Would you perhaps need a third category, for font houses that don’t *require* exclusives but give special status or higher royalties or what-have-you when they have an exclusive?

T

Right, that too.

hhp

I think Veer does what Thomas is talking about. They pay more for exclusives but don’t require them.

ChrisL

I don’t know about Font Bureau either way but I think FontShop has both with the FF label being the exclusive. Perhaps Stewf will chime in withj the real story?

ChrisL

First, a plea to keep publishers and retailers separate in this discussion. Emigre is a publisher, MyFonts is a retailer. FontFont is a publisher, FontShop is a retailer.

If Hrant’s question is about publishers (AKA foundries) then there are very few that don’t require exclusivity. There are always exceptions like ITC Franklin (an agreement between two publishers) and Eidetic Neo (a revision of an existing typeface submitted to another foundry).

If Hrant’s question is about retailers (AKA resellers), there are very few that do require exclusivity. Of course, some, like FontShop and Veer do offer extra promotion or a special contract in exchange for exclusivity.

Hybrid libraries include T-26 and Umbrella (a Veer label) which include original fonts but also those that are published by other foundries.

Adobe historically did both, but has pretty much switched to solely doing exclusives for new releases, though it does hardly any outside designs any more.

T

Stewf, Doesn’t FontShop sell fonts from numerous foundries and individual designers without an exclusive deal? I have seen fonts for sale there by Nick Shinn and Mark Simonson who also sell them direct from their own site and through MyFonts.

ChrisL

FontFont is a publisher, FontShop is a retailer.

You know I always wondered WTF was up with those two entities.

Chris - Exactly. That’s what I mean by retailer. Most of our foundries are available elsewhere, but we do have a few exclusive arrangements with foundries like OurType, Psy/Ops, ARS Type, Type-Ø-Tones, Dalton Maag, Gestalten, Fontsmith, and B&P, with more on the way.