Your First Year Selling Pokemon Cards: Month-by-Month Growth Plan

When I started Break Check Barragan, I had no roadmap. I figured it out through trial and error over years, wasting time on things that didn't matter and ignoring things that did. If I could go back and give myself a month-by-month plan for year one, this would be it. I've helped dozens of new sellers get started since then, and this timeline reflects what actually works - not theory, but the real path from zero to a functioning card business.

Months 1-2: Laying the Foundation

These first 60 days are about setup, not sales. I know you want to start making money immediately, but rushing past the foundation is the #1 reason new sellers flame out by month 4.

Month 1 Goals:

• Set up your selling accounts - Create profiles on eBay, TCGPlayer, and Mercari. Use a consistent business name across platforms. Fill out profiles completely with professional photos and descriptions.
• Open a dedicated bank account - Do not mix business and personal finances. A free checking account at your local bank or an online bank works fine. This will save you massive headaches at tax time.
• Build your starter inventory - Start with $200-$500. Buy a mix of cards you know (sets you're familiar with) at garage sales, local shops, or online deals. Don't blow your entire budget on one collection.
• Learn your tools - Set up a spreadsheet or use an app to track every purchase: date, what you bought, price paid, and where you bought it.

Month 2 Goals:

• Make your first 10 sales - List 30-50 cards and focus on clear photos, accurate descriptions, and honest condition grading. Your first 10 sales build your feedback score, which is critical for buyer trust.
• Establish your shipping workflow - Buy supplies in bulk (200 toploaders, 500 penny sleeves, 100 bubble mailers). Create an assembly-line process: sleeve, toploader, team bag, mailer, label.
• Study pricing - Spend 30 minutes daily checking TCGPlayer and eBay sold listings. You're building pricing instincts that will serve you for years.

Realistic revenue by end of Month 2: $100-$300. Don't worry if it's lower. You're building infrastructure, not income.

Months 3-4: Finding Your Rhythm

This is where most people either catch fire or give up. The key is consistency over intensity.

Month 3 Goals:

• List consistently - Aim for 5-10 new listings per day. Consistency beats sporadic bursts. More listings = more visibility = more sales.
• Build your feedback to 25+ - Feedback is currency on eBay and TCGPlayer. Prioritize fast shipping, perfect packaging, and pleasant customer interactions to earn positive reviews.
• Track your first full month of P&L - At the end of Month 3, calculate: total revenue, total cost of goods, total expenses (shipping, supplies, fees), and net profit. This is your business reality check.
• Target: First $500 revenue month

Month 4 Goals:

• Identify your best sellers - Which categories move fastest? Modern singles? Vintage holos? Sealed product? Double down on what's working.
• Improve your photography - A $30 ring light and a clean background can increase your sell-through rate by 20-30%. Every card over $5 deserves front and back photos.
• Reinvest profits - Take your net profit and put 80% back into inventory. Growth requires reinvestment. Pay yourself the other 20% so the business feels rewarding.
• Target: First $1,000 revenue month

Realistic revenue by end of Month 4: $500-$1,000/month. Your profit margin should be around 30-40% after all expenses.

Months 5-6: Optimization

You've been at this long enough to know what works and what doesn't. Now it's time to get better at what works.

Month 5 Goals:

• Optimize your best-selling categories - If vintage holos are your top performers, source more aggressively in that category. Build expertise and reputation in your niche.
• Improve listing quality - Rewrite your top 20 listings with better titles (include set name, card number, condition, and relevant keywords). Better titles = better search visibility.
• Reduce shipping costs - If you're buying supplies retail, switch to bulk online orders. I saved $400/year just by buying toploaders in cases of 1,000 instead of packs of 25.

Month 6 Goals:

• Negotiate with suppliers - If you're buying regularly from local shops or wholesalers, ask for bulk discounts. Even 10% off your cost of goods goes straight to your bottom line.
• Automate what you can - Set up saved shipping profiles, listing templates, and pricing shortcuts. Every minute saved on repetitive tasks is a minute you can spend sourcing or selling.
• Evaluate your 6-month P&L - Add up all revenue, expenses, and profit for the first 6 months. Are you on track? What needs to change?
• Target: Consistent $1,500/month revenue

Realistic revenue by end of Month 6: $1,200-$1,800/month. If you're below $1,000, revisit your sourcing and pricing strategy.

Months 7-8: Expansion

With a solid foundation and consistent sales, it's time to expand your reach.

Month 7 Goals:

• Add a second platform - If you started on eBay, expand to TCGPlayer or Mercari. If you started on TCGPlayer, add eBay. Cross-listing increases your buyer pool significantly.
• Attend your first card show or convention - Rent a table if budget allows ($50-$150 typically) or just attend as a buyer to network and source inventory. I made $800 at my first card show and met three people who became regular suppliers.
• Start an email list - Collect emails from repeat customers with their permission. A simple "Want early access to new inventory?" gets most people to opt in.

Month 8 Goals:

• Network actively - Join local Pokemon groups, attend league nights, introduce yourself to other sellers. Collaboration beats competition. Other sellers become your best sources for inventory tips and collection leads.
• Build your social media presence - Start an Instagram or TikTok for your business. Post consistently (3-5x per week). You don't need to go viral. You need to be findable.
• Target: $2,000-$2,500/month revenue

Realistic revenue by end of Month 8: $2,000-$3,000/month. You should have 100+ feedback and a recognizable presence on at least two platforms.

Months 9-10: Diversification

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Diversifying your product mix protects you from market swings and opens new revenue streams.

Month 9 Goals:

• Explore Japanese cards - Japanese Pokemon cards often have higher margins than English because fewer sellers specialize in them. A Japanese alt art that costs $15 to source might sell for $35-$45 to US collectors.
• Add sealed product - Booster boxes, ETBs, and special collections have built-in demand. Start with current releases and learn which products your customers want.
• Consider graded cards - If you have cards that are strong PSA 10 candidates, submit a small batch (10-15 cards). Track the ROI to decide if grading is worth scaling.

Month 10 Goals:

• Add accessories - Sleeves, binders, deck boxes, and playmats have steady demand and consistent margins. They're also great add-on items that increase average order value.
• Test bundle deals - Offer curated bundles ("10 Random Holos for $20" or "Eevee Evolution Complete Set"). Bundles move slower-selling inventory and attract deal-hunters.
• Target: $3,000/month revenue

Realistic revenue by end of Month 10: $2,500-$3,500/month across multiple platforms and product categories.

Months 11-12: Scaling and Systems

The final stretch of year one is about transitioning from hustler to business operator.

Month 11 Goals:

• Document your processes - Write down your sourcing method, listing workflow, shipping process, and pricing approach. These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) let you work faster and eventually delegate to help.
• Consider your first hire - Even 5-10 hours per week of help with packing, listing, or sorting can free you to focus on sourcing and strategy. A reliable friend or family member at $12-$15/hour can double your listing output.
• Plan your holiday strategy - November and December are the biggest months for Pokemon card sales. Stock up on inventory by mid-October. Prepare gift bundles and holiday-themed listings.

Month 12 Goals:

• Execute your holiday push - This should be your biggest revenue month of the year. Extended shipping hours, promotional pricing on slow movers, and gift-ready packaging make a difference.
• Year-end tax preparation - Organize all receipts, finalize your P&L, calculate your total COGS, and prepare for tax filing. If you've been tracking throughout the year, this should take a weekend, not a week.
• Reflect and plan Year 2 - What worked? What didn't? Which categories are most profitable? What will you do differently? Set revenue and profit targets for Year 2.
• Target: $5,000+ revenue month (holiday boost)

Realistic Year 1 total revenue: $18,000-$30,000 with $5,000-$10,000 in net profit. For a full roadmap on turning this into a full-time income, check out our guide on scaling to full-time.

Realistic Revenue Milestones

Here's what I tell every new seller to expect:

| Month | Revenue Target | Key Milestone | |-------|---------------|---------------| | Month 3 | $500 | First consistent sales | | Month 6 | $1,500 | Sustainable monthly income | | Month 9 | $3,000 | Multi-platform, diversified | | Month 12 | $5,000+ | Scaled operations, holiday peak |

Important: These are achievable targets if you put in 15-20 hours per week consistently. Part-time effort gets part-time results, and that's perfectly fine. Not everyone needs or wants a full-time card business.

Top 5 First-Year Mistakes to Avoid

1. Scaling Too Fast

Buying $2,000 in inventory when you've only sold $200 total is a recipe for cash flow problems. Scale your inventory purchases with your sales velocity. A good rule: don't hold more than 2 months of inventory at your current sales rate.

2. Ignoring Bookkeeping

"I'll figure out the numbers later" becomes "I have no idea if I'm profitable" by month 6. Track from Day 1. Even a simple spreadsheet with purchase price, sale price, and fees per transaction is enough to start.

3. Neglecting Customer Service

A slow response or sloppy packaging will earn you negative feedback that haunts your account for a year. Respond within 24 hours. Ship within 1 business day. Package like the card is going to your best friend.

4. Trying to Do Everything at Once

You don't need to be on 5 platforms, run a YouTube channel, host events, and grade cards all in Month 2. Master one platform first. Add complexity gradually. Overwhelm leads to burnout.

5. Not Having an Exit Strategy for Bad Inventory

Some cards won't sell at the price you want. Set a rule: if it hasn't sold in 90 days, drop the price 15%. At 120 days, drop another 15% or bundle it. Dead inventory is dead capital.

For more strategies on building momentum in your card business, read our guide on building a Pokemon card business from scratch and starting a Pokemon business with $500.

The Real Talk

Year one is hard. There will be months where you question why you're spending your evenings sorting cards instead of watching TV. There will be problem customers, underpriced sales, and inventory that doesn't move. That's normal.

But if you stick with the plan, reinvest consistently, and learn from every mistake, you'll end year one with a real business, real skills, and real income. I started Break Check Barragan from a folding table in my garage. Over a decade later, it's my full-time career. The first year is the hardest, but it's also the most exciting.

Next Read: Scaling to Full-Time: Growing Your Pokemon Business Into a Career - When you're ready to take the leap.