Comic Con: a Cash Cow For Small Businesses

At New York Comic Con, it’s not just the big studios raking in all the money. On The Block, artists can display their products and have a selling platform of close to 200,000 people. Artists come from near and far to sell a variety of goods including sculptures, prints and toys.

Will Pigg, an artist from Orlando says that he can sell out 99% of his inventory at shows. He tells FOXBusiness.com that the biggest benefit of attending Comic Con is exposure.

Lev Levarek, the owner of Toy Tokyo in New York City, says that fans will wake up extra early to get exclusive products only offered at Comic Con. Levarek sees strong sales not only at Comic Con, but the event also drives sales to his brick-and-mortar location.

Robert Bello, an artist who founded Elevated Living, is a full time mason by day and an artist on the side. He says that Comic Con makes up 80% of his annual sales.

“Around the tri-state area you’re limited to your audience. Here you’re doing almost 200,000 people in a weekend,” says Bello.

And the small business owners say that as Comic Con gets bigger each year, so do their sales.