Would you shop at a comic store like this??

[3319comics]

I dont think he is saying no new issues, just not flooding the store with nothing but new stuff, which makes you have to have nothing but boxes of the junk layin around to use in the firplace.

 

I like the idea of a focus of a balanced store. What are people having to do now, getting new junk at the store then back issues online? Why not best of both worlds.

[Scrooge]

Yes, I would of course.

 

You should however ask yourself how many people are actually actively buying back issues.

 

I do but I wouldn't see myself go through your door more than every other month for fear that I would see the same books over and over.

 

Our local comic show is also every other month and that's just about right for the local dealers to have new stuff / switch their box inventory at the show. Some, I don't look at their stuff any more since I've seen it all already.

 

So, yes, the critical point is the turnover b/c I'd rather pay more than eBay rates (that some one mentioned but wouldn't be sustainable) for the junk I buy: Dells, Westerns, ... since shipping is killing that idea. Many books I don't buy off eBay but I'd spend $$ if locally accessible to me. (thumbs u

[jools&jim]

 

It's not easy going, I'm sure, and the demographics are different (and changing again), but I shop at several vinyl record stores in the MD/PA area which are operating under these same basic principles: they don't sell new CDs (a dying medium anyway), have both "graded" upscale stock and bargain bins, buy collections all the time, and rely on stock turns and new acquisitions to keep customers coming back for more. Most of them also sell on eBay, and via other e-commerce sites (gemm.com, Amazon, etc.), to supplement (or enable) foot traffic in their stores. On the other hand, some are also located in low-rent districts...which says a lot.

 

At best, I'm guessing these are shoestring operations, or part-time sidelines for retirees or hobbyists with other, more regular sources of income. Still, they do exist. And some of them are clearly full-time, going concerns: Joe's Record Paradise, for instance, has been around, in one form or another, since 1974. So it is possible...

[shadroch]

As far as constantly turning the back issue supply, the ideal would be to have a co-op arraingment with several stores not in your immediate sales area. You could rotate the stock between them and it would appear to be fresh without constantly

having to lay out cash for it.

That said, I don't think there would be enough business to justify the expenses of a full time shop. Perhaps a permanent booth in an indoor weekend flea market.

[sckao]

There is also a vast difference in the amount of time it takes to put out some new books out on the racks versus taking in a collection, strictly grading each copy, then rebagging and pricing each comic...

 

If you have quarter bins and dollar bins, then you need to start differentiating the comic books somehow... If they're not worth bagging, then you need to start stamping comics.

 

 

 

[the blob]

while new issues aren't a big deal to me either, i do wonder how a store like this would survive without the profits from new books paying the rent.

 

it would likely need to be in a relatively big city and that's also the problem because customers in a big city will also have the opportunity to go to numerous shows every year and the store would have to compete with that sort of pricing for their non-primo stuff, which, of course, is 99% of their inventory.

 

like many collectors, i'll buy back issues from my LCSes when they're priced right or even pay more than I "need" if it's something i really want, but like most collectors my LCSes are where I buy a minority of my vintage back issues (i do buy a lot of more recent stuff out of their discount overstock boxes which I don't bother with online or at shows)

 

yes, a well run back issue section with good pricing, fair grading, etc. is going to generate more than the 5% number we see a quoted a lot (although i know bedrock says it's just not a big chunk of his business). I can't imagine, for example, that back issues at Roger's Time Machine in Manhattan are not substantially more than 5% of their #s (I cite them because they probably have the most floor space devoted to pre-1980 vintage books of any shop i've been in).

[Stronguy]

There was actually a store similar to that in San Antonio, except they sold new comic too.

 

They were the only store in town who actively sought out new inventory and made and offers (although not always what the sell wanted to hear) on just about everything that walked through the door.

Older books in top grade were priced at a premium and moved well.

Lower grade books were usually discounted so they would move out the door freely.

Many issues (silver and bronze) were stocked in multiple, varying grades allowing the buyer to decide just where their price point was.

Trades were sold at a discount... new and used.

Several trades were sold on a returnable basis if you didn't like them (but few ever came back).

 

They were only open for a few years (3?) before the owner moved out of town for family reasons. However, in that brief time the store did very, very well.

[the blob]

"Might even go there before hitting eBay if I knew they were keeping prices to eBay or these boards level of prices."

 

What's an ebay price?

 

A store SHOULD be more expensive than ebay. Putting aside higher overhead costs (though ebay keeps raising their prices), you actually know what you're getting in the store condition-wise That should be worth some sort of premium provided that the store is not much of a schlep to get to.

 

Also, when comparing brick and mortar prices to ebay prices are you adding in $3-$5 for shipping in favor of the store?

 

I mean, something might sell for $1 on ebay but wind up costing you $4-$5 to get to your home. Yes, i know, get combined shipping, spread out the costs, but not every seller is going to have enough at the right price to make it worthwhile and you wind up buying stuff that's not on the top of your list simply to save on shipping.

[3319comics]

What if the store added in all those others things we like . For example: cgc submission center? pre screen- grading your books? drop off place to get cgc ss done? sketches? etc?

[the blob]

it kindah surprises my that there are comic shops who blow off potential collections walking in the door. when someone calls just be honest...if it's all post 1980whatever stuff I am going to pay almost nothing for it and if it's beat up 70's stuff I won't be paying much more. all the shops i have spent much time in never told someone not to bother coming in because you never know what's going to be mixed in with the junk.

[3319comics]

shops around me, mostly wont take either pre or post. They dont want new stuff cause thats what they r swimming in and the pre 80s stuff they will give you peeny on the pound or tell you , Why dont you try ebay??

[the blob]

What if the store added in all those others things we like . For example: cgc submission center? pre screen- grading your books? drop off place to get cgc ss done? sketches? etc?

 

CGC is such a small piece of the comic collector puzzle I think it wouldn't add much. You really would have to be in one of the biggest cities to generate much extra revenue off that. If you were, I could see how being a CGC destination would help. If my LCS was a submission center I'd probably use them for that.

[Stronguy]

Buy the drek for a nickle and sell it for a dime. At the end of the year donate it all and take a write off.

[lizards2]

Personally, I don't attend conventions or go to comic book stores anymore. The convenience of online shopping is too great, and the detriments of in person shopping (stress headaches, the stench, the time and rarely finding anything to buy) make me never want to do that again.

[Stronguy]

One of the biggest problems with creating a setup like this is finding qualified staff. And unless you're going to be around the shop all day every day you need someone. People with the kind of knowledge it takes to make a good deal on the spot (with your money) are few and far between. And finding someone you can trust to not personally cherry pick that new collection he just bought (with your money)... forget about it.

[chrisco37]

It sounds great, and I would certainly go there.

 

I do not think it's economically possible for a store to last long term only on back issue and supply sales though.

 

In a large city (where there may be enough deep pockets to buy prime material) the rent would be too high to sustain it. Mot of your money would probably come from online sales, so why put out the cash for the store front.

 

After some of the larger cons, you hear people complaining about slow sales. And that's the perfect storm (ie, a bunch of collectors in one spot at the same time). Imagine that on a day-to-day basis.

 

You'd have to stay stocked with prime material. Even then, it'd be really tough. The bulk of your sales would still have to come from online.

[Stronguy]

It sounds great, and I would certainly go there.

 

I do not think it's economically possible for a store to last long term only on back issue and supply sales though.

 

In a large city (where there may be enough deep pockets to buy prime material) the rent would be too high to sustain it. Mot of your money would probably come from online sales, so why put out the cash for the store front.

 

After some of the larger cons, you hear people complaining about slow sales. And that's the perfect storm (ie, a bunch of collectors in one spot at the same time). Imagine that on a day-to-day basis.

 

You'd have to stay stocked with prime material. Even then, it'd be really tough. The bulk of your sales would still have to come from online.

 

You keep the storefront open for the books that walk in the door. If the drek does nothing more than cover the rent it's worth the one or two great collections a year that walk in.

 

I think a store like this would have to be in cahoots with someone (or group) who is out beating the bushes for new material all the time. Think something like the a retail front for NeatStuff.

[shadroch]

If something brings clients into a business, it doesn't have to generate profits.

As an example- in the early 90s, when fax machines were not all that common, I offered free fax services to anyone needing to send a job application. Didn't generate a dime of profit in and of itself but generated free publicity and some people who used the services became regulars.

I'm not sure what the criteria is to become a CGC submission center, but for a store hoping to succeed as a back issue specialist, this would seem to be a must.

 

[sniderwj]

"Might even go there before hitting eBay if I knew they were keeping prices to eBay or these boards level of prices."

 

What's an ebay price?

 

A store SHOULD be more expensive than ebay. Putting aside higher overhead costs (though ebay keeps raising their prices), you actually know what you're getting in the store condition-wise That should be worth some sort of premium provided that the store is not much of a schlep to get to.

 

Also, when comparing brick and mortar prices to ebay prices are you adding in $3-$5 for shipping in favor of the store?

 

I mean, something might sell for $1 on ebay but wind up costing you $4-$5 to get to your home. Yes, i know, get combined shipping, spread out the costs, but not every seller is going to have enough at the right price to make it worthwhile and you wind up buying stuff that's not on the top of your list simply to save on shipping.

 

You are correct that you need to add in prices for shipping and I do that. If I can get something off of eBay for $1 plus $5 shipping but if the store has the same for $10 I can wait and have it shipped to me.

 

This has to assume that the grades are the same. Just like at a store you are going to know on eBay who is right on with their grading. If I know that the store is giving me a stronger grade and better service I will probably go there but if I can get something similar online and save a ton of money I'll end up going there. DCBService.com is the best example I can think of. Switching to them I was saving $40 or more a month and everything was coming in at an acceptible condition.

[the blob]

After some of the larger cons, you hear people complaining about slow sales. And that's the perfect storm (ie, a bunch of collectors in one spot at the same time). Imagine that on a day-to-day basis.

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yes, but that's after a dealer has spent like $5-15K to attend the show. $10K in sales over 2 days is plenty of sales, but might not be enough to turn a profit.