Tales and thoughts from the trenches - story of a rookie con seller.

[Azkaban]

Love the license plate (thumbs u

[the blob]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. But pretty much all of that stuff I could have done from a strictly buyer standpoint and Jeff (Junk Donkey) sure seemed to be having a ton of fun running around getting sketches and probably making way more money then me as a seller.

 

well, it works out to $250 a day profit for your work, but probably less unless you had all the books prepped up and in boxes already.

 

probably less chaotic ways to make $25 an hour out there, but presumably you had some fun too.

 

of course, next time once you have a better sense of things and maybe tweak your inventory maybe you can squeeze a better profit margin out of it.

 

the guys who do 10-20 shows a year are probably more efficient at it nd can squeeze more $ out of the same effort. then again, you have better have a huge inventory back home or constantly be chasing it in bulk.

[HouseofComics.Com]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. .

 

How do you feel physically now? The last big show I did left me wiped out for a week, at least.

 

Another plus is that you sold some stuff for your consignor a lot faster than it would've sold, so you made him happy.

[OrangeNemesis]

Just walking so much this weekend was taxing on me. I can't imagine setting up a booth and doing all the walking....

[1Cool]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. .

 

How do you feel physically now? The last big show I did left me wiped out for a week, at least.

 

Another plus is that you sold some stuff for your consignor a lot faster than it would've sold, so you made him happy.

 

I'm not too bad but I must be more sore then I think since I seemed to be getting up a lot at night. Brock had some deluxe rubber pads to stand on and that made a huge difference. I accidently stood off the pads for an hour and my back started cramping up.

[MagnetoWasRight]

Love the license plate (thumbs u

 

 

Thank you, I get a ton of people giving me thumbs up when I'm driving. Even my boy ChasingKingKirby (a SA DC fan who likes to jab at me) says it's an awesome plate.

[Artboy99]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. .

 

How do you feel physically now? The last big show I did left me wiped out for a week, at least.

Another plus is that you sold some stuff for your consignor a lot faster than it would've sold, so you made him happy.

 

The single day shows affect me for the next day only. I find it helps me a lot to do some moving of comic boxes the next day to get over the tiredness.

 

The longer shows ( 3-4 days ) I will need a few days after to get to feeling normal.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. But pretty much all of that stuff I could have done from a strictly buyer standpoint and Jeff (Junk Donkey) sure seemed to be having a ton of fun running around getting sketches and probably making way more money then me as a seller.

 

well, it works out to $250 a day profit for your work, but probably less unless you had all the books prepped up and in boxes already.

 

probably less chaotic ways to make $25 an hour out there, but presumably you had some fun too.

 

My nephew clears $300 a night for Domino's delivering pizza Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so $250 a night seems fair for selling comic books and probably more fun.

(thumbs u

[1Cool]

I don't want to sound like a downer about the trip because it was a ton of fun along with the work. I finally signed up with CGC and I put in my first solo submission of 20 books. I got a couple SS books done of the variants from the show including a cool head sketch from the Spidey Gwen artist. But pretty much all of that stuff I could have done from a strictly buyer standpoint and Jeff (Junk Donkey) sure seemed to be having a ton of fun running around getting sketches and probably making way more money then me as a seller.

 

well, it works out to $250 a day profit for your work, but probably less unless you had all the books prepped up and in boxes already.

 

probably less chaotic ways to make $25 an hour out there, but presumably you had some fun too.

 

My nephew clears $300 a night for Domino's delivering pizza Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so $250 a night seems fair for selling comic books and probably more fun.

(thumbs u

 

Its definitely more fun then delivering pizzas but also a ton more heavy lifting, more researching and pricing books, more risk of losing thousands of dollars of inventory, more expertise and knowledge necessary to buy the books that will sell. Its kind of sad that a low end comic dealer would make as much as a pizza delivery guy at a major comic con.

[wombat]

If you had time to get some good deals at the show that would be part of your profit as well.

[the blob]

My nephew clears $300 a night for Domino's delivering pizza Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so $250 a night seems fair for selling comic books and probably more fun.

\(thumbs u

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Its definitely more fun then delivering pizzas but also a ton more heavy lifting, more researching and pricing books, more risk of losing thousands of dollars of inventory, more expertise and knowledge necessary to buy the books that will sell. Its kind of sad that a low end comic dealer would make as much as a pizza delivery guy at a major comic con.

 

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other than superbowl sunday or bowl games that sounds like a lot of money delivering $6-10 pizzas. Don't you need to deliver like 100-150 pizzas to get there?

 

I do not think the guys around me come close to that. maybe in a college town.

 

I make $2000 a night as a male stripper, but that is hard work.

[1Cool]

If you had time to get some good deals at the show that would be part of your profit as well.

 

I'd definetely add that to the numerous reasons to go to Heroes but I don't see it being added to the profits unless being a dealers brought in the sellers. Other then Brock throwing me some nice books I had to go hunt for the deals like any other buyer.

[1Cool]

My nephew clears $300 a night for Domino's delivering pizza Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so $250 a night seems fair for selling comic books and probably more fun.

\(thumbs u

------------------------

 

Its definitely more fun then delivering pizzas but also a ton more heavy lifting, more researching and pricing books, more risk of losing thousands of dollars of inventory, more expertise and knowledge necessary to buy the books that will sell. Its kind of sad that a low end comic dealer would make as much as a pizza delivery guy at a major comic con.

 

--------------

 

other than superbowl sunday or bowl games that sounds like a lot of money delivering $6-10 pizzas. Don't you need to deliver like 100-150 pizzas to get there?

 

I do not think the guys around me come close to that. maybe in a college town.

 

I make $2000 a night as a male stripper, but that is hard work.

 

Please Baby Jesus - never let The Blob and Hard be in the same sentence again.

[the blob]

well, i do have two kids and I am pretty sure they are mine, so it happened at least twice, about 6 years apart. i needed time to rest in between.

[the blob]

If you had time to get some good deals at the show that would be part of your profit as well.

 

I'd definetely add that to the numerous reasons to go to Heroes but I don't see it being added to the profits unless being a dealers brought in the sellers. Other then Brock throwing me some nice books I had to go hunt for the deals like any other buyer.

 

it feels like it's harder to score the $1-$2 box book turned into a $15-$25 book than it used to be. buyers and sellers are more savvy, table costs are higher so people are blowing less stuff out. i'm not just talking about a book that got hot last week being overlooked. those might actually be your real shot at this. i just remember one show in NY about 10 years ago where I bought, for $2 a book, a big stack of really nice 9.0-9.4 early 70s marvels and DCs from a dealer, a lot of giant size issues i wound up getting $15-$25 a pop for each of them. it was a nice score.

[Robot Man]

A few tips for you "young guys". I'd be willing to bet I got 15 to 20 years on most of you guys.

 

1.) Be careful how you lift and how fast.

2.) Stay hydrated

3.) Sit down as much as you can

4.) Wear the most comfortable shoes you got with heavy socks

5.) Motrin the Wonder Drug. REALLY takes the edge off.

 

I do a lot of shows including flea markets. This involves setting up an old school canopy, hauling heavy tables, display cases and of course boxes. I often do it alone. Loading and unloading several times. I did a show on Sunday got up at 3:00 am and got home at 5:00 pm and it was 85 degrees+. I was pretty sore and stiff when I got home until I took 3 Motrin, had a couple beers and counted the take. Went to bed early. Was fine the next day other than a little tired from getting my sleep rhythm messed up.

 

Oh, buying at a show can be just as good as selling and maybe better!

 

 

[Rhymenoceros]

 

I make $2000 a night as a male stripper, but that is hard work.

 

If there's a male stripper I especially wouldn't like to see, his name would be The Blob.

 

 

 

If I had the foresight to document everything, my con report from my first selling gig this month would have been pretty similar in experience. $5 to $20 keys were the easiest to sell all weekend long.

 

One big takeaway - It's really about listening to, and asking, your customers about what they're looking for. Knowing your inventory like the back of your hand gets you way more sales than just saying "If I have it, it's probably in that box…". That would be my best piece of advice sales-wise to anyone thinking about selling at a con.

[Robot Man]

Yeah, great advice as well. Pull them out and show them you have what they want. It's also a lot easier to sell at a live show because you have the opportunity to interact and read your customer. I can often convince them to pull the trigger a lot easier than on line...

[Sqeggs]

My booth slowly coming together:

 

 

"Buy Back Your Childhood" Great slogan!

[ComicConnoisseur]

My nephew clears $300 a night for Domino's delivering pizza Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so $250 a night seems fair for selling comic books and probably more fun.

\(thumbs u

------------------------

 

Its definitely more fun then delivering pizzas but also a ton more heavy lifting, more researching and pricing books, more risk of losing thousands of dollars of inventory, more expertise and knowledge necessary to buy the books that will sell. Its kind of sad that a low end comic dealer would make as much as a pizza delivery guy at a major comic con.

 

--------------

 

other than superbowl sunday or bowl games that sounds like a lot of money delivering $6-10 pizzas. Don't you need to deliver like 100-150 pizzas to get there?

 

I do not think the guys around me come close to that. maybe in a college town.

 

I make $2000 a night as a male stripper, but that is hard work.

5 pm to 2 am. Boston area, every Friday to Sunday.

Remember Boston is loaded with colleges.

He clears close to over $3000 + a month.

Always has a big roll on him.

He has to work the 3 day week-end, as it`s dead Mon-Thursday.

Pizza is something people love to eat, and he supplies it.

The funny thing is

he went to college for liberal arts, but found out he can make more delivering pizzas than being a social worker 9 to 5.