Starting business!

[hockeykortet]

Hi,

Don't know if this is the right forum/place for this thread but I'll give it a try!

The thing is I'm thinking about starting up a hockeycard business here in sweden where I live. I'm right now looking everywhere for the best place to buy the products I intend to sell. I've searched nationally but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Now I'm trying internationally.
I've been in contact with a few wholesalers but haven't really got the answers I'd hoped.

So now to my question..
Anyone have any tips of where to look? Wholesalers to contact?
First thing I would like to know is what the prices look like and if it's even possible for me to buy internationally.
I'm starting from scratch so I'm looking to buy cases of cards.
I'm in the middle of budgeting right now and I really have to know my product costs to be able to move further in my business plans.

All help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards
/Mike

[13stepper]

Good luck Mike,

It's a tough business to get into. In fact it's the only industry that will not allow a new business owner to realize margins and implement them in a business plan before they commit to starting the business. Distributors will not give pricing information to anyone unless you can prove you have a brick and mortar store front. It really is a counter productive policy, I don't think I need to explain why.
I opened a store here in Canada last April 2011 and Distributors, Panini and Upper Deck refused to provide me product costs until I signed my name to a lease, aka committed to the business.
I don't know what retail prices are in Sweden for sports cards but I do know what they are here in Canada, and this niche market and industry expects new business owners to survive on 15-20% margin, depending on how many established competitors you have in the marketplace.
The distributors and manufacturers have horrible policies in place to protect all the long established businesses but have made it practically impossible for new businesses to enter the market.
To finish, any other entrepreneur breaking into a new retail market would not even consider opening a business with 15-20% margins, I gave it a go for 6 months. I did break even but worked 35 hours a week(Upper Deck Diamond Dealer Policy) for free for 6 months.

[jpvintage]

Well said.

[hockeykortet]

Good luck Mike,

It's a tough business to get into. In fact it's the only industry that will not allow a new business owner to realize margins and implement them in a business plan before they commit to starting the business. Distributors will not give pricing information to anyone unless you can prove you have a brick and mortar store front. It really is a counter productive policy, I don't think I need to explain why.
I opened a store here in Canada last April 2011 and Distributors, Panini and Upper Deck refused to provide me product costs until I signed my name to a lease, aka committed to the business.
I don't know what retail prices are in Sweden for sports cards but I do know what they are here in Canada, and this niche market and industry expects new business owners to survive on 15-20% margin, depending on how many established competitors you have in the marketplace.
The distributors and manufacturers have horrible policies in place to protect all the long established businesses but have made it practically impossible for new businesses to enter the market.
To finish, any other entrepreneur breaking into a new retail market would not even consider opening a business with 15-20% margins, I gave it a go for 6 months. I did break even but worked 35 hours a week(Upper Deck Diamond Dealer Policy) for free for 6 months.

Thanks a lot for your input. Really appreciate it. Also sent you a PM but I don't know if it got through..

[13stepper]

Ya I got the PM, but deleted by accident. My mailbox was full and SCF sent a message to start clearing it out!