So you want to set up at a comic book convention.... 2 2

[G.A.tor]

How did you sleep at night knowing that your inventory was in your car in the parking lot? Aren't you ever afraid that someone is going to steal your car in the middle of the night? Or break in and steal your inventory?

 

wake up at the crack of dawn and head to the convention center to get in line to unload...

 

 

I bet he wishes someone would steal the van since his insurance payoff would be fantastic.

no way. Love the comics too much.

 

If the insurance paid you 100% of what you hoped to sell the books for would you would still be sad they were gone?

I would indeed.... I always bring "personal" books to shows to display...it often times adds the "wow" or draw factor.... so, given money is easy to replace and comics are often times not...yes, I would be sad big time....

[aardvark88]

Back breaking work as one gets older. Also have to worry about shrinkage of inventory from potential shoplifters, or a fan dropping your mylared Hulk 181 on the floor.

[Xela]

have you ever had anything "big ticket" stolen at a con?

[G.A.tor]

have you ever had anything "big ticket" stolen at a con?

not big ticket...

 

back in 2009 we did have 4 books stolen at nycc from a box that amounted to 10K...insurance paid and that was last time...we really try to really stay on top....

[Steviehuv66]

wake up at the crack of dawn and head to the convention center to get in line to unload...

 

 

Wait, who sleeps overnight in the van to guard the comics and what type of shotgun does he carry?

[G.A.tor]

I sometimes put NFS on them or PI....or if I'm really giddy I put a ridiculous price on them (no one has ever paid )

action 1, batman 1, etc...those type of books...

 

if I feel its a replaceable book, then yes, on occasion I have sold, but not usually

[koollectablz]

This was really interesting to see, I've only ever stood at local cons that are multiday, anything far away would only be a Saturday con.

 

When I say far away... That's a max of 100 miles.

 

Yeah, I'm a lightweight!

 

Great thread!!

[G.A.tor]

on a sidenote, glad that many of you all have enjoyed the thread

[thirdgreenham]

Well done!

[comicdonna]

Quick math. If your costs are $10,000 for SDCC, and you shoot for costs to be 5% of total revenues, that means you hope to do $200,000 worth of sales at SDCC, which I would guess would net you at least $50K in cash by the end of the weekend but probably closer to $80-100K. BUT you don't do cash deposits everyday, or even until you get back because you have a local credit union. I guess there's safes in most hotel rooms, but maybe it would make sense to get a national bank account with minimum features? Rather than carry $50-80K back to florida?

 

Or do you have your own secret security measures that don't need to be talked about openly? Insurance?

 

 

I think you forgot to ask him these two questions:

 

When would the best time to rob you be? On the road after the show or immediately after Saturday's close?

 

Do you have a lot of money on you when you go pee pee?

 

its funny, I actually forgot my weapon last week for megacon...had to borrow a 9mm from my sister in law... I'm always packing at a con, whether you know it or not...

I never knew that. Cool thread, Rick.

[TeddieMercede]

Great thread... that's a lot of work to do a convention. Makes you want to support comic guys who do travel even more cause it isn't easy either cost or work wise.

[Bookery]

Great thread! I think the boards would be served well to have a lot more of this type of "behind the scenes" or "life of a dealer" type threads.

 

That said, I am reminded by this thread why I quit doing shows. A la Danny Glover, "I'm too old for this S...!" Plus, the older guys on this thread know that once they put you on the standard blood-pressure medicine... one restroom break a day becomes a ludicrous concept!

 

It took several decades, but I finally got the shop to the point where I don't need to do shows anymore... the clients come to me! (many of them dealers.... but it helps to be within a few miles of the "crossroads of America"). I won't get absolute top dollar, but I don't have show costs, so it all balances out. Case in point... I just picked up a collection this weekend in various grades that contained nearly all the big Marvel #1s (only FF #1 was absent). Between pre-existing want-lists, and first announcing the collection on my website this morning, by afternoon most of the "big stuff" is already sold.

 

But it takes many many years to develop that deep a client list.... and one of the best ways to do that in the beginning is by doing lots of shows. Kudos to those that have the stamina and drive to still do it!

 

 

Edited April 23, 2015 by Bookery

[jimjum12]

How did you sleep at night knowing that your inventory was in your car in the parking lot? Aren't you ever afraid that someone is going to steal your car in the middle of the night? Or break in and steal your inventory?

 

wake up at the crack of dawn and head to the convention center to get in line to unload...

 

 

I bet he wishes someone would steal the van since his insurance payoff would be fantastic.

no way. Love the comics too much.

 

If the insurance paid you 100% of what you hoped to sell the books for would you would still be sad they were gone?

I would indeed.... I always bring "personal" books to shows to display...it often times adds the "wow" or draw factor.... so, given money is easy to replace and comics are often times not...yes, I would be sad big time....

 

...plus insurance will usually only replace what you paid for the books, and receipts are necessary..... so the 100's and 100's of hours Rick spent beating the bushes to amass the books would be poof. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[gino2paulus2]

I don't always post in CG...but when I do...it's in a GAtor thread!! You da man Ricky!!! Awesome stuff thanks for sharing brother and thanks for all your hard work!! It's people like you that make going to these Cons enjoyable!! (thumbs u

[1Cool]

Great thread! I think the boards would be served well to have a lot more of this type of "behind the scenes" or "life of a dealer" type threads.

 

That said, I am reminded by this thread why I quit doing shows. A la Danny Glover, "I'm too old for this S...!" Plus, the older guys on this thread know that once they put you on the standard blood-pressure medicine... one restroom break a day becomes a ludicrous concept!

 

It took several decades, but I finally got the shop to the point where I don't need to do shows anymore... the clients come to me! (many of them dealers.... but it helps to be within a few miles of the "crossroads of America"). I won't get absolute top dollar, but I don't have show costs, so it all balances out. Case in point... I just picked up a collection this weekend in various grades that contained nearly all the big Marvel #1s (only FF #1 was absent). Between pre-existing want-lists, and first announcing the collection on my website this morning, by afternoon most of the "big stuff" is already sold.

 

But it takes many many years to develop that deep a client list.... and one of the best ways to do that in the beginning is by doing lots of shows. Kudos to those that have the stamina and drive to still do it!

 

 

It was great getting to meet you the other day it was very cool to be able to hold so many Grail books at one time. That AF 15 was calling my name or was it that sweet X-Men 1. Heck - I wished I could have gotten any of them.

[Robot Man]

Quick math. If your costs are $10,000 for SDCC, and you shoot for costs to be 5% of total revenues, that means you hope to do $200,000 worth of sales at SDCC, which I would guess would net you at least $50K in cash by the end of the weekend but probably closer to $80-100K. BUT you don't do cash deposits everyday, or even until you get back because you have a local credit union. I guess there's safes in most hotel rooms, but maybe it would make sense to get a national bank account with minimum features? Rather than carry $50-80K back to florida?

 

Or do you have your own secret security measures that don't need to be talked about openly? Insurance?

 

 

I think you forgot to ask him these two questions:

 

When would the best time to rob you be? On the road after the show or immediately after Saturday's close?

 

Do you have a lot of money on you when you go pee pee?

 

its funny, I actually forgot my weapon last week for megacon...had to borrow a 9mm from my sister in law... I'm always packing at a con, whether you know it or not...

 

So be nice when you whine for a discount or ask for Deadpools!

 

All kidding aside. This thread should really open some eyes. I know a lot of dealers well and have done a fair amount of shows on the dealer side myself. There is a LOT of work and expense involved. I doubt any comic dealers get "rich" doing this. I am just grateful that they show up at cons so I can buy books face to face. I also try to buy at least something from all the "good" dealers at shows because I want them to come back. Good thread!

[G.A.tor]

I sometimes put NFS on them or PI....or if I'm really giddy I put a ridiculous price on them (no one has ever paid )

action 1, batman 1, etc...those type of books...

 

if I feel its a replaceable book, then yes, on occasion I have sold, but not usually

 

are they on display in this cons setup? Not sure I saw them.

I used to bring them to megacon (jim/flee did a video a few years ago with all of them) but for this show no reason to pay the extra insurance coverage when I can bring plenty of sellable books for display...but I did have a batman 1, as8, ww 1, cap 1 , cap 3, etc in a box under the table ...

[G.A.tor]

here's one

 

[the blob]

Quick math. If your costs are $10,000 for SDCC, and you shoot for costs to be 5% of total revenues, that means you hope to do $200,000 worth of sales at SDCC, which I would guess would net you at least $50K in cash by the end of the weekend but probably closer to $80-100K. BUT you don't do cash deposits everyday, or even until you get back because you have a local credit union. I guess there's safes in most hotel rooms, but maybe it would make sense to get a national bank account with minimum features? Rather than carry $50-80K back to florida?

 

Or do you have your own secret security measures that don't need to be talked about openly? Insurance?

 

 

I think you forgot to ask him these two questions:

 

When would the best time to rob you be? On the road after the show or immediately after Saturday's close?

 

Do you have a lot of money on you when you go pee pee?

 

its funny, I actually forgot my weapon last week for megacon...had to borrow a 9mm from my sister in law... I'm always packing at a con, whether you know it or not...

I never knew that. Cool thread, Rick.

 

Deposit the cash ASAP somewhere. Forget about the usual robbery suspects, you better hope some local police officer doesn't stop you for a traffic offense, search you, find the money, decide it is drug money and confiscate it on the spot resulting in you spending $30K in legal fees to prove you aren't a drug dealer and get it back. There are some real horror stories out there. I am in law enforcement (well, tangentially at least) and I would be afraid to drive around with much money on me on a long trip.

[G.A.tor]

Quick math. If your costs are $10,000 for SDCC, and you shoot for costs to be 5% of total revenues, that means you hope to do $200,000 worth of sales at SDCC, which I would guess would net you at least $50K in cash by the end of the weekend but probably closer to $80-100K. BUT you don't do cash deposits everyday, or even until you get back because you have a local credit union. I guess there's safes in most hotel rooms, but maybe it would make sense to get a national bank account with minimum features? Rather than carry $50-80K back to florida?

 

Or do you have your own secret security measures that don't need to be talked about openly? Insurance?

 

 

I think you forgot to ask him these two questions:

 

When would the best time to rob you be? On the road after the show or immediately after Saturday's close?

 

Do you have a lot of money on you when you go pee pee?

 

its funny, I actually forgot my weapon last week for megacon...had to borrow a 9mm from my sister in law... I'm always packing at a con, whether you know it or not...

I never knew that. Cool thread, Rick.

 

Deposit the cash ASAP somewhere. Forget about the usual robbery suspects, you better hope some local police officer doesn't stop you for a traffic offense, search you, find the money, decide it is drug money and confiscate it on the spot resulting in you spending $30K in legal fees to prove you aren't a drug dealer and get it back. There are some real horror stories out there. I am in law enforcement (well, tangentially at least) and I would be afraid to drive around with much money on me on a long trip.

 

would be pretty easy to see that the cash is from sale of comics (especially if I am driving around in a van full of comics )

 

and I obey all traffic laws