Getting Started as a Dealer

[THE_BEYONDER]

Whatever intellectual tools you may have will only be improved and refinded through the educational process.

 

 

Or they could be completely stifled by the experience.

[Mike Bray]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

[COI]

Whatever intellectual tools you may have will only be improved and refinded through the educational process.

 

 

Or they could be completely stifled by the experience.

 

As I said, it's not for everyone. If you're going in for the wrong reasons, or approaching it in the wrong way, you won't get anything out of it.

 

Weight training can be very healthy and rewarding, but if you aren't doing it right, or if you're doing it with unrealistic expectations, you're only going to end up injured and disappointed. That's not to say that weight training in itself is bad; it's all in the approach. School works the same way.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Whatever intellectual tools you may have will only be improved and refinded through the educational process.

 

 

Or they could be completely stifled by the experience.

 

As I said, it's not for everyone. If you're going in for the wrong reasons, or approaching it in the wrong way, you won't get anything out of it.

 

Weight training can be very healthy and rewarding, but if you aren't doing it right, or if you're doing it with unrealistic expectations, you're only going to end up injured and disappointed. That's not to say that weight training in itself is bad; it's all in the approach. School works the same way.

 

 

That's the thing. When it comes to school....."doing it right" doesn't necessarily improve or refine one's intellectual tools. I found it quite easy to maintain high grades at York. Not too difficult to regurgitate the course material in the required format.

 

That's all that's required : Properly formatted regurgitation

 

 

[capt_comics]

Here is a response I gave to James Welborn about dealing:

 

 

Hey James,

 

I started dealing at comic book shows in 1990. Since I had been so active in collecting up to that point (minus the 4 year stint in the Marines) I knew a lot of dealers and had become friends with several. One of them realized I was kind of spinning my wheels so to speak and he suggested getting on "the other side of the table". He sold me a good amount of books at a discount to get started and the rest, as they say is history.

 

I ate into my collection a lot over the years to supplement what I was selling (like to make the backboard display look good, I would bring out row of Superman's from the 40's). Do I regret doing this? Sometimes, yes. But would I have what I do now if I hadn't dipped into my collection? Most likely not.

 

To get to the meat of your questions.

 

Getting started was easy, as I pointed out above. I just needed help from one person. You would be surprised how easy it is. Go to a local comic show in your area, find a dealer you like and just tell him you want to buy a lot of books wholesale. You should be able to get table stock for a average of 20 - 30% depending on what he has. When I say a lot that's what I mean. Tell him you want to buy all his half off stock, or all his $5 books, or all his display. It will get their attention quickly and if they haven't been having a good selling day just might do you a real good deal.

 

Do you make money?

 

Depends on how you price and your attitude towards people. You can have some of the best looking stuff in the place but if it is priced too high it won't sell. If you stand (or sit which is real bad) and read a comic while the public is browsing your wares instead of striking up a conversation with them your not going to sell much. Ask them what their interests are. They may say "I am only looking for spidey #121 in high grade. You may have a 121 but it is only VF. So do you say, I don't have a high grade copy? Or do you pull it out and show it to the person and tell them that it is a very nice presentable copy that they may find suits them just find for a 3rd less than the one that is just a little better over all. You will make more PROFIT from cheap books over the long haul, but it takes LONGER. Example: Buy a box of 275 comics for 25.00 and then sell them for a dollar a piece. That's nearly a 90% profit. But how long does it take you to sell that box? Or purchase a Amazing Spider-man 1 in vg for 1,500.00. Carry it around till you find a buyer at your LOCAL shows and sell it for 1,900.00. Bigger amount of money, but only around 20% profit. Bigger profit, slower time. Smaller profit, faster time. It will take a mix of both to be successful.

 

How to find more books?

 

The over all hardest but really simplest part of the whole thing. You would be surprised how much trading/selling that goes on between dealers at shows. Let's say I got a collection in that has several Golden age books and a whole bunch of mid to lower grade silver. I may of bought it just to get the Gold books. I know you like Silver so I give you a call and say hey James, I've got some new stock in, want to take a look at it? I will try to get a decent return but still let it go at a good price just to recoup my money so I will have it available for the next batch of stuff that comes along.

 

At shows, people come up and say they have things to sell. Some want guide for it. You can't do that and be a dealer. It's not about "cheating someone", it's about giving them as much as you can and still feel good at the end of the day and still make money at the end of the day too.

 

You see dollar boxes at shows right? Dealers trade/sell them to each other for anywhere around 10.00 a long box up to 50.00 a box depending how good it is and how long it has been going to shows. Pay more for new stock (stock that has not been carried to a lot of shows) and pay less for old stock. Always remember that the other dealer may not have the same type of customers that you do so even if his stock is old it may be just what you need for your customers.

 

Remember that dealer friend I told you about in the beginning? He and I are still close after all these years. He has a rep for selling certain types of books and I a different one. So in other words we compliment each other. What's "bad stock" for him is great for me. And the reverse, what I might of carried around for a year trying to sell, he can get from me in trade and sell it within two shows.

 

 

Jeez, I've been typing so long everybody else has left work and gone home!!

 

Hope this helps you some. Keep in mind that for me it was a love of comics that lead to dealing. It wasn't to make a living. I honestly don't think you can mix the both very well. SOME for sure, but not a lot. I wanted to keep too many things instead of selling it. \:\)

 

David

 

D**N there are a lot of dealers on the boards?!?!

[ft88]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

[COI]

Whatever intellectual tools you may have will only be improved and refinded through the educational process.

 

 

Or they could be completely stifled by the experience.

 

As I said, it's not for everyone. If you're going in for the wrong reasons, or approaching it in the wrong way, you won't get anything out of it.

 

Weight training can be very healthy and rewarding, but if you aren't doing it right, or if you're doing it with unrealistic expectations, you're only going to end up injured and disappointed. That's not to say that weight training in itself is bad; it's all in the approach. School works the same way.

 

 

That's the thing. When it comes to school....."doing it right" doesn't necessarily improve or refine one's intellectual tools. I found it quite easy to maintain high grades at York. Not too difficult to regurgitate the course material in the required format.

 

 

Again, you get out of it what you choose to put in. It isn't just about maintaining high grades. Did you select courses, or a major that you would find challenging? A philosophy degree in undergrad is not the same as an engineering degree, for example. Did you do any post-graduate work? Were you ever in a truly competitive course or program?

 

Like I said, school isn't for everyone, and maybe it wasn't for you. But you can't write off the educational process based solely on your own personal experiences.

[HOTFLIPS]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

 

Don't know if you included cost for a booth. If you did, i apologize.

 

$300 in supplies??

[THE_BEYONDER]

Whatever intellectual tools you may have will only be improved and refinded through the educational process.

 

 

Or they could be completely stifled by the experience.

 

As I said, it's not for everyone. If you're going in for the wrong reasons, or approaching it in the wrong way, you won't get anything out of it.

 

Weight training can be very healthy and rewarding, but if you aren't doing it right, or if you're doing it with unrealistic expectations, you're only going to end up injured and disappointed. That's not to say that weight training in itself is bad; it's all in the approach. School works the same way.

 

 

That's the thing. When it comes to school....."doing it right" doesn't necessarily improve or refine one's intellectual tools. I found it quite easy to maintain high grades at York. Not too difficult to regurgitate the course material in the required format.

 

 

Again, you get out of it what you choose to put in. It isn't just about maintaining high grades. Did you select courses, or a major that you would find challenging? A philosophy degree in undergrad is not the same as an engineering degree, for example. Did you do any post-graduate work? Were you ever in a truly competitive course or program?

 

Like I said, school isn't for everyone, and maybe it wasn't for you. But you can't write off the educational process based solely on your own personal experiences.

 

I had a double-major in Psychology & Law in Society

 

I had every intention of going to Osgoode.

 

 

I became disenchanted with the whole process in my 4th year....and walked away.

 

 

Why?

 

Because I didn't want to "think like a lawyer".

 

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

 

[thehumantorch]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

 

Don't know if you included cost for a booth. If you did, i apologize.

 

$300 in supplies??

 

Sure, coke zero, ding dongs and cigs.

[COI]

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

(thumbs u

 

Just don't think that you wasted that time, or that you didn't benefit from your time at york in some way. I guarantee your reading comprehension, writing, and general analytical skills are better for having gone to York.

[MrBedrock]

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

(thumbs u

 

Just don't think that you wasted that time, or that you didn't benefit from your time at york in some way. I guarantee your reading comprehension, writing, and general analytical skills are better for having gone to York.

How can you tell?

[HOTFLIPS]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

 

Don't know if you included cost for a booth. If you did, i apologize.

 

$300 in supplies??

 

Sure, coke zero, ding dongs and cigs.

 

thats the same supplies i take to a show.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

(thumbs u

 

Just don't think that you wasted that time, or that you didn't benefit from your time at york in some way. I guarantee your reading comprehension, writing, and general analytical skills are better for having gone to York.

 

I don't consider that time wasted at all.

 

It was an invaluable experience.

 

 

 

 

[thehumantorch]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

 

Don't know if you included cost for a booth. If you did, i apologize.

 

$300 in supplies??

 

Sure, coke zero, ding dongs and cigs.

 

thats the same supplies i take to a show.

 

I had a feeling there was universal appeal to these items

[Mike Bray]

yup, it doesn't take much to be a dollar box guy at local shows.

 

particularly with so many of the comics, even when bought at 10 cents each, are unsellable at $1 or even 50 cents or even 25 cents

 

hard way to make a living.

 

you can't just buy the stuff randomly.

 

 

dollor box guys and good dollar box guys -- a big difference between the two -- anybody can buy 20 long boxes of 90`s image and malibu drek and put it out for a buck and sit and twiddle their thumbs wondering why they arent selling anything ---- not everybody can put out 30 long boxes of alpha order 80% marvel and dc with more recent and better image , dark horse , idw.... mixed in the remaining 20% --- these are the guys that can sell thru 12 long boxes at a $ then sell off the remaining 18 at $50 a box which is just additional gravy money ........

 

So 12 long boxes = 3000 comics ==> $3000 + $1000 (for the 18 left over) = $4000 - $1500 at cost = $2500 - $300 in supplies = $2200

 

$2200 for a weeks worth of work. OK I'll take it. But how many times can you replicate this in a year?

 

what supplies ? you dont bag and board $1 books for the most part ( or at least i dont ) -- sometimes they are already that way ---- alpha order is all the work that i put in -- and dont forget if they are pretty good boxes to start with you cherry pick out the better books , bronze , hotter current books and all--- last year i bought 60 long boxes for $1000 from a bud that received them as a payment on a debt he had no use for them and flipped them to me -- i pulled 5 long boxes of better stuff out of those and made 3 $3 boxes of bronze ,low grade silver and better modern books to take to shows and still had 2 long boxes of ebay fodder ... along with 55 boxes of alpha order $1 books .....

[COI]

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

(thumbs u

 

Just don't think that you wasted that time, or that you didn't benefit from your time at york in some way. I guarantee your reading comprehension, writing, and general analytical skills are better for having gone to York.

How can you tell?

 

He was a Psychology/Law in Society double-major. Having attended the same school, I'm somewhat familiar with both programs, and both are reading/writing intensive. If he maintained high grades, he obviously did his work, and regardless of how "easy" it may have been for him, he still had to have spent many hours researching, pouring over texts and writing papers. And the kind of reading and writing that is done in an arts program is subjective in nature, so doing well requires the ability to formulate a strong thesis, and to back up that thesis with reasoned arguments. These are all skills that only improve with repetition, and he's had four years of practice that he wouldn't otherwise have had, had he not attended University.

[Transplant]

Different strokes for different folks.....

 

(thumbs u

 

Just don't think that you wasted that time, or that you didn't benefit from your time at york in some way. I guarantee your reading comprehension, writing, and general analytical skills are better for having gone to York.

How can you tell?

 

He was a Psychology/Law in Society double-major. Having attended the same school, I'm somewhat familiar with both programs, and both are reading/writing intensive. If he maintained high grades, he obviously did his work, and regardless of how "easy" it may have been for him, he still had to have spent many hours researching, pouring over texts and writing papers. And the kind of reading and writing that is done in an arts program is subjective in nature, so doing well requires the ability to formulate a strong thesis, and to back up that thesis with reasoned arguments. These are all skills that only improve with repetition, and he's had four years of practice that he wouldn't otherwise have had, had he not attended University.

 

The correct answer is: You can tell because, unlike most Canadians, he no longer drools on the keyboard when posting.

[Comics-n-ERB]

"Jeez, I've been typing so long everybody else has left work and gone home!!"

 

Does this mean that you have a "regular" job, besides the comic book dealings?

 

Yep, I've got a "real" job! ! j/k I know lots of great folks that make a living at selling comics full time. I don't sell comics for a living, I own a business in manufacturing; "the regular job".

 

As with anything in life, you make the most of what you do. Many "dealers" just work shows on the weekends. And quite a few do it as a full time job and nothing else. It's great if you can work full time in something that you enjoy; whether it is comics, or manufacturing, or flipping burgers. And it is also great if you can combine your hobby with making some money too.

[the blob]

So, if there are so many opportunities to buy long boxes from dealers after a weekend of a tough show... doesn't that tell you something about being a dealer with long boxes of inventory and doing shows?

_____________

 

exactamundo

 

you really have to be careful about buying and not just grabbing a box because it's $25. there is stuff that will never sell....at virtually any price...unless you dump it at the end of the show to some other guy thinking he can turn his $25 investment into 300 dollar box books. yes, sure, dealers get stuck with this stuff all the time, but presumably they also got some good stuff in the transaction as well.

 

now, if the dealer let's you put together a long box of books...picking from the 25 boxes he has left at the end of the show, and assuming he doesn't have total krapola, then yes, if you can somehow swing that then $25 a box is pretty good. why they'd let themselves be cherry picked, even at the end of a show, is beyond me though.

 

actually, we saw metro unload some bulk long boxes here a couple of months ago, presumably leftovers from collections they've bought, but not the type of stuff they bother selling. that was more than 10 cents abook i think, but that would actually make pretty good show stock and there was probably a long box or three worth of books in there that were better than dollar box books...maybe more. aside from coming in too late to the game, pulling the trigger and trying to sneak 20+ long boxes into the house would probably mean divorce for me and sleeping on my mother's couch with her stinky dog. but rob, if you want to go that route, that would have been a good way to go.