So the big two publishers, Marvel and DC, have flipflopped. I started with 53% on DC and 50% on Marvel, and ended with 50% on DC and 54% on Marvel.
It's a case of outsmarting myself.
The good news is that, because DC has a six month rolling discount, versus the 12 month Marvel rolling discount, it won't take too long to get back up to 53%. (They still have the best back stock in the business.) Unfortunately, not in the next two months, because I have my moritoriums on spending, but certainly by the end of summer.
It also turns out that I was selling an extraordinary number of Marvel comics last year for two or three months -- must have been the Civil War titles. (Which would explain, by the way, most of the drop in sales I've seen this year in comics). When those months drop off the rolling discount, I'll probably be back to 53%.
So, by the end of summer, I expect the discounts from both Marvel and DC to be around 53%. And easier to reach because reorders count.
The rise in discount level is affecting a lot of smaller shops. There's a smaller shop here in Oregon who is having to increase his buying level in DC, just like I am. Apparently, though, he hasn't really been doing the graphic novel thing. Some of the following is what I said to him, trying to encourage him to get in on it.
Hi,
I think I know where you're coming from. xxxxxx is an incredibly small town for a comic shop; even if you get all xxxxxxx people. Did the game/card/comic shop close there?
Anyway, in proportion, you're as small to my store as I am to Cliff's store, or something.
If it's lack of funds that has stopped you from venturing into Graphic Novels, then I totally understand. But if its attitude, I beg you to reconsider.
About 40% of my comic sales are graphic novels nowadays. I used to think a small town couldn't sell them, now I believe you can't make it in a small town without them.
This is the opportunity for you to get DC's discount level just by stocking up on the basics. Sandman, Preacher, Y the Last Man, Fables, and so on. Do a little bit each month, reorder what sells. Splurge a few hundred dollars on the DC spring sizzler sale on graphic novels -- those are good discounts.
Are you near the tourist traffic?
Manga? A little more tricky. You'll get way more requests, but you'll sell more Preachers and Sandmans. It's very easy to know what the cream of the graphic novels crop is; difficult to learn the manga except by best-seller lists.
I used to think if I sold three or four Preacher #1's, I'd surely sold to all possible locals. But they keep selling and selling and selling.
But you need a minimum range, because some month's you'll get a couple of customers running through the Y -the Last Man's;the next month it might be the DMZ's; the next Planetary.
Vertigo is a good start. A couple of hundred (it may look like the moon right now, but 5 or ten a month and you'd get there) and you might get consistent sales.
Anyway, I think you'd be surprised. But I think you have to make the commitment. If you decide to commit, I'd be willing to give you 20 or so of my overstock; they won't be best sellers, but they'd help the impression.***********************************************************
20 graphic novel overstocks on the way.
A store has to have filler, after all. Really, not everything can be best sellers.
I have a fair amount of Marvel, and random stuff, Vertigo, Image.
I think that indy's are great, but I'd start with the big four.
I will send you ten manga on top, too. But I'd be careful there.
If you're going to do it, stick to Naruto, Fruits Basket, and Deathnote.
One thing I consistently do, is order off the clearance lists. And take Marvel and DC up with every clearance sale. You could get hundreds of graphic novels over time at about 20%.
I encourage you to go forward with this, but don't bankrupt yourself.
***********************************************************************If you don't mind me being a busy body, and I am a fellow Oregonian (and my wife is from xxxxxx), these are the books I'd order. Starting with DC since that is where you need the discount. Besides, you can't beat them. Some of these you may have, so just move to the next to the list.
Sounds like 100.00 retail a week will get you there.
Watchmen
Darknight Returns
#1 Y the Last Man
#1 Preacher
#1 Fables
#1 DMZ
#1 100 Bullets
#1 Sandman
Week Two
Whatever sold, plus the #2 in each of the above series.
Week Three,
Whatever sold, plus the #3 in each of the above series.
Later -- we'll talk.
****************************************************************If you give it time, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. You may have to adjust your 'turnover' expectations. Maybe only expect one or two turns a year, at first. Look on it as an investment.
But I see these books as 'evergreen' ; the gift that keeps on giving.
I sell about 20 Amazing Spider-man comics a month (or per week, as the case may have it). Maybe with a real push I could sell 22 or 24. But basically, it's a number that doesn't budge.
But I can continually sell Preacher or Y -the Last Man.
I don't look at the turnover rate for each title, because they tend to sell in surges. I look at the overall section.
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