If you’re thinking of opening a retail comic shop, you would be wise to invest in a $15 copy of Selling Comics: The Guide to Retailing and Best Practises (abbreviated title) from Dark Horse. Presented and supported by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, this trade sized volume is a fantastic resource.
Just a quick read through shows how much there is to know. Topics like Store Design and Layout, Training and Retaining Your Staff, Basic Customer Service are just the beginning. Chapter after chapter in this book, edited by Alex Cox, are informative and practical. It’s all about the business of the business. Social Media, and how to use it; Knowing the Law and your rights; Reaching Out to the community, on and on. It’s about Starting Strong, Selling Stuff, Staff, Safety, and Sensibility, then Surviving and Staying Solid.
Do yourself a ‘solid’, and pick up a copy of this book. It will help you through learning cash flow, the finances, nitty-gritty of ordering, and the basics of the legal side of things. There are a couple dozen contributors including retailer veterans like Brian Hibbs, along with many many other comic professionals. Just $15!
Dark Horse, Selling Comics: The guide to retailing and best practices in the greatest modern artform, $14.99 for 160 pages of content.
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