Still catching up with SDCC news, this seems particularly interesting – Diamond has teamed up with multiple publishers to incentivize the opening of new direct market comic stores:
With sales on the uptick in 2012, now is a good time to think about expansion according to Chris Powell, Diamond’s Director of Business Development. Programs offered to qualifying retailers vary by supplier but will include: (1) Discounts of up to 69% on backlist products; (2) Backlist consignment programs that will allow retailers to stock their stores with graphic novels, trade paperbacks, and other merchandise with extended payment terms and the ability to adjust stock levels after six months; (3) Increased discounts and/or consignment billing on a new store’s initial orders of comics for its first two months of operation with consignment billing deferred until retailers have the opportunity to return overstocked product after keeping it on sale for 6 to 12 weeks; (4) Store Starter Kits that offer a selection of free trade paperbacks and graphic novels from participating suppliers.
According to ICv2, the companies signed up to the new initiative include Boom! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, DC Entertainment, Diamond Select Toys, Dynamite Entertainment, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, and Marvel Entertainment. This is the second such incentive move from Diamond announced in the last week; also during con, the distributor said it would make $6250 in free backlist material available to retailers purchasing its digital Point of Sale system. Clearly, Diamond is pushing to re-open the market in light of recent increasing sales figures.
July 17th, 2012 at 10:50 am
Great! Then once Diamond gets the new stores to open and buy their pos system, they can short them and send them damaged books just like they do all their other accounts. Sheesh.
April 9th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Nice article, good amount of important information.