Are Direct has refreshed its wholesale commerce platform, TheMarketHub, to make it easier to discover products, place orders and access distribution services through a single, streamlined experience.
TheMarketHub gives retailers access to more than 5,000 products across 120-plus categories from more than 200 brands, spanning trading cards, toys, games, gifts, stationery and general merchandise.
Retailers can browse and order when it suits them, with no subscription fees or minimum order value.
Launching ahead of Christmas, the refreshed TheMarketHub was built on Shopify’s B2B platform in partnership with digital commerce specialists Convert Digital.
Improved search and navigation make it easier for retailers to find the right products, trial new ranges with less risk and replenish stock without committing to a large order.
“Independent retailers need the freedom to make buying decisions that work for their stores,” Are Direct Australia GM Alex Smith.
“With the new TheMarketHub platform, retailers can explore products from hundreds of brands in one place and order what they need, when they need it.
“We’ve made the buying experience simpler while giving retailers the choice and flexibility that matter when you’re running an independent business, especially in the lead up to the busy Christmas retail period.”
All products are stored, picked, packed and dispatched from TheMarketHub’s distribution centre, then delivered Australia-wide through Are Direct’s established independent retail delivery network for a low flat fee.
The launch is part of Are Media’s broader investment in TheMarketHub’s digital and operational capabilities.
In July 2026, the business implemented a new Thomax Warehouse Management System, introducing wireless scanning and improvements to inventory management, picking and packing. Together, the new website and warehouse system strengthen the operation behind each order as TheMarketHub grows.
“We’ve invested in how retailers buy and how we fulfil their orders,” Smith said. “TheMarketHub is now better equipped to support independent retailers as we pursue our growth agenda over the next 12 months, including expanding our range and increasing the number of exclusive products available to customers.”
Since launching in 2017, TheMarketHub has expanded Are Direct’s longstanding distribution business beyond magazines and other printed media. It combines convenient online wholesale ordering with Are Direct’s established distribution network, giving independent retailers access to a broad range of products without large inventory commitments or minimum order requirements.
