Weekly Store Update: 16 May

The flora around here is thriving, and even as busy as we are it is impossible to not stop and smell the roses! Breathe it in! Last week we restocked some good ones, added several preorders, and received some brand new and a few previously released games we've been trying to get our hands on. We have a giveaway going on as well, and a bit of shop news. 

INTRO

I had to pry my gaze off of the new arrival Cosmic Frog long enough to get this update posted... man, that art is something else! Even as I write this I feel...it....pulling....  I'm Eric, and for those of you new to the newsletter I am your regular guide through the weekly update. This top portion contains our shop news, but if you want to skip that to see the goodies right away you can jump down to the bottom of the post to see what we've added last week. Though...you may want to hang on for the next piece to find out about the Board Game Giveaway.

BOARD GAME GIVEAWAY

We are now in our second and final week for the giveaway of a brand new, in shrink copy of The Shores of Tripoli! CLICK HERE to jump to the sign-up page. This is an introductory wargame that scores in the 8's on Board Game Geek and has a good solo player mode for a 1 - 4 player game. Fascinating subject matter, and more importantly fun, this is one you really need to add to the stable! Sign up to win, and good luck!

CONTENT CREATOR BRANCHES OUT

We support a few content creators...primarily because I just don't have the bandwidth to provide decent game reviews like I did over the last few years. One of them is Jason Montgomery of the Meeple, Myself, and I review on Board Game Geek. He has a lot of well developed and thoughtful reviews on there if you're looking for more opinions on solo board games. In an exciting development, he is transitioning from print to audio! He has been busy developing his own solo player podcast and would love it if you listened to his inaugural effort. Trust us when we say there is space in the podcast world for a product of this quality and entertainment value. We encourage you to Check it out!

STATE OF GAME PRODUCTION

We received the following update from Danny O'Neill of Publisher Services Inc (PSi) and thought you might find it as interesting as we did.

PSi continue to see publishers struggle with the fallout of issues from the COVID pandemic. The economy in the USA is opening back up and although that is great, it is unlikely that the issues publishers face will be solved anytime soon. Beyond logistics and supply chain issues, there are price increases on wood pulp and oil that are impacting production and shipping from China. As you look towards the second half of this year, please brace yourself for more product delays, shortages, and possible price increases. We are hearing of factories adding 30-90 days to their delivery times which is enormously difficult for publishers to plan around. And although I’m certain that this will all balance out in time, for now it may be best to be a little extra patient with publishers from all corners of the industry and the supply chains that service them.

I can tell you we're seeing this with the majority of our preorders, and many of you have noticed the price increase bulletins I've posted over the last several weeks. My take is...even though Danny paints a bit of a dreary picture, I would like to say that our customers have been nothing but patient and understanding, and we appreciate it! As the "face" of the industry, we are so happy when you don't take it out on the messenger! Personally, when it comes to this kind of delay I can play some of the games on my "shelf of opportunity" as I wait for the new shiny to release. Hey...I know it's coming, and that's what really matters!

PRODUCT PAGE

In a continuation of 'neat things about the webstore' that I write about from time to time, let's talk about the product page. I believe information is key, so I try to provide as much detail as possible for each product, to include videos if I can find them. After all, not many folks are a gaming expert...on everything, so it can be helpful.

To get to the product page you can select something from the grid view, or if you search a specific product it will take you to the product page. There are two sections. The top portion has the photos and high level details about the game, and holds the videos. This section has the stock totals, add to cart or wishlist, and price. Scrolling down (past the videos if there are any) will show the Description portion, which is a more detailed explanation of the product. Above that Description portion you will see tabs: Description, Additional Information, Reviews, and Q&A. The Additional Information generally shows you the weight and dimensions of the product, the Reviews tab is exactly what it says it is, and in the Q & A tab you can ask a question about the product that will filter up and I'll generally provide the answer. Then everyone will see the question and answer, which is often very helpful. 

So, a lot going on there, but...that's why we have the price and add to cart at the top, so customers can just grab what they want without all the hoopla if they wish. Best of both worlds!

THE WRAP UP

Okay, enough news for this week! Below are the Restocks, New Items, and Preorders added to the shop last week. You can click on the item to learn more, and many of the products have review and gameplay videos so you can see the game in action. If you're visiting our page and you'd like to keep up with our giveaways, sales, new products, and articles like this one just create an account here. Once created you will be subscribed to our newsletter and become enrolled in our loyalty system, instantly earning 50 Stones that you can use on your very first order. A Stone? One Stone is equivalent to One Cent. That doesn't sound like much, but you earn 2 Stones for every dollar spent and 5 for each product review, so though it may seem small, those savings add up fast! Redeem your Stones upon checkout, and they can save you up to 10% off your cart total. Loyalty Matters!