Comic Store Salaries

[a_mysterious_penguin-migra]

Hey all. I'm thinking about trying to get a job with one of the local comic stores here in San Diego, and I was wondering if anyone knows what they usually pay. I imagine it'll be minimum wage for most, but I'm hoping my age/experience (28, with management experience), proficiency with computers (back issue database maybe?), and web design skills might make me a more valuable potential employee. Anyone know if I can reasonably hope for something in the $12+ range to start?

[blowout]

Great forum name. Welcome

[deathlok]

 

Seriously most of the LCS I know barely make any money at all. You are correct that they would only pay minimum wage or close to that. It's not that they don't want to pay more, they just don't have the cash flow to do that. Good Luck though.

[BassGMan]

Back in 1989 when a friend and I owned a comic store for one year (before closing) all we could pay our one employee was $6.00 an hour in comics. Well, he got a 40% discount even with that so he really received $10.00 an hour worth of comics at retail. Actually, he was quite happy with that as he was on some kind of state assistance program due to having back problems. Couldn't even pay him a dime in cash . End of story. ------Sid

[Murph]

If you can find a bigger dealer, such as Mile High. I would guess you MIGHT be able to pull 12/hour. Anyone else probably won't be paying you much more than 6/hour

 

Brian

[lighthouse]

Of course, minimum wage in California is much higher than $6 an hour... so you'd certainly break that...

 

There are two reasons why it is unlikely you will find a comic shop job paying $12 an hour.

 

1. Most stores just don't make enough money to pay out those kinds of wages. Much of the work that needs to be done on a regular basis is grunt work. It's not terribly difficult to bag and board books, or sort them, or pull them for customers. Most stores don't even carry extensive amounts of back issues, and the ones that do typically just have one guy who is trusted to grade and price them. It takes far too long to train someone to grade properly to ever see a return on your investment as a shop owner.

 

2. It is extremely easy to steal from a comic store you work in. Because specific item tracking is nearly impossible, there is no way for most shops to prevent employees from stealing merchandise. Any light-fingered employee worth his salt can take home $50-$100 worth of inventory at the end of any shift without getting caught. It gets even more likely if the shop deals in back issues. When a collection comes through the door with $2K worth of books and the guy wants $80 for it, how likely do you think it is that the owner will notice if only $1500 worth of books are there when he arrives. Giddy employee tells him about this great buy of $1500 worth of stuff for $80, and he's never going to know he just had $500 worth of merchandise stolen from him.

 

I have paid employees $12 an hour in my shop in the past, and I will probably do it again. But the reasons those employees were worth far more than $12 an hour to me had nothing to do with the skills they had when they walked in the door. They were worth more than that because I knew I could trust them, absolutely and without question.

 

The employees who made $12 an hour working for me all started at minimum wage (or working for trade). I learned to trust them first, then gradually gave them more and more responsibility with additional compensation. There is no way I would ever hire an employee at that kind of wage to start, because I would be out $2K before I even really knew what I was getting for my money. There probably aren't ten comic shops in the country that could afford to spend $2K getting an employee up to speed before they even knew if he/she was going to work out... The budget for employee training just isn't there...

[COI]

(28, with management experience), proficiency with computers (back issue database maybe?),

 

No offense, but you obviously are over-qualified. Instead of going after a job best suited for 16 year olds, I would aim a little higher. If you really want to work in a comic shop, go for a job that pays decently, save up some money, and open up your own place. To me, that sounds a little better than working minimum wage.

[JMcD]

2. It is extremely easy to steal from a comic store you work in. Because specific item tracking is nearly impossible, there is no way for most shops to prevent employees from stealing merchandise. Any light-fingered employee worth his salt can take home $50-$100 worth of inventory at the end of any shift without getting caught. It gets even more likely if the shop deals in back issues. When a collection comes through the door with $2K worth of books and the guy wants $80 for it, how likely do you think it is that the owner will notice if only $1500 worth of books are there when he arrives. Giddy employee tells him about this great buy of $1500 worth of stuff for $80, and he's never going to know he just had $500 worth of merchandise stolen from him.

 

I think I'll work in a comic shop when I'm older....

[supapimp]

in the city it just got bumped up $8.50 passed by voters in the last election. it actually caused quite a storm with restaurant owners claiming they'll have to raise menu prices or lay of employees since they still make tips on top of their pay.

[sterlingcomics]

Hey all. I'm thinking about trying to get a job with one of the local comic stores here in San Diego, and I was wondering if anyone knows what they usually pay. I imagine it'll be minimum wage for most, but I'm hoping my age/experience (28, with management experience), proficiency with computers (back issue database maybe?), and web design skills might make me a more valuable potential employee. Anyone know if I can reasonably hope for something in the $12+ range to start?

 

Although the IT field has somewhat fizzled, I would try to hone/develop your computer skills and go that route..it's one thing to like comics, it's another thing to run a business and make a living doing it. From what Gates tells me, there's still a great many problems waiting to be solved by next generation developers and wizards...

[Rip]

I worked for a large comic book store part time for about 4 years on top of my real job. Forget about $12 a hour. The best way to make your money is to see what deals they can give you on top of your hourly rate. But honestly I'd forget about the idea if I were you.

[fiendish]

Even then, I doubt it.

 

I visited the Mile High in Garden Grove, CA, this evening, interested in looking at their CGC books. I noticed four in a glass case, but could not, for the life of me, despite there being four clerks on duty, get them the least bit interested in helping me.

 

Retail is about customer service. There ain't none at Mile High.

[Rob]

Even then, I doubt it.

 

I visited the Mile High in Garden Grove, CA, this evening, interested in looking at their CGC books. I noticed four in a glass case, but could not, for the life of me, despite there being four clerks on duty, get them the least bit interested in helping me.

 

Retail is about customer service. There ain't none at Mile High.

 

I have that issue with Atomic Comics, a Phoenix chain with 3 stores. I wrote a letter to them back in '95 about it, and the owner told me last year that he still has it up on his wall. I hate feeling uncomfortable to ask for help. I shouldn't even have to ask for help. Then, they roll their eyes at you. "Yeah Chief, everyone and their brother has been asking for Action 812. You're a little late." Well, excuse me for wanting to give you business.

 

It just helps to think that I'm an educated professional, and make more than they do.

[a_mysterious_penguin-migra]

Thanks for the replies folks. I kinda figured that this would be the case. As someone mentioned, opening my own store is my ultimate intent, so this was more of a market research project for me than anything else. However, I still need to pay the bills while I'm doing that research! I guess I'll probably have to go another route though.

 

Anywho, thanks again.

 

Oh, and Lighthouse, is there really that much employee theft in the comics industry?! If so, that sounds like a pretty good reason not to hire the minimum wage 16 year-olds who are prone to do that kind of thing. (My apologies to any teenagers on the board who might be offended by that. )

[BassGMan]

I would suggest that anyone think twice, maybe three times before opening a comic book stores these days.

 

With that said, I have mentioned this on these boards before, but from my experience most comic shops have large back issue inventories that don't really move that much. It would seem well worth it to me to hire somebody who was not only trustworthy but profficient with both comic books and Ebay and have him be the comic shop's full time Ebay employee. $12 per hour seems very reasonable depending on how fast and efficient this person would be. The guy could work in the office and list 25-50 or so back issue auctions a day as well as take care of shipping and contact info after the sales. This employee could work by the hour or even on commision. Maybe some stores already do this. If not, and they have a nice back issue selection, it would seem like a waste not to. -----Sid

[fiendish]

I'm seeing a lot of used book stores do this as well.

[Smokinghawk]

How does a LCS obtain its initial inventory of back issue stock?

 

[BassGMan]

In my case years ago, and I'm sure with many, I had enough back issue stock personally to give myself a pretty decent amount just to start. Plus there's buying collections and going to cons in advance of opening in order to bulk it up. Not hard to do at all. -----Sid

[COMICKINGS]

Oh, and Lighthouse, is there really that much employee theft in the comics industry?! If so, that sounds like a pretty good reason not to hire the minimum wage 16 year-olds who are prone to do that kind of thing. (My apologies to any teenagers on the board who might be offended by that. )

 

I hate to say it but there is employee theft in every business in the world.If you have more than 1 or 2 employess,it's almost guaranteed you are getting ripped off somehow.About 6 years ago I only had 1 employee and we had built up a good relationship and I thought I could trust him.Then I got suspicious he was clipping me everyday I wasn't there,who knows for how long,but it was a good long while.This guy was 19 and going to college for criminal justice and is now in that field in Georgia I believe.I felt bad because I had to resort to putting the camera on him but I caught him the 1st day I did it.I thought I was paying him fair,giving him anything he wanted at my cost,and was flexible with anything that ever came up but you just never know.Now,I have 4 people that work for me.and I treat them all the same way.I mainly pay them to keep an eye on my store.I try to be as cool as I can with them.As the owner,you walk a fine line.Because these are the people that can stab you in the back as soon as you aren't looking.If you treat them bad they will just get back at you by ripping you off.I have been in business in this area for 10 years,and have seen a few shops in this area have a revolving door with their employees.I know people that have been thieving employees at every one of those shops.As a customer,when you visit your favorite store,everything looks like it's a cool place to have a job, and think maybe you'd like to open up a shop one day,and you're gonna make a ton of money....stay in school,and learn something thats really gonna pay.If you wanna get in this business,be ready to work 24-7 and forget about getting to enjoy the stuff that got you into this hobby.It's a tough business,and there's alot more to it than what you might see on the outside.

[FFB]

Did you see the Daredevil #168 CGC VF+ 8.5 they had there? The one priced at $1,000? That is the worst comic store I've ever been in.

 

Even then, I doubt it.

 

I visited the Mile High in Garden Grove, CA, this evening, interested in looking at their CGC books. I noticed four in a glass case, but could not, for the life of me, despite there being four clerks on duty, get them the least bit interested in helping me.

 

Retail is about customer service. There ain't none at Mile High.