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

[JazzMan]

Besides your questionable taste in snacks and soft drinks, this is one of the more informative threads. Thanks for that.

[wombat]

Very cool thread. Longboxes must be more sturdy than I thought. Looks like you put quite a bit of weight on them in the van.

[G.A.tor]

How much shopping of your own do you do at cons? Is it generally for specific issues for known clients? Or more general for good deals?

 

virtually none...at megacon, I got 1 break a day to use restroom, and only got a brief walk around room...no time for shopping at all

[G.A.tor]

Awesome thread!

 

To the packing up: how many empty (hopefully) boxes did you end up taking back?

our goal is to sell 20% of our long boxes...we usually hit 15% or so

[G.A.tor]

Very cool thread. Longboxes must be more sturdy than I thought. Looks like you put quite a bit of weight on them in the van.

 

I bought the heavy duty van...can carry 5000 pounds... the gridwall set up is 800 pounds...we usually have 400 pounds of passengers...cgc boxes are about 800 pounds so I can take about 3000 pounds of long boxes, or 51-60 depending...I can fit 3x6 rows, 3 high (or 56) and a few on the side for support...

[wombat]

Very cool thread. Longboxes must be more sturdy than I thought. Looks like you put quite a bit of weight on them in the van.

 

I bought the heavy duty van...can carry 5000 pounds... the gridwall set up is 800 pounds...we usually have 400 pounds of passengers...cgc boxes are about 800 pounds so I can take about 3000 pounds of long boxes, or 51-60 depending...I can fit 3x6 rows, 3 high (or 56) and a few on the side for support...

 

I wasn't very clear. I meant the weight you had stacked on top of the longboxes.

[ChicksCosmiComics]

Cool thread (thumbs u How big was your display set up at the Con?

[Doohickamabob]

If these before and after pics are any indication, you must have done well:

 

BEFORE:

 

don't forget your clean undies!

 

AFTER:

 

if you are lucky, and have had a good sales show, then you take home less than you brought!!! we are approx. 1 hr after con has ended , knowing we have a 6 hour drive in front of us!

 

Great photos and explanations!

[shadroch]

(thumbs u

 

How do you handle shows like NY or SD? Do yo drive the van or ship them out?

[Mark 1]

Very cool thread Gator. It's a lot of work what you and others dealers do (like Greg Reece, Bob Storms, etc)

 

No doubt about it, especially if you have a lot of merchandise like you do.

 

I saw your booth set up at NYCC last year and unfortunately it was pretty hidden (I couldn't find you the next time I wanted to stop by before leaving). That seemed like a smaller set up as well with you setting up with Filter. I think I recall that show wasn't great for you....

 

And it goes without saying I'm always impressed with your wall of books.

 

I'm curious, how do you react when customers bring up GPA (for slabs) or OSPG for raw books and try to negotiate with you?

 

I know some don't like this and others are fine with it.

 

Thanks

[G.A.tor]

(thumbs u

 

How do you handle shows like NY or SD? Do yo drive the van or ship them out?

I borrow the cheaper pvc racks from folks and fedex CGC books to my hotel and fly in...

[G.A.tor]

Very cool thread. Longboxes must be more sturdy than I thought. Looks like you put quite a bit of weight on them in the van.

 

I bought the heavy duty van...can carry 5000 pounds... the gridwall set up is 800 pounds...we usually have 400 pounds of passengers...cgc boxes are about 800 pounds so I can take about 3000 pounds of long boxes, or 51-60 depending...I can fit 3x6 rows, 3 high (or 56) and a few on the side for support...

 

I wasn't very clear. I meant the weight you had stacked on top of the longboxes.

 

we have long boxes stacked 6+ high in our warehouse... 3 high is nothing

[G.A.tor]

Cool thread (thumbs u How big was your display set up at the Con?

we bought a double endcap...10x20

[G.A.tor]

that is a lot of effort - thanks for showing this to put the workload into perspective. It must be nice when con lets you drive into the area and unload (think I saw pictures like that for the Chicago one on here before).

 

One thing I don't think you touched on was how far the walk was from the loading bay to the floor and/or your booth. How many times did you have to make that trip?

I'm thinking you put some miles just walking that back and forth in setup and breakdown.

 

it is approx. 200 yards, give or take...and it is 8-10 loads there and back, depending...takes about 2 man hours just to unload and walk and another 1-2 hours at least to set up...

[G.A.tor]

Very cool thread Gator. It's a lot of work what you and others dealers do (like Greg Reece, Bob Storms, etc)

 

No doubt about it, especially if you have a lot of merchandise like you do.

 

I saw your booth set up at NYCC last year and unfortunately it was pretty hidden (I couldn't find you the next time I wanted to stop by before leaving). That seemed like a smaller set up as well with you setting up with Filter. I think I recall that show wasn't great for you....

 

And it goes without saying I'm always impressed with your wall of books.

 

I'm curious, how do you react when customers bring up GPA (for slabs) or OSPG for raw books and try to negotiate with you?

 

I know some don't like this and others are fine with it.

 

Thanks

I don't use either, really...I buy a bigger book and mark up 7-10% if the market will bear...a lot of times my purchase price is the gpa recorded sale ( I bought at auction, etc) but I have decided this year I'm going with the "book is priced to sell" mentality... in other words, my bottom line price is already on the book, no negotiations nec...

 

I realize that some folks like the "win" scenario, but I'm ok leaving some meat off the bone to realize "my" needed price...and don't have to waste time bartering back and forth...

 

a couple of examples from last week that was indicative... I was attractively priced on an AF15....there was another in the room, same grade, that wasn't as visually appealing and was priced 15% more... the customer offered me 15% less on my copy, even though I had told him "that's the price I will sell it for"....he walked away, came back an hour later, and purchased at my sticker...quoting that the other dealer was willing to give him a 10% discount.... but, after some discovery, as mentioned ,the other dealer was 15% priced higher, and copy wasn't as nice, so I was still considerably the better deal...

I told him I could mark my copy up 10% and then discount 10%, but that seems like a waste of time to me... ultimately he understood and was happy...

 

another customer purchased a $75 book from me...there were multiples in the room priced no lower than $100.... he proceeded to ask me what I could do for him...I told him it is $75... he was like, "no discount"? and again, as he was aware, I told him I am already 25% cheaper than everyone else, how much more did he want me to discount... he then proceeded to hand me $75

 

so I think my pricing model is going to take some time for folks to get used to, but it is a good model for me

 

 

[wombat]

I saw on another con thread someone looking for local help setting up and were offering up a free dealer pass. Not a bad deal if it is just set up in the morning.

[G.A.tor]

that is a lot of effort - thanks for showing this to put the workload into perspective. It must be nice when con lets you drive into the area and unload (think I saw pictures like that for the Chicago one on here before).

 

One thing I don't think you touched on was how far the walk was from the loading bay to the floor and/or your booth. How many times did you have to make that trip?

I'm thinking you put some miles just walking that back and forth in setup and breakdown.

 

it is approx. 200 yards, give or take...and it is 8-10 loads there and back, depending...takes about 2 man hours just to unload and walk and another 1-2 hours at least to set up...

 

Have you ever tried using interns to help? Not college credit types-- but other potential dealers who are trying to get a feel for how it all works etc? Maybe throw them a decent book for the effort if they bust arse. (not that I am trying to get this type of situation-- that looks somewhat painful).

we always have at least 3 folks helping us at each con....that's no issue...it's just logistically only way we can do what we do...

[mrwoogieman]

How much shopping of your own do you do at cons? Is it generally for specific issues for known clients? Or more general for good deals?

 

virtually none...at megacon, I got 1 break a day to use restroom, and only got a brief walk around room...no time for shopping at all

 

If you would just go with the temporary catheter and waste bag set up, you'd have some time to shop instead of that 1 restroom break every day.

 

Slacker.

 

 

[DR.X]

so, first load is always the top down (racks, etc)...

 

locate booth and start unloading...

 

 

something is missing in this pic,...........oh yeah, where's my bandana buster.

 

great thread. until last year when I got in very early on set up day, I had no idea the work you guys do. see you in chi town later this year.

 

[Azkaban]

That was awesome, made me break out in a sweat just reading it.