Posted in: Comics | Tagged: comicspro, dc comics, diamond, distributor wars, lunar, new memphis

Diamond Comic Distributors Closes New Memphis Warehouse

Comic book publishers were told yesterday and comic book retailers will be told at the ComicsPRO retailer summit today that Diamond Comic Distributors is closing their New Memphis, Tennessee warehouse and distribution centre, with all functions transferring to their Olive Branch, Mississippi distribution centre. It is understood that this is a direct result of DC Comics leaving Diamond in favour of Lunar Distribution – though they still use Diamond for UK and European distribution.

Publishers have been told that the New Memphis centre is closed, immediately, and they should reroute any products to either their Olive Branch or Plattsburgh distribution centres.

Also, Saturday shipments will no longer be available as the Olive Branch centre is closed on Saturdays. Diamond Olive Branch will start fulfilling orders starting with items on sale next week, however, due to current weather issues in the area, deliveries may be pushed back further.

2020 was a tough year for Diamond Comic Distribution. They were forced to close down for a few weeks before reopening with new social distancing measures. However, in that time, DC Comics began distributing with two new companies set up by their two largest retailers, DCBS and Midtown Comics, as Lunar Distribution and UCS Comics Distributors, arguing for increased distribution choice. However, they soon dropped Diamond from distribution at all – though forced to return to Diamond UK when shipping costs to British and European stores suddenly jumped threefold. Then UCS withdrew from distributing DC, privately citing onerous demands from DC Comics, leaving only Lunar as a distributor of DC titles to comic store retailers in the USA.

This also deprived Diamond Comic Distributors of the vast majority of custom from their second-largest supplier. They took a number of cost-cutting measures, but this latest move, closing down their New Memphis distribution hub is the most severe, and all sources are putting this decision down to DC Comics' actions in 2020.

Diamond opened its New Memphis Distribution Centre back in 2001, before expanding it significantly. Diamond and Geppi Family did not return requests for comment on this matter.

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