This blog entry is timed to be published at the same time as the general release of our new puzzle, the Pluredro House. Sequential discovery puzzles are very popular and highly competitive, so we suspect that by the time many people see this blog entry, the new puzzle will already be sold out.
The Pluredro House had a priority sale before the general release. The priority sale was offered to customers who own 70 or more of our products, or who own seven or more sequential discovery puzzles.
We are well aware that there are differing opinions regarding the priority sale. However, among the feedback we have received, those in support of the priority sale far outweigh the opposition. Even among those who do not meet the criteria, many voices agree with the idea of giving priority to genuine collectors.
In recent years, we have released complex sequential discovery puzzles or puzzle boxes at a pace of once a year. Last year, we released the Tortoise Protocol, but we did not hold a priority sale for it. As a result, a considerable number of the released puzzles ended up in the hands of people who had never previously purchased one of our puzzles. Some were listed on auction sites immediately after the release, while others were offered for sale or trade at prices far above the original retail price.
We received a very large number of disappointed messages from long term customers who were unable to obtain a puzzle during the general release, and this was also painful for us to see.
The number of puzzles we can manufacture in a year is limited, and increasing production is not realistic. In fact, because we currently have very few days off, we feel a greater need to reduce the amount of time we spend in the workshop.
The wood used for mechanical puzzles requires a higher level of dimensional stability than most other wooden products. As we briefly mentioned in the product description for Pluredro House, after purchasing kiln dried timber, we first machine it to dimensions slightly larger than the target size. We then dry it further in our homemade kiln and allow it to acclimatize to the environment inside our workshop before machining it to its final dimensions.
For large pieces like those used in the roof of the Pluredro House, or the shell and body of the Tortoise Protocol, it is common for half a year or so to pass between rough cutting and the final processing stage. During that time, it is not unusual for variations of about 0.5mm to occur. If adjustments are not made in the final stage to bring the parts to the specified dimensions, some parts will not function as intended. We cannot simply machine timber right after purchasing it and sell the puzzles. This is one of the reasons why production takes such a long time and why we cannot increase the number of puzzles we make.
We have repeatedly received suggestions that we should raise our prices since demand exceeds supply. However, if we wanted to discourage purchases made for resale purposes, it would likely require a substantial price increase. In that case, people who have been carefully saving money throughout the year in preparation for our annual release would no longer be able to afford our puzzles. That is not what we want. We will continue to determine our product prices based on material costs and labor costs that we consider appropriate for the time required for manufacturing.
Running a priority sale requires a great deal of effort. It is common for the number of emails from people who do not meet the conditions for the priority sale to be about the same as the number from those who do meet the conditions. We are also faced with a large volume of such emails, which takes considerable time to handle. Even so, we continue to do this because we believe it is currently the best way we can support the people who continue to support our products.
Inside the Pluredro House, we have included something that reflects the long term support you have given us. We will continue to make puzzles. We hope they bring you joy. Thank you for your continued support.
Happy Puzzling!
