Shipping Pricing/Information and an apology.
Posted by Panda Cult Games (Creator)
First let me start by saying that we are sorry.
We are unbelievably sorry for any stress or confusion that has been caused. We understand a good amount of you are upset and confused, and hopefully I can clear things up for you.
So, I'm going to tackle these issues one by one so you guys have a crystal clear understanding of where we are coming from and why things are set the way they are.
We'll start with shipping costs, as it is a large concern.
Shipping Costs
As we stated in the previous update, shipping costs had to be adjusted. Our base box is nearly 7.5 lbs and the addition of a Kickstarter Bonus Box apparently added a surprising amount of costs to shipping, especially outside of our shipping zones. We have heard you, and seen this is a terrible surprise, and we apologize. It never was our intention to dupe you or rob you of funds, but simply to cover shipping costs.
The reason costs are higher than previous advertised is two fold:
•Firstly, that there is the inclusion of the Kickstarter Bonus Box, which both added weight and extra space needed for shipping. This pushed up prices in shipping friendly locations up a bit, and pushed prices outside of those zones a lot. (note: these are combined into one package, so you are getting them at the same time.)
•Second, is that a small fee is added to shipping for every Add-On added to your pledge. Its an unfortunate reality to shipping.
Here's a breakdown of costs, per region, so you guys have a clear picture:
These prices are an average to ship anywhere within their respective regions. Unfortunately we cannot absorb any of these costs for you...I promise you that if we could, we would, but between fulfillment, production, and freighting the product to their individual hubs, our budget is incredibly tight.
What happened with that initial quote?
The initial quote was created for us midway through the campaign. It was based off estimated numbers from our manufacturer on what the game would weight and cost. The campaign made some astounding leaps and bounds since that point, which added more to the base box AND caused the necessity of having the extra's come in another box. Again, we apologize for any confusion. The shipping costs came as a surprise to us as well when we got it updated at the end of the campaign.
Technical Issues
The main issues we faced involved receiving most forms of payment and shipping number issues. The payment options have since been resolved. The shipping issues involve Europe, which we will address in the next section. Again, we apologize again for any inconvenience.
European Shipping Price Error
There was an error while we were entering shipping prices for Europe, where some countries near our hub were given "Rest of the World" pricing. We've run into a few technical issues with the Pledge Manager today, and this is among them. This has since been fixed with appropriate pricing, and anyone who paid more than they should will be given refunds for the difference. Again, we are terribly sorry about the confusion.
Lastly, we want to talk about shipping outside of our shipping friendly zones
Shipping to the Rest of the World
Unfortunately, these costs have to remain as they are. The extras unlocked during the campaign that have been put into the Bonus Box are what are driving up the costs. We apologize if these prices come as a shock, but they must remain where they are. We simply cannot absorb any additional shipping to make this more gentle, it would end up putting the entire game at risk of ever being made.
Next up, we'd like to talk about opening up for Late Pledges.
Late Pledges
Due to the technical difficulties and shipping cost issues, we are holding off opening up the Pledge Manager to Late Pledges until we get it set and figured out. We will have it open soon, within the next 2-3 days maximum, that I promise.
Our Reasoning behind these choices...
As stated earlier, I wish we could absorb some of these costs, if not all of them. The unfortunate reality is that it is just not possible for us to do so. Our budgeting for the project was well on track until a shock was delivered to us 3 days before the end of the campaign; our manufacturer informed us cardboard prices skyrocketed, and jumped up our production costs by about 20%. This meant well over $10k was immediately gone. On top of that, our freight to get these products to their individual shipping hubs costs around $20k. Freight to these hubs is simply a cost of working on an international scale.
With those two additional costs on top of production, our budget is tight. Unfortunately that also meant we couldn't help you absorb costs anymore than getting product to shipping friendly hubs. Some companies Kickstarters have built in a budget to help absorb shipping costs, or cover them completely, but we were not capable of doing so. Some Kickstarters have failed completely attempting to absorb those costs, others have caused their owners to go bankrupt. We would rather be honest and explain the situation than backtrack on promises we made during the campaign. We still plan on delivering everything we unlocked, guaranteed.
Finally, I know that shipping costs have surprised some of you, and some errors have caused others stress and confusion. We are truly sorry. Like I said earlier, the last intention we have is duping you or trying to swindle you for more funds. We simply want to deliver the game we promised, and see the joy it will bring everyone.
