Puzzle Of Mine Webshop?

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Murman
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2019 6:36 am

Puzzle Of Mine Webshop?

Post by Murman »

There are several puzzles I have read about on various blogs that are said to only be available through the "Puzzle of Mine Webshop". However, when I check out this "webshop", the puzzles are not available, and it doesn't look like it's been updated in years. I asked Eric Fuller about obtaining permission to replicate a couple of the puzzles supposedly "controlled by Mine" and he responded saying that Mine wouldn't allow it. Someone please help me understand why Mine wouldn't allow Eric to craft some copies of a couple of award winning puzzles when he, himself isn't selling any at all?
revo
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:12 pm

Re: Puzzle Of Mine Webshop?

Post by revo »

Mine was indeed supposed to craft several puzzles from ipp design competition 2018, but so far it seems he will not make them, else they would have been released since long time. Such a pitty :evil:
Even if Mine would not allow Eric to make them, nothing really provide him to still make them. It's more a moral contract than a "real" contract.
Have you tried to email Mine to ask him if he will make the ipp puzzles?
balsam2
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:19 am

Re: Puzzle Of Mine Webshop?

Post by balsam2 »

.

First of all, I share your frustration - - I'd love a copy of 5L box, but I doubt it will ever see another production run.

Let me take a stab at the original question:
Why would puzzle of mine not give permission to Eric to produce a puzzle they are no longer producing?

Some ideas (all guesses, NOT facts) :
1. There is tension because of how successful Eric is (not rational, just human nature).

2. They intend to produce more copies of the most popular puzzles once they deem there is enough demand and don't want anyone else satisfying that demand.

3. They feel that if Eric produces these puzzles, the designers will work directly with him in the future and cut them out of the picture

4. They feel like they are giving up something they "own" and getting nothing in return

5. There is something more complex going on that's related to their unwillingness to ship outside of Japan. (this is pure speculation and not to be taken too seriously--I don't even know why they don't ).

I don't think any of these are satisfying reasons from the perspective of the consumer, nor do they seem great for the puzzling community, but as business decisions I can't pretend to know if they make sense.

As an aside, I do appreciate Eric's carefulness to obtain permission before making designs. As noted above, he probably has no obligation to do so, but is adhering to high self-imposed ethical standards
Murman
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2019 6:36 am

Re: Puzzle Of Mine Webshop?

Post by Murman »

balsam2 wrote:.

First of all, I share your frustration - - I'd love a copy of 5L box, but I doubt it will ever see another production run.

Let me take a stab at the original question:
Why would puzzle of mine not give permission to Eric to produce a puzzle they are no longer producing?

Some ideas (all guesses, NOT facts) :
1. There is tension because of how successful Eric is (not rational, just human nature).

2. They intend to produce more copies of the most popular puzzles once they deem there is enough demand and don't want anyone else satisfying that demand.

3. They feel that if Eric produces these puzzles, the designers will work directly with him in the future and cut them out of the picture

4. They feel like they are giving up something they "own" and getting nothing in return

5. There is something more complex going on that's related to their unwillingness to ship outside of Japan. (this is pure speculation and not to be taken too seriously--I don't even know why they don't ).

I don't think any of these are satisfying reasons from the perspective of the consumer, nor do they seem great for the puzzling community, but as business decisions I can't pretend to know if they make sense.

As an aside, I do appreciate Eric's carefulness to obtain permission before making designs. As noted above, he probably has no obligation to do so, but is adhering to high self-imposed ethical standards
Thank you for your response, and I do understand you are only speculating with your answers, but let me respond to this if I may.
1. As Eric replied to me, most of Mine's business comes from Asia, therefore, he and Mine are not really in a "competition" for business.
2. I am hoping this is the case and Mine will start producing these great puzzles very soon.
3. If Mine isn't going to produce and sell the puzzles, then what does it matter if Eric makes them and cuts Mine off? The puzzle designers aren't going to make any money off their designs if Mine won't reproduce them, so I have a feeling they will be cutting Mine off eventually anyway.
4. I'm sure Eric would pay a royalty to Mine for the right to produce and sell "his" puzzles.
5. There are a couple of puzzle bloggers who state that they have purchased from Mine's web shop. The website even gives instructions for ordering outside of Japan.
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