GEN CON bound again!
over 10 years ago – Fri, Dec 04, 2015 at 04:40:11 PM

I thought I'd also post a quick update and see if anyone has some input for me.

I've been accepted to Gen Con again this year. I wasn't really expecting this because I have no accumulated points yet and Gen Con gives everyone who has points (earned through vending in previous years plus advertising $$$ spent) priority over those of us who are newbs to the industry. So, YAY ME!

So this year I'm planning on doing some advertising and have been looking at the coupon book. It has been suggested to me that I should offer some sort of Gen Con specific trinket as a free promo to get people to my booth.

So, my question to you is what type of little freebee can I offer that would get YOU to visit my booth if you hadn't otherwise known about me. I think I'm going to have to do something where I can buy something that was mass-produced rather than make it myself...I just don't have the time to make something like that. I'm completely open to ideas here. Share your thoughts.

John

Saturday update
over 10 years ago – Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 07:23:32 AM

People are getting their surveys in, which is great. More than half of the backers have marked their surveys complete and I"ll start going through them on Dec. 1st.

I also got to the lumber yard and picked up most of the lumber that I'll need for this project. Once the rest of the backers fill in their surveys, I can make another lumber run, but I have enough to get a good bit done.

Starting December 1st, the following will happen:

• I'll start going through the orders one by one to make sure the surveys are filled out completely. If they are, I'll finalize them (charge any add-ons you may have selected) and print them out for processing.
• If the survey isn't filled out correctly, I'll send that backer an email letting him/her know what needs filled in.
• I'll place an order for pen hardware. If you want pens in time for Christmas, please get me the order before Monday night. Remember that I'm offering a buy 4 get 1 free deal on the pens. If you need details, contact me, but essentially, if you buy 4 pens listed on the add-on page, you get one free; but that deal has to go through Paypal instead of through backerkit.
• Of the orders that I print out, if I have the case premade, I'll ship it out asap. If I don't have it in stock, I'll get it in the queue to be made.

Remember, if you have any friends who want to get in on this, I still have the preorder module going. They can get anything in the add-on menu (but I can't guarantee Christmas delivery). Give them this link to follow: https://hrothgar-iv-skalds-song.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

See you next week with another update

Friday update...please read...all of it....pretty please.
over 10 years ago – Fri, Nov 20, 2015 at 02:38:07 PM

So about 1/2 of the surveys are in already. I've put together a preliminary wood list and I think I'll be headed to the lumber yard on Monday to pick up an early round of wood. As I'm packaging things up for the WARRIOR project, I can have the cnc cutting out what has been ordered so far.

If you have completed your survey

For those who have finished your survey, A. PLEASE make sure you have actually chosen product. There are a few people who put their address in, blew past the add-on menu and closed the survey. If you did this, I will not know what you want and your order will end up being the last one I work on. EVERYONE MUST CHOOSE THEIR PRODUCT IN THE ADD-ON MENU.

Next, go back over your add-ons. Is there anything else you want? Now is the time to add it.

Finally, close out the survey. 

I will not start closing out surveys until Dec. 1st. On Dec. 1st, I'm going to start going individually through the surveys and finalizing them. After this date, changes to completed surveys won't be able to be made and I'll start filling orders. Adding on after this date will need to be done on a separate order.

If you have not completed the survey

Hey! No worries. There isn't a rush here. I'd prefer to get everything in before the first of the year, but if you need extra time to see what Santa brings you and how much the wife (or husband) is willing to let you spend, that is fine. Surveys completed prior to Dec. 1, I'm going to really try to get done by the holidays. Surveys completed afterwards will be done (hopefully) no later than January.

As an FYI, I'm currently confirmed for the following conventions in 2016:

• Cleveland ConCoction March 11-13
• Indiana Comic Con April 29-May 1
• Origins Game Fair June 15-19

Strong Probability:

• Gary Con: March 3-6
• Reaper Con Oct. 20-23
• Con on the Cob: date unknown

Hopeful

• Gen Con Aug. 4-7
• Dragon Con Sept. 2-5
• Game Hole Nov. 4-6

Backups

• Tampa Bay Comic Con Aug. 5-7
• WBC July 29-31

If you know of a good Con, especially in the mid-west that I've missed, please let me know. I'm trying to finalize my show schedule and would like to get in at least 10-12 shows through next year.

A Word on Shipping
over 10 years ago – Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 08:18:15 PM

I got the surveys out last night, and sure enough, there is at least one thing that isn't working as smoothly as it should.

If you are one of my international backers:

First, thank you for backing my project! How cool is it that I can say that I ship to Austrailia, Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, Germany, Denmark, and the other dozen cool places that I've gotten to ship to. The woman in my post office thinks that I must be some shadowy business conglomerate holed up in the back hills of Appalachia. 

But second: You were charged $15 for shipping at the project start and now when you fill your stuff out, you are being hit with a $15 fee for most items. The $15 fee was supposed to represent the additional shipping fee brought on by size/weight. You should not have to pay double shipping, so here is what you can do:

• shoot me an email at [email protected] letting me know that you are an international backer and that you have been charged $15 extra for shipping. I will credit your  account that amount since you have already paid your shipping up front.
• take a look at anything else you want to add. Go ahead and add it, but understand that there WILL be an extra $15 per item added on in shipping fees per item (for most items..the small/light stuff like dice, pens, and foam have no shipping fee).
• IF you have added a lot of things and don't think that the total you are pay for shipping is representative of the actual cost to ship, shoot me another email. I will take a look at your order, estimate a size/weight for that order, and put it into the USPS shipping calculator. If there is a significant difference I will refund that amount via paypal.com.

This is the best that I can do on shipping on this project. I swear, one of these times I'm going to figure out how to do shipping in a way that doesn't overcharge or undercharge you. Honestly, I think I usually lose money on international shipping but this time the change I made had a rather hefty unintended consequence.

If you are a  domestic backer:

It should be much easier on you. You didn't have to pay an up front shipping extra fee. I factored in $5 for shipping for a single product into the pledge amount. However, if you ADD ON a ROGUE, PRIEST, OR WIZARD, there is an additional $5 per item fee that is charged on Backerkit. This fee represents shipping in a medium or large priority box instead of a small envelope/box. 

If you add a lot of items and believe that you are paying too much for shipping, again, drop me a line and I will figure out the weight/size of the package, plug that into the USPS shipping calculator, and refund the difference.

I hope that works for everyone. If you have questions/comments, please let me know.

John

well, no survey tonight
over 10 years ago – Sun, Nov 15, 2015 at 09:49:34 PM

I guess Backerkit wants to review my page before allowing me to send out surveys. They say it can take up to 2 days. Sorry about the misinformation. I'll get the surveys out to you as soon as possible.

John