Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, Diamond Comic Distributiors, retailers

Is This An End For Tiered Returnability?

Published Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:00:17 -0600

Bleeding Cool has been looking at the topic of returnability of late, where publishers make certain items fully returnable if retailers order large amounts of them.

It's a good way to combat retailer conservatism over a new untested comic book, and has proved itself very successful for launches such as Saga, Sex Criminals, Jupiter's Children, Velvet, Sandman Overture, Pretty Deadly, Unity, Manifest Destiny and the current Vertigo line where the first three issues of all launches are returnable, as well as DC's All Ages line and Mad Magazine. And, with Image's orders tied to the last successful Image launch, these launch numbers have been increasing incrementally.

There have been concerns however that this is causing a problem with cash flow with retailers, not wanting to be left out, commit large amounts of cash, kept by Diamond Comic Distributors until the books are returned. And if they miss the window of returnability, they could be stuck with that heavy bill.

But is the time for this kind of promotion coming to an end? For Image, Rick Remender's Deadly Class #1 launch is returnable if retailers meet or exceed 110% of orders on Black Science #1.

But the launch of Saviors doesn't mean returnability, just that retailers will get a 10% discount on orders if they match or exceed 110% of orders of Umbral #1. Retailers whose orders of EGOs #1 meet or exceed 110% of their orders for Zero #1 will receive an additional 10% discount on their order of this title. And retailers who order 20 or more Minimum Wage #1 will receive a free copy of the Maximum Minimum Wage HC, plus an additional 10% discount on additional orders of Maximum Minimum Wage HC.

Dynamite, in an attempt to catch up have been offering returnability without any purchase commitments, but that has yet to reach the bigger publishers.

And DC Comics? They are launching Teen Titans Go #1, making it completely returnable if retailers order… three copies or more. Hmm. I don't think that will impact on cashflow too much.

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