An ICv2 Release.  ICv2 is launching ICv2 Direct, a new platform for sales direct from publishers to stores, the company announced.  On ICv2 Direct, retailers will be able to order from multiple publishers with a single account on an easy-to-use platform.  ICv2 will process the order, send the orders (and payment) to publishers, and publishers will ship retailer orders directly out of their inventory to stores.

"We started working on ICv2 Direct during Covid, and we’re proud to finally bring it to market," ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp said of the launch.  "It’s been clear for some time that the supply chain for game and comic stores has a problem with backlist, lesser-known, and limited-quantity products that may not be as profitable to stock at distributors.  More and more publishers are building the capacity to ship directly to stores.  We’re launching ICv2 Direct to help retailers looking to source those products in a convenient way, and to help publishers looking to connect with retailers that can sell their products.  Thousands of stores and hundreds of publishers visit ICv2 for our daily business news, and we’re going to help connect them in a new way that will benefit the entire industry."

ICv2 is currently signing up publishers wanting to sell on the platform, and retailers that want to be notified when sales kick off.  "We’re ready for publishers to sign up and load their products into ICv2 Direct now, and we’ll open the platform to retailers when we’ve got an initial product range set," Griepp explained.

The service is targeting products for game stores in this initial phase, with products for comic stores to follow in the coming months.

"In my 20 years in distribution (before launching ICV2), it was a point of pride to give market access to up-and-coming products that weren’t easily available elsewhere," Griepp said.  "We’re going to build on that tradition with ICv2 Direct."

Retailers interested in getting notifications and setting up an account so they’re ready to go when sales launch, click here for info.

Publishers interested in becoming an ICv2 Direct seller, click here for info.