Costs -Buying The Books and Selling The Books!

I've just been spending my time accepting delivery of books and pricing and then working out the retail value of all the items.

Sadly, The Hooper Interviews will not be on sale at the BCP event.  Just do NOT ask why.  Hopefully for the next event in 2015.

The value of the stock I purchased was well over £300.00 and if I sold everything (I love going into "Terry sells everything -he's rich!!" gag-ga-land) I would make £710.00 - £335.00 = £375.00 profit.  Now, that is imaginary since, as I've learnt previously -and based on comments I received- there is really nothing like the Black Tower Books out there.  Basically because they are designed as comic albums and graphic novels not as standard US or Digest (A5) comic books.  Apparently the books look "too sleek and high quality" -??

The profit margin should be higher but I decided that what I would do was charge the price you will find the books for sale at on lulu.com so I do not make much money.  Each book via lulu.com carries the postal charge -some times as high as the cost of the book.  So, costing it all out means that buying from me at an event table saves you a lot.

I also wanted to keep the prices as low as possible to entice buyers.  For these reasons I really need to sell a lot -a lot- of books.  The possibility of making enough sales to just cover costs at a one day event are quite low so, yes, there will be the after-event-depression, much thumbling with the calculator and groans of "Oh, poor, poor Terry. You poor, poor, pooooooor thing!"

So Why am I telling you all of this?

Simple.

Comic companies have always been a wee bit, uh, "dodgy" in the UK and the US and it is one reason why there are no actual 'industry' figures for money made at events or even figures on sales/profits from publishers (in the UK).  David, involved in "fiscal studies", took a month to look at figures from the UK "industry" and came up blank (larger companies were not that helpful) and found that I was the only one actually citing costs.

I have always stated that I do not hide figures nor information from anyone. I am the most open person in comics and though I consider Black Tower MY business I do answer questions.  It helps if you are a person wanting to get into comics and wondering just what it is going to cost you!

Do not think that getting into comic publishing is the way you'll earn a fortune or pension.  Just be aware what it will cost.