Howdy y'all!
I've had a couple discussions with my manufacturer on how to handle some logistical issues, including another order of Mead (standard) pins. So I've added Mead ...
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Liz
4 days ago
Final week, latest poll results
Howdy, all. We're cruising into the final week of the campaign(s), and you have spoken.
The poll results said, "please open it up," Thus: if you back with a total pledge of ...
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Liz
8 days ago
Week 4, about ten days to go. An unlock, a thought, and a poll.
Take a breath or a sip, this is a long update.
An unlock! Rather than focus on the next pin, I felt it was high time to make a proper display accessory.
So, to Add-ons, pin...
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Liz
8 days ago
On how the incoming tariffs are being handled, for now?
Howdy y'all. You have likely seen the updates by Alstro Arts (Bouquet of Dragons) and Pinfeathers Pin Shoppe (Fruity Fun 2!) regarding tariffs. I wanted to chime in to state ...
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Liz
14 days ago
Y'all funded Stout, and we're in week 3, phew!
I have added Stout as a pledge level as well as including it in the list of choices for the (Toast!) Pledge, same with the Add-on area. Both Stout and Amber Ale will come wit...
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Liz
23 days ago
Poll results, and moving into week two.
Howdy all! Your support and enthusiasm continues to leave me gratefully astonished. Thank you.
Over the weekend you chose the Return of Amber Ale as the next stretch goal. M...
I've had a couple discussions with my manufacturer on how to handle some logistical issues, including another order of Mead (standard) pins. So I've added Mead as a choice in the Pledge Level for "A Toast!" of two standard pins. (I went ahead paid for them now, so they'll arrive before anything else from this campaign. For a short period I can have a Mead horde!)
I also... really wanted to lean in on the Mango and Hawaiian Hibiscus themes and made a new pin banner to reflect. (I hope to do a Hawaiian+Tiki themed pin set featuring smaller sized pins in the future anyway so...) Anyone who picks up a pin banner will have a choice from these three designs.
New mockups and added design.
It went from cold and rainy straight to too warm and muggy here practically overnight.
The campaigns close Friday evening, so I wish you all a lovely week and will Update again then. As always, I'm super grateful for your support and am happy to answer questions.
Howdy, all. We're cruising into the final week of the campaign(s), and you have spoken.
The poll results said, "please open it up," Thus: if you back with a total pledge of at least $30, it qualifies toward the freebie incentives. I will go back through the Story section to clarify that, and also go through the few Pledge Levels that do not qualify on their own to note Add-ons or additional support are required to qualify.
That's all for the moment, I hope you have a lovely weekend, and Cheers!
Take a breath or a sip, this is a long update. An unlock! Rather than focus on the next pin, I felt it was high time to make a proper display accessory.
So, to Add-ons, pin banner designs:
Pin banners in Classic Harvest, or Green and Gold.
Design layout here is pretty close to what I'm expecting, but will require some edits to account for print and cut margins, color adjustments, etc.)
Because of the way I've structured the "Toast of Beer Dragons" add on, I couldn't just add the pin banners to those choices (to aid in survey construction), hence another new Add on option. You can choose to switch in order to get a discount for a pin banner and 2.25"+ inch Drachtoberfest pin.
Additionally, anyone who has backed the Green Beer Dragon will get a $5 credit in your survey if you also get a single Pin Banner, as a thank you. (I'll remind folks about this when I sent out the surveys, as you should be able to use this credit toward shipping.)
I expect shipping will be a little more complicated with these as options, and I'll either figure out how to make that work within the expectations of just pins or cover the extra cost myself.
I also snuck in a limited number of the Dunkel pin, who at 3x1.75 inches with liquid glitter beer, 5mm thick, is a real chonker in most dimensions. Dunkel was also part of The Return campaign and my first foray into liquid glitter/quicksand pins.
And now, The Thought:
So it's now come up twice about/around what qualifies for the freebie pins, and I thought I should talk about that.
Each time the question has come up I have stepped back to consider the question of expanding the freebie qualifiers to those that pledge at least $30 toward the campaign, but do not select a Pledge Level that specifies being a qualifier. (Early in the campaign, the only Pledge Levels that qualified were the Green Beer Dragon, and Lucky Round of Green, but options expanded as stretch goals were reached. Always with the same minimum $30 buy in as the GBD.)
The campaign is set up with the goal of funding the Green Beer Dragon, with freebies as thank yous for doing that in tandem of supporting one or both of the other group collab campaigns main goals. (I have spoken with both Alstro Arts and Pinfeathers Pin Shoppe about how they're handling their freebie qualifiers to help consider my position.)
So far I have landed on, stick with the spirit of the campaign, a Pledge Level that explicitly qualifies, and honoring those who pledged before there were a host of extra options to boost their pledge. But I have a feeling this will come up again, and it could affect the number of pins ordered.
My conflict is, does allowing a total pledge that technically covers the main and/or stretch goals, but doesn't buy in those rewards go against the spirit of the campaign? Is it reasonable to bend the rule, and will backers who followed the letter and spirit feel put off by doing so?
Thus, I have made a poll. It is open until Friday afternoon, which marks the countdown into the final week of the campaigns.
Howdy y'all. You have likely seen the updates by Alstro Arts (Bouquet of Dragons) and Pinfeathers Pin Shoppe (Fruity Fun 2!) regarding tariffs. I wanted to chime in to state we're all following the same path regarding what happens, while also hoping for a more favourable resolution as small, passionate creators.
As you may know, 99.9% of enamel pins are manufactured in China from all your favorite creators, either directly or through a middleman company. All of your favorite pin artists will be hit hard with new manufactured products after May 2nd if the tariffs are not stopped. We are expecting at least 54% up to 72% of product cost on delivery (currently is 20%), which will raise the pin cost a minimum of $2 more per pin if we can't find a work around of some sort (up to $4, as we don't know the exact production cost yet, I can only estimate on previous pins I've done). This is an incredibly frustrating situation to be put in with little notice, so here is our contingency plan:
We will be continuing the campaign as expected. At the time of shipping cost collection from backers, which is right as pins come to us from the manufacturer, we will add on the increased tariff cost to shipping amount if the tariffs are still in effect. We will make sure to update you here on Backerkit if it is happening, plus an better estimate of cost as soon as we know. We will absorb as much as we can afford to, and will notify you as clearly as possible as it unfolds.
Here are the options should we need to charge an additional amount due to tariffs:
Backers pay when pins are ready to be shipped (default)
Backers can remove some pins and allocate some of their previously spent money on the tariff increase via shipping if they cannot afford the additional second charge amount.
I will not be able to afford refunds for backers who are unable to pay for tariff increases if it happens, as the cost of pins will already be used for production, now in my home for grading, and I will already have paid the tariff out of pocket for them. So if option 1 or 2 does not work for you, I ask you to not risk it and instead cancel or reduce your pledge amount to fit your budget. If you need to cancel your pins, and tariffs do stop by then, I will allow backers to re-pick up their orders based on available stock at a slight discount from my shop.
However you will not be able to obtain any of the cross-collab rewards as those are limited to how many actively back the campaign. Shop cost pins will be approximately $15 per pin (compared to $17 which is my shop typically), without any multi-pin order discounts for previous backers, and those that are continued backers will be able to pick them up at the Backerkit prices based on stock I have if they had to reduce their pledge out of budgeting safety through Backerkit as add-ons
Pinfeathers added: The three of us here running the Dragon's Delightful Delicacies will be working closely with each other to find the best way to handle this situation as it continues and hope for the best (see: it goes away) Many livelihoods are going to be greatly affected; we are super grateful to you all for your continued support of small artists.
StudioBliz adds: If you are as concerned as we are about the incoming adjustments due to tariffs, and are a US resident, please take a few minutes to contact your local representatives, and/or other elected officials, to voice your worries. We are individually small but mighty, and our pressure can give the push or courage to those who are supposed to stand up for our well being.
Note the shop prices quoted above apply to Alstro Art's, not mine, and how they're handling cross-collab rewards. For past campaigns I have included special discounts for the campaign, but in this campaign I've set up rewards limited to this campaign, especially the Lucky Round of Green Pledge Level. (The same campaign prices and discount options will appear in my shop later, but if I have to limit what's ordered to campaign rewards the stock may not exist later.)
I will also be posting an update tomorrow regarding a couple things and including a poll.
Until then, working in the background and happy to answer questions.
