Unless you closely follow retailer issues, you may not have been aware of an ongoing argument over Wizard’s shipping policies — basically they shipped unannounced special issues without any solicitation. But ComicsPRO, the retailer organization, has lobbied for a solution:
ComicsPRO is pleased to announce that in response to feedback and lobbying from our retailer members and others in the industry, Wizard Entertainment has created new sales incentives and returnability options for Wizard #195 and the 2008 Wizard Movie Spectacular edition.
In the past, in an effort to get products quickly into retailers’ hands, Wizard opted to not solicit their Movie Spectaculars through Previews and instead shipped the magazine to retailers in matched order quantities from previous Wizard issues. When the second of Wizard’s unsolicited Movie Spectaculars shipped earlier this year using this method, the retailer trade organization ComicsPRO began actively working behind the scenes to find a common ground for dealing with future issues.
“The unsolicited issues of Wizard’s Movie Spectaculars caused concern among many retailers, with rippling sales effects to Wizard’s other publications,” said Joe Field, president of ComicsPRO and owner of Flying Colors Comics in Concord CA. “The board of ComicsPRO worked diligently behind the scenes, providing Wizard executives with data and ideas to move forward in positive ways. We’re delighted to receive news of the retailer-friendly changes Wizard is making and we look forward to more strong sales from Wizard publications as a result of these moves.”
Retailers matching 100% of their orders on Wizard #195 and 75% of their orders on the Wizard 2008 Movie Spectacular with their orders from Wizard #193 will be able to return all unsold copies. This is a modification from Wizard’s previous over-ship returns.
ComicsPRO board member Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics in Dallas TX added: “A vital part of the ComicsPRO mission is to work with our industry partners to improve our business. We’re pleased Wizard Entertainment executives were open to listening to our suggestions and we look forward to even stronger sales and consumer interest for Wizard’s stable of magazines.”
All comic specialty retailers interested in working for a stronger direct market are encouraged to join ComicsPRO. Information and applications can be found at http://ComicsPRO.org.
Wizard commented on the movie special at the Baltimore retailer summit. There did not seem to be much reaction from the audience.
So here’s my question, as it’s not addressed in the press release: Does this mean Wizard is *not* just shipping out the Movie Special to retailers, regardless of whether or not one ordered them, regardless of whether one was signed up for Wizard overships or not? Because as I remember, that was the larger sticking point, rather than any question of how many of the un-ordered product you were allowed to return.
Randy—
Please see the October Previews (orders due online next Tuesday) for the full Wizard solicitations. For the first time, the Movie Spectacular issue is properly listed in Previews for retailers to order as they wish.
With the order incentives Wizard has put in place (100% returnability when you hit certain order levels), it looks like a no-brainer to order according to the incentives.
Hope this helps—
Joe Field
Flying Colors Comics
Concord CA
ComicsPRO President
This is awesome. I haven’t done our Previews order for the month yet (that’s Thursday), but this is great news. Thanks, Joe! And nicely done, ComicsPRO.