Starting a Card Store?

joltinjoe

Hi,
I was thinking about going into the card business. For all of those who have been in the card business for 10 years or more, is now a good time or is the economy still soft for cards? Also, I would think with eBay it's a tougher business. I was thinking of doing it on eBay first but I have heard that card companies will not sell wholesale unless one has a store front. Is that true? If so, it's too bad since the internet is the future.

Aknot

Yes they will not sell to anyone unless you have a storefront to inlcude a copy of utility bills, business license, etc. I would think it would be hard to get started now adays (a store front at least) especially with Ebay. I mean why should I go to your store and pay $50 for a box I can get for 35/40 on the bay?

But then again I have ALWAYS knocked it around and WILL do it if/when I hit the lottery.

joltinjoe

Aknot,

It will be interesting to hear what the veteran card store owners have to say.

pandrews

joltinjoe

pandrews,

That was an immense amount of help. Thanks!

pandrews

<< <i>pandrews,

That was an immense amount of help. Thanks! >>



always glad to be of assistance!

stevek

joltinjoe - You must know that in the past ten years that many thousands of card stores have gone out of business. But if you are determined, here are the only three ways I can see of making a living at it.

1. A "high end" card store with many expensive cards which people will drive from many miles around to see and purchase.

2. A store in a very high foot traffic area but must also sell coins, stamps, comic books, and other collectibles. So there must be knowledge in these other areas of collectibles as well.

3. Buy an existing profitable store from an owner who is retiring, that already has a good base of steady customers.

If you are semi-retired or something like that and making a living at this isn't a prime concern, then of course almost any option is open to you. Good luck!

Aknot

<< <i>Aknot,

It will be interesting to hear what the veteran card store owners have to say. >>



NP Im sure they will say the same thing. "Most" of your shop owners are "established" and have been around awhile. They have their "customer" base and get new ones. Now to start up today you have to compete against Ebay not to mention "store fronts" that have an online store also.

Dont get me wrong I wish you all the luck in the world.

***EDIT***
NP Im sure they MAY say the same thing.

inFluX

Just buy/rent a dumpy place for your store front as cheap as possible. Get the business license.. Throw up a sign made out of construction paper Ok now get product in and sell it all on ebay.

Just an idea..

Griffins

Photoshop makes everything possible

damnyankees

The card store I've been going to is closeing down for good,the reason:"Ebay is killing the buisness"!!

KallMaloneSay

The best way to get started would be to stop at all the local existing shops and see if anyone's interested in selling, this way you already have the customer base and won't have to sit around in an empty store for a few months like I did at first. As for battling ebay, make it your friend more than your enemy. Maybe half the card collecting public is on ebay, so you have plenty of collectors who have never even seen it, you don't need to match ebay prices. Try to find a spot with high income residential so that you get people who might have the internet, but would rather avoid the hassle of searching online and waiting a week and a half for the product to come in.

Best of luck if you choose to start one, Jason

joltinjoe

Jason,

How is your card business doing? Was it easier starting than you thought?

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>The card store I've been going to is closeing down for good,the reason:"Ebay is killing the buisness"!! >>

this is true

in the few shops still open here,
when you enter, you will be the only customer
(unless there are 2 kids buying pokemon cards...)
and the owner will be ignoring you while he sits
at his PC either loading items onto ebay
or packs items that he sold on ebay to ship....

the store front is just an expensive storage facility
for their profitable ebay businesses.

KallMaloneSay

The store is picking up by the month. I was told to expect July and August to be two of the slowest months, but they have in fact been our best months so far. We are getting better word of mouth as time goes on and have been getting a lot more tourists since we added the line "Closest to the Strip" in the phone book. It has been a lot of work, but with the store, ebay, and major card shows the store should bring around $40,000+ profit this year. Nothing to get rich off of, but not bad for a job that I love (beats the heck out of waiting tables for maybe $30,000 a year). I've got some bigger plans to hopefully pick things up more, such as pack wars and home/hotel delivery of boxes. It's been tons of fun, and even if things somehow go down the toilet and ebay is the only means of business, I'll still be glad the I opened the store and at least gave my dreams a try. We might be opening a second store at the end of the year, we have the money, it just depends on whether or not my partner wants to give up his pool business. I'll keep you posted if we do open the second shop.
Jason

Stone193

<< <i>Nothing to get rich off of, but not bad for a job that I love >>


Sounds like a success already! Doing something you enjoy is more a labor of love. For many, it is all one can do to get up in the morning and drag oneself to work. I think you are on your way since you are willing to work hard and have the right attitude.
Good luck in the future.
Mike

damnyankees

Good for you!!I hope the buisness keeps up.Check out Waxpacks.com.The got 3-5 auctions per night on unopened boxes.I pay $9.95 a month and have gotten unbeilevable deals!!I always tell myself,if I owned a card shop,I'd make a killing breaking up the boxes and selling the packs.That's my two cents worth.Good luck!!

estang

I don't think starting a card shop is a very good idea with ebay out there. How about a sports themed restaurant or bar that has a place for sports cards in it or a sports barber shop that has cards for sale. You could give away super cheap wax product to kids as a gift with haircuts or kids meals.

I don't think cards as a primary lead store-front business is the ticket, but combining it with another lead product or service could work pretty well.

funlover1974

Most of the ones in my area also have another thing that also draws in customers. Me being a child of the 80s I have seriously been thinking about opening a shop of my own, but have been trying to find another market that I could combine it with.

dude

A friend of mine who once owned a card shop once said, "Do you want to know how to make a million dollars with a sportscard store? Start with two million."

I have just one word for you: EBAY

Scumbi

If I wasn't so lazy and rich, I'd buy a catering truck, paint it with murals of great cards and drive around to "spoiled-bratsville" schools during the day. Sell some candy and put up a menu with the cards you have for sale. You can drive the thing to flea markets and put an Ebay address on the side. Last, you can make housecalls when old furts can't go anywhere to sell their cards. You'd probably get some press too if you put a huge Mookie Blaylock papier mache head on top of truck. Your one major cost at this point would be gasoline, but it would be interesting.

S.

funlover1974

There are 2 types of buyers I have noticed on Ebay. The ones who are builing their collections and the ones who are buying for resale off Ebay. I have 2 regular buyers who do nothing but buy from Ebay for cards to sell at shows and their store. There are still alot of collectors out there who will not buy a card unless they can hold it beforehand.