Shipping, Customer Service, Street Date
Shipping - US, Canada and Europe
Rewards should have shipped by now for all backers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. If you live in one of these regions and haven't received your reward by Monday, please let me know and I'll check on the status of your order.
Shipping - Other International
4PX tells me rewards should start shipping on Monday! Thank you for your patience as I've worked through an exasperating series of delays with 4PX.
Whereas my other fulfillment partners have been easy to work with, 4PX provided inaccurate documentation, a buggy client website, and a surprising array of challenges. I've been staying up until about 4am most nights the past few weeks so I can be online during their business hours and go back and forth with my account representative to clear as many hurdles each night as possible.
Customer Service
If your copy of Lagoon is missing any parts or has any damaged components that need to be replaced, I will fix it. Please send an email to support AT 3haresgames.com with details, including photos of any damaged pieces. These photos will help me document the issue with my manufacturer. If you've already emailed for service, I should get back to you this coming week if I haven't yet.
There seems to be a higher than normal defect rate with the wooden tokens, some of which are sticking together. The vast majority of stuck tokens can be easily separated without damage by twisting to separate them. A smaller number are peeling the paint off when separated. My manufacturer is researching this issue, and has pledged to make it right.
Lagoon's Street Date
At the beginning of last week, I decided to set Lagoon's retail street date for Monday, November 10. Due to distribution lead times, the decision has to be made in advance. When I made the decision, rewards were already shipping to backers in the EU and Canada, and the games were imminently due to arrive at my fulfillment partners Amazon and 4PX. I had a reasonable expectation rewards would have shipped to all my backers well before the street date, as I pledged. Things with Amazon went well.
But unfortunately, as explained earlier in this update, things with 4PX have dragged on in ways I never would have imagined. The most recent setback is that, despite being a global fulfillment company, they told me yesterday that they don't have any shipping boxes that can accommodate Lagoon's modest box size. They say the next box size up is too large, and are forcing me to buy my own shipping boxes from another vendor in China. I gave them the exact dimensions of my product more than 2 months ago, and have stressed repeatedly how important it is that my goods are properly packaged in boxes. It shouldn't be this hard, but it has been.
Regardless of the frustrations I've had with 4PX, the responsibility for delays is mine. I apologize for not delivering fully on my pledge to ship all backer rewards before the game is available in retail stores. I'm sorry for disappointing you on this.
Nicholas Luthy on November 11, 2014
FWIW, a few of my wooden tokens were stuck together. With a slight twist they seemed to separate just fine. Not phased at all by that. You've put together a great product. I very much look forward to supporting your future efforts.
Brandon Smith on November 11, 2014
Hi how can we confirm our shipping address? Will this be shipped USPS for US?
Jojo on November 10, 2014
CA Bay Area checking in and I got my copy Saturday! 2 days go. I loveeee the quality!
greg white on November 9, 2014
David, I'm in New Zealand so the shipping issues directly impact me.
This is just a note to say thanks so much for the effort you are going to, to sort this problem out. The communication you are providing us makes all the difference to me.
I personally have no problem with the retail version being available before I receive mine. I get enough reward from knowing that my contribution helped make the game a reality.
Eventually the stress you are under will be a memory and you will know whom not to use for any future endeavours you undertake.
David Chott 2-time creator on November 9, 2014
I appreciate hearing your perspectives, thank you!
Markus Birkhold on November 9, 2014
Hey,
got my game over here in Europe, played a couple of rounds with my GF. The game is absolutely amazing. So keep your head up, this is not the first time that a Kickstarter has some issues, however you've been amazingly open and up front with problems and decisions. I think that everyone will understand that you can't wait for all backer to receive their game until it goes into open sale. At least you made an open statement about it. On another Kickstarter I got my game only 3 months after I found it in my FLGS. They only ever told us about that until the first ones were commenting on Kickstarter.
Phillip James on November 9, 2014
David,
I've gotten mine so I can't speak for those who haven't, but as far as I'm concerned you've done an amazing, wonderful, and fantastic job with this kickstarter. The game is incredible, the production quality is some of the best I've ever seen, the response to problems had been quick and honest, and the whole project has proceeded with unheard of transparency.
Congratulations (though I know it's not quite over yet)!
Rubén Bermejo on November 9, 2014
My copy arrived safe and sound in Spain a few days ago, yay! The game looks as beautiful as expected and it has a very high quality. Thank you!!!
Josh Corbalis on November 9, 2014
Yep, I just played mine for the first time tonight and my wooden tokens were mostly stuck together with the paint chipping off on several. Awesome gameplay and very happy with the quality of everything else in the box.
Benjamin R. Covington on November 8, 2014
Wow, just got mine yesterday. Amazing quality, much higher than other kickstarters that I have backed. This is above and beyond what I was hoping for. Beautifully done!
I can't wait to see what future content is released for things like that extra astral tile that was included in the box.
Byron Campbell
Superbacker
on November 8, 2014
I will echo the sentiments that the general quality of the game is very high. Thick cardboard (but easy to separate the bits without damaging them), and the box was HEAVY with the wooden bits in it as well. Overflowing with stuff.
I was one of the people affected by the stuck-together wooden bits. Not sure if this is indicative of anything, but I had some stuck-together wooden seed tokens that separated without any damage. Only the druid tokens got damaged during separation. Again, not sure if that means anything, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Tyler on November 8, 2014
Arrived in Portland yesterday! Opened today and it's clearly a labor of love and not a company trying focused on profit. Beautiful and serious quality throughout. Made to last. Thank you!
Congratulations on an outstanding execution.
Graham Frederick Trickey on November 8, 2014
A thing of real beauty.
Alden Allen
Superbacker
on November 8, 2014
I'd just like to say that, though somewhat later than initially expected, I received the game yesterday. It was the highlight of my day! The product was MUCH higher quality than I imagined. Your expectations for quality really made the product that much better. Sometimes having to wait for things to come in just right is totally worth it. I feel like I got more than my money's worth and I haven't had a chance to play it quite yet. Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to be open and realistic about the delays you have faced in bringing this game to market. I'm glad I supported this kickstarter.
luke coonan on November 8, 2014
Thank you so much for the update and for the consistent transparency when discussing the delays. I'm sure we all appreciate the hours you're putting into this. Looks to be an incredible game!
Jade Deale on November 8, 2014
Ahh I'm in Australia and it's no big deal to wait a little. I know I wouldn't even be able to wrap my head around a project so enormous to start with haha. You've done beautiful work, David :) Can't wait to hear how you celebrate once this is all wrapped up!
Paul Boos
Superbacker
on November 8, 2014
Great update! Congrats on getting things wrapped up... I am so glad I got this in my collection!