Diamond Select Toys is Shutting Down

Thanks. The info about NECA buying back 5M of their own inventory is interesting, and planning to liquidate the rest. :(
 
When they say buying back 5 million of their own inventory, that means that these are items that Neca sold to Diamond that would have been distributed to comic shops and other small operations that aren't buying from Neca directly?
 
Schizm said:
Thanks. The info about NECA buying back 5M of their own inventory is interesting, and planning to liquidate the rest. :(
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Is Ad Populum on the hook for any of Diamond's debt and the multi-million dollar lawsuit from Alliance Entertainment? If so, I assume a lot of value from the inventory will go to debtors. Or does the purchase price cover all past debts? I continue having trouble understanding the financial benefits of Ad Populum making the purchase only to close everything down. Learning if any licenses were part of the purchase, like they were supposed to be for Alliance Entertainment, would provide more clarity about Ad Populum's potential plans.
 
Bills all day said:
Is Ad Populum on the hook for any of Diamond's debt and the multi-million dollar lawsuit from Alliance Entertainment? If so, I assume a lot of value from the inventory will go to debtors. Or does the purchase price cover all past debts? I continue having trouble understanding the financial benefits of Ad Populum making the purchase only to close everything down. Learning if any licenses were part of the purchase, like they were supposed to be for Alliance Entertainment, would provide more clarity about Ad Populum's potential plans.
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From my understanding of other Chapter 7/ Chapter 11 sales I've read about, the purchasing company doesn't take over any of the debt. The sale price is divided up between the biggest debtors first (and even then not likely the full amounts owed), and then anything left is divided between smaller debtors, if at all.
 
In addition to current figure lines of Marvel Select and Muppets, others have mentioned salutes to incredible “baf” type dioramas of the Ghostbusters rooftop and firehouse, and deep lines like Buffy and NBC. I’ll add Stargate, Star Trek and various talking figure and cars like KITT, BTTF, LIS Robot, and Battlestar Galactica figures , Westworld, Black Hole, Expendables, Avatar, and Universal Monsters/Munsters. All highlights!
 
Diamondselecttoys.com has been updated. The front page now has the below message plus a message about "exciting new offers". It's giving me hope that some of the lines may continue! I plan on emailing to let them know there's interest in many or the previously solicited products.

"If you have questions about any previous orders, please reach out to [email protected]."

"Hey DST fans,
We're stepping away for a moment to check inventory and gear up to bring you some exciting new offers.
Keep checking this page where we'll be sharing more details soon."
 
Sounds like an inventory blowout sale - not new figures. Plus, most of the front page text on the website has been replaced with weird placeholder nonsense.

Still sad. I wonder what the difference between the two offer amounts was - like, was it $2000 that separated this company living and dying or $200,000?
 
Schizm said:
Sounds like an inventory blowout sale - not new figures. Plus, most of the front page text on the website has been replaced with weird placeholder nonsense.

Still sad. I wonder what the difference between the two offer amounts was - like, was it $2000 that separated this company living and dying or $200,000?
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Yeah, you're probably right. I was feeling optimistic for a few minutes until I thought about it more and notice 'inventory' mentioned. I'm curious to see what dirt cheap Travel and Shooting Sport merchandise I can snag in the sale. I'm joking but very sad about all of this.

Alliance Entertainment, the former purchaser, had a much higher bid than Universal/Ad Populum but withdrew because Diamond withheld that they lost distribution of WizKids. The who bankruptcy auction seemed a little suspicious to me. Diamond was pushing for Universal/Ad Populum to win, which seems like a poor decision for them, in retrospect.
 
Having worked website back ends, that generic Travel, Sports, blah blah is pretty bleak.

When I was at EB today, I inquired about my pre-orders on the Lord of the Rings figures, given the situation. The dates were actually moved up from the last time I looked - May 30. That may mean nothing though because EB dates are fluid as my lemon water.

But I do think it's interesting that when I looked at the website, I did check on those figures and they now show out of stock. Last I had looked prior to all this they were not. I did not look at anything else to see if they were marked out of stock. DP and Wolverine figures are not marked that.

Also, the Diamond photo shoot does show the unmasked Eowyn. Look, I just really want that figure, rebellions are built on hope.
 
There have been a few recent developments that are giving me renewed hope for DST and pre-orders. Apparently, a new wave of Minimates went up for pre-order on Friday. I don't know if this was an oversight by Ad Populum or intentional. A retailer on Instagram (Luke314pi) said he didn't know whether the wave would actually get released or the plans of the new distributor. I think retailers are hearing things won't settle for another 2 months.

The below statement from Diamond/Ad Populum to comic shop owners, which I copied from the below Bleeding Cool article, mentions "enhanced product offerings" and states orders will be fulfilled. I realize this is probably only about comic orders, but maybe it could include the DST products Diamond distributed and comic shops ordered. Maybe there are plans for DST to continue in some form? Maybe not? I'll be grasping at straws until the bitter end (or beyond).

bleedingcool.com

Diamond Comic Distributors Sends Letter Of Assurance To Comic Shops

Diamond Comic Distributors sends a letter of assurance to comic book stores... ish
bleedingcool.com

"Dear Diamond Customer:
As you know, Diamond Comic Distributors is now part of the Ad Populum family. This marks a new beginning with a future of greatly enhanced product offerings, as well as a time of transition. Naturally, it also brings with it questions.Many decisions are still taking shape, and we're actively working through what this next chapter should look like. That means some near-term uncertainty. This is a complex process, and we're focused on moving forward with intention, making decisions to best position us for long-term stability. That said, we do want to address some of the more immediate questions on your mind:
If you place an order with us, will you receive it?
Yes. Our order processing and fulfillment operations remain active, and fulfilling your orders reliably remains a top priority.
What about your PRH orders?
We are pausing PRH orders for product with an on-sale date after June 25 while we work with publishers to resolve the disruption and provide clear guidance.
What about comics in general?
We're working with publishers and vendors to ensure continuity across the categories that matter most to your business. We will share updates as more details take shape. In the meantime, the Support Center on the Retailer Services Website remains the best place to go with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your partnership and your patience as we work to shape the future of Diamond together."
 
I wonder if Annihilus may actually see the light of day. He was rumored for a May release. If that's even close to true, the figure was already manufactured.
 
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