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We avoid Massdrop in the UK becuase we end up paying 20% more and handling charge. Nevertheless, it would cost maybe $10 more per base kit to include ISO keys and let's be honest, if someone wants a GMK set enough to drop over $130 on it, that difference would not change their mind. It is a bull**** excuse that tbh shows these set makers have no idea how supply and demand works for niche products like keycap sets. The most successful GMK sets ever run all include ISO in the base kit. If they are struggling to hit MOQ, then maybe the designs just are not very popular.
Did you see the Massdrop ReCap yesterday? There were ISO kits from sets that ran on there 3 years ago. The demand is very low for ISO kits and compatibility (proven by the low number of ISO-specific sets sold compared to total kits sold per buy). Based on your very simple remark about supply and demand, if the demand of the product is well below the threshold (MOQ), why supply it?
I'm still hoping we go back to the old way of doing kits. Numpad within base.
Just curious what custom board would you be using numpad with anyway?
HBCP duh
I'm an ISO UK user and I own GMK Solarized Dark, GMK Hyperfuse Origins, GMK Demonic (which I bought second hand bundled with the ISO kit), GMK Originative, GMK Laser. All of these bar Demonic have ISO compatibility in the base set and are all hugely popular, iconic sets. Custom keycap sets are niche, very low supply, unique (as in, not many alternatives for the desired colourway) products and as such a shift of 10-20 dollars is not going to influence their decision to purchase. It's not like buying beer or something where if the price goes up you can find something else cheaper that is almost identical - if the price of GMK Oblivion goes up 50% in the R2 drop, you bet your ass I will buy it because it's an incredible set and I've wanted it since I joined the hobby. People who buy these sets love the colourway and will buy regardless of the change in price. Factor in then the increased sales from ISO users and the set will be more popular generally. Keycap makers have no knowledge of economics and simply try to cater for their largest markets to build popularity.
Looking at ISO UK kit sales on Massdrop is not indicative of the issue because we do not use Massdrop here in the UK really because of ridiculous shipping times, import fees, and a multitude of other reasons. Anyway, rant over, I will join ePBT Kuro Shiro instead. Striker looks amazing, enjoy everyone.