Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: dc comics, distributor wars, lunar, ucs

DC Comics Has News For Comics Shops, in the USA and Abroad

Published Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:30:51 -0500

Last updated Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:43:05 -0500

DC Comics has issued another letter to comic book retailers regarding the current changes in distribution. At the end, they state that both two new distributors Lunar and UCS have "solutions and affordable options" for international customers such as the UK. No sign of them yet though, we have been promised more this week. The full letter runs below;

Dear DC Direct Market Retailer,

Following this past Friday's announcement that DC's long-standing relationship with Diamond Comic Distributors has come to a close, we've prepared answers to questions we've received from retailers in the past few days. This is the first round of FAQs, with more to come soon. DC and our distributors are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for our retail partners.

What happens to my initial orders placed with Diamond? What about reorders?

Any orders placed with a June 1 Final Order Cut-off date or earlier will be fulfilled by Diamond, including product with release dates as far out as December. Any initial orders placed for new DC titles with an FOC date of June 8 or beyond will need to be re-entered with your new distributor of choice: Lunar or UCS (for periodicals and graphic novels/collected editions) or Penguin Random House (for graphic novels/collected editions).

Any DC reorders placed with Diamond on comic book product with an FOC date of June 1 or earlier will be fulfilled by Diamond until copies are depleted, or by July 31, whichever comes first. For example: if you ordered Batman #93 from Diamond, and you need to order more copies after Batman #93 arrives in stores, you may order those from Diamond, and they will fulfill that order until July 31, or when they are out of stock.

Any DC reorders placed with Diamond on inventory book product with an FOC date of June 1 or earlier will be fulfilled by Diamond until copies are depleted, or by December 16 for replenishment orders/December 22 for direct ship orders, whichever comes first. For example, if you ordered New Teen Titans Vol. 11 with Diamond, and you need to order more copies, you may order those from Diamond, and they will fulfill that order until December 22, or when they are out of stock.

What are my terms of sale with the new distributors?

Your previous discount rate will remain consistent with Lunar and UCS. Your credit terms will be the same up to net 30 days with Lunar and UCS. For full details of terms of sale, consult with the individual distributors.

We have received feedback that some retailers are not receiving the same discount rate from Penguin Random House. This is because PRH has their own standard terms not set by DC, nor reflective of your terms via Diamond.

Can we get clarity on returnability dates?

DC has provided returnability on all comics and graphic novels with in-store dates 3/18 to 6/24. If you have any titles to return from 3/18 and 3/25, please include them with the first bundle return shipment alongside returns with a 4/28, 5/5, and 5/12 shipping date.

What happens with POS systems that use Diamond data, such as Comic Suite, Comic Hub, Mobi?

Both Lunar and UCS are working on a solution for providing data to POS systems, including .csv files. DC provides both Lunar and UCS with all relevant marketing information (covers, solicitation text, etc.), and will continue to add and modify these processes to better suit your needs.

What's the status of ordering DC Direct product?

Information on DC Direct distribution to come soon.

What does this mean for international stores?

DC recommends stores in Eastern Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, contact UCS for distribution.

DC recommends stores in Western Canada, the Asia-Pacific region (including Australia, and New Zealand), and Latin America contact Lunar for distribution.

Both distributors have solutions and affordable options, so please contact them for details.