Credit Card Processing for Your Comic Book Store

Once upon a time, people thought comic books (and videogames) were just for kids. But, just like Generation X before them, the millennial generation have also carried many of their childhood loves into adulthood. So it’s just as common to see a thirty-, forty-, or fifty-year-old in a comic book store as a teenager or pre-teen. They might come in once a week to collect the latest issue, they may come for a once-in-a-while guilty pleasure, or they may visit during a fan-based event, among other occasions.

Of course you still get kids in the store, often escorted by a parent. You’re sure to have regulars, but you’ll also have one-off customers, passing though and attracted by your colorful displays. The typical comic book costs less than $5 (though graphic novels are typically longer, and they can cost more). So a customer could walk in planning to spend a just a few dollars.

Full of surprises

Once they get in though, they might spot some merchandise – a cool t-shirt, an action figure, or a collector’s item. They might find a treasure trove in the bargain bin. Or they might catch you opening a collection you just acquired from someone.

This means that a customer may have assumed when they walked in that they’d spend $10 max on a few favorite titles, but they suddenly discover $20, $50, of even hundreds of dollars worth of must-have purchases. To indulge and serve this type of customer, you can also encourage them to sign up for your comic store loyalty plan, linked to their credit card. This keeps them coming back to your store instead of exploring your competitors.

Low-cost card acceptance

You may worry these options are expensive. They are not. A typical payment processing account comes with point-of-sale terminals, website compatibility, and virtual shopping carts. Some merchant processors charge for these sales tools, others offer them at no additional charge.

For more information on credit card processing for all sized business, or to sign up for a merchant account, please call (888) 924-2743 or go to Charge.com.