Well, another year spent. As 2008 comes to a close, Playing Gods has been unleashed upon the world for a few months now. It’s been a slow, arduous process, but according to my volunteer accountant Emilie (thanks, Em!) I’ve moved nearly 1,000 games. Note that “moved” includes free samples, damaged games, and ones not yet paid for– but still not bad, eh?

To be honest, I’m not sure I’m cut out for this Small Businessman Thing (“small” not in stature, length, or girth, mind you, but in the size of the company I run). Saying the words, “Speaking as a small businessman…” is as foreign to me as saying, “Speaking as a Sixteenth Century midwife…” Yet here I am, doing business-y things and conducting business. Part of the problem is that I’m too honest.

A few days ago someone (I’ll call him “Chad” *NOTE below) ordered an Expansion Pack to the game, and there was some screwup, because Chad was charged by Paypal something ridiculous like $12 for shipping, which is about $10 more than it should be. I noticed it and issued a refund. I’d guess that most businesses would have shrugged at the error and not said anything—after all Chad agreed to pay it—but I try to go by the Golden Rule, and I know that if the situations were reversed, I’d appreciate a $10 refund on an $18 order. There’s actually been three or four orders like that. I do my best to treat customers right, as I need and appreciate every single one of them.

In other news, as 2009 opens, I have at least two stores in England selling the game, so kudos to them.

Leisure Games
Finchley, North London
100 Ballards Lane, London, N3 2DN
www.leisuregames.com

Spirit Games
114 & 115 Station Street
Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1BX
www.spiritgames.co.uk

Well, that’s all for now. I was going to write a bit on cost-saving tips I’ve learned the hard way, in case anyone cares or is reading this blog because they want to launch their own game. But the hour is late and other work calls…

Until next week!

*NOTE: I hate it when people write in to Dear Abby, and tell their situation, and before starting, they make up a name and put it in quotation marks, as if anybody gives a shit: “Dear Abby, Last night my sister — I’ll call her “Margaret”– slept with my boyfriend — I’ll call him “Elmer”… Nobody cares! Make up a name, or don’t, no one knows or cares!