AGS merchandise

[auriond]

I've had the experience of trying to use my laptop's optical mouse on a waiting room's glass table, so I've since tried to keep a thin mousepad in my laptop bag. But it was just an example of a relatively cheap but useful item to sell. If enough people feel that a mousepad is obsolete, we could try the patch idea, although personally I hate to have patches on my things so I'm not likely to buy that.

We're all pretty well agreed on the cup though  that must be sold!

[Radiant]

I'd be happy to design a Cuppit T-Shirt with lots of spurious text on it

[gypsysnail]

Mmmm my first thoughts after I saw this thread's name before I clicked on it were, yep a BIG and I mean really huge jumbo blue cup with a distinct AGS logo and in the way that auriond suggested, a small line of the logo down one side or at the top around the mouth piece.

I have other ideas too:
* an AGS blanket, blue with ags on it for the cold nights we endure designing our games when we dont want to go to bed yet (and yes the cold winter stay in at home days too).

* the official AGS book - story of how CJ started it, maybe his biblography. I can write some of it if you like? But would also have other writers from here who could be part of this.

* Blue coloured pens with a blue cup at the end of it

* AGS games for mobile phones

* car seat covers - black or whatever colour, with the blue cup and logo on them

And I am all for the others' ideas like keyrings, mouse pads, shot glass, t-shirts, beanies and more other stuff. I am also very keen on the idea of a roger doll!!!! That would be very original and then maybe later down the track, some of the ags members' game sprites as soft toys (I did make a paperclip character soft toy in 1999 and it was much loved by those who knew clip so I think the soft toy idea could work.....) and I love the pillow idea as well!!! Good idea to have merchandise to raise funds to keep this going, its such a good community and one that we should never take for granetd as I feel Sierra and Roberta didnt have this kind of support 20 years ago . Anyhow... I hope some merchandises do come up for this community.

EDIT: Sorry forgot to put in how much I would pay max: $20-25 Australian dollars is the max I'd go to. You might need to take in consideration the varying currency amounts for other countries. Shipping is another consideration, but it can be done fairly cheaply if you think of the environment in terms of recycling old packaging and negotating a small package. I have had many items from ebay sent to me from England and they were surprisingly much cheaper from there than from Aussie and USA even though the currency is much higher in England .

[thewalrus]

     I'm keen on all the ideas I've seen so far. I'd probably be willing to buck some cash for some of the item ideas that I've heard about. I would definitly need a big blue cup coffee mug!!!

[m0ds]

I think a boxed edition of AGS + manual, as discussed with Matt Goble in the past - would be the best selling item of all.

[Eggie]

Zazzle is better than Cafepress.
Use Zazzle.
Put a blue cup graphic on a T-shirt.
It will rule!

[Scummbuddy]

Sell outs....














Oh wait, I would too.

Anyways, I also think the most sellable item is the cup itself (besides a boxed version of AGS).

I've found a 30 oz "Big Daddy" one on this one site, but the page seems to have some webmaster problems, as it seems to be half-referencing their 20 oz mug on parts of the page...

http://www.beldecal.com/cm/Ceramic-30oz-bd.htm

A 30 oz mug on your desk definitly demands attention... That is until I found this novelty mug site: http://promotionalproductsandideas.com/BUSINESSPROMOS/index.php/weblog/C10/



Okay, so that may be a tad too rediculous for us to be putting on our desks, but then again, we are the bigbluecup. But are we 1 & 1/4 of a gallon big?
----------------
Then there are these optional ones:


http://www.promopeddler.com/Detail/52770/2016B


http://www.promopeddler.com/Detail/34330/CT225
This ones almost pixely... Like our beloved low resolution. It even has a square handle! Perfect for pixelation.


http://www.promopeddler.com/Detail/71920/3884E
Just gorgeous.


http://www.promopeddler.com/Detail/36705/7109-COB
Rather nice, too.

[Janik]

Rather than an actual blue cup, I would totally buy a T-Shirt with a picture of a blue cup on it. But I think it would be funnier with only a blue cup - no text or explanation or anything.

Maybe that's just me? I would pay 20-25$ CDN or so.

[TerranRich]

Guys, this idea sounds phenomenal. I hereby offer my services as a graphical designer to design whatever graphics need to be sent out to vendors to print merchandise out. I can even show you guys some sample mousepads, for example, and much more. Please, whoever sets this idea in motion, PLEASE keep me in mind.

[TerranRich]

I would of course have to ask if anyone had any previously-made images of the blue cup and other AGS-related imagery.

[MillsJROSS]

I think if this does go through, you should try obviously try to get an estimate in cost for something with the sliding scales based on number of people willing to buy objects.

I'd say it be far easier to just stick to one item a year. A blue cup mug, or a t-shirt would be obviouse choices. Collecting money before actually going out and buying things might be your best bet as far as raising money. It seems everyone's willing to go to about 10 dollars. However, I'd say the cost of making and then shipping an item is probably higher than that,  I'd be willing to spend about 20 dollars on a mug or shirt, which really isn't that much money. Maybe a little over three hours of work on minimum wage (depending on where you live). Which, I've definatley got more than three hours worth of work and enjoyment out of AGS's editor and community. I've dropped more than 20 dollars on a meal, honestly, if I had a full time job right now, I'd put more than 20 dollars in.

-MillsJROSS

[TerranRich]

Working in the prouct branding industry, I can tell you firsthand that, at least in the U.S., there are tons of companies that will manufacture items with your own logo or custom design on it. I don't know about drop-shipping, though (shipping directly to customers instead of storing them as inventory on your own and selling them from a warehouse, like we do at my job).

Can I ask, why do so many people bash Cafepress? What's wrong with them?

[thewalrus]

     I think that the first 3 items that should be made are:

1. The big-blue-cup (obviously)

2. A t-shirt with a blue cup on it (would be a good seller)

3. The boxed edition of the ags manual (sounds like a really good idea, although I don't know how well it would sell, being it can be d/led for free)

     I also think that a portion of the proceeds should be put somehow in to the community!!! Good luck all on getting some items done......