Looney Labs Icehouse Mailing list Archive

RE: [Icehouse] Made in the USA?

  • FromScott Sulzer <ssulzer@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • DateSat, 28 Jan 2006 16:47:37 -0800
Hmm, to add more to what was already said...

1.) 9 dollars is also a magical number in that you can buy it, even with
tax in most cases, with a $10 bill.  It places it in the "Under $10
dollar" gift category without question, and, as was stated, under $10 is
an easy to justify impulse buy for most people.

2.) Packaging with sprues may be less expensive to produce, but it will
take up more warehouse space and display space in the store.  The
stores, most likely, won't want to devote a large amount of space to a
product in this price range.  Also, with the blister packs, they do not
sit evenly in a box, which may allow shifting, which may, in turn,
damage product.  As well, they may settle more.  Finally, the blister
packs will not lend themselves to re-packing, nor will they fit easily
into a pocket as the current tubes do.

I think the priorities, in no particular order, are:
1.) Produce in the USA, baring that, in another environmentally friendly
country.
2.) Make a quality product.
3.) Present it professionally.
4.) Produce product at a reasonable price.
5.) Increase public awareness of Icehouse game system.

There may be more, but I believe that these are the top priorities at
the moment for the Icehouse portion of Looney Labs.

One other factor that I think we do want considered is the cost in
financial and emotional stress that trying to make it work at $10 a tube
would have on Looney Labs, on Andy and Kirstin and everyone else there.

In any case, I think that most, if not all, of the people here will
support you in the business decision, as we wish to see Looney Labs grow
and prosper.  Once you guys become a mega-billion dollar company, you
can start your own, environmentally friendly, production facilities in
the US yourselves.

Another alternative location may be Taiwan, ROC.  At least with
electronic equipment that produced in Taiwan is consistently of higher
quality than that produced in mainland China, at least all of my geek
friends say so...umm, I think that's all of my friends actually.  I am,
however, biased as my wife is from Taiwan.  I am not sure of their
environmental controls on production facilities though.

Ooohh, one thing just occurred to me...you will probably need to, or at
least want to, visit the production facilities at some point or another.
So, you might want to pick someplace you wouldn't mind vacationing at
either. ;)

As far as I can tell, you have stuck by your principles.  You have done
everything in your power to provide this work to a US facility and they
either don't want it or won't do it to the specifications that you
require.  Now you are left with finding an alternative production
facility which you feel comfortable with using.

Ok, I'll leave it at that for now, Thanks for sticking by your
principles and for making such great games.

Scott Sulzer

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