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geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: 00zeRO on Wed, 02 July 2014, 09:35:55

Title: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Wed, 02 July 2014, 09:35:55
Just curious if anyone would be interested in Borderlands themed Novelty 'caps?
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: exitfire401 on Wed, 02 July 2014, 09:37:26
Depending on the quality, I'd consider a set.
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 02 July 2014, 09:37:44
Hell yes. Anything Torgue related in particular...that DLC cracked me up. And obviously Claptrap. He's my favorite video game character hands down.
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: LechnerDE on Wed, 02 July 2014, 10:05:12
I'd be interested, but all these little Novelty Key GBs are really unattractive for international Geekhackers 'cause shipping costs almost as much as the keys themselves...
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Wed, 02 July 2014, 10:05:37
Depending on the quality, I'd consider a set.

By your definition of quality, does SP meet it in the PBT Dyesub catergory?
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: Willyc277 on Wed, 02 July 2014, 18:06:18
I'd be down!
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: okwchin on Sat, 05 July 2014, 09:32:11
I'd be interested, but all these little Novelty Key GBs are really unattractive for international Geekhackers 'cause shipping costs almost as much as the keys themselves...

This is extremely relevant, when a basic $20 novelty set becomes $50 for a set of half a dozen keys. Buying a full key set with a theme and matching keys for a clean complete look is far more attractive for not too much more. Unfortunately, novelty keys rarely actually fit in well with the many sets of highly colourful keysets recently run. What else goes with my bumblebee key set, the Nostalgia GH60 set, retro DSA, or even the raindrop set. On a fairly boring stock key set, or something neutral, like dolch, a novelty key set may work better for some people, but what is already a niche market, its is even more difficult.

Thats why a novelty key set, Needs to have a VERY strong direct appeal to be even considered. This is probably why these novelty runs are unfortunately getting very low committals. I personally love some novelty keys, and the idea of having something very personalised is certainly something I look for. However getting it to work is always the hardest bit.

This may not reflect everyones view, but its how I personally find it, and why I have not really committed to anything yet, despite the visible effort that has gone into each set. I guess if they were $10-20 for a set shipped, these might be easier to bite, but the $40+ entrance fee is just too steep. But no fault of the GBs, but my geographic location.

On that point, maybe a novelty set with one or two keys, and minimised shipping may be easier to pick up on a whim, without having cost weigh in too heavily. And incase it wasn't clear enough, I am hoping to help with providing a perspective, and is not a criticism of your work.

Just my 2 cents… a coin that has pretty much disappeared from circulation in this country.
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: Heliosphere on Sun, 06 July 2014, 11:05:03
Interested!
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: HPE1000 on Sun, 06 July 2014, 11:08:41
I am interested
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Sun, 06 July 2014, 12:38:02
I'd be interested, but all these little Novelty Key GBs are really unattractive for international Geekhackers 'cause shipping costs almost as much as the keys themselves...

This is extremely relevant, when a basic $20 novelty set becomes $50 for a set of half a dozen keys. Buying a full key set with a theme and matching keys for a clean complete look is far more attractive for not too much more. Unfortunately, novelty keys rarely actually fit in well with the many sets of highly colourful keysets recently run. What else goes with my bumblebee key set, the Nostalgia GH60 set, retro DSA, or even the raindrop set. On a fairly boring stock key set, or something neutral, like dolch, a novelty key set may work better for some people, but what is already a niche market, its is even more difficult.

Thats why a novelty key set, Needs to have a VERY strong direct appeal to be even considered. This is probably why these novelty runs are unfortunately getting very low committals. I personally love some novelty keys, and the idea of having something very personalised is certainly something I look for. However getting it to work is always the hardest bit.

This may not reflect everyones view, but its how I personally find it, and why I have not really committed to anything yet, despite the visible effort that has gone into each set. I guess if they were $10-20 for a set shipped, these might be easier to bite, but the $40+ entrance fee is just too steep. But no fault of the GBs, but my geographic location.

On that point, maybe a novelty set with one or two keys, and minimised shipping may be easier to pick up on a whim, without having cost weigh in too heavily. And incase it wasn't clear enough, I am hoping to help with providing a perspective, and is not a criticism of your work.

Just my 2 cents… a coin that has pretty much disappeared from circulation in this country.

Thank you for your opinion. What if I were to do themed GB's in Series 1, 2, etc. for pairs of keycaps to make them affordable. Begin with say a Torgue and Claptrap, but then in the next series have another Gun MFR and Character/Logo...would that work?
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: Easonic on Mon, 07 July 2014, 00:56:16
Interested!
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Mon, 07 July 2014, 20:42:18
Okay, so it is not looking like this will be a go...I hate to get people's hopes up. I have been in communication with Gearbox trying to gain permission to do something, but they are not very forthcoming with allowing their product to be put on keycaps...I could do something like the Firefly set that will look like things from the game, but not be those things...grrr...
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: Flyersfan1 on Mon, 07 July 2014, 20:48:34
Interested!
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: okwchin on Tue, 08 July 2014, 03:02:51
Okay, so it is not looking like this will be a go...I hate to get people's hopes up. I have been in communication with Gearbox trying to gain permission to do something, but they are not very forthcoming with allowing their product to be put on keycaps...I could do something like the Firefly set that will look like things from the game, but not be those things...grrr...

I guess thats the other major battle.

Smaller buys could help with cost of each set, but then again, a full set of keys with economies of scale help too.

Ultimately, I guess it comes down to having enough people who are genuinely interested in the product, and keycaps are already a tight market to start with, let alone narrowing it down to a niche of that market.

Where else can you advertise to help promote the product? (and have people who are aware of the way a GB runs)
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: LechnerDE on Tue, 08 July 2014, 13:34:20
In my opinion these mini GBs for novelty keys don't work.

Look at the slow start for the matrix keys. I guess there are many people who like 3/4 of the keys, but don't want to pay for the rest so they skip the whole GB. Not to speak of the shipping costs especially for international customers.

I'd rather pick the keys I want from keypop / techkeys and only pay for shipping in an envelope. SP won't even let me combine shipping with their stock keycaps...

In my opinion vendors should buy these keys upfront and sell them for a little profit on their websites.
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: ApocalypseMaow on Tue, 08 July 2014, 13:35:55
Yeah!!!
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Tue, 08 July 2014, 13:41:46
In my opinion these mini GBs for novelty keys don't work.

Look at the slow start for the matrix keys. I guess there are many people who like 3/4 of the keys, but don't want to pay for the rest so they skip the whole GB. Not to speak of the shipping costs especially for international customers.

I'd rather pick the keys I want from keypop / techkeys and only pay for shipping in an envelope. SP won't even let me combine shipping with their stock keycaps...

In my opinion vendors should buy these keys upfront and sell them for a little profit on their websites.

It may come to that with me...
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: LechnerDE on Tue, 08 July 2014, 13:45:48
Which is a good thing.

I doubt you will have problems selling them over time. People will add the keys they like to their regular keyboard orders on your site and everyone is happy :)
Title: Re: [IC] - Borderlands Novelty Keycaps?
Post by: 00zeRO on Tue, 08 July 2014, 13:52:34
Which is a good thing.

I doubt you will have problems selling them over time. People will add the keys they like to their regular keyboard orders on your site and everyone is happy :)

I would likely sell them on eBay...if I can just get the laziness out of me for selling stuff I got to gain the capital to produce some keycaps, lol