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By The Numbers by PikesComics
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43 posts in this topic

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Follow Pike as he plans his future events and gives breakdowns of his past and future adventures in Comics.

 

UPCOMING TOPICS:

 

-DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF CONVENTION COSTS

-CONVENTION SETUP

-SELECTING CONVENTIONS TO ATTEND

-BREAKING DOWN A COLLECTION

-MARGINS AND CRITERIA FOR GETTING BOOKS GRADED

 

I will also be answering any question people have along with giving details in regards to collections i have bought.

 

See more journals by PikesComics

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So a little about myself:

- Based out of Tampa/Clearwater

- I have owned a Comic shop.

 

First Comic book series read: Xmen right around the Hellfire club first appeared.

 

-Most expensive comic owned: Brave and the Bold 28 5.5

 

-Favorite book ever owned: Giant Size X-men 1 9.4

 

-Most copies of one key comic: 13 copies FF 52

 

- Most Comics owned: ~450 long boxes

- Currently own: ~275 long boxes

 

2017 Goals

-Set up at at least 6 major conventions within 8-10hr driving distance.

-Start submitting to auction sites such as Comic connect, my Comic Shop, ect. Want a 4-5x turn rate with 30-40% margins.

-Increase quality of inventory.

-Become more organized.

 

More details to come.

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2016 Conventions:

Megacon Tampa: This is the shows last chance to prove the new owners can run a show where vendors can make a profit. Megacon thus year was a nightmare.

 

2017 Conventions:

1.Megacon May 25-28. This matters on how well the show goes this weekend. Will not be doing any of their shows anymore.

2. Heroes Convention June 16-18

3. Tampa Bay Comic Con June 28-30

4. Soda Pop City Con Aug 26-27

5. Suggestions?

6. Suggestions?

 

Smaller shows:

-Daytona Beach Comic Con. Great mid sized one day show tun by Tom Raupp.

 

-Clearwater Library Con

Edited by Pike's Comics
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-DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF CONVENTION COSTS

 

Let's use this weekend's show Megacon Tampa as an example. This is a local show for me so less food expenses and no hotel expense.

 

1. Booth costs: 4 booths, two are corner booths. $2400

2. U-Haul rental: $250

3. Labor/staff: 2 volunteers, 2 booth staff and 2 people who just help load in/out: $900

4. Food/Parking: $150

5. Hotel $0

 

Total: $3700. For a large show that is pretty good.

 

Extra one time expenses already purchased:

-tables (I bring seven 8" and two 4")

- high quality dolly (I've broken 3 of the ones from home depot hauling Comics)

- grid wall or some other wall display

-sheets or tarp to cover comics

- Signs

- plastic bags

 

Knowing all this and not including labor cost to prep books, bags and boards and actual comic costs I need to clear 4k just to cover my additional expenses of doing a convention.

 

 

Edited by Pike's Comics
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-DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF CONVENTION COSTS

 

-snip-

 

Knowing all this and not including labor cost to prep books, bags and boards and actual comic costs I need to clear 4k just to cover my additional expenses of doing a convention.

 

 

 

and THIS is one of the things too many miss -

 

Cons can be fun - but it takes a LOT of $$$ just to set up. You invest 4k into a show - sell 5k in merch - unless you are the best "buyer" of all times, you have a loss on your hands......

 

 

Even on a smaller scale - if you have $600 into a small (medium?) show - you need to sell ~$1200 just to break even.

 

 

 

Gator posted a similar analysis of one of his con setups some time ago - might be interesting to look his up and compare notes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I've actually was setup next to Gator. I can only dream to do a setup like his! However let's do a hypothetical. Let's talk about my bulk boxes.

 

Cost per book $.10

Bag and board $.15

Labor $.25 (to alphabetize, sort and bag and board)

 

Cost $.50 a book.

 

Assume 10k in sales. All made from my $2 boxes.

 

That means I sold 5k books (Go Me!) My costs were 4k. My inventory cost was $2500. Therefore I just made $3500 on 5k book sales.... and around 20-22 long boxes of books

Edited by Pike's Comics
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very interesting. I recently sold about 20,000 comics from my collection, no keys or high value stuff, perfect for $1 boxes. I sold for about a dime a piece and, frankly, I was glad to get that. The buyer is a collector/seller. He pulls what he wants for his own collection and then sells everything else. I assume he sets up at shows too.

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I've actually was setup next to Gator. I can only dream to do a setup like his! However let's do a hypothetical. Let's talk about my bulk boxes.

 

Cost per book $.10

Bag and board $.15

Labor $.25 (to alphabetize, sort and bag and board)

 

Cost $.50 a book.

 

Assume 10k in sales. All made from my $2 boxes.

 

That means I sold 5k books (Go Me!) My costs were 4k. My inventory cost was $2500. Therefore I just made $3500 on 5k book sales....

 

 

the above is a good lesson in the economics of shows - the above is a great result - but then you have to move 20 longboxes to get there.

 

 

Pike - do you tend to move that many of the lower tier books?

 

 

Also --- for the bulk bins - how do you make the distinction between $1 and $2 books?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It's interesting reading certain other "dealers" reports (not pointing anyone specific out, and not trying to make a negative post) but sellers that are detailing for example, con costs of $1000, they've sold $1500, and consider that a $500 profit. Not taking in to account the cost of the inventory to begin with, or other costs, or losing two days sitting behind tables.

 

For many I think, selling is just an extension of their hobby -- the hobby is to acquire comic books. The selling is just a way to continue to do that.

 

Nothing wrong with that! but less business-savvy readers may think that this is an easier way to profit than the reality is....

Edited by doxbane
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1. Distinguishing between $1 and $2 books.

 

I believe it is based on how much I put into the books. Meaning for me $2 books should be in clean bags and boards and in alphabetical order. For me anything worth under $5 goes in here that isn't drek. Ie stuff that no one is really interested in.

 

I plan on going over my sorting methods next week in greater detail.

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It's interesting reading certain other "dealers" reports (not pointing anyone specific out, and not trying to make a negative post) but sellers that are detailing for example, con costs of $1000, they've sold $1500, and consider that a $500 profit. Not taking in to account the cost of the inventory to begin with, or other costs, or losing two days sitting behind tables.

 

For many I think, selling is just an extension of their hobby -- the hobby is to acquire comic books. The selling is just a way to continue to do that.

 

Nothing wrong with that! but less business-savvy readers may think that this is an easier way to profit than the reality is....

 

I assume the OP was factoring in the cost of comics in his profit calculation. Yeah, sitting behind a table is work, but probably more fun than sitting before a desk in an office. On the other hand, I was happy to sell 20,000 for 10 cents each rather than trying to lug long boxes to a con and try to sell them in $1 boxes.

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It's interesting reading certain other "dealers" reports (not pointing anyone specific out, and not trying to make a negative post) but sellers that are detailing for example, con costs of $1000, they've sold $1500, and consider that a $500 profit. Not taking in to account the cost of the inventory to begin with, or other costs, or losing two days sitting behind tables.

 

For many I think, selling is just an extension of their hobby -- the hobby is to acquire comic books. The selling is just a way to continue to do that.

 

Nothing wrong with that! but less business-savvy readers may think that this is an easier way to profit than the reality is....

 

I assume the OP was factoring in the cost of comics in his profit calculation. Yeah, sitting behind a table is work, but probably more fun than sitting before a desk in an office. On the other hand, I was happy to sell 20,000 for 10 cents each rather than trying to lug long boxes to a con and try to sell them in $1 boxes.

 

he did - that is why I was listing it as a good example....

 

like dox - I see a lot of people using funny math (not just here) - good to see a more complete version

 

 

 

 

 

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Two topics this week:

1. My expectations of a convention organizer as a vendor.

I am finding this needs to be discussed.

 

2. Prepping books to be sent to auction and deciding who to send them to.

- I have two events left this year (Daytona Comic Con and the yearly Swap meet) so it is time to move items that move slowly at conventions.

 

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I enjoyed this part. I think a lot of us can relate to the how many long boxes owned at our peak and now. For me I probably at one point either owned or controlled via consignment about 450 longs, but am now down to about 300 shorts of books I own. This is without trying to deal with post 1980 books at all but they are hard to resist and I don't necessarily have your discipline to move out the non-performers.

 

Another question I like to know or like to ask new customers is what their oldest comic is. It's always a cool factoid.

 

So a little about myself:

- Based out of Tampa/Clearwater

- I have owned a Comic shop.

 

First Comic book series read: Xmen right around the Hellfire club first appeared.

 

-Most expensive comic owned: Brave and the Bold 28 5.5

 

-Favorite book ever owned: Giant Size X-men 1 9.4

 

-Most copies of one key comic: 13 copies FF 52

 

- Most Comics owned: ~450 long boxes

- Currently own: ~275 long boxes

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Wanted to chime in on this one ever since I read it.

 

Is it almost 100% of the bulk books that need bag and board or does a certain portion always come bagged and boarded when you buy them? That could change your pct. paid by quite a bit. For me I think it's been about 50/50 but I think I've been lucky to often get nice bagged and boarded modern collections.

 

I also wanted to mention that you should be able to get bags and boards cheaper. I don't deal in that big a bulk but I can still get BCW supplies from a local subdistributor for just under $.10 a comic, not $.15. So you might look into different sources to try to get these cheaper.

 

Good luck with this blog and your business!

 

Marc

 

Let's talk about my bulk boxes.

 

Cost per book $.10

Bag and board $.15

Labor $.25 (to alphabetize, sort and bag and board)

 

Cost $.50 a book.

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I enjoyed this part. I think a lot of us can relate to the how many long boxes owned at our peak and now. For me I probably at one point either owned or controlled via consignment about 450 longs, but am now down to about 300 shorts of books I own. This is without trying to deal with post 1980 books at all but they are hard to resist and I don't necessarily have your discipline to move out the non-performers.

 

Another question I like to know or like to ask new customers is what their oldest comic is. It's always a cool factoid.

 

So a little about myself:

- Based out of Tampa/Clearwater

- I have owned a Comic shop.

 

First Comic book series read: Xmen right around the Hellfire club first appeared.

 

-Most expensive comic owned: Brave and the Bold 28 5.5

 

-Favorite book ever owned: Giant Size X-men 1 9.4

 

-Most copies of one key comic: 13 copies FF 52

 

- Most Comics owned: ~450 long boxes

- Currently own: ~275 long boxes

 

My goal is to ship 50 long boxes off to charity by the end of the month. Clear out and make room for new stuff.

 

I think the oldest book I own is a jungle action. I will post a pic of it later!

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Wanted to chime in on this one ever since I read it.

 

Is it almost 100% of the bulk books that need bag and board or does a certain portion always come bagged and boarded when you buy them? That could change your pct. paid by quite a bit. For me I think it's been about 50/50 but I think I've been lucky to often get nice bagged and boarded modern collections.

 

I also wanted to mention that you should be able to get bags and boards cheaper. I don't deal in that big a bulk but I can still get BCW supplies from a local subdistributor for just under $.10 a comic, not $.15. So you might look into different sources to try to get these cheaper.

 

Good luck with this blog and your business!

 

Marc

 

Let's talk about my bulk boxes.

 

Cost per book $.10

Bag and board $.15

Labor $.25 (to alphabetize, sort and bag and board)

 

Cost $.50 a book.

 

My goal for my boxes is when someone looks at my $2 books they see clean looking boxes. Take a look one day and compare a box of perfectly bagged and boarded comics vs one with older boards mixed in or the flaps not properly taped down. The difference is amazing.

 

So to answer your question not all need rebagged but usually over 50% do need rebagged.

 

As for cost I may be off but id rather give myself room to include other supplies such as tape and boxes.

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