WS Game Company, facing a substantial tariff bill on its imported board games, embarked on a quest to produce a special "Americana" edition of Monopoly entirely within the United States. This endeavor proved to be a "colossal headache," characterized by various production difficulties and increased expenses. The company struggled with issues such as cracked trays for the game's components and faced a dilemma in finding a domestic supplier for dice, ultimately having to import them.
CEO Jonathan Silva described the difficulty in finding a U.S. manufacturer for 10,000 dice, noting that it required specialized machinery and investment that wasn't readily available for a quick turnaround. Sourcing other components, including the board from a former Hasbro factory in Massachusetts, trays from Pioneer Packaging, and custom metal tokens from Stateline Industries in Indiana, took over a year. This extended timeline caused the company to miss half of the prime selling window for the $80 product, which was tied to the country's 250th birthday.
The cost of manufacturing the game in the U.S. was at least double what it would have been in China, where all production capabilities are typically under one roof. Industry experts, like Greg Ahearn, president and CEO of The Toy Association, highlight that approximately 80% of toys and games sold in the U.S. are made in China due to its established manufacturing ecosystem for both finished products and specialized parts. Ahearn questions the viability of investing capital in U.S. toy manufacturing, especially for products with low profit margins.
Despite the challenges, WS Game Company is marketing its Made-in-the-U.S.A. Monopoly game. However, the company continues to produce the majority of its other board games in China. Silva is currently awaiting a $6 million shipment of games from China for the upcoming holiday season, acknowledging the uncertainty of potential tariff costs. This experience underscores the complexities and economic realities of reshoring manufacturing for certain consumer goods, even for a company motivated by tariff avoidance.
