Would you buy a game in a plastic box?

I think you are putting the "Horse BEFORE the Cart"! First of all, you need a good game to put into the box. The box is the last of concerns because you can have a Custom box made by any manufacturer and add to this a Custom Vac Tray also... To hold whatever components you desire.

The question is: "Do you have a game worthy of publication?"

Even if you are "Self-Publishing" and wanting to go the KS route, you should be aware that a $4 USD box is rather expensive for Chinese standards. You should be able to get a Box + Vac Tray with an order of 1,000 units for about $1 USD per game sold. And sometime even less expensive than that!

So what's the difference?

The difference is BIG! First of all you are saving $3 USD. But in terms of pricing you are SHAVING $15 off the MSRP. Still think $3 USD is nothing??? Remember your standard multiplier is (manufacturing price x 5)... So effectively your $3 USD is a serious amount of money you are ONLY wasting on the Box...

Remember if it cost you $10 USD to MAKE the game, it's MSRP = $50 USD. And you need to have a solid game if you want to sell at that price point.

Just giving you another "way to look at things"... One you probably had not considered in the least.

Cheers.

I think Stewie fully encapsulates what I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHpdgHTINik

That is awesome, how come I could not think of that before. From my point of view, as long as the box is solid enought to be stacked, not problem. I am currently storing loose components in a box I got at the dollar store. So yes, they are cheaper than cardboard boxes. They also do not wear with time.

You could put labels on the box or put a panel inside the box. Also most of those box already have separations preventing the need of additional inserts.

I am currently designing games for small boxes, because they takes a lot of space, and I was looking at game crafter's boxes in my design, but those boxes are even better.

Now, how to you intend to print on game crafters if they do not support those boxes? Are you going to get everything shipped home and then assemble it yourself?

Seriously, I think game crafters should offer those kind of boxes. We should ask them.

The only issue I have with those boxes is that the separations are made with the height of the box, and some separations cannot be removed. So if you want to have a sheet or board that makes the whole size of the box, it will not fit in.

So if they add some of those boxes, they should make it possible to remove all inserts, or specify the maximum size of a board that could fit in.

Maybe boxes could be design specifically for board games. 2 or 3 reusable models could be designed for this purpose. That would be awesome and way better than VHS box.

I wouldn't have a problem with a plastic box like that myself.

You could also look into how Victory Point Games does their boxes. They have a series of standard (to them) size boxes that are just red (with their logo in white) clamshell style mailer boxes that they put the games in, then they put a cardstock sleeve with the actual game artwork on it.

This way they buy cheap boxes in bulk (you wouldn't even have to go the custom red + logo .. just a standard mailer box like from ULine for example (https://www.uline.ca/BL_1402/Literature-Mailers-Kraft) with a sleeve or stick on label.

It does work for small publishing if done well and you aren't doing the traditional manufacturing. Of course it wouldn't fly for a big publisher but that's not the case here (although, VPG is bigger than they look but that's their style and image and people buy into it .. "saving you money" on packaging).

If you're going to do a plastic box, make it part of the theme. Don't just put your components in a plastic box because it's there. Give a reason to the consumer why the plastic box is needed...like it's some alien container or quarantine box.Kinda like what Quarriors did in their first original box...a cube-shaped tin that looks like a big die.

I asked on BGG and people does not seem enthusiast about it.

It could be interesting, if they are really less expensive, that TGC makes shipping boxes like Victory point games. I really like the idea and the box does not open by itself.

If it could save on the cost by using a single piece, I would even suggest having a 1 piece box that opens like a pizza box with a card board wrapping.

As for the plastic box, if you can have additional justification for it, then it would be better. For example, in the picture above, there seems to be loose container inside the box. If those containers are actually used during the game, that would justify the box even more

Even VPG moved up to a standard box format. It was really niche-y like over 10 years ago when companies like Cheapass Games did that (they purposely didn't include many components), but since we've been in a veritable renaissance of board games, the demand for quality components can make or break a game.

But Pelle is right, your potential audience can change drastically depending on how you present your game.