Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: comic shops, diamond, Diamond UK, uk

The Cost Of American Comics In The UK To Go Up 7.5% Next Week

This weekend, British comic book retailers received the following message from Diamond UK, the international comic book distributor that remains the exclusive distributor of Marvel, DC, Image, IDW, Dark Horse, Boom, Dynamite and more American comic book publishers to the UK and Ireland direct market of comic book stores. and many other European destinations as well. And it is bad news. The price of American comic books from Diamond UK to comic book stories is to rise by 7.5% the week after this. Which includes many products that were previously ordered at the old prices. Most comic book stores will have no option to pass the cost increase on to customers. Here's the letter in full.

Dear Diamond UK Retailer,
The uncertain nature of the last 2 ½ years of trading has thrown up more unprecedented challenges than we've ever faced before and by working together we have strived to overcome them.
During this time and despite the huge increase in both inbound air & sea freight and the various complications along and added costs to our outbound deliveries, we've managed to maintain the current UK pricing. However, we have been constantly monitoring the exchange rate and with the huge drop in the value of the £ throughout 2022 and the steep rise in business running costs, we cannot continue with our current pricing and as such the UK pricing for comics will be increasing with effect from 1st August 2022. This increase will represent a 7.5% increase and will apply to category 1 comics for all imported US publishers. Please click here for details.
As you will all be aware all discount levels have been held since the corona virus pandemic began , with the new cost of living crisis upon us we will continue to hold discount levels throughout 2022 and a review will take place for 2023.
All new orders and all existing orders that remain unfilled after 1st August 2022 will invoice at the new pricing, should you wish to review and amend any existing orders please contact your Customer Service rep prior to Friday 29th July as any requests after this date may not be able to be processed (All titles yet to FOC will now FOC at the new pricing).
We appreciate this is not ideal in the current economic climate but due to the reasons mentioned above we felt that this difficult decision had to be made.
Regards,
Mike Holman
Diamond Comic Distributors UK

Currently, for a $3.99 comic book, you might expect to pay between £3.50 to £3.90 in a UK comic shop, whereas the direct pound-to-dollar comparison would be £3.32, the rest covering additional shipping costs. However, a 7.5% increase could see those prices jump to between £3.80 and £4.20. At a time when inflation is hitting all over the UK economy, and there's a pressure on the US prices to also rise in the near future, comics are about to get even more expensive on this side of the pond, even more than on that side.

It's at this point at Titan, Rebellion, Avery Hill, Jonathan Cape, The DLC and others start reminding everyone that they exist…

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