In the third installment of our RPG crate series, I interview Wayne Brekke, owner of Lords of Adventure and Wargames and the Dungeon Crate Subscription Box.
[h=3]The Beginning[/h]Brekke explained how he got started back in 2014:
As for crate services:
Brekke sees Dungeon Crate as more than a faceless entity:
And that community, accordin to Brekke, wants customer service first and foremost, followed by price vs. retail value.
[h=3]What's in the Box?[/h]Dungeon Crate provides role playing gamers and game masters with accessories that will enhance their gaming experience. It offers a monthly box of RPG accessories including adventures, dice, miniatures, tokens, terrain, and gaming lifestyle items.
A Dungeon Crate costs $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Typically each box offers a $40 or more retail value and often has exclusive items customers won’t find anywhere else.
Brekke plans to launch an official online store website for Lords of Adventure and Wargames:
Mike "Talien" Tresca is a freelance game columnist, author, communicator, and a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to http://amazon.com. You can follow him at Patreon.
[h=3]The Beginning[/h]Brekke explained how he got started back in 2014:
I went to GenCon 2014 and was so enamored by all the vendors that I wanted to find a subscription service that offered them. I found that there was NO RPG accessory box available, so I looked into the business model and launched Dungeon Crate working with many vendors I found at GenCon. I created an umbrella company and named it after my Dungeons and Dragons group I had in high school – The Lords of Adventure and Wargames.
As for crate services:
I see the fascination with it. I also now see the benefit of showcasing products and companies in a way that entices the customer to look further into these companies. Our business is a great marketing tool and a way to expose many people to a wide variety of items and options. It’s the best form of direct marketing our vendors can get.
Brekke sees Dungeon Crate as more than a faceless entity:
I am creating a community of gamers who help us create a product that will bring fun to our subscribers while also helping out some of these micro-businesses that offer amazing items but don’t have the exposure.
And that community, accordin to Brekke, wants customer service first and foremost, followed by price vs. retail value.
[h=3]What's in the Box?[/h]Dungeon Crate provides role playing gamers and game masters with accessories that will enhance their gaming experience. It offers a monthly box of RPG accessories including adventures, dice, miniatures, tokens, terrain, and gaming lifestyle items.
A Dungeon Crate costs $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Typically each box offers a $40 or more retail value and often has exclusive items customers won’t find anywhere else.
Brekke plans to launch an official online store website for Lords of Adventure and Wargames:
Also, we are looking into franchising out to other countries so that our overseas customers can get a Dungeon Crate of their own without the insane shipping fees. We are also doing a Mega Crate for the holidays through our online store. Come the new year, we will have expanded even further, but I can’t give you details on that just yet…
[h=3]The Future[/h]Brekke has some very specific advice for entrepreneurs who would start their own crate service:
- Get your business in line first.
- Keep organized.
- Learn how to budget your box and your business. Don’t over spend. Follow a formula.
- Market like a beast.
- Find your niche.
- Don’t take negative comments to heart, learn from them and use them to improve.
Mike "Talien" Tresca is a freelance game columnist, author, communicator, and a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to http://amazon.com. You can follow him at Patreon.
