Selling on Consignment?

When it comes to sellin' zines though brick-n-mortar stores, there are just three retailers that I deal with: Atomic Books in Baltimore (sampled above), Chicago Comics and Quimby's Bookstore, both of which I am proud to say are back in my hometown.

The aforementioned are retail establishments that carry zines on consignment without the hassle of a publisher having to mail a "preview copy" in advance. Simply pack up a stack of five copies of your zine, mail them in and get a check back when all your copies have sold; profits are split 60/40, with the publisher getting the lion's share.

When I sell my zines online I get about 80% of each sale. So selling them on consignment clearly doesn't offer as much of a financial advantage. That's not why I do it, though.

I sell some of my zines on consignment because I believe in supporting businesses that make shelf space for the little people. Atomic Books, Quimby's and Chicago Comics are three of the most zine-friendly shops there are.

Maybe I also do it because I just like knowing that there will be a few dozen people who will walk into one of those stores and will discover my zines the old fashioned way: Scanning the magazine rack.

Yeah, that's why I also sell zines on consignment.

Come to think of it, there really is nothing like the feeling of walking into a bookstore or comic book shop and coming out with a stack of good reads. Selling on consignment is an opportunity for my zines to be a part of that ritual.