Project Update: Timeline Changes and other updates!
I wanted to make this update sooner rather than later so we're all on the same page and all the most pertinent info is in one place.
With the insane amount of success this campaign has seen and the many new add-ons and designs, the timeline will be changed to reflect all the prototyping that needs to be done and the incredible amount of plushies that will need to be manufactured.
The original estimated ship date of February will now be moved to July-August which will give us lots of room to perfect each design, be it a plush or an accessory, as well as make sure you're receiving the highest quality plush possible.
As mentioned previously, I'm actively shopping around for the best fulfillment center to fit our needs. I've spoken to several people already-- some even have warehouses in various countries across the globe that would allow me to offer the cheapest possible shipping fees, especially to my international friends (and don't worry Canadians, I'm looking out for you as well!) More importantly though, this will cut down on shipping delays, errors, and other issues that could slow us down and (hopefully) compensate somewhat for the longer production timeline.
Why the need for such a long production timeline to begin with?
Prototyping can be slow, unfortunately, with each plush taking anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks to fully develop and in some cases even longer. While we can work on some designs simultaneously and some are even perfect on the very first try, I know a project of this scale is still going to require a number of revisions .
The good news is most of the designs simply require a color change, which is (generally speaking) much faster than developing a plush from scratch.
Why can't you ship the finished designs first?
This comes down to cost. Consolidating orders and shipping all at once is cheaper than shipping several pallets at different times due to the huge amounts of space, labor, and time involved. I will discuss the logistics with the manufacturer and possibly begin the manufacturing process on some designs before others, but they will still likely all ship at once.
And finally a note on international shipping and the preorder store:
Because of the extended production timeline, the preorder store that opens in October will remain open for a longer period as well. The upside to this is, if we don't meet the 500k goal for the second run of Series 1 in the next 22 days, this gives us a lot more time to do so!
It will also ensure we have a visual on all the new designs so no one has to purchase a plush unseen and hope it comes out to their liking.
The preorder store will also offer international shipping. I am hoping to decide on a fulfillment center by then, which will allow me to put together more accurate shipping estimates for countries outside of North America.
Anyway, I tried to keep this as concise as possible and I hope it all makes sense! If you have any questions or concerns, I invite you to share them here. Even when I don't respond, I read every message and take your feedback to heart 💖
Project Update: Carewere Giveaway! 🎁✨
I'm very excited to offer three different opportunities for folks to claim a carewere of their very own!
First up is a twitter giveaway! All you have to do to enter is retweet, and comment with a gif that makes you smile.
Next up we have an instagram giveaway. Again the rules are simple-- a like and tag is all you need to do to enter.
And lastly is a super awesome, ultra special BackerKit giveaway!
The prize is a carewere of your choice from the unlocked designs, as well as a cuddle club pin and bandana.
To enter share a picture of your carewere. This can be a drawing, a photograph, or generated via the build-a-were creator. The only requirement is that they are 1) a carewere (new species and creative reimaginings are a-okay) and 2) special to you in some form or fashion! Submitting art you've already drawn is also fine as long as it fits the prompt.
(If you're looking for somewhere to host your image, try https://imgur.com/)
Then share a link to your creation in the comments, and you're done! Winner will be chosen based on creativity and sincerity, so you don't have to be a seasoned artist to win 💖
All giveaways end on 10/3!
Project Update: Series 2 Update: Shipping Progress & Expedited Shipping
The amount of hiccups and speedbumps we've encountered these past two weeks has been almost comical...you know, if they weren't so soul crushingly disappointing 😅
At one point there was an inventory error that made it look like we were missing thousands of items necessary for fulfillment (we're not!!). Needless to say, I was terrified but everything is fine and sorted now.
For fun, here's a snapshot of our current inventory (this also includes many pintopia items). Kinda crazy, right?
Then we struggled for several days getting my freight accounts sorted (for purchasing shipping labels). Just when I thought we were making good progress, my account is flagged by their fraud detection system so then I had to wait for a real person to review my info and give me full access again.
Along the way we've also been juggling internet outages, and other smaller inconveniences and it kinda feels like I'm little bit cursed!!!
But I say all this so I can now get to the good news. We're set up, orders are finally, OFFICIALLY moving. Some backers should be receiving emails now, but a lot more will receive them next Tuesday (Monday is a holiday) and next week in general.
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Please read for special circumstances and emergencies!
I've sent about 20 high priority orders to the team already, but will be putting one more list together to share with them on Tuesday.
Please only reach out if its 100% necessary you get your plush sooner! I know we're all eager, but I promise things are moving now and everyone will receive their cryptid pals super soon. I'm just trying to minimize the amount of lost snughouls and panicked emails I will undoubtedly receive in the next few weeks
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I say this a lot, but thank you all so much for your patience! I've been incredibly stressed out trying to get everything rolling but also coming up against my own limitations as a single person dealing with 3rd parties that I have no control over.
To all of you who understand, or have sent kind and encouraging messages despite the delays, you're genuinely what keep me going 💖
Project Update: Series 2 Update: Shipping Progress 🥂🍾
I hope y'all had a wonderful holiday however you chose to spend it. I know a lot of us aren't going into 2025 feeling especially optimistic, but nevertheless I hope we can be there for one another and weather the storm together.
I'll cut to the chase now-- we're all waiting with baited breath for shipping to begin, and I reached out on Friday to the fulfillment team to figure out what's going on and what the plan is going forward. Currently plushies are estimated to begin shipping on the 6th. This week is interrupted by new years (a holiday) and end-of-year inventory so nothing can begin in earnest until they're back to work on Monday.
Please understand that there's nothing I can do at this point to make them go faster. I'm equally disappointed that things seem to be dragging on. I know it doesn't inspire confidence in backers, but the holidays are hectic and while I'm disappointed I'm not wholly surprised they weren't able to meet their original estimate.
Because of the influx of comments from backers concerned they won't receive their plush, I also went ahead and put together a little image timeline showing that there is indeed a lot of work going on behind the scenes! Talk is cheap, but I hope seeing the items and the proof of their arrival assuages some fears.
Finally this is your LAST LAST chance to make any address adjustments!!! Orders have been exported, but I can still access them to make any last minute address changes. After Monday there is no guarantee that I can edit them in time.
I responded to all unanswered emails this morning so as far as I'm aware everyone is taken care of. If you reached out and haven't heard from me, or still need to reach out my email is [email protected]
Once again, thank you for hanging in there! The wait will be 100% worth it, and going forward the road to fulfillment will be much smoother. Onboarding a new client is a lot of work. The fulfillment team and I have been in constant contact since July, arranging everything from packaging instructions to repair protocols if they encounter things like damaged plushies and so on.
We truly are at the finish line now though, and I can't wait for everyone to start receiving their snughouls 💕
This user contributed to this community!
Amid the chaos of the season, and the stress of ensuring fulfillment of orders (and waiting for them to be fulfilled!), I just wanted to wish everyone a happy holidays 😊 I'm excitedly awaiting my Ghouls whenever they may arrive, it gives me a little post-Christmas pep to think about when it feels like the season is over and all that holiday anticipation and merriment is fading. I hope everyone either has enjoyed or is enjoying whatever holiday(s) you celebrate!