Saturday, March 7, 2009

Prestige.

The big problem for me, is that my toy has been taken away from me.

The store functions very well on a basic level. I've already figured out how to ratchet down another level, and then another if need be, and then even another if, god forbid, the worst happens. (By that time, I will declare the Great Depression II, but you'll already know it.)

Putting in my preliminary orders, based on need, and then reordering the stuff that sells best, is relatively easy. Doesn't take a whole lot of time and thought.

The rest of the time, the store almost needs to be put into auto-pilot. Otherwise, Idle Hands Gets Into Mischief.

My wife has a habit of getting catalogs in the mail, going through them and marking off all the things she'd like to get, and then forgetting about it.

I'm the opposite; open up the possibility that I could order it, and more often than not, I will order it.

So every day I spend hours checking out new product, reading reviews, searching for hidden gems. Trying to find bargains. Looking for material I overlooked for some reason. Swayed and influenced by good reviews. Intrigued by ideas and concepts.

All of which aren't strictly necessary for the well-being and profitability of the store. Indeed, I probably pay a price in profitability by trying so hard to be a 'good' store. An adequate store would make me more money.

Like the old Hollywood moguls who felt the urge to make money-losing "Prestige" films, I bask in the compliments of out-of-towners who find my store better stocked than the big city stores they frequent. I get a satisfaction out of having every single copy of every major graphic novel series. I like sprinkling the store with intriguing, but off-beat material.

It's not all altruistic. There are good, solid reasons to order the slower selling but higher prestige material. It makes my store unique, it casts a wide web for possible sales, it leads to sales of more mainstream material. But strictly on a cost/risk ratio, I'd probably be better off doing mostly the better sellers.

The deciding factor has always been my own interest. I was willing to support the more off-beat stuff because I personally enjoyed having it.

I'm not giving that up. But the proportion will probably have to be shaved a bit. Not so much cutting back, but more slowing down the increase.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what have we learned this week?

1.) That dunc is a compulsive shopper.

2.) That dunc has been averaging $12/day in gross sales.

I would quit the shopping, and seriously revise the header, I mean you know 'min-wage' guy, how about sub-min-wage, or poverty?

Let's suggest a new title lead for dunc, "The most inexpensive noose a guy ever had".

'Prestige' and buying crap? Like the man said "Your rich in proportion to the comics you can afford not to buy".

This is the same kind of 'prestige' that makes people dine @Volo, or belong to cigar-clubs, or drive fancy-cars on HELOC. Prestige. OMG WTF has happened to our Ned Flanders??

Anonymous said...

Pension Prestige, what is really going on today in the CORP-USA and ruling pluto-cratic interest of PUG central Orygun.

...

An over looked argument regarding 'ma&pa kettle' that is frequently over-looked.

Folks like to BASH chevron, exxon, GE, and hell even P&G.

But hell the MAJORITY owner of said companys is 'ma&pa' 401k retirement 'kettles', but NOW with the complete 401k fire-sale, old-near-dead folks from post-1950's think that what is good for GE is good for ameriKKKa "So long as I'm getting my dividend", all supported the vietnam war, and all else. ...

But NOW, NOW that the US PENSION EMPIRE is imploding, 'Harriet&Louise' are no longer calling their congressman about protecting GE and their way of pension life.

IN the coming months when ALL old fucks learn their pension is BEND-GONE, they'll turn on FORTURE-100,

FOLKS its going to be a blood bath, but then, its only toilet paper.