MegaChess - Our Target Markets

Our Target Markets

Presented in alphabetical order are our target markets. The star icon indicates a market on our top ten list, which does not mean it is the best market for you to pursue. Select on the basis that everyone does best what they want to do most.

We divide our markets into two classes, communities and distribution channels. A community, a.k.a. vertical market, is focused on a specialized type of customer. A channel is an established distribution channel selling our type of product to a broad range of customer types, a.k.a. horizontal market. To sell to a community, you would need to understand the community. To sell to a channel, you would need to understand the channel.

Communities

Airports – Airports have purchased MegaChess sets, primarily the soft plastic ones. We understand delayed flights mean they need to provide cheap entertainment using products without a potential to be turned into weapons.
Apartments & Condominiums – Our word for apartment & condominium managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for managers of multi-tenant apartments and condominiums.
Bars With Dancing – Whereas dance floors are packed at night, nobody dances during the day. That large flat surface goes to waste while the bar tries to invite daytime patrons. A rollout MegaChess set is a solution.
Cafes – Cafes looking to build a resident customer base, as opposed to the ones processing customers through, buy the smaller teak MegaChess sets as a way to encourage visitation and to resell them.
Campgrounds – Our word for campground managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for managers of public and private campgrounds, including franchises.
Casinos – Casinos have a gaming theme and buy MegaChess pieces for decorations.
Chess Clubs – Our word for chess clubs page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for managers of chess clubs, along with some initiatives we have to support them, particularly those that put on tournaments.
Chess Names and Ads – The words related to chess are common as part of a company's name, for example, bishop, chess, checkmate, king, knight, pawn, and queen. Chess themes of winning, intelligence, tradition, and royalty are leveraged in display ads featuring chess pieces. This market is defined as those with names and ads where giant chess pieces in a lobby or a giant chess set on the company grounds can reinforce the message.
Chess Tournaments – MegaChess products can serve as both decorations as well as a draw to the public as an open-air, playable chess set visible from far away.
Cruise Ships – Cruise ship lines buy large chess sets as part of their guest recreation assets.
Day Care Facilities – Parents want their kids to learn something at day care, not just to be guarded by a TV. A MegaChess set displayed for passing motorists has great curb appeal.
Decorators – Our word for decorators page presents some of the benefits of a large chess piece for home and office decoration. We need to present that to decorating businesses, including home decorators.
eBay – eBay and the other online auctions present an opportunity to sell MegaChess products, but our resale arrangements would make it awkward to sell there directly. Preferred would be to develop a marketeer selling there under their own name.
Event & Party Planners – Our word for party and event planners page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for the people and organizations who plan parties and events like corporate meetings, product rollouts, sales conferences, etc. This also addresses the businesses renting party equipment for such events.
Fairs and Festivals – Thousands of arts and crafts fairs dot the country every year. Booth vendors can be made MegaChess resellers, and fair or festival organizers can use MegaChess sets as an attendance draw and as a place parents can leave kids.
Federal – All military bases and many federal installations have a recreation facility, sometimes many of them. These are the places that need a MegaChess set.
Game Retailers – We have a well developed reseller program but have yet to mount a serious marketing campaign to the US game retailers.
Golf Courses – Golf courses in inclement climates suffer from canceled tee times and buy MegaChess sets to give patrons a reason to grumble less while hanging near the golf course bar.
Homeowner Associations – Much like apartment managers and resort operators, homeowner associations buy MegaChess sets for their shared recreational facilities.
Hotels & Motels – Our word for hotel and resort managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for hotels and resorts. This opening focuses on roadside motels and hotels for travelers.
Landscape Contractors – Our word for contractors page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for building contractors in general and landscape contractors in particular. When landscape contractors propose to enhance property, they need a way to stand out from among all the proposals.
Libraries – Struggling for relevance in the internet age, libraries buy MegaChess sets as part of their community outreach programs, because of the association of chess to intelligence and learning, and to support their children's reading rooms.
Nurseries – A good target for our topiary chess sets.
Parks & Rec Departments – Our word for parks and recreation department managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for the park and recreation departments of government agencies, whether municipal, county, state, or federal.
Physical Therapy – Physical therapists face the ongoing problem of encouraging the partially mobile to get out of their wheelchair and exercise. They buy the plastic MegaChess sets to encourage that.
Prisons – The nation's prisons, whether municipal, county, state, or federal, have programs to direct inmates toward wholesome recreational opportunities. MegaChess presents several benefits to be part of such programs, including the harmless nature of our soft plastic chess pieces.
Resorts – Our word for hotel and resort managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess set for hotels and resorts. This community deals with resorts that are a destination, not just a roadside hotel or motel.
Restaurant Waiting Rooms – Restaurants with waiting rooms (inside or out) need to provide something more sociable than a TV for guests waiting for a table.
Schools: K-12 – One of our largest markets, our schools page presents some of the benefits to public and private schools of a MegaChess set. This covers the kindergarten through high school community.
Schools: Colleges & Universities – Colleges and universities buy MegaChess sets often, sometimes with alumni group support.
Shopping Malls – Our word for shopping malls page presents some of the benefits to a shopping mall of displaying a MegaChess set to increase shopping traffic.
Toy Stores – We have a well developed reseller program, but have yet to mount a serious marketing campaign to toy stores.
Other – We are open to other target markets and communities. All you need do when you fill in your application is to show the potential of that community and your understanding of it.

Channels

Blankets – A children's bedding distribution network exists into which we should present the only known blankets forming a giant chessboard.
Bookends – A high-end bookend distribution network exists into which we should present the only known bookend formed from chess pieces. Consider how many chess books are sold.
Brochure Holders – A high-end brochure holder distribution network exists into which we should present the only known brochure holder formed from chess pieces.
Building Supplies – Our MegaDeco line was designed for this channel.
Business Card Holders – A high-end business card holder distribution network exists into which we should present the only known business card holder formed from chess pieces.
Costumes & Hats – A costume distribution network exists into which we should present the only known chess hats and tunics.
Gag Gifts – A gag gift distribution network exists into which we should present the only known beer chess set, as well as the chess hats.
Hats – We sell chess hats.
Lamps – A new MegaChess product, we have drilled giant chess pieces to insert lamp hardware, and made decorative table lamps. A distribution network exists into which we should present the only known chess lamps.
Mortician Supplies – A rather unusual one, this channel distributes funeral urns, which makes sense to be a giant chess piece if grandpa was a chess player.
Photo Props – Our word for photographers and prop managers page presents some of the benefits of a large chess pieces as props for professional photographers. This covers the rental companies supplying those props, as well as the larger ad agencies.
Plaster Figures – An art community exists around the painting of plaster figures and forms of all kinds, and MegaChess provides the only complete line of plaster chess piece blanks for this purpose. This opening covers the retailers, supply houses, and distributors servicing such artists.
Playground Equipment – This channel should include a giant chess set in their catalogs..
Posters – A poster distribution network exists into which we should present our chess posters.
Statues – A giant chess piece is just a statue in terms of decoration. The statue catalogs should include MegaChess products.
Tables – A furniture distribution network exists into which we should present our glass chess tables.
Tikis – A tiki distribution network exists, along with its island culture, into which we should present our chess tikis
Topiaries – Garden topiaries exist for almost all forms, and MegaChess provides the only complete line of chess topiaries.
Trophy & Award Makers – Our word for trophy and award makers page presents some of the benefits to a retailer making trophies and awards to use MegaChess pieces as part of the trophies and or awards they produce.
Wood Carvings – This channel should include the MegaChess teak pieces.
Other – We are open to other distribution channels. All you need do when you fill in your application is to show the potential of that channel and your understanding of it.