Swag Bags Back

[Reaperbryan]

We are doing our best to provide this service, and are truly sorry for the delay and for the confusion.

 

We hope that the recent addition of bags to the store has helped ameliorate some of the pain caused by the confusing situation, which we honestly did not anticipate nor have time to resolve as adequately as was deserved during the show.

[Harrek]

In general Reaper can't really put up the Swag Bags for pre-order. Those that attend the convention have to be taken care of first. In fact I was surprised that they started selling them early like that.

 

While Sophies and Mouselings can be cast if they run out during the process the rest of the of donated material cannot. They can't go back to Dark Sword or Team Frog and say, hey can you send us more?. This is a real advertising expense for these companies and we get what we get and that is what drives how many bags would be available.

 

You can always order Sophie on her own, as well as what ever the convention miniature is (although there is not always another convention miniatures) by themselves.

 

Perhaps a "Reaper" swag bag for people who don't make it that just includes the paint, reaper minis, reaper bag, and other reaper only items (stickers, casket works, etc).  That way people have an easy way to get the Reaper type stuff.  You can order the minis, but a few of the other things people seem to be most interested in (like the paints) can not be gotten separate.

 

Of course this does make another thing that needs to be put together by the overworked and tired Reaper Crew of course.  Especially since there were additional items like the banquet bags this year as well.  Watching them working during the Con certainly showed me they had PLENTY to keep them more than busy.

[ctsteel]

On the aspect of the pre-orders and other suppliers - wouldn't the pre-order option allow for Reaper to give the other suppliers a heads up as to how many of item X are needed?  I don't know if there is a cost to Reaper for this or if it is gratis from the supplier, but I suppose it could be handled (depending on demand) that if the total of pre-orders and attendees is over a certain range then there's a small additional cost on the bag (perhaps applicable after the first X items are purchased as preorders, or within Y days of the ReaperCon commencing).  Attendee bags would be exempt from that so it's just the online orders (where the overhead is understandable).  That might be a way to satisfy demand with the bags without having an extreme shortage and without being unduly expensive for Reaper or their nice suppliers.

[Heisler]

On the aspect of the pre-orders and other suppliers - wouldn't the pre-order option allow for Reaper to give the other suppliers a heads up as to how many of item X are needed?  I don't know if there is a cost to Reaper for this or if it is gratis from the supplier, but I suppose it could be handled (depending on demand) that if the total of pre-orders and attendees is over a certain range then there's a small additional cost on the bag (perhaps applicable after the first X items are purchased as preorders, or within Y days of the ReaperCon commencing).  Attendee bags would be exempt from that so it's just the online orders (where the overhead is understandable).  That might be a way to satisfy demand with the bags without having an extreme shortage and without being unduly expensive for Reaper or their nice suppliers.

 

The other suppliers are donating their product for the advertising that the bag offers. It can be a big cost to them (believe me I know, I talked to a number of them about it). Plus we have no idea how many people are going to be at the convention. All Reaper has is the pre-registration numbers and you can't just ask a small company for an additional 500 pieces. It might be a workable solution but I can certainly see the logistics nightmare that this could create. This is not a small thing.

[Doug Sundseth]

 

On the aspect of the pre-orders and other suppliers - wouldn't the pre-order option allow for Reaper to give the other suppliers a heads up as to how many of item X are needed?  I don't know if there is a cost to Reaper for this or if it is gratis from the supplier, but I suppose it could be handled (depending on demand) that if the total of pre-orders and attendees is over a certain range then there's a small additional cost on the bag (perhaps applicable after the first X items are purchased as preorders, or within Y days of the ReaperCon commencing).  Attendee bags would be exempt from that so it's just the online orders (where the overhead is understandable).  That might be a way to satisfy demand with the bags without having an extreme shortage and without being unduly expensive for Reaper or their nice suppliers.

 

The other suppliers are donating their product for the advertising that the bag offers. It can be a big cost to them (believe me I know, I talked to a number of them about it). Plus we have no idea how many people are going to be at the convention. All Reaper has is the pre-registration numbers and you can't just ask a small company for an additional 500 pieces. It might be a workable solution but I can certainly see the logistics nightmare that this could create. This is not a small thing.

 

 

Which is easier to plan for:

 

1. A known number of pre-registered attendees, an unknown number of walk-ins, and an unknown number of mailed swag bags, or

2. A known number of pre-registered attendees, an unknown number of walk-ins, and a known number of mailed swag bags.

 

If you don't have to worry about changes to the mailed numbers after a couple of weeks before the con (or whatever), you're down to a single variable problem.

[Flamehawke]

I am going to say. The only thing I really wanted to make sure I got was the casket works, Sophie, cup, and the bag if available. The rest is just pure bonus.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Flamehawke

[Heisler]

 

 

On the aspect of the pre-orders and other suppliers - wouldn't the pre-order option allow for Reaper to give the other suppliers a heads up as to how many of item X are needed?  I don't know if there is a cost to Reaper for this or if it is gratis from the supplier, but I suppose it could be handled (depending on demand) that if the total of pre-orders and attendees is over a certain range then there's a small additional cost on the bag (perhaps applicable after the first X items are purchased as preorders, or within Y days of the ReaperCon commencing).  Attendee bags would be exempt from that so it's just the online orders (where the overhead is understandable).  That might be a way to satisfy demand with the bags without having an extreme shortage and without being unduly expensive for Reaper or their nice suppliers.

 

The other suppliers are donating their product for the advertising that the bag offers. It can be a big cost to them (believe me I know, I talked to a number of them about it). Plus we have no idea how many people are going to be at the convention. All Reaper has is the pre-registration numbers and you can't just ask a small company for an additional 500 pieces. It might be a workable solution but I can certainly see the logistics nightmare that this could create. This is not a small thing.

 

 

Which is easier to plan for:

 

1. A known number of pre-registered attendees, an unknown number of walk-ins, and an unknown number of mailed swag bags, or

2. A known number of pre-registered attendees, an unknown number of walk-ins, and a known number of mailed swag bags.

 

If you don't have to worry about changes to the mailed numbers after a couple of weeks before the con (or whatever), you're down to a single variable problem.

 

 

 

But that only works if you cut of the sales of the off line swag bags far enough in advance. And if you don't allow orders during the convention you will have plenty of grumblers out there and you are potentially still asking for a lot from the other companies supplying stuff for the bags.

[Heisler]

I am going to say. The only thing I really wanted to make sure I got was the casket works, Sophie, cup, and the bag if available. The rest is just pure bonus.

 

And that would be a very workable solution.

[cmorse]

In general Reaper can't really put up the Swag Bags for pre-order. Those that attend the convention have to be taken care of first. In fact I was surprised that they started selling them early like that.

 

While Sophies and Mouselings can be cast if they run out during the process the rest of the of donated material cannot. They can't go back to Dark Sword or Team Frog and say, hey can you send us more?. This is a real advertising expense for these companies and we get what we get and that is what drives how many bags would be available.

 

You can always order Sophie on her own, as well as what ever the convention miniature is (although there is not always another convention miniatures) by themselves.

 

I really don't think the entire bag needs a preorder. There are really only three things driving the demand. Sophie (which you can order separately so doesn't really matter), the mousling, and the paint. Random stuff from other companies is cool, but for the most part its things that can be easily purchased outside of the bag. Making the mousling and paints orderable during the convention like Sophie is would take care of any need for preorders by bringing the demand for the bag down to a managable level.

[Flamehawke]

 

I am going to say. The only thing I really wanted to make sure I got was the casket works, Sophie, cup, and the bag if available. The rest is just pure bonus.

 

And that would be a very workable solution.

 

Heh. I forgot the paints, but really even those I can work without. I just like having lots of paint available in varying shades.

[ub3r_n3rd]

Just got mine from the mailbox!!

[CorallineAlgae]

Heh. I forgot the paints, but really even those I can work without. I just like having lots of paint available in varying shades.

 

 

These are great colors. I love the greenish leather and I got 2 different light blues that make a perfect triad with a light blue I got as a free sample with a Reaper order last year. 

[redambrosia]

I got my swag today~ Yay! Clint Mousewood is so cute and grumpy looking, hehe! 

 

And~ There was a neat article in one of the magazines about building houses. I may not use it soon, but it's nice to have for when I have the room to store terrain pieces like that. 

 

 

With regards to pre-orders: I like the idea of the Reaper stuff only as pre-order (as long as the pen is in there). The extra goodies from other companies are a pleasant extra that I can do without if need be, especially since it costs them so much to provide the items. Advertising is pricey~   But if reaper did a smaller preorder bag of just the reaper stuff, they could track it better, right? 

 

 

Swag bag~~~!!!!  

 

I like emoties

[buglips*the*goblin]

 

I am going to say. The only thing I really wanted to make sure I got was the casket works, Sophie, cup, and the bag if available. The rest is just pure bonus.

 

And that would be a very workable solution.

 

 

I think most of the issue wasn't about the items so much as miscommunication and assumptions.  Some things might have been worded better before it all happened, and some assumptions and blanks filled in on this side could have been avoided.

 

Like if 50 was it, and everybody knew in advance it was only going to be a limited number, and some kind of ETA when to expect them - that might not have been so bad. 

 

But instead a lot of us (myself included) were shocked the number was so low* (which Reaper thought high, so we were far apart in that perception) and a lot of people were caught unawares (sleeping, different timezone, I was at the hospital). 

 

That Reaper went to the trouble of making more is amazing.  Seriously, that's beyond awesome.  And now we all have more information for next time, so even if supplies are limited maybe we won't have to go through much turmoil to sort it out. 

 

 

*My erroneous takeaway was that numbers of ticket-ordering non-attendees were up in the hundreds and had become a logisitcal nightmare.  I wasn't just out in left field, I was in a whole different ballpark.  In the absence of information, people create it - even if they normally know better - so more information up front might save some trouble. 

[LittleBluberry]

Just got my swag bag, and the one I bought for a friend.  As much as I loved getting one, I'd love to make the whole process easier on Reaper next year.  I'm not sure what that would entail, but I'm pretty flexible.  (Metaphorically only, I'm not particularly athletic in person.) 

 

I expect that when the next Kickstarter starts getting close to fulfillment there will be even more loyal fans.  Which could make the entire mailing of swag bags concept completely unworkable.  But I hope you'll at least let us buy the convention paint, it's frustrating to be reading through a WIP and have someone rave about how a particular con paint was perfect for the task when we're not actually able to buy said paint. 

 

And Thank You!