Independent booksellers enjoy being part of a community, encouraging the pleasure of reading in adults, and helping to make lifelong readers out of children. Retail space is your store front rent along with utilities heat, electricity, internet, taxes, maintenance, and rental property fees. Until the 1970s, comic book retail worked more or less the same way as regular book or newsstand retail. For independent booksellers, opening a bookstore business mostly revolves around selling printed books. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. Blastoff comics owner explains why most comic book stores. The nook book ebook of the comic book shop start up sample business plan. You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. Gamestop details its plans to sell marvel and dc comics. Three basic and fundamental costs associated with a comic shop. Writing a comic book store business plan sample template. It is the goal of the company management to acquire local market share in the used bookstore industry through low price, a dominant selection of products, a competitive variety of services including a buybacktrade program and hard to find book search, plus a relaxing, friendly environment. Regardless of which one you choose, you will need a general business license. May 05, 2015 until the 1970s, comic book retail worked more or less the same way as regular book or newsstand retail.
I have received several questions on how to start a comic book store. Like all bricks and mortar retailers, successful bookselling requires. How to start a comic book publishing company pen and the pad. For a comic book store, however, you need capital as well as passion for the medium. Dec 30, 2014 jeff bock, senior box office analyst at exhibitor relations, an entertainment business research firm, told cnbc via email that hollywood is in love with comic book movies as superheroes are. D just curious if i can get some advice from people who might know. We are still planning to start a shop in the next five years. Owner of blastoff comics jud meyers explains not only why comic book stores fail, but any small business for that matter. Used book store business plan sample executive summary. Starting a comic book store, or book publisher business whether selling books from home, online or any other format, you first need to select the service business structure among a sole proprietor, a partnership, corporation or llc. The business was founded in 2000 and has grown its selection to around 300,000 titles over the years. Blanch has been in business for a couple of years, having bought out an owner when they.
The purchasing guide for starting a comic book store. In this video i talk about about meeting with the sba, getting a small business loan, and what goes into a business plan. Most comic store owners are comic book lovers and have their own personal collection that they can use as inventory to start off with. A few weeks ago, americas largest video game retail chain announced that its going to enter the comic book business. Mar 12, 2019 startup want to turn your comic book idea into a milliondollar business.
Flyleaf books is a startup used bookstore in the cleveland, ohio area offering a wide range of book, magazine, and music selections. Especially, if you do not know much about them and do not have anyone that can teach you the dos and donts. There are distributors for big publishing companies, as well as distributors that work with indie artists on smaller scale projects. Next week, ill offer some suggestions on how to reduce the costs of opening a store. Comic books were a small blip on my radar before i considered opening a store i did not have a collection stashed somewhere. Heres some helpful information that is ideal for entrepreneurial folks who want to open a comic books shop. They could start by reading some of your collection or tag along with you to an event, convention, or your local comic book store. The way comics work is you publish your monthly book, people buy it, and then you kind of go on. Mar 30, 2017 so as i begin to build my comic book empire, i decided to give myself strict rules and guidelines to follow in order to be successful. So as i begin to build my comic book empire, i decided to give myself strict rules and guidelines to follow in order to be successful. Jeff bock, senior box office analyst at exhibitor relations, an entertainment business research firm, told cnbc via email that hollywood is in love. Start small with a large variety of comics as you build up your inventory. For the past 6 months my wife and i have been drawing a business plan for a local comic and novelty store and have a meeting with a business advisorconsultant tomorrow and meet with a building manager about renting an office space downtown.
Any retail store will require all three to keep the doors open and the lights on. 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. Nov 24, 2019 for many book lovers, opening a bookstore seems to be a dream job. Bear in mind that opening a comics shop is very much a case of slapping the tar baby. I found a great resource on how to start your own comic bookstore, including where to get distribution agreements to be able to sell dc, marvel and. How to start a used book store online the balance small.
How to sell comic books online start your online store. Of course, as with any business, the realities of opening a bookstore are a lot more complicated than the dream of. 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. For many book lovers, opening a bookstore seems to be a dream job.
But a large part of forming a business involves research and analysis, so the sooner you start, the better. And, how do you successfully start such a niche publishing business. Tales from the database mile high comics, chuck rozanski. Flyleaf books used book store business plan financial plan. Nevertheless, starting a comic book store business is a great way of making money, especially if you have the passion for collecting these magazine type narratives. When i lived in nevada a number of small stores opened and closed around the city where i grew up.
Great opportunity to own an established and profitable online book and audiobook rental service. Try shopify free for 90 days, no credit card required. 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. Diamond rules the market, delivering for everyone from dc and marvel down to small indie presses. You need to plan on procurement in case you do not own a brick and mortar book store, shipment, usp of your book store catering to any particular niche e. Flyleaf books is a start up used bookstore in the cleveland, ohio area offering a wide range of book, magazine, and music selections.
Sell comic books online start an online comic store. Ive written about strategies to get your friends and family into comics further detail. Comic book store owners biggest mistakes if you are thinking of opening a comic book store, here are some of the biggest mistakes that comic book store and probably every other collectible store owners make. Lego, comics, and actions figures funny business online. Apr 30, 2018 it depends upon where you are located. Used book store business plan sample executive summary bplans. Most comic book store owners obtain their inventory through distributors.
But there are some simple steps every fan should take to store a comic book collectionto ensure it retains its value and can be enjoyed by the next generation. You must know the fair market prices for rare comic books and you must buy them for less than the going prices in order to resell them for a profit. We learn what typically happens within the first 6 months to 1 year of. Hey everyone, i live in a small town that has never really had a comic store other than the city thats 30 minutes to an hour away. Comic book owners explain how to start a comics retail store at. Start a comic book store by following these 9 steps. Startup want to turn your comic book idea into a milliondollar business. Learn about the equipment you will need, typical costs, and where are the best places to buy it. Brian, who is also the coo of raidious, a digital agency for content marketing, is one busy. Shopify makes it easy to start a business and sell books and ebooks through hundreds of professionally designed templates, secure hosting, lightning fast servers and customized book and ebook digital delivery apps.
For years, the independent bricksandmortar bookselling business has been under pressure from. Each pack is grouped around a particular character or theme, and there is no duplication within any pack. A comic book store makes money by purchasing comic books and and reselling them for a profit. Its incredibly easy to get into the business, but once youre in, youre stuck. Opening a comic bookstore may be your dream, but dont make it a reality if you cant. Did you ever want to get into comics, but did not quite know how. Distributors work directly with publishers, acting as a sort of middleman between your store and the publishers. Comic book store business is a niche idea in the book stores industry and companies in this industry retail a broad range of books comics inclusive, newspapers and periodicals, including trade books, textbooks, magazines, paperbacks and religious books.
If you want to put your comic into comic book stores, youll need diamond distribution. The first in my family to graduate from college, i earned a ba from st. I have 3 other partners, a business plan, a location. A sample comic book store business plan template industry overview. Opening a comic books shop start a comic books trading business. David clarke, cofounder of off shoot comics, is among those. Opening a comic book store, need any available advice gen. The owners werent very friendly or customer service oriented and all but two finally closed. The key to this business is to be a successful trader. This is hardly a childish endeavor, and serious minded entrepreneurs that sell comic books can be rightfully compared to book dealers of any caliber. Heres the first step turning a hobby into a profitable business may be easier than you think.
How to sell comic books online start your online store 3dcart. His shop focuses on alternative and childrens comics. Im not a big fan of comics except for xmen but i understand that comics afficionados are passionate about their comics and can be one of the most loyal customers you can have. Prior to becoming a comic book retailer i was a stock broker, and then gave up that stress to own my own house cleaning business. Shopify makes it easy to start a business and sell books and ebooks through hundreds of professionally designed templates, secure hosting, lightning fast servers. Find comic book outlets that make it easy to restock popular series and carry a few marquee early edition classics. You can start out with as little as 500 square feet of retail space, but you should have a plan for what you will do once your business grows. I believe that the market can sustain can new comic shop in the area where i want to set up.
There are endless amounts of comics, ranging from genre to genre and where to start can be quite overwhelming. 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. A desirable location likely around other retailers, and somewhere there will be lots of foot traffic. Often, this simply requires you to use great online resources like ebay, but you can also visit your favorite wholesalers, gaming comic shops, and conventions to acquire physical inventory. Jun 24, 2016 owner of blastoff comics jud meyers explains not only why comic book stores fail, but any small business for that matter. This past week a coworker of mine found a posting on kijiji about a local comic book store that was selling their complete contents and store name. Introduction flyleaf books is a start up used bookstore in the cleveland, ohio area. 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. It is possible to turn your passion for finding and collecting great comic book series and graphic novels into cash as an online business. How to store a comic book collection like a superhero. Although there are two other comic book stores within 20 miles, he believes he will be able to outperform them with a greater selection of merchandise, gaming competitions, and artist and author signings. Book shops for sale, available to buy now in the us. Kickstarters a great avenue for funding and starting a business, but you do have to have a plan in place.
Sell comic books online start an online comic store free. 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. Comic books and illustrated novels have reached a wide audience, and many enthusiasts have taken the heroic leap into the retailing side. The way most comics work is theres usually a collected edition that comes out later which is like your permanent product, if you will.
There arent any comic shops close by and as far as i know there havent been any in the area i am looking to start. I will not go into debt to fund this little venture. By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from shopify. Used book store business plan sample financial plan bplans.