Bertrand
Hello
I know there is some other thread about TGC elsewhere but I'd like to create this one here specifically for deck creators or buyers, because many decks I've seen recently try to use TGC, that's why it seems to be a better place than their messy "support forum" full of their own supporters who don't necessarily have the same concerns as decks creators and their own staff cutting short most discussion about shipping, plus I know they came here in the past to discuss about issues with their services and this forum has much more activity in the field of deck creation. This is really an issue because otherwise, TGC services for deck productions are really good for small batches or unique prototyping - not the best overall but the best game POD service much certainly.
If you are a deck creator :
- using TGC for selling decks or ordering their own decks
- planning to use TGC but reluctant because they have heard of shipping issues
- not using TGC specifically because of the shipping costs overseas
or a deck buyers who
- buy on TGC
- don't buy on TGC because of the shipping costs
then this discussion concerns you.
One thing to know is if you're US or North America based you may not be aware of the shipping costs issues we people from the rest of the planet are encountering with TGC.
To get an idea, know that buying a single 36 cards deck from TGC costs for France for instance 16 $.
How come ? Well since they're used to send Game Boxes or game parts etc... they send everything into a big cardboard box that can fit ten times what you're ordering.
(I'm not speaking here about their medium or big "game boxes", I'm speaking about the shipping package only).
This is a mainly a problem with small orders of one deck (or two decks).
It concerns creators for a small part (when ordering a prototype for instance) but mostly customers are affected by it.
For instance there's no way I could sell my decks to European customers through the gamecrafter as the shipping costs double the price of their buying for the cheapest decks.
Problem is they don't need a big cardboard box. We, as tarot users, buyers or collectors, know how much it costs to send a deck overseas ; we also know that we don't want to pay the same price for the shipping as for the item we're buying.
Shipping a deck with or without a tuck box can be done really safely with a solid bubble enveloppe, eventually a wrapping paper inside, and that's about it. It can be sent as normal mail with no specific trouble, is faster and CHEAPER.
When I asked TGC why they wouldn't propose such an option, they say it's because they are certain their packing and shipping options are the safest. Maybe... that doesn't mean many people would take the chance IF they had the opportunity to do so !
As more and more quality deck creators are trying to use the game crafter, I guess that making affordable shipping options available would maybe double the number of potential customers for deck creators.
As more decks are available through TGC and more people are potential buyers, we could :
- propose ideas for cheaper shipping solutions
- organize to pressure TGC to give us these options, not in a bad way but simply pointing how many people would use their services if this issue was resolved in an appropriate manner.
Maybe I'm overestimating the number of people concerned, but I'm sure that apart from tarot deck or oracles deck creators, there are many "any purpose" deck creators as well, and I'm pretty certain many customers won't buy any product because the shipping costs are too expensive.
If TGC offered you when you buy a single deck to choose between a "first class uninsured shipping" for 16$ or a "bubble wrapped at your own risk in case of damage" for - say - 7.50$ (please correct this figure if the estimation is wrong), what option would you choose ?
If you're a deck creator, wouldn't you feel it great to be able to offer to your customers an affordable shipping option that may multiply your sales by 2, 3, maybe 10 and spread your work to more and more people ? Even if you're US based and are not directly affected (or you think you ain't), imagine if people from overseas could actually afford buying your work !
edited to add : for even more testimonies there was a previous thread where these issues were discussed among other things.
I know there is some other thread about TGC elsewhere but I'd like to create this one here specifically for deck creators or buyers, because many decks I've seen recently try to use TGC, that's why it seems to be a better place than their messy "support forum" full of their own supporters who don't necessarily have the same concerns as decks creators and their own staff cutting short most discussion about shipping, plus I know they came here in the past to discuss about issues with their services and this forum has much more activity in the field of deck creation. This is really an issue because otherwise, TGC services for deck productions are really good for small batches or unique prototyping - not the best overall but the best game POD service much certainly.
If you are a deck creator :
- using TGC for selling decks or ordering their own decks
- planning to use TGC but reluctant because they have heard of shipping issues
- not using TGC specifically because of the shipping costs overseas
or a deck buyers who
- buy on TGC
- don't buy on TGC because of the shipping costs
then this discussion concerns you.
One thing to know is if you're US or North America based you may not be aware of the shipping costs issues we people from the rest of the planet are encountering with TGC.
To get an idea, know that buying a single 36 cards deck from TGC costs for France for instance 16 $.
How come ? Well since they're used to send Game Boxes or game parts etc... they send everything into a big cardboard box that can fit ten times what you're ordering.
(I'm not speaking here about their medium or big "game boxes", I'm speaking about the shipping package only).
This is a mainly a problem with small orders of one deck (or two decks).
It concerns creators for a small part (when ordering a prototype for instance) but mostly customers are affected by it.
For instance there's no way I could sell my decks to European customers through the gamecrafter as the shipping costs double the price of their buying for the cheapest decks.
Problem is they don't need a big cardboard box. We, as tarot users, buyers or collectors, know how much it costs to send a deck overseas ; we also know that we don't want to pay the same price for the shipping as for the item we're buying.
Shipping a deck with or without a tuck box can be done really safely with a solid bubble enveloppe, eventually a wrapping paper inside, and that's about it. It can be sent as normal mail with no specific trouble, is faster and CHEAPER.
When I asked TGC why they wouldn't propose such an option, they say it's because they are certain their packing and shipping options are the safest. Maybe... that doesn't mean many people would take the chance IF they had the opportunity to do so !
As more and more quality deck creators are trying to use the game crafter, I guess that making affordable shipping options available would maybe double the number of potential customers for deck creators.
As more decks are available through TGC and more people are potential buyers, we could :
- propose ideas for cheaper shipping solutions
- organize to pressure TGC to give us these options, not in a bad way but simply pointing how many people would use their services if this issue was resolved in an appropriate manner.
Maybe I'm overestimating the number of people concerned, but I'm sure that apart from tarot deck or oracles deck creators, there are many "any purpose" deck creators as well, and I'm pretty certain many customers won't buy any product because the shipping costs are too expensive.
If TGC offered you when you buy a single deck to choose between a "first class uninsured shipping" for 16$ or a "bubble wrapped at your own risk in case of damage" for - say - 7.50$ (please correct this figure if the estimation is wrong), what option would you choose ?
If you're a deck creator, wouldn't you feel it great to be able to offer to your customers an affordable shipping option that may multiply your sales by 2, 3, maybe 10 and spread your work to more and more people ? Even if you're US based and are not directly affected (or you think you ain't), imagine if people from overseas could actually afford buying your work !
edited to add : for even more testimonies there was a previous thread where these issues were discussed among other things.