An Idea for a New Kind of Comic Store

[RCheli]

So I've been thinking about this a lot recently, and I've even started to write out a business plan, but I figured I post the highlights of it here and hear what all you negative Nellies have to say about it.

 

One of the greatest challenges of owning/operating a comic book store is trying to keep/maintain stock and not just have it stagnate. When you run a comic store full time, it's not always easy to be able to replenish the comics, especially the hot ones, as you spend so much of your time just running a store, you don't have time for the hunt.

 

However, what if you ran a store similar to how antique malls go?

 

My idea is to have a comic book co-op. What I mean is this: one person (me) would run the store and another set of people would rent out space in that store. Space, however, wouldn't be their own small 4"X6" booth, but instead space in boxes, on the wall, in display cases. These co-op members would pay based on the number of SKUs (individual items) and then a percentage of their gross sales (say, 10%).

 

As the operator of the store, I would be able to sell exclusively any comic or trade that is newer than 60 days old. (There may be some exceptions, such as statues, limited edition items, and other high-value merchandise.) After that, however, you could put those comics (or statues or trades) from your own stock into the store's stock, whether in the back issue bins, on the wall, in display cases, or on the shelves.

 

You would bag/board (if you want)/grade/price your items, and I would then place a bar code on it that would assign a unique number. When your item sold, the sum (minus fees) would be given to you at the end of the month.

 

So those fees... how would they work? Well, as I said, they would be based on the number of items you have in the store. If you have between 1-500 SKUs, you would pay, say... $50 a month. Between 501-1000, it's $75. 1001-5000, it's $150. And so on. (These numbers are definitely not finalized.) You would also pay a percentage of each of the items sold. That would vary based on the price of the item, but would likely be around 10%. (For higher-priced items -- say over $500 -- that would likely be lower.)

 

Each item has its own SKU. So if you have 10 copies of New Mutants #98, each would be assigned its own number.

 

There would be certain limits, obviously. If I have 5 copies of Invaders #13 in NM shape available, I would, at most, put the two cheapest out for sale. As one would sell, the next cheapest one would go out on display.

 

Because the entire inventory would be computerized, you would have access to see what is selling and at what price, and you can adjust prices accordingly.

 

Items must only be available for sale at the store (or on the store's website). If you choose to pull it out to sell on eBay or here or at a convention, it would be physically and digitally from the store's inventory.

 

The co-op members would get some benefits, however. By working in the store (not just on their own stock but manning the register, tidying, etc.), they would reduce their monthly fee. They would also be able to purchase comics from Diamond at the full discount. If a co-op member is in the store when a collection comes in, they have the ability to purchase it if they're willing to pay more than me (or any other co-op member there at the time).

 

What do you think?

[batman_fan]

What would be your policy for items that "go missing"?

[Columbia Comics]

What would be your policy for items that "go missing"?

 

My first thought was...."a shoplifter's paradise"

[RCheli]

Why would there be any more shoplifting in this type of store than any other?

[jools&jim]

 

Sounds like a big headache to me. Instead of going to all that trouble, and dealing with all the brick-and-mortar hassles, why not just take consignments and sell the books on eBay?

[RCheli]

I don't know if there is much more hassle than any other comic store. This would just have the option of others being able to sell without having to go through opening their own shop. Like I said, similar to an antique mall.

[Hulksdaddy1]

Sounds like a bad idea. Too many chefs in the kitchen. I can't see it working.

 

Now, an idea I've had for almost the entire 19 years I've owned my shop is....

 

Drive-thru window.

 

 

[1904 Comics]

yea, I can't say this sounds solid with all the complexities and management involved of inventory involved with allocating spending. It reminds me of that store they had a long time ago (also features in the 40 year old virgin movie) where they sell peoples stuff on ebay for them. can't say this is something that would encourage people aside from - well immediate cash.

[Meeklo]

Sounds like a bad idea. Too many chefs in the kitchen. I can't see it working.

 

Now, an idea I've had for almost the entire 19 years I've owned my shop is....

 

Drive-thru window.

 

 

Yeah, I'll have a Batman Adventures #12 CGC 9.8, an Incredible Hulk #181 Raw, and X-Men #1...oh, can I get that X-Men "Giant Sized"? And to drink I'll have a double shot venti Americano, no whip!

[HouseofComics.Com]

This is not necessarily a bad idea. The antiques mall idea is a proven one, though I think struggling a bit as ebay etc. continues to erode retail.

 

Your idea of integrating the books does sound like a headache. Also, your charge per month sounds like way more than they'd pay at a typical antiques mall. Generally people would only be paying maybe twice the normal retail rent of a place and not a pct. of sales too.

 

 

 

[shadroch]

What is in it for me, as a potential seller? I'm paying you upfront for the right to sell items. The more items that sell in June, the less rent you collect in July. What is your incentive to sell my stuff?

I think getting insurance would be a nightmare.

 

[Dr. Balls]

Sounds like a bad idea. Too many chefs in the kitchen. I can't see it working.

 

 

+1

[RCheli]

This isn't a new concept, but maybe it is for comics. Antique malls do this all the time, and rent for a small space at an antique mall here in Chicago can be as much as $500 a month. The only difference is that instead of renting specific space, you're renting wall or back issue space.

[RCheli]

What is in it for me, as a potential seller? I'm paying you upfront for the right to sell items. The more items that sell in June, the less rent you collect in July. What is your incentive to sell my stuff?

I think getting insurance would be a nightmare.

 

Well, as you sell items, you'd want to restock. I would want people who want to continue to bring new merchandise into the store.

 

As far as insurance goes, one would use the same as antique malls.

[RCheli]

Sounds like a big headache to me. Instead of going to all that trouble, and dealing with all the brick-and-mortar hassles, why not just take consignments and sell the books on eBay?

 

Because things that sell in stores are different than what sells online.

[Balham's Finest]

For the barcode thing to work, you'd have to have every single book and trade in the shop in a bag. And that would annoy customers, who wouldn't want to have to take everything out of a bag to flick through it for a read, assess grade or whatever.

 

Not to mention the fact that you'd have to watch out for people putting books in the wrong bag, whether accidentally or intentionally.

[Pike's Comics]

There is a store in Jacksonville that does this but he only has one supplier for all his back issues. He also has a large gamer crowd and area.

[RCheli]

Sounds like a bad idea. Too many chefs in the kitchen. I can't see it working.

 

There is only one chef -- me. There are some line cooks however.

[RCheli]

For the barcode thing to work, you'd have to have every single book and trade in the shop in a bag. And that would annoy customers, who wouldn't want to have to take everything out of a bag to flick through it for a read, assess grade or whatever.

 

Not to mention the fact that you'd have to watch out for people putting books in the wrong bag, whether accidentally or intentionally.

 

Comics newer than two months old are not bagged and would've be part of the co-op. Do people mix up bags at sites that often? That seems like a small problem.

 

Trades that are not shrink wrapped and are not my stock would include a paper barcode insert. I suspect that trades would be a small part of the co-op business (although a large part of the store's overall).

[Pirate]

no one is stealing this idea, that's for sure.