Ecomm retailer and gaming event organizer ChannelFireball, which merged with BinderPOS in January (see "ChannelFireball and BinderPOS Merge"), is divesting its ecomm business as it transitions to a BinderPOS-powered online marketplace serving third-party retailers, the company announced. As a major step in that transition, ChannelFireball is selling its inventory of Magic: The Gathering singles to retail chain Good Games, which will be expanding its online offerings in the U.S.
Good Games operates 28 stores in Australia, and has opened two in the U.S., in Indianapolis and Chicago (see "Australian Game Store Chain opens Second U.S. Store"). It currently has a limited U.S. ecomm singles operation, with inventory shipped from the stores, Good Games Managing Director Paul Van Der Werk explained to ICv2.
As part of the deal between the companies, Good Games will sell through the ChannelFireball marketplace, Van Der Werk told us. "As part of our new partnership, Good Games will be selling online exclusively through the ChannelFireball Marketplace and other sales channels integrated through BinderPOS," he said. Good Games will also take over ChannelFireball’s buy list.
ChannelFireball’s inventory won’t be transferred to Good Games until the ChannelFireball marketplace opens, so the size of the deal won’t be finalized for some time, but ChannelFireball’s inventory includes "millions of cards," Van Der Werk said. ChannelFireball is the third or fourth largest retailer of Magic: The Gathering singles in the U.S.
The deal includes only Magic: The Gathering cards, which means a home will still have to be found for ChannelFireball’s Pokemon TCG inventory. The company has committed to have exited the selling of Magic and Pokemon singles at launch of its marketplace.
"ChannelFireball is getting out of the business of selling our own singles and into the business of selling the products of the local game stores on our marketplace; we don’t want to compete with stores, we are working for them and with them," CFB Group President Jon Saso said of the transition.
Retail Chain Buying 'Magic' Inventory, Expanding Online Sales
Posted by Milton Griepp on April 29, 2021 @ 3:28 am CT
MORE GAMES
With Excalibur and Holy Grail Promo Meeples
April 26, 2024
WizKids will release Tales of the Arthurian Knights , a standalone sequel to Z-Man’s Tales of the Arabian Nights , with Excalibur and Holy Grail Promo Meeples with every case.
From QM Direct
April 26, 2024
QM Direct will be bringing Europa Universalis: The Price of Power (Standard Edition) to trade in the U.S., with a Q3 release planned.
MORE NEWS
Will Continue as Independent Agent
April 26, 2024
Japon Brand will continue as an independent agent serving the Japanese and worldwide markets.
From Frank Miller Presents
April 25, 2024
Abrams ComicArts will publish book format products by comics auteur Frank Miller, from his eponymous company Frank Miller Presents.