Although I first began collecting comic books when I was in middle school, many years passed before I began buying and selling comics as an adult. Here are four things I wish I had known back in late 2020 when I started collecting again that would've saved me a lot of money and increased my profit margin. My "lessons learned" won't be helpful to experienced collectors, but maybe a few readers won't repeat my mistakes!

Buy comics during auctions.

When I bought comics as a kid, I bought all of my comics at my LCS or at comic book conventions. I realized as an adult that I could buy virtually any book at any time on eBay. Unfortunately, it became so easy to buy comics that I made many impulse purchases right through my phone. As a result, I ended up overpaying for many "Buy It Now" listings.

It took me a few years to develop the patience to mostly purchase books through auctions on Hake's or ComicConnect (but make sure to account for those "buyer's premiums").

Be selective about which books to include in your PC; sell everything else.

When I got back into collecting, I was trying to buy EVERY comic that had gotten "hot" as a result of an MCU Disney+ show or film. Although I sold many of those comics, I have a bunch of comics that I don't really care that much about (see, e.g., Brzrkr #1, Amazing Spider-Man #1 vol. 2, Mighty Thor #365).

A year ago, I made a list of the 30 comics that I really want to own. If I buy any comics that didn't make that list, I promised that I would only do so if I can buy and sell them for a profit. Today, I almost never buy anything on a "hot" list. This has limited FOMO-based buying which often leads to a loss.

Use eBay QR codes at the post office.

When I first started selling comics, I used my own printer and paper to print the eBay shipping labels. This may seem like a small expense, but when you're selling a lot of comics, this can really add up fast. Because the profit margin can be so small when selling comics, every dollar counts. Multiple ink cartridges, paper, and shipping tape can cost a few hundred dollars per year. Today I pass all of those costs onto the postal service when they scan my QR codes at the post office.

Save and reuse packing materials.

Re-using packaging materials may also seem like small beans, but if you want to make a profit, you have to do everything you can to cut expenses. This means saving money by not buying new Gemini mailers for raw comics, bubble wrap for slabs you've sold, etc. I re-use every Gemini mailer that I receive when I purchase comics, bubble wrap, etc.

Some other lessons learned include not using CGC's in-house pressing service and asking sellers on eBay to verify page counts, Marvel stamps, etc. for raw comics.

What lessons have you learned about buying and selling comics? Please share those lessons in the comments section below!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.