getting started as a dealer?

[krazy_kenny1]

Hey, I recently got back into the hobby after a long hiatus, and I've gone to a few shows recently. I was wondering how some of you dealers got started selling at shows? I could see myself possibly wanting to set up at shows sometime way in the future. Is it feasible to be a casual seller like this with no interest in having a store? If so, I think I might enjoy it. I always used to enjoy going to camera shows when I was a kid whenever my dad had a table. I have a really small collection right now and tend to only buy single issues I need for series that I collect (as well as new comics every week). I'm really only interested because I think I would enjoy it, not because I want to make a ton of money at it (although there would have to be at least some profit of course). I really just like the atmosphere...(and if I was making some money, my gf couldn't complain about me spending entire weekends at comic book shows). So, any advice for me? ...things you would have done differently if you were just starting out again like I am?

[the blob]

good luck selling at shows. i learned my lesson already! people buying at shows want deals just like on ebay or here. heck, it's the same people, except you have to pay $___ for a table, drag the stuff to the show, pay for gas, parking, etc. And if you don't plan on bringing a helper along, when are you going to the bathroom during the show??

 

i did one big apple show. great location near the front. table "seemed" busy all day with people looking at my stuff. but i brought mainly inexpensive books, mostly under $5 - $6 each (in 1999 dollars). at the end of the day i paid for the table, paid for my parking and pretty much had enough left over to take my helper (my younger brother) out to dinner. not the greatest way to spend a saturday. and nobody even tried to sell me any books!

[Ringfinger]

Yup, no way unless you are the only guy selling for 50 cents each. There is a need for that local.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Yeah, you need to either have some really nice books ($50 books do not cut it) or else books you have absolutely nothing into. I mean nothing--no time spent grading, no money spent bagging and boarding, etc.

 

In the 80s, tables were cheap and it was a hot, growing market. Now tables are expensive and sales are much slower.

 

Marc

[october]

If the profit margins are so small, why do people set up year after year? Especially those who have to drive/fly across the country in order to do it.

 

I will be setting up at WW Chicago and I am sure it will be an educational experience no matter what happens...

[Ringfinger]

Because they have high end stuff with great margins.

[sterlingcomics]

If the profit margins are so small, why do people set up year after year? Especially those who have to drive/fly across the country in order to do it.

 

I will be setting up at WW Chicago and I am sure it will be an educational experience no matter what happens...

 

Really? I might have to go then.....

[the blob]

I think there's probably a better chance to make some money at the big big shows, but you also have to plunk down more.

 

I suppose a $200 (heck, it's probably more nowadays) a table local show like Big Apple is perhaps unusual, but I'm not willing to travel much further.

 

People who fly across country have a lot of three and four digit books to sell. That's how you can pay for your tables with 10 minutes of work.

 

OTOH, I suspect that if you have a table of high grade solid bronze and SA (late SA books I assume) you might do ok with people looking to find specific books. But if you think a show is a good place to sell those low and mid-grade books for much more than you paid on ebay buying them in lots or whatever, with a few exceptions, you'll probably be disappointed.

[HouseofComics.Com]

As Ringfinger says, it's the high-end stuff, mainly. Or they have a mailorder business which is augmented by being seen at shows. Or they are ready to spend $20,000 at any time when the right stuff walks up to them at the show. (None of these apply to our original poster in this thread.)

 

Or on the lower end, maybe they used to own a store and have tons of comics. So they will do show after show for the cashflow even though if they were starting over and had to buy and sort the comics, they wouldn't make that much money at it. Ie, these guys have a sunk cost they are trying to get cash out of.

 

Marc

[143ksk]

If the profit margins are so small, why do people set up year after year? Especially those who have to drive/fly across the country in order to do it.

 

I will be setting up at WW Chicago and I am sure it will be an educational experience no matter what happens...

 

I used to set up at the Chicago ComiCon in the mid-late '80s and thought it was tons of fun. As long as I had good books (Major SA first issues, nice GA and whatever the hot book of the month was--SA and BA Joker covers mostly ) I sold a lot. The major downside was I couldn't spend much time looking at anybody else's books...

[jimjum12]

Most of the people who are successful at it are diversified and use shows as only one avenue for sales.They will also use eBay,sell to other dealers,and do mail orders.You'll need to keep extensive wantlists and follow through on them.You know,pick up a book in Philly for a guy in Carolina.You also have to carry stuff that may not appeal to you.If you only carry what you like,your best customer will be yourself.It's definitely an ongoing process and can very quickly become a JOB.A lot of the same people will go to the same local shows so if you don't have a friendly nature,you'll have trouble ever knowing what is in demand in a given area.You'll also need to have some extra cash,so you can"buy your way out"of a bad show.Doing shows can be VERY fun,but many wives and girlfriends become less tolerant after a couple of years.You should try it if for nothing more than to get it out of your system.Who knows...?GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[HouseofComics.Com]

Your comment about having a friendly nature ties into another reason why the same dealers will keep coming back. They have built up relationships over the years so that people will look for them every time. Starting from scratch, you don't have that.

 

Marc

[october]

Because they have high end stuff with great margins.

 

How many cons have you been to? The majority of dealers don't have high end stuff. I understand that guys like Harley can pay for a good chunk of costs with a handful of sales, but the vast majority of dealers don't have his stock. I guess I am just saying that it can't be as bad as everyone makes it out to be or there wouldn't BE cons.

[the blob]

I dunno October, I'd say 60-70% of the guys have a wall full of high end books (well, $100 or over) and a bunch of long boxes. Granted, I'm in NYC, so they're going to be dropping a grand (at least) on a weekend show, so they might as well bring some good stuff.

 

The rest of them try to cram as many bargain bin books as possible into their space and make their money on volume. If you're a dealer (who does shows for a living or who has at least 1 shop), this is your overstock, stuff you haven't gotten around to pricing, the stuff you bought from the shop cross town that went out of business, etc. not necessarily junk, but if you have a shop where you try to sell your BA back issues for 50-100% of guide, blowing them out for a buck each every other month isn't going to be good for the 50-100% of guide part of your business, so these store owners wind up offering better deals at shows than they would give their store customers.

 

if you've paid a nickel/dime each for your books in bulk and you can sell them for $1 each and you can sell a few thousand at a 1 or 2 day show, and maybe you sell a few more expensive items, I see how you can make money if the show is within driving distance.

[october]

I was thinking $500+ as high end. Sell a few of those and your show is paid for. It takes a lot of $100 books to pay for the whole shot though (counting what you have in your books in the first place).

 

It seems to me that it's the guys in the middle who have the toughest time. If you have a ton of $200+ books you will probably cover costs relatively quickly, same with $1 books provided you have next to nothing in them. Seems to me that $10-50 books would be the hardest path.

[october]

But if you think a show is a good place to sell those low and mid-grade books for much more than you paid on ebay buying them in lots or whatever, with a few exceptions, you'll probably be disappointed.

 

I think that's right, but then again, low and midgrades don't sell for much ANYWHERE.

[the blob]

yes, but on ebay or here, if you don't pay much for those low and mid-grades, at least you don't have to cover the cost of a $200+ table! everything is relative.

[Flaming_Telepath]

If the profit margins are so small, why do people set up year after year? Especially those who have to drive/fly across the country in order to do it.

 

Simply for turnover in a lot of cases...shifting units and recouping money.

 

There's also the spin-offs...the new customers that you might meet, impress, and they'll be back for more....maybe mail order, maybe through your web-site.

 

I'll tell you, shows are usually not great profit makers. Your expenses are extremely high, everyone wants a 'deal', the book you sold for $500, you had $300 in it anyway. Also, the time spent preparing for, and attending, the show is a hell of a lot of man hours.

 

The very best profit margins come through mail order, web-sites and selling to wants lists. The shows get you that custom, but they are more of an investment in future business than instant hits.

[october]

yes, but on ebay or here, if you don't pay much for those low and mid-grades, at least you don't have to cover the cost of a $200+ table! everything is relative.

 

I guess dollar books are the way to go. I would rather have the extra cost of the table than sell those in lots on eBay, make 20 cents on the dollar, and have the added hassle of shipping them.

 

So it look like 20-30 longboxes of dollar stuff coupled with some nice wall books from every age and decent $10-50 stock looks like a pretty good combination. Yes?

[THE_BEYONDER]

I'm trying to decide on the right combination as well. There's a 1-day show coming up that I need to prepare for.