in the late 80's early 90's and watched comic shops shut down left and right.
In our community there is already one established seller who has been in business for a good twenty years, and yes would be direct competition....they however do not buy collections and actually carry less back issues than we do.
Now I believe I have covered all my bases with funding, special strategies(pre bagging and boarding/longer store hours) and incentives.(Selling at cover price in a CAD market)
Now the real question is would you buy retail books from a " shop"?(we are extremely retail friendly.....50/50 almost)
If you wouldn't, what would be your hangups on why not?
Would you change your go to shop for a 30% discount?
In short do you think this idea is feasible or flawed?
Thank you all for any help you can provide.
In my opinion, Do not even go there. Save yourself the headaches. You are a shop. If someone brings in comics then check them out and if there's something that you can resell and make some $$$ then take it in. If not pass. Selling retail comics is not the way to go.
Last edited October 21, 2016 12:00:05 pm
|
Rapha1978
Comic Guru
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 939
My Collection
|
|
Tenzil
Wise Beyond the Years
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1078
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 21, 2016 3:17:53 pm
- When I was buying multiple comics every month there were many comic book shops all over. If I was collecting like that today I would never think about going into a shop to purchase my comics, though if you are located in a smaller town and there is only one other "game in town" I would go to you if I knew about what you provided. In the end it's your business, so good luck with it!
Tenzil
|
Connor1313
Collector in Training
Posts: 2
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 21, 2016 6:25:34 pm
- See the odd twist part about my title is that yes by definition we are a " shop" but I carry something like 30k in new product.... we sell retail MTG haha
We have always focused on used items as our higher margin sales but we can't keep retail graphics cards in the store to save our lives.
So imagine a shop that you could go into and buy a 1070 brand new in the box.
I'm expecting a few dollars and I mean FEW dollars profit off of bringing a retail line in however I expect it to generate and help with the marketing of the back issues where I can then make upwards of 90% profit on items.
But yeah right now with only one store as our competition and them not buying lots I think it's pretty safe.
Thanks for all of the feedback and yes I would love to hear more opinions as I will be having a pitch meeting later next week and could use all the insight to prepare.
|
atom
Wise Beyond the Years
Location: Utah
Posts: 1090
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 22, 2016 1:22:14 am
- I've always wondered why I can't find collectible comics in shops. I don't know about you wanting to get into new comics, dealing with distributors and such, but I don't see any reason why you can't turn some good collectibles into a bit of extra profit.
Have you thought of this. . .maybe you could work WITH the comic shop in town to help turn over some of their higher-end wall stock as a commission deal.Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
|
RipTorn
Collector in Training
Location: South Africa
Posts: 70
My Collection
|
|
banditbren
Collector in Training
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 63
My Collection
|
- Posted: October 31, 2016 4:40:50 pm
- The biggest issue would be getting the people who already have a pull list to switch that pull list to you. i got out of comics for many years then got back into it in the past 4-5. I only recently setup a weekly pull list after realizing I just don't have the time to get in and pick up new issues. The owner of the store said I get a discount doing so, which surprised me. He said having the large number of people with pull lists is the only way he could stay a float. It's a fairly large store that's been around at least 20 years. He sells around 100 copies of the major DC titles a week (Batman, justice League etc.) that's in and around the other stuff. Gives you some ideas of the numbers to keep a store a float.
Basically if you don't have a loyal client base with pull lists they'll take every week it's tough to make money on new comics.
|
Big Boss
Teacher
Posts: 282
My Collection
|
- Posted: January 10, 2017 9:55:02 pm
- If you already have good traffic on collectibles, I would not bother with new product. The profit margins are better on the old stuff and you just risk steering people's money towards lower profit items. You will end up dealing with high maintenance needy customers that waste your time.
|
af15
Grasshopper
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 193
My Collection
|
- Posted: January 11, 2017 12:23:11 am
- It's been a few years now, but I used to shop at a comic shop that didn't carry new books. They made up for it with an amazing backstock for sale. I shopped there for several years -- would spend long Saturdays milling through the books to buy new stuff.
Eventually, they decided to get into new comics and the store was closed within a year and a half. It just wasn't worth it because they were gambling each week on what would or wouldn't sell. One bad week, maybe two, and things go bad fast.
I have to agree wholeheartedly with Big Boss that the margins on the backstock were much better than the new books offered.
|
AmZoMBiE
Wise Beyond the Years
moderator 
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6832
My Collection
|
|
Tenzil
Wise Beyond the Years
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1078
My Collection
|
- Posted: January 12, 2017 2:01:36 am
- Nicely done, Zombie! Pays to keep your eyes open!
Tenzil
|
Big Boss
Teacher
Posts: 282
My Collection
|
- Posted: January 12, 2017 6:11:33 pm
AmZoMBiE said:
Last week i had a shop eyes reopening....
I was helping out a buddy doing some side work at his uncle's house. at the end of the day we went to his uncle shop to get paid. i was rummaging thru the old dusty comic boxes while waiting for his uncle to take care of a customer. and here's what i found...
Ms. Marvel (v1) 1-12, 16, 17, & 20
Spider Woman (v1) 1, 3, 37, 38
G.I. Joe Real American Hero 1, 3-7 (all 1st print)
Spawn Fan Edition 1, 3
Spawn 9
Fury of Firestorm 3, 7
ROM 1
Savage She Hulk 1
New Mutants 1
Ultimate Spider-Man 8 (Mad Engine Polybagged)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends 1
Man-Thing 1
Dazzler 1
Star-Lord Special Edition 1
Okay...heres the craziest part...They are all VF+ - NM+ everyone of them....untouched for decades...all at $2 each...so instead of making $192 cash...i made $120 cash and $800+ in comics lol....
he had full runs of the Ms. Marvel, Savage She Hulk and Spider Woman runs...i'm thinking of going back up there to buy out the Ms. Marvel and Spider Woman runs...
Somebody my age sold their comic collection. I bought all that when it came out and still have it..
|
|
17 posts • Page 1 of 2
|
free price guide and tracking database
