Launching this yoyo was us dipping our toes in the water to get a feel for running a business. Making sure everything from the ordering process, to packaging, shipping, and any other things went smooth in this first initial drop. It's all completely brand new to us, our first time running a business of any sort.
As such, we did not order, nor list very many for sale. This is mainly due to the reason above, but also because as labeled and stated in previous posts. This yoyo is a "Test-Type" Something I think is more refined than a prototype, but not quite perfect. Feedback from players was necessary for me.
I'm buying monometals from the most expensive manufacturer possible because I want the highest quality possible. However, just being made by the best doesn't necessarily mean the design is the best. If the yoyo does not perform to my standards or expectations, I can not feel proud, nor good about myself in selling the yoyo to people for a higher price tag. I want to value the yoyo according to how I feel its worth based on the amount of effort i've put into not just the yo-yo design, but everything that encompasses it, which definitely includes how well my design performs.
Frankly speaking, Asora's first drop was going cheaper than we should have, but I didn't want to deter anyone by having the price set too high as a new company. I wanted Asora to get in people's hands, I wanted them to play it, I wanted them to open the package and see how much effort I put in. Please do not be surprised if the price does change and go higher in the future, I basically cut the price $10-$20 lower than I should have based on what I had to pay for them. I felt the after effect of doing so, while also including extra goodies which added into the cost. Afterwards, I thought that personally, we shouldn't have to take the hit as a brand new company starting out - so that's something I definitely learned in this process. My yo-yo's will be more expensive than others, that's all there is too it. If people don't want to buy them, or think they're too expensive, there's really nothing I can do about it. Asora is 7068, and SE, moving to another company that does it cheaper doesn't exist unless Asora turns into a Tapped Axle 6061 yoyo. I truly don't think I'll ever design anything outside of 7068/steel for the near future; so FPM is my company I want to go with, but that means expensive yoyos to anyone who wants to buy Dreamcraft Designed yoyos for now.
I didn't bother advertising the yoyo that much. I felt like the people who wanted this type of yoyo would find their way to it, or it to them.
As a result, I feel like Asora's found their homes and virtually everyone seemed to enjoy it. I'm sure some people may not have enjoyed it and don't want to comment on it, but I received only good feedback from what was given to me. Honestly, it was more than I was expecting. I thought people would enjoy it, but I did not anticipate how much people would enjoy it.
Some people already slotted it in their top 5 yoyos. Which is a huge compliment for me, because that means that even months later after receiving the yoyo, it wasn't just a yoyo that they bought, played for a week, then put in with the rest of their collection of throws. It means that Asora has "staying power" and that it's very close if not already where I had wanted it to be. A modern classic.
I want to take a moment to give a quick shout out to Brian "@rxnbeats" Cosky who was the person that kind of lit the flame to Asora being able to do so well. His post on the YYEF was something that I still think about on a daily basis. Without his support in buying one blindly, then even being so kind as to promote it and sing it praise was something I was not expecting at all. Having members from the Anti-Yo team approve of my throw, or have any sort of interest in it is a huge reward for me.
For me, designing a yoyo is like creating the paintbrush that artists use to paint their picture, or the guitar a guitarist uses to create their music and express themselves. I want to create that tool for yoyo players to express themselves. And honestly, seeing people throw my yoyo that I designed gave me a feeling I've never felt before. I cried when I got my first yoyo I designed in my hands and played it. I cried even more when I saw Coffin and Brian absolutely shredding my yoyo. I just want to express how big of a deal it is to see people play and enjoy my yoyo. It truly, truly has been something so surreal for me that I was in a daze for 2 months after releasing the yoyo and still recovering from that daze.
This has been something I've only been able to dream about as a kid. Making toys? Who would've thought! I just really want to express my deepest gratitude towards everyone who showed their support. Thank you.