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Jobs

Started by THB,

79 posts in this topic

comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
Posted
Well i see that ive been wasting my time in my current job. I guess ill stock pile a few more paychecks pull the books i want to keep and start wheeling and dealing. From what i see here, moderns get in and out quick , CGC key books and hit any sources for books to sell. Estate sales, garage sales, craigslist etc.....oh and offer cool books to the boards first. Am i missing anything?

 

Take some extra Vitamin E and eat some oysters so as to be able to service all the groupies.

 

Don't knock it. I had all sorts of groupies when I had my shop. Female groupies no less. I considered renaming my shop to Caligula's Comics and Collectibles.

 

 

"...take a seat right over there."

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ComicConnoisseur

ComicConnoisseur

Posted
Posted
Loving the advice. Ive been wanting to actively participate on these boards since i first stumbled upon them in 2011. A little more homework and ill make a stab at it. Was someone suggesting a physical store front for back issues?? Ive always wanted to buy cheap drek and open a $1 comic book store near a highly visible grocer ( HEB here in San Antone) along with other priced back issues.I always felt that if you have a physical location perhaps someone will bring in that once in a lifetime collection. Anyone have a back issue only store or is that a dead end?

My advice is do a bunch of collectibles.

Comics,cards,coins,toys,videogames,Nike,MTG,Hot Wheels,Lego and whatever else you like.

You will probally make more profit that way than just doing the comics themselves. ;)

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THB

THB

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  • Author
Posted

Yeah. Im quite the dry humor man myself at times. I think ill dabble a little and see what i can do. Im a good business man and always make my bosses a load of money. Hell i would even work at a comic book store for an hourly rate.

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THB

THB

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San Antonio??? Do you set up for Eckmans??? Im seriously thinking of setting up there. Nice to meetya BTW and sadly i am off to work....... :signfunny:

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SharpComics.com

SharpComics.com

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

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Logan510

Logan510

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

 

 

:takeit:;)

 

 

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Prince Namor

Prince Namor

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

 

lol

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mintcollector

mintcollector

Posted
Posted

Be very careful if you do this. Keep in mind the economy, while in FULL recovery (in my opinion); is still an issue. That being said, I can tell you that you may be better off learning the basics of the antiques and collectibles trade first. Why don't you start going to flea markets, antique marts, yard sales and the like? This is not a business in my opinion (and I am experienced) where you can just go out and buy everything and expect to make a 'killing.' The method I am recommending allows you to KEEP your job (and your health insurance and 401K); and learn with little or no cost to you.

 

Over the past year, I know at least three people who decied that they could be a full time 'storage auction buyer' with little or no expereince. All of them lost money and ended up taking jobs that pay less than what they were originally making. Each one came to me for advice AFTER the fact. I would never advise anyone to do this. The same is true in the collectibles business. You have to understand and know what you are buying. I have seen fellow 'pickers' attempt to buy a full stand of items at a flea market; when in all actuality only a handful would net any profit.

 

Even if you buy Lego, video games, Magic Cards, and the like; in addition to comic books; you still have to know what you BUY. I make a lot of money just on what people leave behind. I can also tell you that people LOSE a lot of money by buying what I leave behind. I even try to help these individuals and they refuse to listen. There is good reason why that stack of Madden video games is not in my pile; and why I don't want the Star Wars figures from 1999.

 

Start small and work your way up. You may actually decide that it is MUCH more profitable NOT to have a store. Everyone wants a store because they think that a rare silver age collection of expensive comic books is going to come in on a regular basis. Why this can and does happen; does one or two possibly above average collections a year justify the cost of paying monthly rent, possibly paying employees, and having to possibly quite your job? Look at what an individual health insurance policy costs alone and then look at rents in the area you are considering. Keep in mind you are also losing paid time off, 401K contributions, and possible stock options. Is it really worth it?

 

I get offers to buy classic video game collections at least three times a week and I do not have a retail store. Think and plan as to why you want to build this kind of business. You may learn that you are much better off working around your full time work schedule. Just my opinion, but I see no need in this day and age to have a retail shop. Even antique dealers are getting away from retail shops in droves; unless they happen to have a shop at a co-op or antique mall.

 

There is plenty of good advice here if you plan and know how to use it. I wish you the best of luck; but please, the best advice I can give you is NOT to quit your job. In fact, I can tell you that being dissatified with your job is the worst reason to start a business.

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

 

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october

october

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

 

Skip all this wholesale nonsense and just set them on fire in your backyard. Use your Giant Size X-Men 1 as kindling.

 

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seanfingh

seanfingh

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

 

Skip all this wholesale nonsense and just set them on fire in your backyard. Use your Giant Size X-Men 1 as kindling.

 

I see what you did there.

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Weird Paper

Weird Paper

Posted
Posted
Be very careful if you do this. Keep in mind the economy, while in FULL recovery (in my opinion); is still an issue. That being said, I can tell you that you may be better off learning the basics of the antiques and collectibles trade first. Why don't you start going to flea markets, antique marts, yard sales and the like? This is not a business in my opinion (and I am experienced) where you can just go out and buy everything and expect to make a 'killing.' The method I am recommending allows you to KEEP your job (and your health insurance and 401K); and learn with little or no cost to you.

 

Over the past year, I know at least three people who decied that they could be a full time 'storage auction buyer' with little or no expereince. All of them lost money and ended up taking jobs that pay less than what they were originally making. Each one came to me for advice AFTER the fact. I would never advise anyone to do this. The same is true in the collectibles business. You have to understand and know what you are buying. I have seen fellow 'pickers' attempt to buy a full stand of items at a flea market; when in all actuality only a handful would net any profit.

 

Even if you buy Lego, video games, Magic Cards, and the like; in addition to comic books; you still have to know what you BUY. I make a lot of money just on what people leave behind. I can also tell you that people LOSE a lot of money by buying what I leave behind. I even try to help these individuals and they refuse to listen. There is good reason why that stack of Madden video games is not in my pile; and why I don't want the Star Wars figures from 1999.

 

Start small and work your way up. You may actually decide that it is MUCH more profitable NOT to have a store. Everyone wants a store because they think that a rare silver age collection of expensive comic books is going to come in on a regular basis. Why this can and does happen; does one or two possibly above average collections a year justify the cost of paying monthly rent, possibly paying employees, and having to possibly quite your job? Look at what an individual health insurance policy costs alone and then look at rents in the area you are considering. Keep in mind you are also losing paid time off, 401K contributions, and possible stock options. Is it really worth it?

 

I get offers to buy classic video game collections at least three times a week and I do not have a retail store. Think and plan as to why you want to build this kind of business. You may learn that you are much better off working around your full time work schedule. Just my opinion, but I see no need in this day and age to have a retail shop. Even antique dealers are getting away from retail shops in droves; unless they happen to have a shop at a co-op or antique mall.

 

There is plenty of good advice here if you plan and know how to use it. I wish you the best of luck; but please, the best advice I can give you is NOT to quit your job. In fact, I can tell you that being dissatified with your job is the worst reason to start a business.

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

That is solid advice. When you think of the sort of collections and profit margins you're going to need to make it a full-time gig, it's pretty daunting. I would never try it. Btw, in over 30 years of actively buying and selling, I have only come across two significant collections (500+ books, keys, etc.) in San Antonio. There are stashes out there, but not in the sort of quantity necessary to make enough profit to live on. Not to discourage you, but Mint's advice is good. Keep your day job, sell for fun or vacation money or whatever, but don't count on it to feed you and keep the electricity on.

Oh, and brick-and-morter stores are death. Look at the mortality rate on those around here in the last ten years. What do we have left, four or five in the country's seventh largest city? It's too easy to buy new books at a discount online, and, unless you're Bedrock City, those stores rarely have a decent back-issue inventory.

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Walls

Walls

Posted
Posted

I second this. This is good solid advice. There's actually a thread over in the water cooler section of the board detailing the experiences of a few folks who have unintentially lost their jobs due to the economy and it's tragic. I feel for those folks, and losing a job would be a nightmare for my family.

 

We even dabble in real estate and have a couple of investment properties but we certainly don't have delusions of being Donald Trump and we would never quit our day jobs. The equity building in those properties :wishluck: is for retirement and down the road, not to support us today.

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Mike's Rack

Mike's Rack

Posted
Posted
Well i see that ive been wasting my time in my current job. I guess ill stock pile a few more paychecks pull the books i want to keep and start wheeling and dealing. From what i see here, moderns get in and out quick , CGC key books and hit any sources for books to sell. Estate sales, garage sales, craigslist etc.....oh and offer cool books to the boards first. Am i missing anything?

 

Take some extra Vitamin E and eat some oysters so as to be able to service all the groupies.

 

Don't knock it. I had all sorts of groupies when I had my shop. Human Female groupies no less. I considered renaming my shop to Caligula's Comics and Collectibles.

Fixed it for you Doc.
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october

october

Posted
Posted

If you know what your doing you can make some cash here. I would certainly put modern post 2000 comics ahead of both bronze and copper age comics. Bronze and Copper age comics are slower than Beanie Babies. :cloud9:

 

Wow, after dealing comics for 21 years, I had no idea Bronze and Copper were slower than a completely dead collectible such as Beanie Babies :o .

 

Guess it's time to wholesale off 2/3 of my inventory, as I have absolutely no idea how to make some cash with my crummy comics ... :sorry:

 

Skip all this wholesale nonsense and just set them on fire in your backyard. Use your Giant Size X-Men 1 as kindling.

 

I see what you did there.

 

I need more table space at C2E2. Brad has too much krap.

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the blob

the blob

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Posted

If you can rent a store front for the price junkdrawer is paying for his in an area that has traffic then I would do it. If you're paying five figures a month for rent it could be a problem.

 

I've crunched numbers in my head and figured it would not be that hard to duplicate the income from an $8-$10/hr job selling comics roughly the same 30-50 hours a week via ebay, a store front, etc. , particularly if you're coming into it with a decent sized collection, so you don't have to lay out $ right away and you can wait for sales to come in to divert money to buying more inventory. of course, that income figure putas you right in the zone for paypal reporting you to the IRS...

 

Getting much beyond that you need more real capital to go out and acquire more expensive stuff, etc. (as opposed to $500 in your sneaker to take to shows, flea markets, etc.) and really you need to know what you're doing. While it's great to hope for the little old lady to come in with a collection and pay her 5 cents on the dollar, the more realistic opportunity is to buy an $4K book, either raw or slabbed, maybe press it, maybe it was a little undergraded raw, maybe it was undergraded in the slab, re-slab it, and maybe turn it into a $5K book. that $1000 or so profit is equivalent to a heck of a lot fo $5 sales.

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