Mid-June Fulfillment Update
almost 2 years ago
– Sat, Jun 18, 2022 at 05:57:02 AM
Hello backers!
It's time for the mid-month check-in! Let's see how the fulfillment is progressing.
(Apologies for the weird video thumbnail - for some reason Kickstarter wanted me to look manic.)
Key Takeaways
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Continued, solid progress is the name of the game right now. March is done, April is hanging on by a thread, and May, too, is nearing completion.
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90% of all orders through May are shipped (this group was 80% shipped as of our last update). About 70% of all orders currently due (through June fulfillment) are shipped.
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Over 90% of all production due (through June) is complete. All production through July is 75% complete, so we're beginning to pull ahead.
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We've not begun shipping June yet, and this is a deliberate move. We are finishing up April and May 100%, and then doing a hard inventory. This will ensure that our production numbers are accurate moving forward for the remainder of the Kickstarter. Over time, the accuracy of these figures can drift a bit for a variety of reasons, and since we've been behind, we have not had a time to stop and verify yet in this project - ideally, we would do this monthly. Since we're finally getting back on time, we will have that chance now.
- At this point, we should be effectively safe from major supply chain problems as concerns magnets, tracker dials, etc. This is one big potential crisis averted. We are still looking good for completing June on time and staying on good footing for the remainder of fulfillment.
By The Numbers
Below are the total number of backers in each fulfillment wave, as well as the number of shipped/pending status backers in each. Note that the total number of backers in each wave will change as we begin each new round of fulfillment, due to backers who have failed to respond to the survey being rolled into the next wave. In addition, pre-orders remain open.
Wave 1: February - 456 backers *COMPLETE*
- 456 shipped, 0 pending
- 100.0% fulfilled
Wave 2: March - 622 backers *COMPLETE*
- 622 shipped, 0 pending
- 100.0% fulfilled
Wave 3: April - 813 backers
- 795 shipped, 18 pending
- 97.8% fulfilled
Wave 4: May - 831 backers
- 581 shipped, 250 pending
- 69.9% fulfilled
Wave 5: June - 807 backers
Wave 6: July - 1,178 backers
Wave 7: August - 1,150 backers
Wave 8: September - 451 backers
Pre-orders - 507 backers
Fulfillment Goes On
The battle rages on. We continue to ship daily, and progress remains steady. I'll be back on the 1st to let you know how June turned out. Until then, thanks as always for your support!
~ Ed Maranville, VP Crowdfunding Fulfillment for Wyrmwood
June Fulfillment Update
almost 2 years ago
– Sat, Jun 04, 2022 at 09:19:16 AM
Hello backers!
I'm back again. As we begin June, let's see how fulfillment is going.
Key Takeaways
- We pivoted a bit to focus on the oldest outstanding orders - you can see the results in the numbers below - February is complete, and March is nearly complete. At this point, while we're waiting for production to give us the handful of product we need to wrap up through April, we've begun shipping what we can for May - and almost half of that tier is shipped already.
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95% of all orders through April are shipped (this group was 80% shipped as of our last update). Over 80% of all orders currently due (through May fulfillment) are shipped.
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Over 80% of all production due (February, March, April, May, June) is complete. Most of what's missing is June - February, March, April and May combined are over 95% complete. It's interesting to note that these are nearly the same percentages I reported in the last update... except June was not a part of that calculation. The better part of a month's progress in two weeks is a very positive sign!
- As mentioned above, our progress has been strong, and we're now due to complete May production within the week, and June production should be complete in around 3 weeks - about a week prior to the end of June. This is, again, positive progress from our last update.
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We still look good for getting back on track this month. Again, I'm not going to declare victory early - we still have some magnets that are late and other supply chain issued to contend with - but, based on the numbers that we've been putting out, we can finish up production with a week to spare in the month, and that's enough time to ship our June orders.
- As such, June addresses will be locking shortly, towards the end of this week, to allow us time to stage those and prepare for shipping them once we're ready.
- All in all, I feel better about the fulfillment than I have at almost any point since it started. I have increased confidence that we're taking the actions needed to get production where it needs to be, based on the real results I'm seeing day in and day out.
By The Numbers
Below are the total number of backers in each fulfillment wave, as well as the number of shipped/pending status backers in each. Note that the total number of backers in each wave will change as we begin each new round of fulfillment, due to backers who have failed to respond to the survey being rolled into the next wave. In addition, pre-orders remain open.
Wave 1: February - 456 backers *COMPLETE*
- 456 shipped, 0 pending
- 100.0% fulfilled
Wave 2: March - 622 backers
- 619 shipped, 3 pending
- 99.5% fulfilled
Wave 3: April - 871 backers
- 775 shipped, 96 pending
- 89.0% fulfilled
Wave 4: May - 831 backers
- 453 shipped, 378 pending
- 54.5% fulfilled
Wave 5: June - 886 backers
Wave 6: July - 1,041 backers
Wave 7: August - 1,151 backers
Wave 8: September - 451 backers
Pre-orders - 461 backers
Fulfillment Goes On
I've already said it, but I'm feeling good about the progress we're making on fulfillment. It's one thing to take actions and make projections, it's another to see it in the numbers, and that's where we are now. As long as we keep it up, we should be fulfilling based on the estimated ship dates from June forward... but it's too early to say that for sure. I'll check back towards the middle of the month, and we'll see how things are looking then!
Thank you for your support and patience while we continue to fulfill this project.
~ Ed Maranville, VP Crowdfunding Fulfillment for Wyrmwood
Mid-May Fulfillment Update
almost 2 years ago
– Mon, May 16, 2022 at 11:39:39 PM
Hello backers!
Let's see how things are going with fulfillment.
Key Takeaways
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May addresses are locking now, and we'll be able to ship May orders soon.
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Over 80% of all orders through April are shipped (this group was 60% shipped as of our last update). Over 55% of all orders currently due (through May fulfillment) are shipped.
- With May being staged for shipping, this is a good point to stop and audit our orders. While we strive to produce and ship the earliest orders first, when fulfillment is lagging behind it's going to be the case that one wave will not be 100% fulfilled before we begin shipping the next wave. This is due to the unique mix of items needed - for example, if we're waiting on a run of Goncalo Alves Card Tiles for three February orders, it doesn't make any sense to not ship any March orders until we get it - it just means we won't ship any March orders with Goncalo Alves Card Tiles (or use the other items those three orders need to ship March orders). But since production looks at the big picture, this can result in some orders lingering longer than they should. Presently, shipping is drilling down onto the remaining orders from February and March, and we're going to make sure these are being prioritized by production so that we can get all of these out the door ASAP.
- Nearly 80% of all production due (February, March, April, May) is complete (even better than what it was at time of filming!). Most of what's missing is May - February, March and April combined are over 95% complete.
- Our output in terms of raw products has been trending upward significantly, and we now are due to complete all items for May in 17 working days, in early June. This is an improvement - more than a week sooner than I was projecting as of the last update.
- We'll be continuing to pivot resources and apply pressure to move that completion date further forward, inch by inch. Ideally we'll wrap up May production before the end of the month, but my major aim is to wrap up June production around a month from now - which is about 2-3 weeks sooner than our current production numbers are pointing. Given what we've achieved with some minor changes between the last update and now, I think this goal is achievable.
- While I won't promise that we'll be back on time for June, it is my current target and I think it's a reasonable expectation at this point. Many May backers will receive their orders before the month is over, but some will bleed into June, as well.
- [NOT IN VIDEO] After filming the update, I was made aware of a situation with some magnets - there are some holdups with various magnets we've been waiting on, which are on their way to us via sea freight. We've been able to find domestic suppliers for most of them (at much higher cost) so we're working to get enough of those in ASAP so as not to hold up fulfillment. The few we cannot locate elsewhere should arrive within a few weeks, during June, so the delays shouldn't be too significant, but will contribute towards the aforementioned delay with May orders. We will shuffle labor to focus on products that we can complete, in the meantime. I'm mentioning this in the interest of transparency, even though I don't think it will change the trajectory of fulfillment, but as with everything else (see below) we'll continue to monitor the situation and I'll let you know if it becomes a bigger issue. At this time, I still feel the goal of being fully caught up by the end of June is attainable and reasonable.
- As we have been throughout the project, we're working around supply chain issues affecting everything from lumber to magnets to tracker dials, as well as price increases, inflation, and all the other impacts of the pandemic, which continue to shape our world. This something we're constantly keeping tabs on, watching for signs of serious trouble ahead so that we can pivot if needed. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate these problems - it's an extremely difficult time to be in manufacturing, but we continue to work hard to mitigate the issues as best we can.
By The Numbers
Below are the total number of backers in each fulfillment wave, as well as the number of shipped/pending status backers in each. Note that the total number of backers in each wave will change as we begin each new round of fulfillment, due to backers who have failed to respond to the survey being rolled into the next wave. In addition, pre-orders remain open.
Wave 1: February - 456 backers
- 421 shipped, 35 pending
- 92.3% fulfilled
Wave 2: March - 622 backers
- 613 shipped, 9 pending
- 98.6% fulfilled
Wave 3: April - 871 backers
- 578 shipped, 293 pending
- 66.4% fulfilled
Wave 4: May - 835 backers
Wave 5: June - 882 backers
Wave 6: July - 1,041 backers
Wave 7: August - 1,151 backers
Wave 8: September - 451 backers
Pre-orders - 430 backers
Fulfillment Goes On
Overall, I'm feeling positive about the state of fulfillment. While we've been playing catch up since the beginning, we're steadily moving towards turning a corner on that. While I understand that any delay is disappointing - and, as I mentioned above, we've got our share of disappointing delays to deal with, too - given the amount of complexity and SKU volume in this project, as well as the myriad supply chain issues we've been working around... things could, frankly, be a lot worse, and we've been able to avoid a lot of the worst possibilities. I'll certainly work to keep the pressure on internally and bend that curve so that we can wrap up fulfillment by the estimated end date, in September, but I'm heartened by the tangible progress being made. I hope you can share with me in that while you wait for your orders - we'll make the wait as short as we can.
Thank you for going along with us on this journey, supporting the Hexagonal Gaming System, and supporting the work our staff does, day in and day out, to make your game night that much better.
~ Ed Maranville, VP Crowdfunding Fulfillment for Wyrmwood
May Fulfillment Update
almost 2 years ago
– Mon, May 02, 2022 at 01:40:16 PM
Hello backers!
Let's see how things are going with fulfillment.
Key Takeaways
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CORRECTION: As of the video filming, we had shipped around 50% of orders in February, March and April waves. As of this update publication that has reached ~60%.
- As we continue to make up ground, we currently have 80% of all production due (February, March, April) completed. Most of what's missing, naturally, is April production (February is 99.5% percent complete, February/March is about 95% complete). Of course, this is mostly Tile Racks.
- While we were taking some time to get up to speed on Tile Racks, our prediction was that once production was humming on those, we could catch up completely in a matter of weeks. However, this has not happened. I've been working to understand why.
- Our output in terms of raw products completed and added to inventory per day has been trending upward (currently at 250-300), but that's not enough. At current rates, we would be done producing all items needed through April in about two weeks, and not done with all items needed through May for a further 4 or 5 weeks, sometime in June. More drastic measures are needed to change this trend.
- This project needs more resources to catch up with our fulfillment timeline. As a result, we're pivoting significant website production resources over to Hexagonal Gaming System. It will take some time to bear fruit as staff gets trained and settles in, but in the coming weeks our output should spike up significantly. This will impact our website production and stock levels - there is a cost to this move - but we've agreed on the strategy to get Hexagonal Gaming System back on track with our original estimates.
- We're beginning by pivoting a handful of workers towards H.G.S. We can add more, however we will start to run into machine bottlenecks, to which the only solution is buying redundant machines that we won't need in 2-3 months; this is something we're going to try to avoid, but we'll determine next steps once we see the impact of this initial move.
- Apart from this infusion of labor, shipping has been working extra hours this month, and some production staff have, as well. We're attacking the problem from every angle we have available.
- I'm holding off on making any promises regarding when we'll catch up until I see some numbers come through, but the next update should have more concrete information.
By The Numbers
Below are the total number of backers in each fulfillment wave, as well as the number of shipped/pending status backers in each. Note that the total number of backers in each wave will change as we begin each new round of fulfillment, due to backers who have failed to respond to the survey being rolled into the next wave. In addition, pre-orders remain open.
Wave 1: February - 456 backers
- 412 shipped, 44 pending
- 90.4% fulfilled
Wave 2: March - 622 backers
- 588 shipped, 34 pending
- 94.5% fulfilled
Wave 3: April - 872 backers
- 160 shipped, 712 pending
- 18.3% fulfilled
Wave 4: May - 908 backers
Wave 5: June - 809 backers
Wave 6: July - 1,041 backers
Wave 7: August - 1,151 backers
Wave 8: September - 451 backers
Pre-orders - 390 backers
Fulfillment Continues
While we make these moves, I understand the frustration as we deal with all of the facets of this fulfillment. We have orders to fill, but it isn't always that simple - we're splitting orders, and we've also got a mix, of orders from each monthly wave, some of which can be filled and some can't. We're filling all orders possible, mostly focusing on the orders that were locked in before the survey cutoff, as these are the numbers we planned for. Orders that changed, or were finalized late, are in line to be filled as soon as available stock is ready.
All that is to say while we aren't where we need to be, I'm pushing hard to get us there, and the moves we're now making will allow us to get ahead and simplify fulfillment by moving past needing to split orders and ship multiple waves simultaneously. I'm sorry some of you are waiting longer than anticipated, but I hope you can bear with us a bit longer while we work to reduce these delays, and eliminate any future ones, as well.
Thank you, as always, for your support and patience as we work to optimize our production to better serve you. All in all, we're making good headway, and producing good work... this project just needs more. My primary focus in the coming weeks will be to ensure that we get it.
~ Ed Maranville, VP Crowdfunding Fulfillment for Wyrmwood
Mid-April Fulfillment Update
about 2 years ago
– Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 11:31:58 PM
Hello!
Time waits for no one... let's see how fulfillment is going:
Key Takeaways
- Production is making solid headway. All items are in production, as we learned last time. That said, we have a lot of Tile Racks to catch up on, and these are noticeably lagging behind the other products. At this rate, it looks like Tile Racks will not be fully caught up this month. We've authorized some overtime in production to help catch up Tile Racks faster.
- As a result, split shipments will continue for April orders. Most other products are going strong, though, so Racks and End Caps are the only real hold up. At this point, once Tile Racks and End Caps are removed from consideration, over 80% of product needed for the fulfillment through this month is complete and checked in.
- Shipping numbers have not changed much yet - we made a strategic decision early in the month to hold on shipping HGS orders to allow more inventory - especially Tile Racks - to accumulate. However, since we're opting to split shipments, we're going to be shipping heavily over the next two weeks, and are also going to be authorizing some overtime in shipping to push heavier volume.
- In shipping and production, we've hired more team members (and are still adding more) to expand our capacity further. Thank you for helping us grow!
By The Numbers
Below are the total number of backers in each fulfillment wave, as well as the number of shipped/pending status backers in each. Note that the total number of backers in each wave will change as we begin each new round of fulfillment, due to backers who have failed to respond to the survey being rolled into the next wave. In addition, pre-orders remain open.
Wave 1: February - 456 backers
- 400 shipped, 56 pending
- 87.7% fulfilled
Wave 2: March - 622 backers
- 538 shipped, 84 pending
- 86.5% fulfilled
Wave 3: April - 872 backers
Wave 4: May - 909 backers
Wave 5: June - 809 backers
Wave 6: July - 1,041 backers
Wave 7: August - 1,151 backers
Wave 8: September - 451 backers
Pre-orders - 370 backers
Fulfillment Continues
While progress is slower than I'd like, it is moving, and there are no major roadblocks apparent at this point. It's just a matter of continuing to produce, and catching up our Tile Racks, which we're going to be focusing heavily on in May.
Thank you, as always, for your support and patience as we continue to ship orders and fulfill this project!
~ Ed Maranville, VP Crowdfunding Fulfillment for Wyrmwood
