I've been a board game aficionado for over 20 years, and I stopped buying new games entirely around 10 years ago because everything was being funded by Kickstarter.
Just like avoiding video game pre-orders, I refuse to absorb a corporation's production costs up front. The fact that the retail version of the game almost always does not include a bunch of content exclusive to Kickstarter backers just makes me not want to buy it either.
Shifting all the risk onto your customers is an insane business model, and it's completely unsurprising to me that even when they're spending other people's money these assclowns can't succeed.
I got into KS very early on and KS creators who've done this for a long time remember a period where they got screwed on delivery costs. I can't remember why but there was a time when freight costs increased a lot and lots of KS creators came out whining that they couldn't afford to ship product. Much like now.
As a result of that people started charging shipping usually closer to the delivery date and not at the end of the KS.
People in all industries genuinely suck at dealing with shipping costs, they ignore it until it's too late, figure they'll get it sorted later, expect it to be comped, don't budget for it. It's a constant pain in my ass.
Even if you have a contract with a shipping company like Maersk for a fixed rate, they can alter it as they wish. I witnessed it multiple times during the last 4 years
I've had stuff on the water change shipping price 4 times before it actually landed. Shits a nightmare. Are the tariffs annoying me personaly? Yes, but fuck if they dont give me leverage with my team to not ship from Asia which I will gladly take
I've been a board game aficionado for over 20 years, and I stopped buying new games entirely around 10 years ago because everything was being funded by Kickstarter.
Just like avoiding video game pre-orders, I refuse to absorb a corporation's production costs up front. The fact that the retail version of the game almost always does not include a bunch of content exclusive to Kickstarter backers just makes me not want to buy it either.
Shifting all the risk onto your customers is an insane business model, and it's completely unsurprising to me that even when they're spending other people's money these assclowns can't succeed.
I got into KS very early on and KS creators who've done this for a long time remember a period where they got screwed on delivery costs. I can't remember why but there was a time when freight costs increased a lot and lots of KS creators came out whining that they couldn't afford to ship product. Much like now.
As a result of that people started charging shipping usually closer to the delivery date and not at the end of the KS.
People in all industries genuinely suck at dealing with shipping costs, they ignore it until it's too late, figure they'll get it sorted later, expect it to be comped, don't budget for it. It's a constant pain in my ass.
Even if you have a contract with a shipping company like Maersk for a fixed rate, they can alter it as they wish. I witnessed it multiple times during the last 4 years
I've had stuff on the water change shipping price 4 times before it actually landed. Shits a nightmare. Are the tariffs annoying me personaly? Yes, but fuck if they dont give me leverage with my team to not ship from Asia which I will gladly take