Posted in: Comics | Tagged:
ComicHub – a New Way for Comic Readers and Collectors to Buy Their Books
One of the bigger hits, apparently, from the ComicsPRO comic book retailer event a couple of weeks ago in Charlotte, North Carolina, was ComicHub.
We are told that comic book retailers often have limited access to online systems and inventory management tools, making it difficult for comic book collectors to manage their orders through their local comic shop.
There have been attempts through the years but they've often gone away – most recently the ComiXology offering. But ComicHub goes above and beyond this.
Stu Colson, owner of New Zealand's Heroes for Sale comic book store, decided to create his own system that provides both a retailer point-of-sale (POS) system and a mobile app for customers to manage their orders. And he is taking it global.
As well synchronizing a reader's comic collection with any retailer on the ComicHub network, publishers can also publish previews of upcoming stories, and readers can choose titles, writers, artists, brands, genres or publishers to follow – and hopefully buy.
It also allows people to find out which comic stores actually have a comic book in stock. Which is handy when you really want a comic book – and only one registered comic store has it on their shelf.
Thank you Montery Current Comics. Or if you are tracking down Batman Damned #1…
…there's one in Canada.
Colson has been using ComicHub internally at his own store, and begun reaching out to other stores as early adopters and testers. And at the ComicsPRO event in Charlotte, North Carolina a couple of weekends ago, the service found a rapturous reception. Apparently they are full up for adding new folk through April, but are looking to expand fast. And I note that former Valiant employee Atom Freeman is part of the team, which is always an indication of great things…
It's early days. But good early days…