Posted in: Comics | Tagged: 2014, Comics, entertainment, fcbd, free comic book day

Participating In Free Comic Book Day Only Costs $62.80 Minimum

Published Tue, 07 Jan 2014 11:00:44 -0600

Last updated Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:44:59 -0600

Free Comic Book Day is on it's way. And this year, as every year, there will be some shops complaining. Who won't do it because it costs too much, doesn't bring in the crowds, or the right crowd, and anyway, why should they give away money.

Because it's true, while the comics are free to the public, they cost the retailer for each one. And some retailers see the sums and just… don't.

But I thought it was worth pointing out what the minimum cost was to be an official participant, to get on the media list, to be a place where new customers might seek you out on that very special first Saturday in May.

And it's $62.80. That's the price of ordering twenty copies of all of the Gold books. Okay, plus shipping, but you should still see change out of eighty bucks. As ads for your store go, it's a steal.

Regular customers may be disappointed that they won't get the specific Silver book that they want – but to be honest, Free Comic Book Day isn't really for them. It's for the nearby schools and colleges, it's for the libraries and bookstores, its for the nearby tech store, even the local churches, it's for where people gather who might like to read something. And you'll have a few hundred comics to give to them, with some very cheap local advertising.

Of course the regulars will be there, and you may want to make them happy, but even on the minimum spend, you should have plenty to give to school classes, each one stamped with your store's details.

Some people may have given up on Free Comic Book Day because it didn't work for them in the past. But at $62.80, I think it's still worth giving it a chance….

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