Return on investment can be immediate depending on how small you are when you set up, or it can take a few years. For a small market stall you should be breaking even pretty much immediately, whereas with a larger store it will take much longer. But getting established in the market is another matter.
Getting a regular clientele can take years of work but there are advantages to getting that clientele, particularly when it comes to advertising yourself.
Leigh agrees: "I used to advertise in Record Collector, which got me a lot of my initial custom but these days I don't advertise at all as I have a large enough customer base to keep me afloat. Word of mouth by offering an efficient service is enough to keep me going.
"I tried the NME once but that was rubbish and far too expensive! Advertisers never leave you alone once they've got your number and they're far too expensive in my opinion."
Other ways of attracting attention to your self are in-shop record signings, DJ promotions, readings by authors, newsletters, rare record searches and if you're more adventurous, local radio slots and club nights.