As a method to reduce startup and operating costs, consider a joint venture with another retailer. Theyll also need a good location, which brings monthly rent. How to start a comic book store takes research and a diverse inventory and knowledge about the history of the many comic book characters that have been created through the years. How much money would it cost me to start making money making comic books and make big. The comic book store is still here for your tcg, game supply, and comic related items. Any retail store will require all three to keep the doors open and the lights on. Jan 10, 2018 your question is too vague to give anything other than a general answer but here are some things to consider. Distributors work directly with publishers, acting as a sort of middleman between your store and the publishers. What is the startup cost of a comic book and comic book art. Three basic and fundamental costs associated with a comic shop. An entrepreneurial nerds guide to opening a comic book store. How much it costs to start an online store and should i. Nov 26, 2015 three basic and fundamental costs associated with a comic shop. Over the years, the genre has developed to include a variety of subgenres and content creators like stan lee, jack kirby and others who pioneered the superheroes at the heart of comic book publishings golden age today, the comic book and graphic novel industry.
Kaylin is an industry veteran who has run comic book stores for years. The margin on new books is often less than 5 percent. May 05, 2015 hibbs says that this is still giving comic book stores an edge. Sometimes long hours youre paying rent for the location and in most of todays retail environments, customers expect stores to be open when its convenient for them to shop.
His preference is to sell the business but if there are no buyers he will sell the comics and shut things down. If you open a business,starting with online sales and you can generate. See the comic value packs page for a list of available packs and prices. These numbers should give a good idea of what it costs to run a bookstore. We can ship any item in our store right to your home. Flyleaf books used book store business plan financial plan. How graphicly is paving the way for selfpublished digital. With very few exceptions, most store owners quickly find themselves in some measure of debt, and the day comes when they realize that they cant get out. Also it would be interesting to hear what the users of this subreddit look for in a comic shop. What could use is a good estimate on the cash i would need for inventory and other start up costs. If you want to put your comic into comic book stores, youll need diamond distribution. Nov 24, 2019 for many book lovers, opening a bookstore seems to be a dream job. The purchasing guide for starting a comic book store. A desirable location likely around other retailers, and somewhere there will be lots of foot traffic.
I am primarily looking to get an idea as to how much cash i will need for start up. Before going to the expense of incurring startup costs, consider these questions to help you determine if opening a comic book store is the right investment for. Often, this simply requires you to use great online resources like ebay, but you can also visit your favorite wholesalers, gamingcomic shops, and conventions to acquire physical inventory. Owning a comic shop is one of those dreams that i kept to myself and didnt share with too many people other than my wife. Comic book owners explain how to start a comics retail store at.
Startup costs include a sign and lifesize figure of a comic book character to draw attention. If you sell 90% of your books each month, yu will have. Learn about the daytoday activities of a comic book store owner, the typical target market, growth potential, startup costs, legal considerations, and more. What is the startup cost of a comic book and comic book. Study 37 terms starting a business flashcards quizlet. Comic book store owners of reddit, how is business. Find out why comic book shops are a great place to discover comics and join a community of people just like you.
How to start a comic book s tore takes research and a diverse inventory and knowledge about the history of the many comic book characters that have been created through the years. Used book store business plan sample company summary. Dec 24, 2019 as somebody rightly said, that depends on how much you can do yourself. Our guide on starting a comic book store covers all the essential information to help you decide if this business is a good match for you. Powell stated that the cost of opening a store is higher now because customers.
How much money does it take to start your own independent. Comic book owners explain how to start a comics retail. In fact, ive seen a large number of comics stores fail because the owners were so wrapped up in their love of comics, that they forgot that they were running a business. Next week, ill offer some suggestions on how to reduce the costs of opening a store. However, startup costs can be quite high, mostly because the store will need to stock a large inventory of books before they even see the first customer. For a comic book store, however, you need capital as well as passion for the. Ive been a massive comic book geek my whole life and have accumulated an encyclopedic knowledge of comic book lore. Our comic value packs are a fun, affordable way to get a lot of comics without spending much. Bookstores can bring great business opportunities for the right person. Over the years, the genre has developed to include a variety of subgenres and content creators like stan lee, jack kirby and others who pioneered the superheroes at the heart of comic book publishings golden age. Comic book value packs comic book value packs are a great way to pick up a lot of comics cheaply.
Jan 10, 2016 get a madefromscratch 4 page comic book about you or someone else a gift. Before opening your own comic book store, i encourage you to consult with other professionals. That number would be lower if print ads are able to be sold within the books. There are distributors for big publishing companies, as well as distributors that work with indie artists on smaller scale projects. Flyleaf books is a startup used bookstore in the cleveland, ohio area offering a wide range of book, magazine, and music selections. Watch the buying habits of your potential clients and the price ranges they prefer. Acquiring used books for free and reselling is better for margins. Get all the tips, tools, and support you need to start, run, and grow your comic book business. Comics and comic books have existed in various forms since the early part of the 20th century. If you find a reasonably priced and talented web designer, you could probably get a good website done for less than 3 months shop rent. But with over 300,000 selfpublished creators expected to begin selling their own comic books and graphic novels in 2012, digital comic book startup.
Used book store business plan sample financial plan bplans. Jan 25, 2012 but with over 300,000 selfpublished creators expected to begin selling their own comic books and graphic novels in 2012, digital comic book startup graphicly sees a huge opportunity for growth. With very few exceptions, most store owners quickly find themselves in some measure of debt, and the day comes when they realize that they cant get. Comic shop locator find your nearest comic book, graphic novel and popculture store locator. As somebody rightly said, that depends on how much you can do yourself. Find comic book outlets that make it easy to restock popular series and carry a few marquee early edition classics.
Tales from the database mile high comics, chuck rozanski. About 60 days ago, i started selling certified graded comics on ebay to start earning some cash that would fund the construction of this website and. Opening a comic book store, need any available advice gen. The average revenue of small bookstores your business. Powell advised going a mile wide and an inch deep with the stock. Most comic book store owners obtain their inventory through distributors. First of all, you wont have to pay rent, which im sure will be substantial. It is the one and only comic book store in our city of 300k people not. Used book store business plan sample company summary bplans. Use shopify s advanced shopping cart to track inventory, process orders. Comic book value packs are a great way to pick up a lot of comics cheaply.
How much does it cost to start a comic book company. If not, then you need to learn how to draw and color. My mission for the comic shop is for it to be a valuable online resource where comic collectors of all ages can buy, sell and trade comic books that are certified and graded by cgc, cbcs and pgx. Mar 17, 2015 kaylin is an industry veteran who has run comic book stores for years. Find out why comic book shops are a great place to discover. New comic book publishing company small business community. With one dream biz under his belt, ashburn bar owner opens. I know that the cost of retail space varies by region. Each pack is grouped around a particular character or theme, and there is no duplication within any pack. Good matches for this type of shared retail space include pawnshops, comic book retailers, and. Generally, the better the location, the more expensive the persquarefoot rental will be. Many people use the internet to find rare comic books. Mar 30, 2017 a dream that seemed less possible than the others at the time, but in reality was always the most achievable to own a comic book store.
Of course that depends upon the cost of living in an area. How to start a comic book publishing company pen and the pad. Our guide on starting a comic book store covers all the essential information to help. If interested, give us a message here on facebook or give us a call at 8564420402. The actual revenue for small bookstores varies widely. Comic books and illustrated novels have reached a wide audience, and many enthusiasts have taken the heroic leap into the retailing side. Retail space is your store front rent along with utilities heat, electricity, internet, taxes, maintenance, and rental property fees. Additionally, comic book stores have the ability to sell their wares online. Opening a comic books shop start a comic books trading business.
Bear in mind that opening a comics shop is very much a case of slapping the tar baby. Diamond rules the market, delivering for everyone from dc and marvel down to small indie presses. Each value pack is grouped around a theme and provides 2 lbs. As far as the money needed to start a comic book store, that can very. If i applied data analytics to the comic book market, surely i could find dozens of opportunities for arbitrage. Then its up to you to generate pr most social media is free free signings at comic bok stores, then you might have to send money to go to. The comic book store 30 n main st, glassboro, new jersey 08028 rated 4. Its incredibly easy to get into the business, but once youre in, youre stuck. Hes run the shop out of the same location for more than 40 years and he wants to pass the mantle.
When you visit a comic book shop, youre stepping into a world of wonders. However, startup costs can be quite high, mostly because the store will need to. Create a comic book store thats easy to navigate with the help of over 70 customizable themes. Speak to other comic bookstore owners about difficulties they have. In chicago when i lived in the city, about two dozen comic book store and. Oct 17, 2014 if you want to keep your hosting costs to a minimum, consider signing up to a shared hosting service. Nevertheless, starting a comic book store business is a great way of making money.
You can minimize costs by opening a kiosk as opposed to a retail storefront, but you will still need to raise enough startup capital to cover your lease, inventory. If you were opening a comic book store on rodeo drive you would probably need two to three times that for a small store. You main expense will be the cost of setting up your website. How to sell comic books online start your online store. Coins and stamps business ideas start your business today. For many comic book store owners, their initial inventory consists. These are the costs for setting up a physical store and the costs to buy your initial inventory of comic books. If you want to keep your hosting costs to a minimum, consider signing up to a shared hosting service.
Comic book owners explain how to start a comics retail store. Flyleaf books used book store business plan company summary. Startup costs are hard to say as it may vary by your locale and rent costs. This will be an allday event 11am6pm, with a storewide sale. These are all the questions off the top of my head.
Sell comic books online start an online comic store. Comic book stores are generally lowtech, down to earth establishments that dont need a lot of visibility in a hightraffic storefront but can be in a less expensive location, such as an outoftheway strip mall, since they are a destination that dedicated comic book aficionados. Check out what tim has to say about our give aways and shipping. The skys the limit on weekly cost and will vary greatly depending on the type of comic shop you want. Independent booksellers enjoy being part of a community, encouraging the pleasure of reading in adults, and helping to make lifelong readers out of children. Jun 08, 2018 looking for a creative way to fund his startup, one man combined his love of comic books with his data analysis skills to become a rare comic book dealer. Fields said it is possible to start up a comic book store in the. Find out whats happening at your local comic book shop with our 2020 calendar of special occasions and in store events. Note that about 41 percent of the cover price of a book goes to the vendor. Of course, as with any business, the realities of opening a bookstore are a lot more complicated than the dream of. Starting a comic books business business ideas resources. The owner of our local comic book shop is ready to retire.
Your question is too vague to give anything other than a general answer but here are some things to consider. Textbook revenue accounts for 20 percent of all book sales in the u. How much startup money will i need to open a comic book. Find out whats happening at your local comic book shop with our 2020 calendar of special occasions and instore events. Hibbs says that this is still giving comic book stores an edge.
1213 123 682 1173 1516 1551 197 942 1446 588 539 1397 674 1416 687 695 702 378 461 1614 657 609 138 697 551 789 455 585 783 1303 1138 309 292