How to start a card shop or trading card business

Three ways to start

These stack. Plenty of successful shops started as an eBay account, added show tables, and signed a lease only after the sales were already there.

The paperwork

1. Form an LLC. It separates the business from your personal money, and distributors expect it.
2. Get an EIN. It's free from the IRS and takes minutes online.
3. Get a resale certificate. This is your state sales tax permit. It lets you buy inventory without paying sales tax, and every distributor asks for it.
4. Open a business bank account. Keep card money and personal money apart from day one.
5. Check local rules. Some cities need a business license or a secondhand dealer permit if you buy from the public.

Getting inventory

• Buying collections. The best margins in the hobby. You buy below market and sell the cards one at a time.
• Distributors. Wholesale pricing on sealed product, once you qualify. See how to get a card distributor.
• Secondary wholesalers and other retailers. Higher cost than a distributor, but open to newer businesses.
• Your customers. A buy-back list turns every customer into a supplier.

Where the money is

New owners expect sealed product to carry the business. It usually doesn't. Sealed boxes at retail price have thin margins, and the hot sets are the ones you can't get enough of.

Most shops make their money on singles, on buying collections well, on supplies like sleeves and binders, and on events that bring the same people back every week. Sealed product gets people in the door. The rest pays the rent.

Systems you need

Cards are thousands of small items whose prices change daily. A spreadsheet stops working fast.

• Inventory. One list of what you have, in what condition, and what it's worth today.
• Pricing that updates. Your prices should follow the market without you retyping them.
• Multi-channel sync. Sell a card on eBay and it should come off your website and your TCGplayer store.
• Point of sale. For a counter or a show table, tied to the same inventory.

Getting customers

• Google Business Profile. Free, and it's how you show up for "card shop near me." Fill in everything and add photos.
• Local SEO. Pages on your site for what people nearby search: buying cards, selling cards, tournaments, each game you carry.
• Events. A weekly tournament is the most reliable traffic a shop can have.
• Social. New arrivals, big pulls, event photos. Show that the place is alive.
• Ads. Useful around releases and events, once the basics above are in place.

Common questions

How much does it cost to start a card shop?

It depends on the path. Selling online can start with the cards you already own. A storefront needs rent, fixtures, opening inventory and a few months of expenses in the bank. Inventory is usually the biggest cost, and distributors want orders paid up front.

Is a trading card business profitable?

It can be. The businesses that last make their money on singles, collections, supplies and events, and treat sealed product as a traffic driver. The ones that struggle rely on hot sealed product they can't get enough of.

Do I need a store to sell trading cards?

No. You can sell online and at card shows with no storefront. You will need one for most distributor accounts and official tournament programs.

What licenses do I need to sell trading cards?

At minimum, a registered business and a state resale certificate. Some cities also require a general business license, and a secondhand dealer permit if you buy cards from the public. Check your local rules.

How do card shops get customers?

Most come from Google searches for nearby card shops, from weekly events, and from word of mouth in the local scene. A complete Google Business Profile, a site built for local search, and a steady event calendar do most of the work.