Dissuade me from opening a brick and mortar used bookstore

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Dissuade me from opening a brick and mortar used bookstore

Adar: Jul 27, 2001

goodnight mooned posted:

I don't know about bookstores specifically, but in retail your occupancy cost should be 12-14% of revenues.

Ie for your rent of $3600/month you'd want to turn over $30000.

Look at this pallet. You would have to sell this many books x 2.5 every month (assuming 0.5 kg and $10/book)

You'll also need to find the cash for $50000 in inventory, so the store can operate, and at least a year of expenses. Let's call it $100k all up.

http://www.bizstats.com/reports/rent-sales-ratio.php

Sporting Goods-Hobby-Books-Music 3.30%

Make that 300k all up

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 20:42

Adar: Jul 27, 2001

queserasera posted:

I found out a couple days ago that one of my cats has cancer so my liquid savings are shrinking.

This definitely isn't something I'm going to do this year, let alone this week. I'm still fine-tuning a survey that I can advertise on campus and in various other hipster places. I'm baffled as to why there isn't an independent bookstore new or used in this area. There have been three attempts in the past fifteen years and I'm still assembling the details on those from public records.

I know I need more money for this venture, that's not lost on me.

I also believe that physical media will be relevant for some time to come. It would be my job as a seller to stock a shop with stuff that people can't buy with two clicks and free shipping. Hence schlepping my cheap specfic titles to the vintage market.

You're not really comprehending how much more money it takes to do it properly. It's not 'this or cat cancer treatment', it's 'this or 50% down on a house'.

That's if this were a pristine area where, somehow, none of the people living in a college town previously had the same idea. When you first found out three people failed before you, you should have never thought about this again. The survey is already a waste of time. I'm not even trying to be negative - in all likelihood, the fourth attempt at a bookstore will have a worse ROI and much worse success rate than opening a restaurant.

# ¿ Mar 13, 2017 00:07

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Dissuade me from opening a brick and mortar used bookstore