Diamond No Longer Distributing Funimation DVDs in Canada

[Ether]

Diamond Comic Distributors is no longer distributing Funimation DVDs in Canada. Navarre Canada, the Canadian arm of Funimation's parent company, informed us that Funimation products can be ordered though the following Canadian distributors: Snap! Entertainment, Entertainment 1 (Video One / Video Globe) Vivendi and DEP Distribution.

[saturnihilist]

In other news, crap. That is all.

[Nogatorr]

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wristomania/ohsnap.jpg

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Thanks, Bob Dole.

[Polly]

My local comic shop informed me about this a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure it'll make a difference, since FUNi titles (shipped by Diamond) seemed to always make it to them one to four weeks late anyway. It kind of sucks for them though, because as I understand it the new distributor they're using for FUNi titles (not sure who exactly) charges a bit more. I got the impression that they might be losing money on FUNimation titles from here on out, or else that their profit margin on them will disappear, since they don't intend to raise their own selling price.

[Ether]

I doubt that Diamond had any say in the matter.

In the world of rights, rights are assigned in different markets to different distributors.

The same thing happened a few years ago when Manga was distributed (and manufactured) in Canada by Sony Music Video. Diamond was not allowed to distribute product to Canada.

For Funimation, the distribution rights are held by Vivendi Universal. They sometimes go by the name 2450 distribution (as Universal's address is 2450 Victoria Park Avenue.)

Vivendi is a big name distributor and I suppose that they want to maximize their sales by closing up any loopholes in the distribution channel (Diamond.)

Smaller distributor's like SNAP, will be buying from Vivendi. They have to make a profit, so their cost will be higher to stores, and you the consumer will pay a higher price.

HMV, Best Buy and Future Shop all buy direct from Vivendi so theoretically you should see better availability in Canada. This will probably not happen.

A few bits of info:

Best Buy and Future Shop are the SAME store. Best Buy owns Future Shop.

CPM and AnimEigo are distributed in Canada by Koch Entertainment. Here is their web address where you can check which stores carry their titles: http://www.kochcan.com/05_catalogue/result_fs.asp?lookin=all&select=all&itemstatus=1&cboPrimary=17&sortby=c_streetdate&order=desc&report=HTML&Submit=Search

Manga Entertainment is distributed in Canada by 20th Century Fox.

[geewj]

Navarre Canada distributes FUNimation into Canada using Vivendi/Universal (Universal Music)'s distribution team/sales force. KOCH only distribute Animego and Central Park in Canada. This change won't affect big retailers like HMV, Best Buy, Futureshop, etc at all. Wal-Mart doesn't buy from Diamond. Only comic shops do.