Meowlloween Campaign Update: Progress and Our Plan Forward
9 months ago
– Mon, Sep 15, 2025 at 02:16:08 PM
Dear Meowlloween Backers,
We hope you're doing well, and we extend our deepest gratitude for your continued support and patience as we navigate unexpected challenges. At Tentacle Kitty, our mission is to deliver high-quality, whimsical products that spark joy, and we're fully committed to ensuring every Meowlloween item arrives in your hands exactly as promised.
This year, the tariff war significantly disrupted our overseas logistics. It initially caused tariffs to skyrocket, prompting us to delay production in hopes the situation would improve. This was followed by a persistent 30% tariff that we must now cover for the project. While lower than the initial rates, this has still significantly increased our costs. Additionally, our manufacturer's pricing has risen unexpectedly compared to last year, and combined with sharply increased shipping costs, we've faced a triple whammy of cost increases. To save on some expenses, we decided to produce Meowlloween and Campaign Critters 2nd Edition simultaneously, but these unforeseen cost hikes have created a funding gap.
We've spent considerable time negotiating with our manufacturer to reduce costs without sacrificing the quality you expect, and we've now reached a point where we can move forward. To cover the funding gap and keep both projects on track, we have a clear plan to secure additional resources. We're actively implementing this plan, evaluating each step to ensure it supports our small company's long-term health, allowing us to continue creating without risking our future.
We've learned a critical lesson from this experience: never delay production to time future fulfillment. Going forward, we'll start production immediately after a project ends to avoid such disruptions. We're incredibly excited to push through and deliver these spooky-cute goodies, knowing they'll be delightful, and we're already planning for a smoother next project.
On timelines, manufacturing used to take about 40 days, but industry-wide slowdowns (which we're still investigating) have extended this to 60-90 days for completion. This means we expect delivery in late January to early February 2026. We sincerely apologize for this delay; we know how eager you are to receive your items. To prevent similar delays in the future, we're refining our logistics strategies, strengthening manufacturer relationships, and exploring more resilient supply chain options for smoother fulfillment.
We're managing every detail with urgency and transparency, doing everything in our power to get these items to you as soon as possible. Your trust means everything to us, and we're humbled by your understanding. We'll keep you updated as we hit key milestones, and our inbox is always open for any questions or thoughts.
With tentacles full of gratitude,
Raena and John
Meowlloween Update: Manufacturing Soon
10 months ago
– Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 12:46:28 PM
Hi Folks,
I've been working on trying to solve issues I've come across as I am trying to get production underway. I'll be blunt and just lay them all out for you for transparency sake in no particular order.
Production: Since the tariffs are causing increased prices, I've had to try to bare bones the quantity of production. This has been a challenge as our manufacturer doesn't like making less when more is easier. BUT, I've been working with our retailers and have secured enough orders so the minimums can be met without fuss. So that should be good to go very soon.
Tariffs: Right now they are still hanging on. Our manufacturer is trying to help us as best they can, so it's not so much a challenge to overcome, but a stressful acceptance of the thing that won't go away.
Fulfillment: I've secured a solution for fulfillment that should work well for everyone involved which is a huge relief. Only issue is International, but that is still a smaller worry than US shipping (as that was the biggest issue)
I want to make sure we do this right the first time, so there's no issues going forward and we can get back on track. So please continue to bare with us as we navigate this crazy new world of ours.
Sincerely,
John
Meowlloween Production Finally Beginning
11 months ago
– Sat, Jun 28, 2025 at 07:18:16 PM
Hi Everyone,
After many delays with the tariffs and how things have changed since then, we are finally starting production on Meowlloween. We don't have an exact ETA at this point, but we know we want to get these out as soon as possible.
We've had some delays with fulfillment solutions as well, but I think we've figured out a hybrid solution if it comes down to it where international items will be sent directly from China, while any US items will need to be freighted in, then shipped out using a 3rd party fulfillment team. This still should be significantly faster than our last few recent attempts at fulfillment at our warehouse.
I want to thank you all for your patience with everything. Things still aren't ideal overseas, and we may be taking a hit on fees and logistics here, but it's imperative to us that we complete this Kickstarter and deliver fantastically spooky critters to you.
We've always said that no matter what, we will deliver, even if it takes longer than expected. We stand by that.
I should have updates here this week on production eta, and further news afterwards on fulfillment. But we will do everything we can to get these out. One way or another.
Thank you again for your patience.
~John
Also, if you missed anything at all and need more, the Preorder store is open!
*Please Note: We have not, and do not charge VAT in International orders. Please expect your countries customs to process your orders accordingly.
Meowlloween Update: Manufacturing and Pre-Order Store
12 months ago
– Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 03:06:03 PM
Hi Everyone,
John here with a quick update. With the recent stabilization of tariff issues, we're excited to announce that manufacturing for this batch will begin soon!
As we're shifting away from online retail (except for Kickstarter campaigns), we won't be listing these items on our website. Instead, we're launching a pre-order store where you can secure your items.
Pre-Order Details:
All pre-order items will be produced alongside our Kickstarter batch.
Pre-order fulfillment will begin after Kickstarter orders are completed.
If you missed out on specific designs during the Kickstarter, you can order them now through the pre-order store.
Current Status:
We're finalizing the pre-order store setup and awaiting official shipping cost quotes from our fulfillment team.
We expect the store to be live this week if everything goes as planned.
In the meantime, we're ensuring your hauntingly adorable critters receive top-notch care as they prepare for their journey to you.
Thank you for your patience and support!
Best,
John
Bast-o'-Lantern Prototype Glow-in-the-Dark Reveal
about 1 year ago
– Mon, May 12, 2025 at 02:06:18 PM
Hello, my darklings!
Today is an exciting day! It looks like the United States is getting an import deal settled with China, which means we are still on track to deliver in September! To celebrate, I pulled out all of the prototypes and booped all the snoots of our Meowlloween Guests!
I decided to do a glow-in-the-dark test for Bast-o'-Lantern and she's even more gorgeous than I remember, so you must absolutely see her! She wouldn't take no for an answer.
Regular Lighting:
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Blacklight
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No Light
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Her glow pattern is simply to die for!
Oh, and a quick update on something important.
We are setting up a pre-order store for the collection, and I will let you know as soon as it's available.
Haunted dreams!
Rae
