With a run of recent CCG sell-outs hitting the market (see “CCG Sell-Outs”), we asked CCG manufacturers a handful of questions about how they manage sell-out issues.  Score’s Deanna Cass provided these responses.

What is Score’s goal in terms of time of sell-out—how long do you want to have product?  

For a product like Bankai [Bleach TCG], which is a starter and booster release, we need product to be available for at least six to nine months after release since starter decks are required to play the game.  We typically only produce one expansion per year that offers both starters and boosters.

Are you trying to have product be sold out in all channels at once, or to have products in some channels last longer than others?

Making sure the hobby channel always has product first or slightly before retail is our preferred delivery method although we want to ensure all channels receive enough product to meet their demands.

Talk a little about the strategy of reprinting vs. not reprinting.  Reprinting does not seem very common, but you’re going ahead in this case--can you explain why?

We produce enough product to meet distribution's demands plus an amount over that to allow the product to sustain the market's needs.  With Bankai selling out in a little over a month from its April 9th release, we knew that we needed to respond quickly in order to keep any delays to a minimum.