Sydney card shop...

Hey guys,

I'm doing a bit of research as to whether it would be feasible to open a card store in Southern Sydney.

If there was a local shop how many of you would visit to purchase boxes/cases/packs? The includes all disciplines of cards including gaming cards.

I would also hold regular events which would hopefully increase business.

Currently there is nothing around and I often need something local to go pick up a box every now and then. Waiting 2-3 days or up to a week turns me off.

It would be a dream job for me and I have been inspired following visiting Paula at Paula's sports cards in Hawaii.

Obviously there are other factors like price and opening hours but I do think it is something we are missing here in Sydney.

Thanks guys,

Brendan

Having worked in a Card Shop in Sydney, the main thing is the overheads (Rent/Electricity/Insurance) are a killer!

These eat up a lot of your margins which means you would have to ensure your box prices are enough to cover your overheads and hopefully make some money as well as being competitive. All this whilst trying to compete with online sellers who can afford to cut prices (no overheads) and have quick delivery times (1-2 days).

There is a thread on one of the US sites where people were complaining that local shops were $50-100 more expensive for boxes than they could get online. These Bricks and Mortar stores have great people working in them but they have to charge these prices to cover costs.

The shop i worked in was during the time of the NBA boom (1990's) and in a time where ebay was just beginning and there were no online sellers and even then with the interest in NBA, if it wasn't for diversification into other things like footy cards, Tazos etc .....that the shop would have gone out of business long before it did.

I remember having a couple of days every year where there would be sales of $2K plus in the day......and a few (a lot) of other days where there were less than $100 in sales.

I'm not saying its impossible.......but it would be very difficult to break even let alone make money in this current environment. Im sure even some of the online local sellers would tell you its tough to compete.

I would love to have places where you can go and buy packs and trade cards etc I really would.......but would you have enough customers to survive?

If you go for it I wish you well! Sorry to sound so negative but its reality im afraid!

Cheers
Matt

I feel you could do it... But probably diversify. - Comics, Figuerenes etc...
There is a comic book store here (Canberra) they have a few card supplies etc and they seem to do a roaring trade!!!
They are great to deal with and people don't seen to mind about the price!!

batboy said:

I feel you could do it... But probably diversify. - Comics, Figuerenes etc...
There is a comic book store here (Canberra) they have a few card supplies etc and they seem to do a roaring trade!!!
They are great to deal with and people don't seen to mind about the price!!

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haha! speak for yourself! Assuming we're talking about Dee's, I know quite a few people ignoring them for their card prices, as a sly example, $8.95 for a pack of Kobe anthology?? for a pack received for free, consisting almost always of only base cards, who can really afford that? It's truly a shame, the idea of a brick and mortar to buy from is so enticing, but the reality is that they just can't compete with the internet when the price differences are so wide

You'd have a customer here!

Thanks for your replies guys.

I understand the complications with competing with online retailers but they have the small disadvantage of postage (time and cost) which could see the price of boxes around the same or cheaper.

I know personally I paid $109 per box of 13/14 Prizm from Paula just because it was there and I didn't need to wait for it from DACW and save $19 per box. This is good for buying a box or 2 but I suppose if you buy 5 or 6 boxes you will be paying a fair bit extra and the wait could be worth it. These are the things I would need to take into consideration.

We'll see what comes of the next few months when my research goes deeper into the costs of running a shop and how much I would need to make to cover costs and turn a profit. It could be initially a side project which is open at nights after I get home from my current job to minimise the monetary risks involved. This is something that I will not take lightly and as such it will take time to go through.

I suppose for now it is a 'watch this space...'

Well, Dees has been there a while now, And is always full when I go in... I dunno, Maybe $8.95 (Approx 1.5 pies) isn't that much to some people?
ps: Just because something's free, Don't make it cheap!! Any collector knows that!!

The service is pleasant, They seem to know their stuff (In comics and such) and it's always convenient to pick up some sleeves or loaders. About the only stockist in Canberra (I could find)
Good on em I say!!... Should be more of it!!

Hey Brendan I say speak to Terry from A1 regarding this matter, I reckon he would be a valued reference for yourself. Hope it helps!

wasportsfan1 said:

Hey Brendan I say speak to Terry from A1 regarding this matter, I reckon he would be a valued reference for yourself. Hope it helps!

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Yeah I did think of this. Thanks mate.

The more I think about it the more I am thinking of doing something a little out of the ordinary to attract not only more customers but to introduce more people to the hobby.

I agree with the point of buying something that's there infront of me - and paying extra for it rather than buying it online and waiting!

I say think it through and give it a shot, I know I always hate needing a top loader or one touch and having no where close to just go get a couple.

ozballer23 said:

I agree with the point of buying something that's there infront of me - and paying extra for it rather than buying it online and waiting!

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muzikandme said:

I say think it through and give it a shot, I know I always hate needing a top loader or one touch and having no where close to just go get a couple.

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Thanks guys, the more support there is around the more inspired I am to dig deeper into it.

SharpysSports said:

Thanks guys, the more support there is around the more inspired I am to dig deeper into it.

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Most ppl would rather the piece of mine knowing they can have the product in hand quicker with less risk, sometimes an extra $20 is worth it.

Im an impulse buyer so im all for it haha
There's been days when im doing nothing then feel like busting a box or 3 but have to resort to DACW so end up not bothering. I'd probably be broke if there was a store in Sydney lol

Verse1 said:

Im an impulse buyer so im all for it haha
There's been days when im doing nothing then feel like busting a box or 3 but have to resort to DACW so end up not bothering. I'd probably be broke if there was a store in Sydney lol

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I buy cards on impulse too.... me in a card shop can be a very bad thing for my wallet

Verse1 said:

Im an impulse buyer so im all for it haha
There's been days when im doing nothing then feel like busting a box or 3 but have to resort to DACW so end up not bothering. I'd probably be broke if there was a store in Sydney lol

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ozballer23 said:

I buy cards on impulse too.... me in a card shop can be a very bad thing for my wallet

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This sounds like me in Paula's shop. If my wife wasn't there I don't know how much more I would have spent. It would have been at least triple the $375!!!

SharpysSports said:

This sounds like me in Paula's shop. If my wife wasn't there I don't know how much more I would have spent. It would have been at least triple the $375!!!

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I can't even help myself in the local newsagents, if they have packs I am like a kid in a candy shop!

Probably before you go fully into it, it may pay dividends to set up at a markets and pay your daily fee and see what kind of reception you get as trial run of sorts.

I really like the stall idea but in saying that, we have a few online sellers in Sydney who have been operating for a while on this forum (westriot and sasquatch) who havnt opened shop fronts which to me states that a shopfront may have way too much overheads. I suggest starting out with online sales 1st to see how you go and then maybe a stall. Also worth noting is that the AUD is in a downward trend which means importing from the US will cost more un.less you can hedge your exposure for price certainty.

I like the idea of having a card shop close by to go to, but in order to compete with online sellers, your shop must offer something that you cannot get online:

1. Availability of products for instant purchase, this will make money from the numerous impulsive buyers above.
2. Selling packs instead of just boxes, this will target kids or people who wants to pay a small price to gamble for the hit of the box.
3. Sell singles, this is one of the greatest things that I miss after visiting the card shops in Burbank, LA
4. Sell cards on behalf of other people/collectors, this is where your singles come from. You get a commission.
5. Expand into CCG (collectible card games) like Magic the Gathering or whatever is cool. The kids are hooked on this stuff. You will need to provide a few tables/chairs for people to play these games and they will buy packs from you on the fly.
6. Organize trade days so I don't have to drive out to Penrith to a non-exclusive show just to see a few card stores
7. Organize CCG tournaments
8. Expand into other things, pretty much anything collectible, but beware of the space that you will need for display
9. Sell things online during the quiet times of the day.

Here's a few issues that you will face:

1. Having to stock a lot of products = huge investments.
2. Competitive prices against online sellers
3. Holding onto a lot of packs from opened boxes that no one wants to buy anymore because they think the hit is gone.
4. Storage space, floor space = rent
5. A small client base, you need to know how many people will turn up and actually buy what you are selling, and how to increase this client base over time.
6. Organizing events will be full-on. This can never be a part-time job, it will consume your life.
7. Need to constantly do research, stay in touch with the hobby and the products you sell. This way you will find new opportunities and evolve the business.

Anyway, my conclusion is that if you want to run a successful card shop that can survive in the modern world, it will be hard work. You can no longer just sit there, surf the web and expect people to just come in and buy a few boxes. There's a lot of promoting/marketing involved, a lot of effort.