Reddit mentions of Small Business For Dummies

Here is one problem I see with every game store I walk into (and all but a few are no closed in our area). It's how do you get people to buy merchandise to keep the business running. I have been to many a game store that are PACKED on a Friday night with kids playing games. Problem is they aren't buying that much merchandise, especially if their parents aren't there.

The last one I grew familiar with (which is now closed) used to bring in 30 or so people for Friday nights. Say that each one comes in with $5, and you sell packs of Magic for $3.99, and have a good assortment of snacks for under a back. You have a total sales for the night of $150, your net on that is going to be roughly $1.50 meaning you will be netting $45 (not even including rent, staff, and taxes yet). And this is on your BEST night!

I don't want to dissuade you from doing this, but you need to have a REALLY good hook in order to get people to both come, and drop cash!

Also not sure of the size of your town, but 3 gaming stores sound like A LOT. Are you ready to get into a price war (meaning you are cutting your margins which are thin already).

Again, not saying this to sound mean. I started my own business not too long ago and these are all things I had to think of before I signed the dotted line on the incorporation paperwork. You need to study the business you are getting into, see the weakness that you can fill or do better, then build your business around that point. A lot of things I can't see about your plan from this point.

If you want some good advice about whether you should start a business, before spending a lot of cash on classes start with a book. Here is the first one I read before I started my company and it helped a lot!

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Business-Dummies-Eric-Tyson/dp/1118083725/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BSSTE4Y08KSAC4B1QQR

>Could you define "business"? It seems like a pretty ultra-broad subject to me.

OK then. If you know absolutely zippo about business (that is, no knowledge of what these terms mean: double-entry accounting, profit margin, loaded cost, unloaded cost, COGS, etc., get this book and don't be insulted.

>What markets are good for reselling for a beginner in the counter-economy

Drugs.

Kidding.

Anything that can be bought over the counter with no paperwork for cash. Tools and computer equipment are a good one. Cars probably not. However, the reseller market has very thin profit margins. It's not a good place to make a lot of money due to the Internet empowering buyers.

Here's a good book. Here's another.