An Update Tariffs, Customs, And Print on Demand
Greetings gamers, in light of more uncertainty in regards to international shipping, I wanted to take some time today to give you an update on what I've been doing behind the scenes to get my books into your hands as easily as possible!
Background
Over the last year, international shipping has been a mess. Between multiple changes to Tariffs to the US, and now the new customs fees being introduced in the EU, it's becoming increasingly complex to send items internationally.
As an independent UK publisher, I have been working on ways to get physical books into your hands as simply and easy as possible.
Postage Cost Changes
Beginning July 1st, postage costs to the EU will increase to account for the new customs fees. As all our physical products are of the same tariff code, we only have to pay the fee once, so I expect the price of EU postage to rise by approximately £4 on average.
The actual amounts are subject to change as I get more specific information from Royal Mail.
International Customers & The Future
It doesn't seem like international shipping is going to become less complicated as time goes on, so we need some solutions!
Fortunately, I have spent several months at the start of the year preparing for this, and now have multiple Print on Demand options available for international customers.
DrivethruRPG
First up, I'm pleased to say SIDEQUEST Year 3 is now available as a print on demand book from DrivethruRPG, joining annual years 1 and year 2.
The DTRPG versions of the books are identical in terms of content, but don't have the same high quality features as versions purchased directly from icarus-games.co.uk. DTRPG's print on demand uses a different paper stock which results in less brilliant and vibrant colors, and you don't get the colored end pages or bookmark ribbon.
The above images show a DTRPG copy of SIDEQUEST Year 3. You can see that compared to other print sources, DTRPG books have colors which are less vibrant, especially the blue tones and darks/black tones.
However, DTRPG is a fantastic affordable option, especially for folks outside the UK as depending on where in the world you are you may be able to get your copy printed and sent to you with local shipping fees and no tariffs.
Amazon
I have also launched all three books on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
Annual 1
Annual 2
Annual 3
In terms of quality, KDP is a little more vibrant in its colors than DTRPG, though not as vibrant as books ordered directly.
The main benefit of purchasing from Amazon is its ubiquity. If you live in a region where DTRPG isn't available or convenient, there's a good chance you'll be able to get one of my books via amazon. Again, this helps international customers avoid overseas shipping fees and potential tariffs.
Direct From Icarus Games
The versions of the books available from the Icarus Games website are identical to the copies which go out to kickstarter backers, and they represent the best possible quality versions of the books you can get.
They are printed with Mixam here in the UK and are printed on silk paper, which gives the colors throughout a rich vibrancy which really makes them pop.
The versions available direct from the Icarus website feature the richest colors and deepest shadows. You can also see that the printing is smoother thanks to the silk paper, so the color images appear higher quality in general.
They also have a ribbon bookmark which is useful for marking your favourite monster or issue, and often feature a head and tail band, which is a decorative piece of twine found on the top and bottom of hardcover book spines.
Which Version Is Right For You?
So, which version of my books is right for you?
if you're a UK-based customer, ordering direct from Icarus-games.co.uk will give you the best quality product possible, and you'll also get free shipping on your order if its over £30.
If you're an international customer who has access to DTRPG's print on demand, that will give you the best value physical copy, even if the print quality isn't quite as high as ordering direct. But it does allow you to completely forget about any headaches around tariffs, customs charges, or import duties.
If you don't have access to DTRPG print on demand where you are, check out Amazon. This will still be cheaper than paying international shipping and potential customs or tariffs, and will be a higher quality print than DTRPG, though not as high quality as ordering direct.
| Book Source | Key Features | Recommend For |
| Icarus Website |
• Silk paper - very rich colors. |
UK Customers |
| DrivethruRPG | • Lowest price. • Uncoated paper - less vibrant colors. |
International Customers Where Available |
| Amazon | • Uncoated paper - medium richness color. • Head & tail band. |
International Customers Where DTPG isn't Available |
Planning For The Future
Looking to the future I want to make sure all my products can get into the hands of as many people as possible.
After much consideration I think the best way to achieve that is use DrivethruRPG's print codes for my next physical kickstarter project. This will allow backers to order the books at cost when they are ready and allow us to bypass the costs of international shipping and tariffs completely, saving money for everyone.
My next print project will be much smaller in scale and scope than the SIDEQUEST annuals, so a perfect test for this approach to printing.
My hope is that it will result in lower costs and shorter wait times for backers, and allow me to produce more frequent content as I'm not spending as much of my time dealing with bulk logistics for these projects.
As always, if you have any questions let me know down in the comments!
Much love
Anto
