What would you like to see in a card shop?

[nosterbor]

open later than 5pm MOST people work for the money and get off when you close! open on Sunday! keep closed on monday and tues,who cares most are broke by then anyway, 99% of people are paid on thurs and fri.stock EVERY PLAYER of inserts! every time i go into a shop and ask " do you have any Juan Gonzalez cards?" and they say, "I have some of his rookies" PLEASE! stock oddball and error cards. a player collector would go GAGA for these.

 

[ethanbryer]

open later than 5pm MOST people work for the money and get off when you close! open on Sunday! keep closed on monday and tues,who cares most are broke by then anyway, 99% of people are paid on thurs and fri.stock EVERY PLAYER of inserts! every time i go into a shop and ask " do you have any Juan Gonzalez cards?" and they say, "I have some of his rookies" PLEASE! stock oddball and error cards. a player collector would go GAGA for these.

+1 On the Sunday, Open after church on sunday. Thats the time im able to even get to a card shop.

 

[clubhouse sports]

All I can say is WOW.

This is the BEST thread I've EVER read on any site. I am a local store owner and really thought a great deal about what was said. Some really constructive comment. I'm going to gather my thoughts and put an extensive response so you guys can have a better idea of some of the hurdles we face, and also ask some opinions regarding some comments made in here.

Thanks a lot guys. LOVE this thread!

 

[Casebusters]

All I can say is WOW.

This is the BEST thread I've EVER read on any site. I am a local store owner and really thought a great deal about what was said. Some really constructive comment. I'm going to gather my thoughts and put an extensive response so you guys can have a better idea of some of the hurdles we face, and also ask some opinions regarding some comments made in here.

Thanks a lot guys. LOVE this thread!

I agree.. I would like to hear what you have to say..
A lot of ideas, people were mentioning, would be what I already had in mind..
Make the store a place where people have to go! and make it fun.

 

[Casebusters]

Love to hear more ideas..
Anyone else have anything to add?

 

[hofmichael]

Love to hear more ideas..
Anyone else have anything to add?

One thing I learned working in a card shop is that you have to have the patience of a saint.Card collectors are some of the weirdest people walking the Earth.Some of oddest people will spend the most money though.Treat every customer like they are your best customer.

Another thing that sounds weird but works is that people love looking through random piles of cards.Card collectors buy things on impulse mostly so if there is a pile of cards laying on the counter to look through while they wait or while they are talking your customer is very likely buy something extra from the stack if it catches their eye.(I am sure there should have been a few extra periods in the last sentence but screw it)

 

[TBTwinsFan]

YOu'll be hard-pressed to find a hobby shop without gaming cards. That's a big money-maker.

This I know, but the last time I walked into a shop it was the basement dweller's marathon, and it seemed like the guy working the counter was insulted that someone would walk into the shop looking for sports cards...

 

[Casebusters]

____________________________________
Future spot for my card store(?)

 

[Casebusters]

Just wondering how many people like to go through boxes sorted by sports and find bargains or would you rather go through boxes that are sorted by player?
Do you feel, if cards are sorted by player, then you won't be able to find hidden gems?

plmk what you think

 

[csmtampa]

I think you should have boxes sorted by popular players. You could also have boxes of unsorted inserts and minor stars so people could possibly find some hidden gems.

 

[hofmichael]

____________________________________
Future spot for my card store(?)

Very smart opening next to the ball fields.If they are Little League fields make sure you stay open later during baseball seaon.

 

[onionring9]

.

 

[hive17]

I've seen guys run shop into the ground with prices that are too high. I've seen other guys that make a KILLING at shows without having a store. Now, I wonder, is there a middle ground. I know the overhead is bad for some stores. My best advice would be finding a store with decent location but not in a high-end mall that the rent is going to kill you. I've never understood why store owners want to sit on inventory for the rest of their lives, instead of selling GU and low-end autos for $2-$3 and coming down on wax when the hype ends. NO ONE should still be charging $75 for 2010 Bowman Chrome... ::facepalm::

Basically, I'm sort of ranting about the shops in my area.

 

[Casebusters]

I've seen guys run shop into the ground with prices that are too high. I've seen other guys that make a KILLING at shows without having a store. Now, I wonder, is there a middle ground. I know the overhead is bad for some stores. My best advice would be finding a store with decent location but not in a high-end mall that the rent is going to kill you. I've never understood why store owners want to sit on inventory for the rest of their lives, instead of selling GU and low-end autos for $2-$3 and coming down on wax when the hype ends. NO ONE should still be charging $75 for 2010 Bowman Chrome... ::facepalm::

Basically, I'm sort of ranting about the shops in my area.

I agree, I want to get into the place above (Look at pic) with low rent.. and I want my inventory to move.. Rotating stale inventory out
I know a shop that sells wax at 50% off his prices and still is twice as much as ebay prices...

 

[hive17]

I've seen guys run shop into the ground with prices that are too high. I've seen other guys that make a KILLING at shows without having a store. Now, I wonder, is there a middle ground. I know the overhead is bad for some stores. My best advice would be finding a store with decent location but not in a high-end mall that the rent is going to kill you. I've never understood why store owners want to sit on inventory for the rest of their lives, instead of selling GU and low-end autos for $2-$3 and coming down on wax when the hype ends. NO ONE should still be charging $75 for 2010 Bowman Chrome... ::facepalm::

Basically, I'm sort of ranting about the shops in my area.

I agree, I want to get into the place above (Look at pic) with low rent.. and I want my inventory to move.. Rotating stale inventory out
I know a shop that sells wax at 50% off his prices and still is twice as much as ebay prices...

As a customer, seeing the same thing every time I go into a shop is depressing. Not that it makes me sad or anything, but what's the point of even looking in the case when I'm just going to see the same JJ Hardy GU card for $10 staring back at me?

Cheers to you for what you're doing. It can only make the hobby better if you're successful. Where are you located in the country (I may have missed it).

 

[Casebusters]

I've seen guys run shop into the ground with prices that are too high. I've seen other guys that make a KILLING at shows without having a store. Now, I wonder, is there a middle ground. I know the overhead is bad for some stores. My best advice would be finding a store with decent location but not in a high-end mall that the rent is going to kill you. I've never understood why store owners want to sit on inventory for the rest of their lives, instead of selling GU and low-end autos for $2-$3 and coming down on wax when the hype ends. NO ONE should still be charging $75 for 2010 Bowman Chrome... ::facepalm::

Basically, I'm sort of ranting about the shops in my area.

I agree, I want to get into the place above (Look at pic) with low rent.. and I want my inventory to move.. Rotating stale inventory out
I know a shop that sells wax at 50% off his prices and still is twice as much as ebay prices...

As a customer, seeing the same thing every time I go into a shop is depressing. Not that it makes me sad or anything, but what's the point of even looking in the case when I'm just going to see the same JJ Hardy GU card for $10 staring back at me?

Cheers to you for what you're doing. It can only make the hobby better if you're successful. Where are you located in the country (I may have missed it).

I'm not in a store "yet" but will know hopefully real soon if it's gonna happen
But it will be in Rockledge Florida,

 

[Topnotchsy]

I'm thinking it's almost like a bar that kids can go to. For many people (if it is set up right) it's a comfortable place to hang out and shoot the breeze. I wonder what would happen if you had a place for people to sit (or stand) and chat and you introduced the idea of "buying a round" where one guy buys a pack for everyone. I would not be surprised if this kind of thing caught on and people just hung out and chatted and ripped packs at a leisurely pace and just enjoyed the place.

 

[1st4040]

I would love to see a card shop that could actually knock wants off my player collector list.. plain and simple it just doesn't happen. A shop with a few 5k boxes of just 90's inserts that are constantly being replenished with fresh cards of all varieties would be something I'd like to see as well.

 

[Casebusters]

I'm thinking it's almost like a bar that kids can go to. For many people (if it is set up right) it's a comfortable place to hang out and shoot the breeze. I wonder what would happen if you had a place for people to sit (or stand) and chat and you introduced the idea of "buying a round" where one guy buys a pack for everyone. I would not be surprised if this kind of thing caught on and people just hung out and chatted and ripped packs at a leisurely pace and just enjoyed the place.

I liked and thanked your post. This could be an awesome idea!!

I would love to see a card shop that could actually knock wants off my player collector list.. plain and simple it just doesn't happen. A shop with a few 5k boxes of just 90's inserts that are constantly being replenished with fresh cards of all varieties would be something I'd like to see as well.

It depends on how hard your want list is..I mean some of the lists I see on here are 1/1s, press plates, #/5 autos, etc, But I like it when I get the cards my customers need...
I want to get all years of cards but mostly it will be of 2k and above..

 

[Russ S.]

Tons of wax
90's inserts
on-card autos
video slots/poker
bikini clad hotties
sugar free energy drinks (God knows many of you need to lay off the sugar & carbs. (