Introduction
Online chess stores play an important role in sustaining the global chess community as they enable chess players to access essential chess equipment and learning resources so that both chess players and chess enthusiasts can improve their skills and enjoy the game wherever they reside. Online chess stores also play a key role in promoting chess and providing support for the global chess community which is essential for the future growth and development of the chess community and the chess industry. In this article i will highlight some of the best online chess stores and provide information on the history of their stores, their available products and services, their customers experience, their trustworthiness and reputation and much more. I will also explore their main strengths and weaknesses.
Chess Shop is an online chess store that was established in 2022 and is owned by Chess.com and powered by House of Staunton, which are both extremely popular online chess sites, Chess.com is the most popular online chess gaming site in the world whilst House of Staunton is one of the most popular online chess stores in the world. Chess Shop specialises in supplying a wide range of high-quality chess products which includes chess sets, chess boards, chess pieces, chess boxes, chess tables, chess clocks, chess bags, chess books, chess software, chess videos, chess computers, chess accessories, chess tournament and club supplies, custom printed chess products, chess apparel, and chess gifts. The products at Chess Shop are competitively priced due to Chess Shop’s price match policy which enables customers to attain the best prices on the chess products at the Chess Shop if they can prove that other retailers are supplying the same products at a better price which Chess Shop will then match. Although Chess Shop is a relatively new online chess store they have gained a lot of popularity in the online chess industry since their founding in 2022 which is likely due to their connection with Chess.com and House of Staunton.
Store history
Chess Shop was founded in 2022 as a partnership between Chess.com and House of Staunton which are two of the most popular chess sites in the world. The founders of Chess.com are Erik Allebest and Jay Severson and the founder of House of Staunton is Frank Camaratta. The partnership between Chess.com and House of Staunton was extremely beneficial for both brands as well as their customers as it enabled Chess.com to offer unique and high-quality physical products to users of the platform whilst also gaining exposure to House of Staunton customers and the partnership also enabled House of Staunton to gain exposure to Chess.com users and showcase their talent, expertise, and craftsmanship to a wider audience. Chess Shop has developed into one of the most popular online chess stores in the world since it’s founding in 2022 by ensuring customers receive an excellent standard of customer service and by supplying high quality chess products and services to the global chess community. Chess Shop caters to chess players of all ages and levels of experience and strives to aid in the growth and development of chess players by providing them with all the tools that they will need to improve whilst also considering individual tastes and budgets.
Product selection and quality
Chess Shop has a wide range of high quality and competitively priced chess products that caters to the tastes and budgets of chess players of all ages and experience levels. The products that are available at Chess Shop includes chess sets, chess boards, chess pieces, chess boxes, chess tables, chess clocks, chess bags, chess books, chess software, chess videos, chess computers, chess accessories, chess tournament and club supplies, custom printed chess products, chess apparel, and chess gifts.
Chess sets available at Chess Shop:
Wooden chess sets, luxury wooden chess sets, travel chess sets, European chess sets, plastic chess sets, tournament chess sets, school and club chess sets, analysis chess sets, giant chess sets, custom combination chess sets, and USCF plastic tournament combination chess sets.
Chess boards available at Chess Shop:
Wooden chess boards, luxury wooden chess boards, electronic chess boards, straight up chess boards, custom printed chess boards, vinyl chess boards, full colour vinyl chess boards, silicone chess boards, mouse pad chess boards, and paper chess boards.
Chess pieces available at Chess Shop:
Wooden chess pieces, luxury wooden chess pieces, DGT chess pieces, artistic chess pieces, plastic chess pieces, bone chess pieces, The forever collection chess pieces, The Camaratta collection chess pieces, giant chess pieces, theme chess pieces, and clearance sale chess pieces.
Chess boxes available at Chess Shop:
Reproduction mahogany slide top chess boxes, Frank Camaratta slide top chess boxes, black slide top chess boxes, golden heart luxe slide top chess boxes, elm burl luxe slide top chess boxes, macassar ebony luxe slide top chess boxes, bubinga burl luxe slide top chess boxes, Brazilian rosewood luxe slide top chess boxes, red burl folding top chess boxes, bubinga pattern folding top chess boxes, ebony wood folding top chess boxes, burlwood pattern folding top chess boxes, red mahogany folding top chess boxes, leather folding top chess boxes, elm burl folding top chess boxes, US Chess chess boxes, birds eye maple folding top chess boxes, mahogany folding glass top chess boxes, amboyna burl folding top chess boxes, maple burl folding top chess boxes, red burl folding glass top chess boxes, mahogany fitted briefcase chess boxes, red burl fitted briefcase chess boxes, The House of Staunton birds eye maple fitted coffer chess boxes, The House of Staunton red burl fitted coffer chess boxes, The House of Staunton mahogany fitted coffer chess boxes, olmo burl folding top chess boxes, vavona burl folding top chess boxes, macassar ebony folding top chess boxes, redwood burl folding top chess boxes, walnut burl folding top chess boxes, carton Pierre casket reproduction chess boxes, redwood burl fitted coffer chess boxes, vavona burl fitted coffer chess boxes, olmo burl fitted coffer chess boxes, walnut burl fitted coffer chess boxes, and macassar ebony fitted coffer chess boxes.
Chess tables available at Chess Shop:
The Camaratta signature master chess table and The Camaratta signature championship chess table in dark brown.
Chess clocks available at Chess Shop:
Digital chess clocks, DGT projects chess clocks, BHB chess clocks, analogue chess clocks, tournament suitable chess clocks, Chronos chess clocks, and ZMart chess clocks.
Chess bags available at Chess Shop:
Custom printed chess bags, chess clock bags, chess board bags, chess tournament bags, chess piece bags, chess set bags, and miscellaneous chess bags.
Chess books available at Chess Shop:
Chess opening books, general chess instruction books, chess strategy books, chess puzzle books, chess game collection books, miscellaneous chess books, chess history books, beginner chess books, how to teach chess books, chess informants books, chess life annuals books, unbeatable chess book deals, chess middlegame books, chess endgames books, chess tactics books, chess rules books, electronic chess books, chess match and tournament chess books, biographical chess books, foreign language chess books, childrens chess books, chess magazines, new in chess yearbooks, shopworn chess books, and non-chess books.
Chess software available at Chess Shop:
Chess playing software, chess middlegame software, chess strategy software, chess tournament management software, children’s chess software, MAC chess software, chess software for chess clubs, Convekta chess software, clearance sale chess software, chess database software, chess opening software, chess endgame software, chess biography software, chess tactics software, downloadable chess software, Windows chess software, Linux chess software, Chessbase chess software, and Chess King chess software.
Chess videos available at Chess Shop:
Downloadable Chess eDVD’s, chess movies on DVD, chess middlegame DVD’s, chess biography DVD’s, chess tactics DVD’s, chess DVD’s for beginners, chess DVD’s in Spanish, foreign language chess DVD’s, chess DVD collections, chess instructional DVD’s, chess openings DVD’s, chess endgames DVD’s, chess strategy DVD’s, chess DVD’s for children, chess game collection DVD’s, and chess DVD’s in Portuguese.
Chess computers available at Chess Shop:
Chess genius pro 2024 chess computers, ChessUp chess computers, DGT Pegasus chess board chess computers, Millennium chess classics element chess computers, Millennium chess classics exclusive chess computers, Millennium Supreme tournament 55 electronic chess board chess computers, square off pro chess computers, The Milennium chessgenius pro chess computers, the Millennium chessgenius chess computers, The Millennium Karpov chess school chess computers, Millennium Europe chess master II chess computers, The King performance chess computers, The Millennium chessgenius exclusive chess computers, Miko chess grand chess set chess computers, DGT centaur chess computers, The chess champion chess computers, Millennium eONE electronic chess board chess computers, and The Millennium King competition chess computer.
Chess computer accessories available at Chess Shop:
The Millennium ChessLink, and The ChessVolt battery pack.
Chess accessories available at Chess Shop:
Custom printed chess bags, custom printed scorebooks, chess coffee cups, chess awards and medals, chess pen and pencils, chess paper weights, chess keychains, chess wristbands, chess pins, chess themed cards, and US Chess Federation branded items.
Chess tournament and club supplies available at Chess Shop:
Chess tournament director supplies, chess club starter kits, tournament chess kits, chess learning workbooks, chess demonstration boards, chess scorebooks, club chess sets, and chess awards and medals.
Custom printed chess products available at Chess Shop:
Custom printed scorebooks, custom printed standard chess bags, custom printed plastic chess bags, custom printed silk-screened vinyl chess boards, custom printed duffle bags, custom printed full colour vinyl chess boards, and custom printed tote bags.
Chess apparel available at Chess Shop:
Chess t-shirts, chess polo shirts, chess caps, chess beanie hats, chess bucket hats, chess socks, chess wristbands, chess ties, chess bowties, chess hoodies, chess jersey’s, chess jackets, chess necklaces, and chess pendants.
Chess gifts available at Chess Shop:
Chess Rubik’s cubes, chess stress relievers, chess tumblers, and combination chess sets.
Chess Shop customer service and customer experience
The Chess Shop customer service team can be contacted by phone, email, fax, and mail, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm central time and are happy to help customers with any queries they may have such as product related questions, issues with returns and exchanges, assisting with website navigation issues and any other issues that customers may have. Chess Shop’s contact information can be found by clicking on their contact us page in the footer menu which is located at the bottom of their website. There is a limited number of reviews online from customers that have shopped with Chess Shop which makes it difficult to determine what customers have experienced whilst shopping with them however as the Chess Shop is owned by Chess.com and powered by House of Staunton the Chess Shop’s customer service is likely to have attributes of both Chess.com and House of Staunton. Whilst Chess.com users are generally disatisfied with their service the House of Staunton customers are generally satisfied with the customer service they have received whilst shopping with them and as the Chess Shop is powered by House of Staunton which includes the processing and shipping of orders it’s highly likely that the Chess Shops customer service is on par with the customer service House of Staunton delivers to their customers which is of a much higher standard.
Trustworthiness and reputation
Chess Shop ranks highly on the scale of trustworthiness as it is run by Chess.com and House of Staunton which are two of the most popular chess brands in the world. Chess Shop has a clear and comprehensive terms and conditions page which outlines exactly what customers can expect when shopping with them and how to address any issues that may arise whilst ordering products and after products have been purchased. The frequently asked questions page also provides additional information such as Chess Shops discount policy, available payment methods, additional product information such as care guides and product sizes, shipping procedures, and much more. Chess Shops privacy policy page explains how customers information will be utilised and how customers can modify how their information is used or opt out from their information being used by Chess Shop. Chess Shops transparency is one of the main factors that contributes to their trustworthiness in addition to their affiliation with some of the most trusted brands in the chess industry. Although Chess Shop is a relatively new online chess store, they have already gained a reputation for supplying high quality chess products through their affiliation with House of Staunton which is one of the largest manufacturers of high-quality chess products in the world. Chess Shop has also gained a reputation for delivering an excellent level of customer service as customers that have shopped with them have expressed their satisfaction with Chess Shops ability to communicate with them and handle issues that they experienced whilst shopping.
Pricing and affordability
Chess Shop has an extensive catalogue of high-quality chess products that caters to the tastes and budgets of chess players of all ages and experience levels. Chess Shops price match policy ensures that their products are competitively priced without negatively impacting the quality of their products. The chess sets that are available at Chess Shop are priced as low as 4.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 6,895 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess boards are priced as low as 1.99 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 6,095 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess pieces are priced as low as 5.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 2,495 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess boxes are priced as low as 49.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 1,195.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess tables are priced as low as 795 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 1,195 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess clocks are priced as low as 24.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 329 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess bags are priced as low as 4.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 69.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess books are priced as low as 1 dollar on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 179.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess software are priced as low as 9.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 615.90 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess videos are priced as low as 0 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 3,033.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess computers are priced as low as 69.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 995.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess accessories are priced as low as 50 cents on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 99 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess tournament and club supplies are priced as low as 10 cents on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 749.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The custom printed chess products are priced as low as 7.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 27.95 on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess apparel are priced as low as 2.95 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 99 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. And lastly, the chess gifts are priced as low as 2.99 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 1,195.95 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum.
Available Payment methods
Chess Shop accepts numerous payment methods which includes Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal, and Amazon Pay.
Shipping, cancellations, returns, exchanges, and delivery performance
Chess Shop ships both nationally and internationally to 137 countries worldwide and offer free worldwide shipping on over 500 products. Domestic orders over 100 dollars are eligible for free shipping and all orders placed before 12pm (pacific standard time), Monday to Friday are eligible for same day shipping. All international orders will be shipped using only trackable methods using couriers such as FedEx, DHL, and the United States Postal Service and there are restrictions on some items which prohibits them from being shipped internationally. International orders may be subject to additional shipping costs that are the responsibility of the customer due to fees such as VAT, GST, customs duties, and other customs fees that are required to facilitate international deliveries. When a customer places an order with Chess Shop an estimated shipping and delivery date will be assigned depending on the availability of the item and the chosen shipping method. Shipping rates will also vary depending on the weight of the item as the shipping costs of many of the items sold at Chess Shop are weight based. In order to initiate a return customers need to contact the Chess Shop customer service team and provide their order number and details about the product the wish to return. Chess Shop will accept most new and unopened items within 30 days of delivery and will issue a full refund within four weeks of passing on the package to the return shipper as it typically takes up to 10 business days for them to receive the package from the return shipper, up to 5 business days for them to process the return once it is received and up to 10 business days for the bank to process Chess Shops refund request however most refunds will be issued much sooner. In the event that customers receive an item that is incorrect, damaged or defective and would like to return it Chess Shop will pay for the return shipping costs. Customers of Chess Shop are also able to replace any damaged or lost chess pieces however customers are advised to send in a chess piece from their original chess set so that the replacement chess piece will be able to match the other chess pieces in the original chess set especially in cases where the original chess set is made from woods that are prone to vary in colour such as rosewood, golden rosewood, and blood rosewood. Any chess piece that’s replaced without customers sending in an original chess piece for matching purposes will not be eligible for a refund or return.
Website navigation and mobile friendliness
The Chess Shop website is easy to navigate, intuitively designed and mobile friendly with easily identifiable product categories, a search bar which is located at the top of the website that enables customers to find specific products, and a footer menu that’s located at the bottom of the website which enables customers to find additional information such as the frequently asked questions page, the price match policy page, the privacy policy page, the terms and conditions page, the shipping and returns page, and the contact us page. Hovering over a specific category will display all the subcategories with the main category and individual products can be found by clicking on a subcategory which makes it much easier for customers to find specific products. On mobile devices the product categories can be found by clicking on the hamburger menu that’s located at the top right corner of the screen. The Chess Shop is as easy to navigate on mobile devices and tablets as it is on desktop devices and features clear and vivid product photos and detailed and comprehensive product descriptions which enables customers to access all the information that’s needed to make well informed purchasing decisions. Chess Shop customers’ sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers are also protected from malicious entities whilst browsing and interacting with the site as Chess Shop is secured with TSL/SSL encryption. Overall, Chess Shop’s website is intuitively designed with the customers convenience in mind, easy to navigate, mobile friendly, secure, and well stocked with an extensive range of high quality and competitively priced chess products.
Chess Shop strengths and weaknesses
Chess Shops main strengths are their extensive range of high quality and competitively priced chess products, their price match policy which enables customers to get the best price on their chosen products, their affiliation with Chess.com and House of Staunton, their easy to navigate and mobile friendly website, and their excellent standard of customer service. Chess Shop caters to chess players of all ages and levels of experience as well as to their tastes and budgets which is one of their main strengths. Although Chess Shop has many strengths as with most online chess stores there are also some areas where they are weak which if addressed would improve the shopping experience for both existing and future customers. Chess Shops main weaknesses are their lack of reviews which makes it difficult for customers to determine how trustworthy and reliable they are, the absence of live chat which prevents customers from speaking directly with members of the customer service team in instances where human assistance may be needed, and the absence of an about us page which prevents customers from gaining insight into the character and history of the store. Overall, Chess Shop is a reputable and trustworthy online chess store that’s well known in the chess community for supplying high quality chess products at affordable prices.
Conclusion
Online chess stores are an essential part of the chess industry, and they play a crucial role in sustaining the global chess community as they enable chess players to access essential equipment and resources that will enable them to improve their skills in chess however not all online chess stores are made the same as some are clearly better than others. In this article i have highlighted 25 of the most prominent online chess stores, each having defining characteristics. Some online chess stores specialise in supplying high end chess products, some specialise in supplying chess products for professional chess players, and some specialise in supplying chess products for chess players for all ages, tastes, budgets, and experience levels. Whether you’re a professional chess player in search of a chess set that’s suitable for practice sessions, a chess set collector in search of unique chess products, or a chess enthusiast in search of a high-quality chess set, this catalogue of online chess stores will enable you to find the perfect online chess store.
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