Shipping Update + A Call for Champions!
over 3 years ago – Wed, Jun 02, 2021 at 02:41:05 AM

Hi Necromolds Backers!

I save official Kickstarter Updates to share milestones that need your attention. Today's update is especially exciting and important, so I hope you'll take the time to read it and become a Necromolds “Mission to 10k Champion” (more on that below!).

Let's start with the exciting news: Necromolds has left the factory!

Shipping Update

Since April, I've been working hard to keep the communication between our manufacturer and fulfillment company active. As of today, the bulk of our products have left the Panda Manufacturing warehouse and are now on cargo ships. We're sailing the open sea!

Here is the latest timeline that has been shared with me by our logistics partner. Again, these timelines can change, but it feels good to finally be receiving dates again.

Destination | ETA to Port | ETA to Warehouse

• Indianapolis | 6/25 | 7/10
• EU/UK* | 7/15 | 7/30
• China | TBD
• AU | 5/29 | 6/10

*UK shipments will require extra time to arrive at a UK warehouse for Brexit-friendly shipping.

Once the inventory arrives at the warehouse, it will be sorted and begin shipping to you. That means that in only a few weeks, AU and NZ backers should be getting their copies of Necromolds! And next month, US backers will be getting their copies!

Remember to message me if you need to update your shipping address. 

Now for the other half of this update...

Our shipping costs exploded!

With the exciting news that Necromolds finally left the factory, I also received an updated shipping/freight estimate from my fulfillment partner.

The final shipping cost increased by $9,682.40 USD.

Yes, you read that correctly. In only 8 months of the original estimate, the final cost exploded by nearly $10,000. I knew costs would be higher, but even so I was still shocked.

I went through the new estimate to make sense of the changes. Here is a general summary:

Summary of Freight/Shipping Cost Increase

• US Freight jumped by 69% -  An increase of $5,600 alone.
• CA Freight doubled.
• EU Freight jumped by 265% - More than 3.5x the original cost estimate.
• Brexit introduced separate freight for the UK, which added another $1,300 increase.
• If you include the fact that the UK is no longer in the EU, then the earlier EU freight estimate jumped by 522% - More than 6x in cost!
• All individual shipping costs increased by at least 10%.
• The overall change from the previously paid estimate was a 32% increase.

All of that in only 8 months...

Will you be a Necromolds “Mission to 10K" Champion?

We have 1,200 backers who are receiving at least one copy of the Necromolds: Battle Box. Any amount you're able to contribute would help cover this unexpected cost.

Everyone who contributes $14 or more before the end of June will get this limited Mission to 10k Champion holographic Necromolds sticker!

Thad and I designed this limited-run sticker specifically to raise money to pay off these additional shipping costs. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Contribute via Paypal

Contribute via Venmo (mobile app required)

Contribute via CashApp (mobile app required)

You must include your BackerKit name or email in the transaction note/message to get your sticker. I'll be using your information in BackerKit to send it to you.

For Non-US Contributions: The plan is to ship out the stickers via First-Class Mail International via USPS. Confirm that your country is on their list of more than 190 countries here. 

In creating this campaign, I took on a risk. I fully understood that and did my best to plan for it. Never could I have anticipated the pandemic and how it drastically changed our costs and timeline. At the end of the day, I'm responsible for making sure you receive your pledges and that is the milestone I'm looking forward to most!

Am I REQUIRED to pay more?

No!

No one is required to contribute. I cannot imagine forcing you into the same situation I now find myself in (a.k.a. being forced to pay an unexpected cost at the final stage of our KS journey).

Looking for more information?

I built and designed our Kickstarter campaign back in 2019. All of our product pricing and business plans were built upon estimates and timelines pre-pandemic (and pre-Brexit deal). Launching the Kickstarter, I knew that the upfront costs of Necromolds would be higher than our fundraising goal but I was willing to acquire the funds required to offset the upfront costs of production.

In the fall of 2020, we were expecting to begin freight before the end of the year and received our full estimate for freight & shipping. Based on that estimate, we charged everyone their shipping costs and paid the estimate to the fulfillment company. As you know, manufacturing delays pushed us back quite a bit.

Since that time, international shipping has been thrown into a crisis. There was hope back in January that some of the international shipping logistics issues would be solved after Chinese New Year - but they've only gotten worse. These complex issues are responsible for blowing up our estimated freight/shipping costs.

If you'd like to read more about it, I'd suggest these articles:

 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/06/business/global-shipping.html 

 https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-pandemic-triggers-shipping-container-crisis/a-57162384 

 https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Port-in-a-storm-No-end-in-sight-to-global-shipping-chaos 

In Summary...

Celebrate!!! We've finally hit the water!

The next major milestone for Necromolds is to arrive at port. Please keep checking our Kickstarter comments and campaign page for updates.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or private message me. We have a timeline, Necromolds is sailing the seas, and I cannot wait for you all to get your copies!

Also, I've finally started being able to play Necromolds out in public again! Over the weekend, I played a game at The Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire WI. After the game, a couple of onlookers stopped by our table to ask about Necromolds. They thought it looked amazing and couldn't wait for it to be available. I can't tell you how good it felt to finally be demoing it again!

Clint

Become a Necromolds 10k Champion today!

Contribute via Paypal

Contribute via Venmo (mobile app required)

Contribute via CashApp (mobile app required)

Please include your BackerKit name or email in the transaction note/message to get your sticker.

Updates on Shipping and Schedule
almost 4 years ago – Mon, May 10, 2021 at 11:30:21 AM

Hi Necromolds Backers and Preorderers!

In this update, I'll be discussing where we're at with freight and fulfillment. I'll also outline what the next steps look like for getting Necromolds in your hands - and how you can update your address if needed.

Safety Testing

A few weeks ago I learned that we'd passed all of our US and EU safety tests. This is important because, without the testing paperwork, our product would not be allowed through customs. It is also important because it means everything about Necromolds is safe for kids ages 6+!

Safety testing is pretty intense - especially when it comes to children's toys. It is a process that involves repeatedly dropping and stress testing them, as well as chemical and toxicity tests.

One unexpected safety test that the facility required us to pass was under the category of "art materials" because of the included clay. We passed those tests too but were required to add a small sticker to the plastic product wrapper that states we conform to those safety standards.

The safety testing itself took much longer than was estimated to me, and that delay, along with the time to apply the required stickers, prevented our product from beginning freight in April.

Freight Progress

The progress on beginning freight has been slow. I was waiting to post an official Kickstarter update once we were on a cargo ship, but that hasn't happened yet.

Here is a breakdown of the steps that go into freight and fulfillment - along with rough time estimates:

• Panda releases Necromolds to our Freight Forwarder. [We are here]
• Freight Forwarder gets Necromolds on a Cargo Ship. [1 to 2 weeks or longer]
• Necromolds sails the ocean to the US. [ 30-40 days]
• Necromolds arrives at the port, is unloaded, and loaded onto a truck/train. [2 weeks or longer]
• Necromolds arrives at our warehouse in Indianapolis. [1 week]
• Necromolds begins fulfillment from the warehouse to customers.

As you can see, we're still waiting for Panda to release the product to our freight forwarder. Once they do, we can finally begin the freight/fulfillment process. The EU/AU shipping timeline is a little different. From my understanding, it should be faster, but I'll keep you updated once we get further into the process.

Updating Your Address

If you need to update your address, please send me a private message. I'll work with you to get it updated in BackerKit. Updating your address prior to fulfillment is not an issue. It only gets complicated if you're moving to a different country since we've already allocated a specific number of product for each shipping region.

Summary

As you can see, the freight and fulfillment timeline is full of uncertainty. The final cost of freight is also full of uncertainty. For me, the uncertainty of both time and cost is pretty stressful. With how wildly the freight costs are fluctuating, I can't even receive a cost estimate until we're on a ship...

Back when I received and paid the original shipping estimate, neither of these factors was an issue. This isn't just a Necromolds problem, but an issue that every importer is struggling with right now. It's just especially difficult to navigate and absorb as a new, independent publisher.

To finish this update with something positive: Over the last month, I've been working on revamping the Necromolds website. This process has included taking photos of the final copy of Necromolds, and I'm constantly impressed by its quality. From the caster rings to the spellbooks, everything has met or exceeded my original vision. I know once you, your friends, and your family are molding and smashing monsters with it - you'll love it too!

So when should you expect to receive your copy? Right now, it's really hard for me to give you an accurate date. Based on the latest estimates I've been given, it's looking like late July. But as we've seen over the last eight months, these dates can change.

Thank you again for taking the time to check in, read this update, and stay connected as we push through this final stage of our Kickstarter. Make sure to watch the Kickstarter Page Comments for minor updates, and always feel free to message me if you're curious where things are at.

For the last year and a half, I've been running the marathon that is being a first-time Kickstarter publisher. And for the last 8 months, it has felt like every time we're sprinting toward the finish line, it gets pushed further away. Your support during this time has been encouraging, invaluable, and constantly fills me with excitement and energy for what's ahead.

I'll keep running toward that finish line and cannot wait to cross it with you 🏃🏃🏃!

Clint

48 Hours to Confirm Shipping Info
almost 4 years ago – Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 11:55:56 PM

Happy Friday Backers!

Necromolds is finally moving from manufacturing and assembly into freight and fulfillment!

I have just sent out a "Final Notice" email via BackerKit which displays your current address information and requests that you update it if needed. After 48 hours, these addresses will be locked in. Please check your spam folder if you don't see the email and direct message me with any issues.

Changing your address after this point may incur additional shipping costs depending on where we are at with fulfillment.

Because of the time required for ocean freight, we are currently targeting a late May delivery. The product needs to cross the ocean, be processed through a port, be carried to the fulfillment center, and from there be shipped to you!

With the unprecedented state of international shipping due to the pandemic, this delivery estimate may change. Some shipping ports are seeing weeks worth of delays for processing. All I can assure is that I and the fulfillment team are doing everything we can to keep things moving along.

If you are afraid your address may change in May or June, it would be best to change your delivery address to a permanent one that you can rely on.

What have I been up to in the meantime?

In between communicating with our manufacturing and fulfillment partners, I've been working on building out the new Necromolds website. It's been fun taking photos of the final game and spellbook toys!

I also cannot wait to start playing board games with friends again this summer!!!

That's all for now! Please confirm those addresses asap and message me with any issues.

- Clint

Feast your eyes on Necromolds! Plus a minor update.
almost 4 years ago – Sat, Feb 27, 2021 at 10:32:45 PM

Hi Backers, Late-Pledgers, and Followers,

I hope you have all been well over the last month! In today's update, I'm excited to show off some of the Necromolds product photography I've captured since receiving the Master Print Copy (MPC). As a reminder, the MPC is straight off the assembly line so what you see in the photos is the exact same product you'll be receiving.

Everything about Necromolds is high quality.
I can't really stress that enough. Every time I open the box and take out the components to play or take pictures, I'm always impressed by how good everything feels. We've really come a long way from the original Kickstarter project proposal and I can't wait for you to experience the unboxing for yourself!
 

 But first...

Here are some recent Necromolds media for you to check out!

• Necromolds LIVE MPC unboxing on Youtube
• Tabletop Gaming Magazine Necromolds Spotlight (We're mentioned on the cover!)
• Necromolds Interview on NerdNewsToday

Alright, now onto the photography!

Necromolds Battle Box

The Necromolds Battle Box is magnificently terrifying. Thad Stalmack did a fantastic job capturing the mayhem that is Necromolds. On the front is a product window where you can display your favorite spellbook and caster ring.
 

Collectors Edition Sleeve

If you're an I WANT IT ALL backer or went for the Collector's Bundle late pledge, you'll receive a collector's edition sleeve with your Battle Box. I worked with artist Nathan Motzko to bring this wild concept to life. The lime green on the sleeve is foil print. Across the sleeve, you'll see abstracted scenes and references to Necromolds lore and story!
 

Monster Pack 1

Each monster pack comes in its own box and includes 2 spellbooks, 2 shared play cards per monster, a container of spell clay, and a Mystery Caster Ring pack. Our retail backers are really going to love how the Battle Box and Monster Packs look together on a shelf!

Mystery Ring Pack

Inside each Mystery Ring Pack is a random Necromolds caster ring. There are 20 different possible designs in two different colors - Basalt Grey and Glow-in-the-dark! In the live unboxing video I did, one of my favorite moments was opening up the mystery caster ring pack included within a monster pack. The anticipation of finding out which ring you received is a blast!

Battle Box Tray

Inside each Battle Box is a tray designed for organization. As promised, you can store all 11 Necromolds series 1 spellbooks in the Battle Box!  This was a late stretch goal we added based on backer ideas. This ended up being a challenge for the manufacturing team to design. As you can see, there isn't a lot of space left once you pack everything in there. I worked closely with the team to design a solution that not only fit all the spellbooks but could be adaptable too. For example, if you don't have all series 1 spellbooks, you can store your extra rings in the open space in the tray.

What's Next?

With Chinese New Year ending this week, I've been told that assembly has started back up for Necromolds. The manufacturing team will continue assembling and packaging up our entire first print run. I'm waiting to receive an estimate on when they will be finished.

In the meantime, we've sent our final products in for safety testing. This is something we've been preparing and planning for since we started manufacturing. 

Once assembly is complete, we'll begin the freight and fulfillment process. Our product will be loaded into a cargo container and shipped to our distribution warehouse. From there, our fulfillment partner will send you your pledge rewards!

Once I have more timeline information on the completion of assembly and the start of freight, I'll be sure to share it :)

 In closing...

I just want to say how happy I am with how the final game and monster pack expansions have turned out. Looking at everything together, Necromolds was a very ambitious project. I hope you're as proud as I am of what we've created together during the last year. A project like Necromolds would never have happened without the community supporting it.

I cannot wait to hear stories of kids and families experiencing the fun of miniature skirmish and wargaming for the first time through Necromolds. For those who are veteran wargamers, I hope Necromolds becomes an easy way you can share your passion with others.

As always, please leave any questions in the comments, or reach out directly.

Thank you again everyone!!!

Clint

Necromolds MPC Unboxing TONIGHT! Backers Only!
about 4 years ago – Tue, Feb 02, 2021 at 12:40:06 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.