Store status report.

Despite a big drop off in sales the last week, we still beat last year handily for the month of October. Since November was so low last year, I'm thinking we're likely to beat last year this month, too.

It has to do with some of our product selling unexpectedly well, more than it has to do with the economy (local or national). The New DC52, obviously. Magic continues to sell better than last year, and I had a surge on sports cards that probably won't be duplicated anytime soon.

Still, that makes four months in a row. And the likelihood that we'll beat last year overall.

I've been using that extra money to take advantage of any bargains that come along. Gives me the chance to stock the store to the tippytop. As well as keeping the evergreens at a high level.

Space, as always, is the problem.

I qualified for an extra 5% in DC items for December; that plus the extra 3% I gain from my higher discount level means that I'll probably stock up on all the great DC graphic novels I can.

DC has a backstock of the best graphic novels out there; Sandman, Preacher, Y-the Last Man, etc. etc. If I can get two or three copies of the best-sellers, instead of my Just-in-Time one or two copies, it will mean I can always have a copy in stock.

That's been the biggest change in the store this year. I'm trying to catch those small savings; 2 or 3 or 5% points, consistently accrued over the long run. (In the years of the boom, I spent most of my efforts on bringing in new product lines, like new books and boardgames. After that, I concentrated on bringing in piles of heavily discounted product. So this constant angling for small increases in savings is the icing on the cake.)

That plus trying to save a little money on small fees and postage. I've saved about 450.00 in just trying to be smarter, which the equivalent of 1000.00 in sales.

Overall, I'm liking the store.