Buying Collections for Flea Markets/Shops

[revat]

I would say for MOST actual comic book shop owners, the bulk of your revenue comes from monthly sales of new books, and if you do it right, that amount hopefully will come from subscribers. The amount of back issues, while its nice, is rarely counted upon for consistent, reliable revenue. For example, lets say you bought $10K (80,0000 comics) of cheap and medium back issues that you thought you could sell for $60,000. How long would it actually take you to sell ALL of those comics, provided you never bought anymore? 3-5 years (and some will NEVER SELL)? So how much profit on those are you REALLY making per month?

 

It doesn't hurt to have a back issue section, especially if you can keep buying collections and good prices to refresh your selection, but unless you deal in key books (and start with a bunch of your own), you probably can't count on it to be integral to the survival of your store as a huge consistent contributor. If your breakeven is $3,000 of revenue per month, you probably need to be able to clear that with JUST sales of new comics/trades, and anything extra you sell like toys, memorablilia, back issues will be extra. Of course the model changes if you include gaming. But even so, back issues are tough to rely upon for a store, unless you're a known dealer of key comics.

 

Others have said quality over quality, and presentation definitely counts. With great organization and clean presentation with nice backs and boards, the $1 bin can easily become a $2 bin (with occasional clearance sales to $1 each).

[Chaseman210]

Thanks for all this information, guys! It's extremely helpful!

[Phicks]

Whatever sort of back issues you have on display will affect the type that people bring to you in the future to offer for sale. Do you want to be know as the place with $1 drek from the 90s? High grade Silver Age? Medium grade bronze? 90% Marvels? It's hard to have some of everything unless you have huge display and storage space, which means a high rent.

[thecopperagekids]

I've been trying to buy up books in order to get a good bit of back issue stock to open a small shop. It got me wondering what people who own shops or set up at flea markets expect to pay for books intended for resale.

 

I know it all depends on the worth of the books, but what about a few thousand dollar-bin books? Would you expect to pay 20¢ an issue? 10¢? What if there are some $5-10 books here and there in the collection as well? Just trying to get a feel for things.

 

You have no experience as a convention dealer, it is a very bad idea to start buying up stock to open a store.

 

When you buy long boxes in bulk, you have to buy them with the idea there will be books like new Mutants #98, ASM #300 and so on.If there are only a handful of $5-$10 books in each box, you can't pay more than ten bucks for a long box.

 

Speaking as someone who sets up at cons on a limited basis, unless you know what your area is like from a dealer's perspective...you will lose a lot of money.

 

I'd suggest taking all of the books in your collection that you don't want to keep and organize them for convention stock.

 

Set up at a local convention and then re-think your plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thecopperagekids]

In last three weeks at same Antique Mall, I bought Iron Jaws #1 (VF/NM) for $6, Battle #27 & 37 (both VG) for $45 and Tales to Astonish #60 - Giant Man and Incredible Hulk as Double Features begins (GD/VG to VG-) for $5. Two dealers are comic collectors so I have to wait to see any better books to be available. I passed FF #46 due to heavy spine roll with many tears. It was asked for $30.

 

You passed on a FF 46 at $30?

 

 

Sounds like it was a Fair 1.0-ish book

 

I never pass on beater keys, when they are that cheap.

 

Next time you go back there, chisel the kid down to $25 and I'll pay you $50 for it, shipped.Sight unseen.

 

Medial mail/1st class is fine with me.

 

[STORMSHADOW_80]

There's a shop not too far away that specializes in 50 cent books. It's a warehouse type building. They buy long boxes for $30. They actually have nice wall books and a higher end section so it seems to be working for them. It's something I think about when I occasionally see large collections for cheap

[JollyComics]

In last three weeks at same Antique Mall, I bought Iron Jaws #1 (VF/NM) for $6, Battle #27 & 37 (both VG) for $45 and Tales to Astonish #60 - Giant Man and Incredible Hulk as Double Features begins (GD/VG to VG-) for $5. Two dealers are comic collectors so I have to wait to see any better books to be available. I passed FF #46 due to heavy spine roll with many tears. It was asked for $30.

 

You passed on a FF 46 at $30?

 

 

Sounds like it was a Fair 1.0-ish book

 

I never pass on beater keys, when they are that cheap.

 

Next time you go back there, chisel the kid down to $25 and I'll pay you $50 for it, shipped.Sight unseen.

 

Medial mail/1st class is fine with me.

 

Yeah, I have second thought too. I will call them.

[thecopperagekids]

In last three weeks at same Antique Mall, I bought Iron Jaws #1 (VF/NM) for $6, Battle #27 & 37 (both VG) for $45 and Tales to Astonish #60 - Giant Man and Incredible Hulk as Double Features begins (GD/VG to VG-) for $5. Two dealers are comic collectors so I have to wait to see any better books to be available. I passed FF #46 due to heavy spine roll with many tears. It was asked for $30.

 

You passed on a FF 46 at $30?

 

 

Sounds like it was a Fair 1.0-ish book

 

I never pass on beater keys, when they are that cheap.

 

Next time you go back there, chisel the kid down to $25 and I'll pay you $50 for it, shipped.Sight unseen.

 

Medial mail/1st class is fine with me.

 

Yeah, I have second thought too. I will call them.

 

No, no, no....

 

If you call them, they will likely get the impression that they are selling books too cheap.

 

Odds are they will check eBay for an FF 46, and at least double the price.If they really have no idea what they are doing, they will jack it up 400%.And once you queer the pitch on one book, it will be harder to get deals from them on other books.

 

Whenever I hit shops, cons or flea markets, I never tip off the seller that he has good books or tell him what I'm looking for/give him my want list.

 

You might as well pull your phone up and show them what the books on your want list are selling for on eBay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fastballspecial]

One my local shops just went out of business this year. He retired after 20 years of running a shop. He said he wanted some vacation time. I don't blame him, but here is how he ran shop.

 

The bulk of his shop was $1 books. Some books ran as high as $5-10, but he had them for $1 so he could flip inventory. He only paid about $30-60 for a long box depending on what was in there. So he got his books very cheap.

 

He also sold new issues, but that's not where he made his money and rightfully so. You get screwed a lot on new books by subscribers who just don't buy them. Special orders and such. He very quickly made sure he got some money upfront on special orders.

 

New books while you can make decent money on them you have to watch your ordering very closely and sell a lot of what your order. Think how hard that is.

 

He developed a huge email list so he could mass market books that came in the shop that were keys and could ask his price for the books.

 

He bought massive collection and flipped them over time. When they were flipping anymore he would sell them back to local dealers in bulk to make back his money he paid - all the $1 and keys he sold already.

 

 

[Chaseman210]

One my local shops just went out of business this year. He retired after 20 years of running a shop. He said he wanted some vacation time. I don't blame him, but here is how he ran shop.

 

The bulk of his shop was $1 books. Some books ran as high as $5-10, but he had them for $1 so he could flip inventory. He only paid about $30-60 for a long box depending on what was in there. So he got his books very cheap.

 

He also sold new issues, but that's not where he made his money and rightfully so. You get screwed a lot on new books by subscribers who just don't buy them. Special orders and such. He very quickly made sure he got some money upfront on special orders.

 

New books while you can make decent money on them you have to watch your ordering very closely and sell a lot of what your order. Think how hard that is.

 

He developed a huge email list so he could mass market books that came in the shop that were keys and could ask his price for the books.

 

He bought massive collection and flipped them over time. When they were flipping anymore he would sell them back to local dealers in bulk to make back his money he paid - all the $1 and keys he sold already.

 

 

Thanks for the input. I've heard from another board member via PM that it's tough making money on new books and your story backs that up. I'm really thankful for all the responses I've gotten. You never know how these threads will turn out.

[dupont2005]

I've been trying to buy up books in order to get a good bit of back issue stock to open a small shop. It got me wondering what people who own shops or set up at flea markets expect to pay for books intended for resale.

 

I know it all depends on the worth of the books, but what about a few thousand dollar-bin books? Would you expect to pay 20¢ an issue? 10¢? What if there are some $5-10 books here and there in the collection as well? Just trying to get a feel for things.

 

You have no experience as a convention dealer, it is a very bad idea to start buying up stock to open a store.

 

When you buy long boxes in bulk, you have to buy them with the idea there will be books like new Mutants #98, ASM #300 and so on.If there are only a handful of $5-$10 books in each box, you can't pay more than ten bucks for a long box.

 

Speaking as someone who sets up at cons on a limited basis, unless you know what your area is like from a dealer's perspective...you will lose a lot of money.

 

I'd suggest taking all of the books in your collection that you don't want to keep and organize them for convention stock.

 

Set up at a local convention and then re-think your plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty sure the staggering majority of comic shop owners don't do the convention circuit. Those are two completely different animals. Plenty of shops don't deal in back issues at all. One of my favorite shops is almost nothing but TPB's. At cover price of course, but being able to handle them in person is nice instead of ordering blind on Amazon.

 

But it's true that having some sort of business experience is essential before diving in head first. Swap meets and conventions are a good way to get that experience without too much investment. A $600 collection and about $150 for a good used folding table, chair, and shade is all you need to start hitting up swap meets.

 

But also, just because you do poorly in a swap meet doesn't mean a shop isn't viable. As mentioned above, pull list current comics will keep the doors open. I would just suggest starting with a nice 15-20 box back issue bin well organized and priced to sell to add that supplementary income and draw in a few more lookers who may open a pull list or pick at the shelves every week.

[Buzzetta]

No shop owner I have ever frequented was on the convention circuit. They were too busy running their store.

 

 

 

 

[Chaseman210]

I've been trying to buy up books in order to get a good bit of back issue stock to open a small shop. It got me wondering what people who own shops or set up at flea markets expect to pay for books intended for resale.

 

I know it all depends on the worth of the books, but what about a few thousand dollar-bin books? Would you expect to pay 20¢ an issue? 10¢? What if there are some $5-10 books here and there in the collection as well? Just trying to get a feel for things.

 

You have no experience as a convention dealer, it is a very bad idea to start buying up stock to open a store.

 

When you buy long boxes in bulk, you have to buy them with the idea there will be books like new Mutants #98, ASM #300 and so on.If there are only a handful of $5-$10 books in each box, you can't pay more than ten bucks for a long box.

 

Speaking as someone who sets up at cons on a limited basis, unless you know what your area is like from a dealer's perspective...you will lose a lot of money.

 

I'd suggest taking all of the books in your collection that you don't want to keep and organize them for convention stock.

 

Set up at a local convention and then re-think your plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty sure the staggering majority of comic shop owners don't do the convention circuit. Those are two completely different animals. Plenty of shops don't deal in back issues at all. One of my favorite shops is almost nothing but TPB's. At cover price of course, but being able to handle them in person is nice instead of ordering blind on Amazon.

 

But it's true that having some sort of business experience is essential before diving in head first. Swap meets and conventions are a good way to get that experience without too much investment. A $600 collection and about $150 for a good used folding table, chair, and shade is all you need to start hitting up swap meets.

 

But also, just because you do poorly in a swap meet doesn't mean a shop isn't viable. As mentioned above, pull list current comics will keep the doors open. I would just suggest starting with a nice 15-20 box back issue bin well organized and priced to sell to add that supplementary income and draw in a few more lookers who may open a pull list or pick at the shelves every week.

 

I recently purchased about 440 books from a guy for $75. I pulled out the higher dollar books worth more than the purchase and still have 425 comics left that should be somewhat easy to sell. A lot of 7 issue series of Batman, X-Men, etc. Almost a complete run of Spider-Man Marvel Knights, a large run of Teen Titans Go!, and ten+ issue runs of various other titles. I'm planning on setting up at some local flea markets. I'll probably have to travel some, but it should be fun. The only problem I'm running into is finding ANY info on flea markets in my town.

[fmaz]

I honestly don't think it would be possible to start a brick and mortar comic business from scratch these days, the start up costs would simply be too high.

 

If you were truly interested in doing that, aside from first doing tons of hours of research on the industry, and honestly, I'd recommend taking a class - through a local community college or whatever is available to you - about the ins and outs of running a business (you need THAT before you even get to the comic stuff).

 

Then after you've got yourself educated a bit more, what you'll find (if you're not scared off?) that your best bet is always to try to find an existing business (with inventory) and buy them out. Obviously a motivated seller will get you the best price... but you really need to find a business with existing inventory, I think.

 

Comic shop businesses survive on a razor thin margin... please don't start investing money you've saved up into this project until you've really got a grasp of all of the nuances of this.

 

Oh, one more piece of advice? If you've got a local comic shop in your area? And you know the owner? (Or even if you don't... introduce yourself). See if he/she/they will take the time to discuss what its like owning their business. What the struggles have been? How they came to own it, etc etc.

 

I'm not going to put words in your mouth but there are lots of ways to approach that conversation and get great information. The one way NOT to do it would be to say "Hi, I'm thinking of opening a comic shop in the area, can you tell me what I'd need to know to compete with you?" So, you know, subtlety IS required.

 

Good luck!

[Chaseman210]

Thanks! I definitely won't start a conversation that way.

[Chaseman210]

How would you guys sell runs of books? In this collection, there are a lot of 1-7 complete sets, etc., but there are also a lot of books like X-men 140-152 for example. Would you just sell them as singles or set them all together instead?

[Dark Prime 0]

No shop owner I have ever frequented was on the convention circuit. They were too busy running their store.

 

 

 

i only know one. he has a shop, and the cons i know he sets up at are ww philly, nycc, sdcc & megacon. i'm sure there are others he hits but i only see him maybe 3-4 times a yr at local cons

[kimik]

No shop owner I have ever frequented was on the convention circuit. They were too busy running their store.

 

 

 

 

Some of the LCSs do the local shows here for one main reason - to liquidate the mountains of dollar bin books they have in storage from overstock and buying collections.

 

A couple of the newer stores are doing shows to help promote themselves as well even though they do not have as much to sell off.

[G.A.tor]

No shop owner I have ever frequented was on the convention circuit. They were too busy running their store.

 

 

 

[dupont2005]

I don't think starting a brick and mortar shop is a great idea, and I seriously doubt it would make anyone rich, but I think it's possible to earn a comfortable enough wage doing what you love. You can't be lazy at it, gotta put in the hours making the shop a destination, turning over inventory online, being innovative. It would be a risk and take a lot of labor. The shops I've seen where I thought "I could make that place better" it wouldn't have been without a couple grand in supplies and countless nights and weekends over the course of a couple months, after operating the store all day.

 

But two shops opened up out here in the past five years or so, one just recently. We now have more comic shops operating than we did in the 90's, or at any time since I've lived in the area. I don't think the shop nearest me is doing great, and have never been to the other one, but people are making a go of it.

 

Not sure any "shop" would be a fantastic idea at the moment, and any of the fun ones will carry more risk. You want to be a gourmet cupcake chef, be prepared to close your doors in three years after losing everything. Or not, hope for the best. People do succeed at it.