MagikFingerz wrote:Complaining about any prices is necessary if they are unfairly or unnecessarily high, otherwise there won't be any change. Shipping prices are also much more easily defined (although again, that hidden part on KS does not help) compared to deck prices, so merely "voting with our wallets" isn't the optimal way to evoke change.
The fanboys of Jackson (it's pretty obvious who they are) like to whine/complain/bitch about those who whine/complain/bitch about Jackson's business model, but we're seeing the results of some of this "complaining" now. Jackson's idea of a low cost, staple deck used to be a $12.00 per deck KW Tally Ho (to be raised to $16.00). Keep in mind this is for a tuck box that has no bells and whistles (foil, embossing, interior tuck printing, serial numbering, etc) except for the matte finished paperstock. If no one complained about this and just rolled over like sheep, we'd be looking at a $12.00+ Silver Arrow deck right now instead of a $6.00 deck, and this tuck box is actually premium like his previous decks. And now even the KW Tally is now going to be priced at $14 per deck shipped instead of $16.00 like he originally intended. Jackson has always shown a willingness and flexibility to make changes to his artistic design based upon input from forums and his backers. He's been more belligerent about this when it comes to his business practices because it involves actual money, but maybe even in this area he's starting to come around. I doubt any of this would've happened if all we did was slurp him up like some deity and never complained.
Nobody takes expensive, pretentious snobbishness up to the heights like D&D. Jackson's been only around for less than two years in the playing card community, but the twins have been overpricing their products for several years and they've continued this trend on DeckStarter. We've been "complaining" about D&D for years now and the results on DS have been disastrous for them. Now even the aspiring actors known as the Bucks are coming out with a reasonable priced deck on DeckStarter (Revelation Deck).
Sure, we can always vote with our wallets, but as Magikfingerz said, sometimes that isn't enough. By having discussions like these (call it whining, complaining, or bitching if it makes you feel better), it identifies what are the important issues in the pulse of the playing card community. And as we can see from the examples above, people are listening and making the corresponding changes and improvements.
I'm lucky that I'm not an international cardist/collector. I look at their shipping prices and customs fees and it makes me cringe. I think theirs no question internationals get shafted on shipping, especially on Kickstarter where they are basically paying for international shipping on top of the built in domestic price. So why shouldn't we discuss or "complain" about this in order to bring enough attention to the issue to effectuate change. I agree with Volantangel's assessment of what may be going on with the pricing of international shipping:
volantangel wrote:What i feel is happening is "Hey everyone is charging $30+ for shipping, heck no one cares so lets put it as $32 even though my cost is probably $25". Well this is where to can stand up to say that we actually care.
I think people get lazy and don't want to go through the effort of accurately pricing out complicated international shipping, especially if sticking with the status quo brings a few extra bucks into their pockets. They see the high end of pricing on shipping bricks and they think, "well if So-and-so gets away with this, why shouldn't I?" and charge the same. Sure, a $4-5 difference in pricing may not seem like a lot of money, and its not, but when you have to pay that over and over and over again, it adds up cumulatively, and its no wonder that "small" amount begins to chafe after a while (especially if its not necessary). TGunitedcardists' argument, that just because the decks are so reasonably priced makes the $5 overcharge in shipping more palatable, is the sycophantic reasoning expected from a fanboy, but it makes no logical sense. A brick of decks totaling $72.00 has
the exact same cost to ship as a brick of decks totaling $132.00 as far as postage costs is concerned, so it should be priced the same, not more.
As for the Silver Arrow deck, I'll commend Jackson on his pricing and approach, but I would like to point out there is nothing trailblazing about this. Randy Butterfield started this approach with his Draconian deck before Jackson, and I strongly recommend supporting both these decks to encourage this new and refreshing trend of lower prices. But before we shed too many tears for Jackson's pocketbook, if he eventually sells 27,000 decks at the very reasonable price of $6.00 per deck shipped, he will still gross $162,000.00. I would say that is going to leave a healthy profit margin, especially considering these will be the less expensive EPCC decks.
I think he finally saw that the Hive and KW Tally Ho decks were grossly stunted in their potential because of their ridiculous pricing and he was essentially pricing himself out of the market, so he's going with the higher volume/lower price strategy that should be a benefit to both his supporters as well as himself. How's that for some "complaining"?
Hmm... nice to hear a reasoned response.
