There’s something about walking into your favorite card shop and seeing all of the Yu-Gi-Oh booster boxes and merchandise in the glass cases and shelves. Hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of cards right in front of your eyes. It’s a natural question that may come to mind when you see a mountain of cards that are waiting to be purchased. How can you become a Yu-Gi-Oh distributor?
After hours of research, we have found that there is very limited information on how to actually become a Yu-Gi-Oh card distributor. There are bits and pieces of information here and there, but there is not one definitive answer.
Every answer we found lead us in the same direction. We have found out that in order to become a Yu-Gi-Oh Distributor, you will need to own your own store. This is hands down one of the most important aspects to even be considered by Konami as a Yu-Gi-Oh distributor. Let’s dive in to see exactly how you can start this process.
Obtain a Business License
First, and foremost, before you do any type of business you will need to obtain a business license. A business license is simply a permit that is issued by government agencies that allow individuals or companies to conduct business within the government’s jurisdiction.
Each state may have its own requirements to obtain a business license. A great place to start would be a website like LegalZoom.com They specialize in helping individuals form LLC’s and many other forms of business’.
Without first obtaining a business license, you will not be able to move forward with purchasing cards directly from Konami.
Open a Physical Store or Website With Dedicated Space for Yu-Gi-Oh Merchandise
The next step is to open a physical store location or a website. Along with having a store, you will also need to make sure there is enough space for a Yu-Gi-Oh section, as this is a requirement by Konami.
If using a website, you will have to have a dedicated section on your website just for Yu-Gi-Oh products. Having both a physical location and a website to go along with your store will have a higher chance of Konami considering you due to the fact that you can reach a broader audience.
Did you know that prices of Yu-Gi-Oh booster boxes can actually sell for much higher than retail? This is simply due to the supply and demand of the boxes currently on the market. Click here to check out some of the current market prices of these booster boxes.
Reach Out To Konami to Become a Distributor
Now that you are an official business and have a physical store location, you can know reach out to Konami directly. You can reach out to them by clicking here to go to their website.
You are going to have to provide them with some general information. This includes: the name of your store, your full postal address or website, phone number, and an email you would like to be contacted at.
Consider Buying From a Distributor
Instead of trying to become a distributor yourself, you can try to make connections with wholesale distributors. You will still need a business license as well as a wholesale license to purchase products without tax. The profit margins may be lower, but this will allow you to sell Yu-Gi-Oh products within your store. Generally speaking, the more product you buy, the lower cost you can get it at.
There are many different distributors that you can reach out to. A very well known and popular distributor is SouthernHobby.com. They have quite a few physical locations as well as their website.
Remember, although your profit margins may be slightly lower than purchasing from Konami themselves, purchasing booster boxes and holding them to resell at a later time is one of the most lucrative ways to earn money from booster boxes.
As supply goes down and card values rise, the demand for these older booster boxes will also rise which means you will be able to sell them for a nice premium
Final Thoughts
Becoming an official Yu-Gi-Oh distributor is not an overnight task. It requires a lot of capital to begin with, as well as a physical store or website. Having an existing store with background and history would most likely give you a better chance at being accepted.
Even after meeting all of Konami’s requirements for a distributor, you may still be denied. There is no surefire way to be accepted as Konami is very strict on who they allow to distribute their products.
If you want to sell Yu-Gi-Oh products in your store, then you would most likely have a better chance at buying wholesale from a distributor rather than trying to become a distributor yourself.