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 House is one of the most established online chess stores in the world that is known for supplying high-quality chess products and services and providing an outstanding service to customers. Chess House is run by the Neff brothers who are both passionate chess players and chess enthusiasts with a vision to spread their love of chess with the world. Chess House was originally founded in 1972 by Jack Winters who was once the highest rated chess player in the USCF (United States Chess Federation) in the state of Missouri. There are a wide range of high-quality chess products and services that are available at Chess House for chess players of all ages and levels of experience which includes chess sets, chess pieces, chess boards, chess software, chess clocks, chess tables, chess books, chess apparel, and much more. Since its founding in 1972 Chess House has worked with numerous individuals and organisations in order to produce unique and high-quality chess products and to promote chess to wider audiences. Chess House caters to families, schools and clubs, casual and professional chess players, chess collectors and chess enthusiasts and has helped hundreds of thousands of people find the perfect chess set as its main mission is to put a chess set in every home.
Store history
Chess House was founded in 1972 around the time of the world chess championship match between Bobby Fisher and Boris Spassky by Jack Winters who was once the strongest chess player in the USCF in the state of Missouri and a passionate chess enthusiast who even played against world chess champion Bobby Fisher and secured a draw. Jack Winters was the owner of Chess House for seven years until 1979 when he sold the business to Don Oswald. Don Oswald was the owner of Chess House from 1979 up until his untimely death in 1994 and during his time running Chess House, he managed to expand the company’s subscriber list from 1000 to 8000. Under Don Oswald’s leadership Chess House grew massively in worldwide recognition as a mail order chess company. Don Oswald was highly influential in the chess community, he was a member of the US chess federation, he served as a senior affiliate tournament director for many years and was widely known in the chess community for directing numerous chess tournaments as well as for teaching and instructing chess to a multitude of people during his illustrious career. Raphael and Elliot Neff bought Chess House from Don Oswald in 1994 as teenagers and are the current owners who have taken the company to unprecedented heights. Raphael and Elliot Neff’s passion for chess was ignited in their youth when their father bought them their first wooden chess set which also sparked their entrepreneurial drive as they began buying chess books from Chess House to sell to their friends in order to fund their chess education. Over the years the brothers book selling hobby grew as well as their client base and their proficiency in chess which they utilised to compete in chess tournaments many of which they won. Using the proceeds from their tournament winnings the brothers bought Chess House from Don Oswald in 1994 and have since been on a mission to bring chess to every home.
Product selection and quality
Chess House has a wide range of high-quality chess products and services to match the needs of chess players of all ages and levels of experience which are all unique and vetted to ensure that they meet the high standards that Chess House demands. The chess products that are available at Chess House includes chess sets, personalised chess sets, popular board games, toys and puzzles, giant chess sets, chess pieces, chess boards, chess tables, chess books, chess software, chess clocks and chess timers, chess bags, chess cases, chess set storage boxes, chess movies, chess movies and training DVD’s, chess scoresheets and chess scorebooks, chess stationary, chess awards, chess apparel and digital gift cards.
Chess sets available at Chess House:
Wooden chess sets, travel chess sets, electronic chess sets, club chess sets, chess set combos, chess sets with storage, giant chess sets, pocket chess sets, heirloom collection chess sets, theme chess sets, tournament chess sets, unique chess sets, modern chess sets, and marble chess sets.
Chess pieces available at Chess House:
Club and tournament chess pieces, wooden chess pieces, plastic chess pieces, unique chess pieces, themed chess pieces, luxury chess pieces, silicone chess pieces, stone chess pieces, metal chess pieces, chess pieces with box, and single and replacement chess pieces.
Chess boards available at Chess House:
Club style chess boards, JLP chess boards, hardwood chess boards, wooden chess boards, storage chess boards, foldable chess boards, live edge hardwood chess boards, chess board tables, specialty chess boards, personalised chess boards, electronic chess boards, and chess board bags.
Chess accessories available at Chess House:
Chess scoresheets, chess stationary, chess medals, chess pins, chess stickers, chess wristbands, chess keychains, chess erasers, chess bags and chess cases, chess clocks and chess timers, chess set storage boxes, chess hats, chess opening memory card games, chess journals, chess leather patches, toys and puzzles, and board games.
Chess learning resources available at Chess House:
Chess workbooks, chess books, chess DVD’s, chess movies, and chess software.
Digital gift cards available at Chess House:
Chess House offers digital gift cards valued at 5 dollars, 10 dollars, 25 dollars, 50 dollars, 100 dollars, 300 dollars and 500 dollars that can be bought for friends and family and sent anywhere in the world via email for occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, weddings or any other celebratory event. Digital gift cards are a great way surprise friends and family with presents when you’re unsure about what they really want.
Chess House customer service and customer experience
The Chess House customer service team are extremely helpful and friendly and can be contacted by phone, email, and mail, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (pacific time). Customers can also contact the Chess House customer service team by clicking on their phone number located at the top right of the website and by leaving a message on the response form located at the bottom of their Contact Us page. The Chess House customer service team are also happy to help customers with any issues they may have such as product questions, assisting with returns and exchanges, assisting with website navigation issues and any other problems customers may have. Customers can also speak to a member of the Chess House customer service team by utilising the live chat feature and clicking on the blue icon located at the bottom right of the website. You can find all their contact information by clicking on the Contact Us link which is located at the footer menu at the bottom of their website. Chess House has helped over 250,000 customers find their ideal chess set and has an outstanding reputation for providing excellent customer service and over 20,000 customers have left positive reviews online about their experience shopping with the House of Staunton.
Ther overwhelming majority of reviews left by customers regarding their experience shopping with Chess House are positive which further corroborates Chess House’s reputation for being a company that supplies high quality chess products and provides an outstanding customer service. There are, however, a few negative reviews that have been left by customers expressing their disappointment with the customer service they have received whilst shopping with Chess House. Some of the main issues customers have had whilst shopping with Chess House according to the negative reviews which can be found online on sites such as Shopperapproved.com are related to customers receiving their chess sets in poor condition, inconsistencies with the products customers have ordered and what they received, a lack of payment options, customers claiming they were charged but their orders were not received, customers receiving their orders late, and glitches that have occurred during transactions which either resulted in customers being charged extra or not being able to utilise discount codes. In general, however, most of the customers that have shopped with Chess House have been extremely satisfied with both the quality and condition that their orders have arrived in, and the standard of customer service provided by Chess House according to the positive reviews on Shopperapproved.com.
Trustworthiness and reputation
Chess House ranks very highly in the scale of trustworthiness which can be verified by observing the opinions of many of their customers who have left positive reviews online about their experience after shopping with them. One of the factors that contributes to Chess House’s elevated level of trustworthiness is their strict product vetting system which they adhere to when choosing which products to add to their store. Chess House’s mission to bring chess to every home is fuelled by their passion for chess, their desire to increase the intelligence of society and their desire to promote meaningful social interactions. Chess House has an excellent reputation for producing and supplying the highest quality chess products and chess training resources as well as an excellent reputation for providing an excellent customer service and supporting the promotion of chess. Chess House demonstrates their passion for promoting chess to children by endorsing learning programs such as Chess4Life and the Robert Katende initiative which both specialise in teaching chess to children in order to foster intellectual growth and the development of essential life skills. The Chess House website is extremely intuitive and secure as product categories are clear and visible at the top of the website and vital information such as frequently asked questions, privacy policies and return policies can be found easily by scrolling down to the footer section of their website and clicking on the quick answers link which enables customers to gain access to all the information that’s necessary to make well informed purchases. The Chess House website is also secured with SSL/TSL encryption which protects customers sensitive information.
Pricing and affordability
The chess products and services that are available at Chess House are priced so that chess players and chess enthusiasts can find the chess products they need that also matches their style and budget. The chess sets at Chess House are priced as low as 8.40 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 2,500 dollars. The chess boards at Chess House are priced as low as 4 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 715 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess tables at Chess House are priced as low as 225 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 2,900 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess piece sets at Chess House are priced as low as 6 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 1,500 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum, Chess House also offers individual and bulk individual chess pieces that are priced as low as 0.05 dollars for individual chess pieces and 0.35 dollars for bulk individual chess pieces on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 35 dollars for individual chess pieces on the higher end of the spectrum. The price of chess training resources at Chess House are priced as low as 5.98 dollars on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 499 dollars on the higher end of the spectrum. The pricing of chess products will vary depending on the level of craftmanship and the materials used to construct the chess products. Customers can save money on chess products from Chess House by taking advantage of clearance sales and open box offers, and by utilising any one of the five Chess House coupons which enables customers to save a minimum of 5 dollars on items priced at 25 dollars and over and a maximum of 125 dollars on items priced at 750 dollars and over. Customers can also earn money with Chess House by partaking in their 30 Club Rewards program and referring Chess House to friends and family and receive a 5% commission on each referral as well as free gifts when specific milestones are reached. Chess House caters to chess players of all ages and levels of experience, whether you are a casual chess player, a professional chess player, a chess collector, or a chess enthusiast, you will be able to find the chess products you need at Chess House.
Available Payment methods
Chess House accepts payments in numerous forms which includes Amazon Pay, American Express, Apple Pay, Diner’s Club, Discover, Google pay, Mastercard, Shop Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Visa Checks and Money Orders, and Cryptocurrencies.
Shipping, cancellations, returns, exchanges, and delivery performance
Chess House ships nationally to all states in the United States and internationally to over 130 countries around the world. International orders will be shipped via trackable methods using couriers such as FedEx International Economy and FedEx International Priority, Post Office Priority, and Freight Forwarding and will be subject to higher shipping costs which are the customers responsibility due to the additional freight and customs duties fees that are required to facilitate international deliveries. Orders that are placed are typically shipped the next day excluding orders that are placed on the weekend however, orders may also be delayed in instances where items are temporarily out of stock, where items need to be shipped from multiple warehouses, to prevent fraud, or to clarify any issues that would otherwise result in orders being reshipped or returned. Customer orders are thoroughly protected from damages as all products are carefully packaged in protective packaging and are insured against damage and losses. Chess House offers customers a 90-day return window in which customers have 90 days from the time of purchase to initiate a return in exchange for a refund or store credit, which can be used to exchange an item of equal value, if they are unsatisfied with their order however shipping charges will be the customers responsibility and will not be refunded. Customers of Chess House are not required to pay a restocking fee when initiating returns however all products that are returned must be packaged safely and returned in like-new condition otherwise additional fees may be charged. Chess House takes a serious approach to handling issues with customer orders and they aim to solve any problems that customer may have with their orders thoroughly and promptly, customers are advised to take photos of any damaged, missing, or defected products and save the original packing material in order to ease the resolution process. Customers that qualify for a refund should expect their refund to process within a few days and credited to their original payment method.
Website navigation and mobile friendliness
The Chess House website is extremely easy to navigate, intuitive and mobile friendly. Product categories on the Chess House website are easily identifiable and all products within a category will be displayed when users hover over the hamburger menu associated with each category with their cursor. Customers can find specific products by using the search box which is located at the top of the website and additional information such as the contact page, the about us page, the quick answers page, the Chess House warehouse address, the Chess House business number and more can be found in the footer menu which is located at the bottom of the website. Chess House also has a live chat feature that can be accessed by clicking on the blue icon on the bottom right corner of the website which enables customers to speak with the customer service team directly for any issues they may have that will require human assistance. The Chess House website is simple to use on all devices as navigating the Chess House website is as easy to navigate on mobile devices and tablets as it is on desktop computers. Chess House removes any uncertainties customers might have when deciding which products to purchase by ensuring that their product images are extremely clear and vivid and by providing comprehensive product descriptions so that customers are well informed before proceeding with any transactions. Chess House customers are sufficiently protected from any malicious activity whilst browsing and making transactions on the Chess House website as the Chess House website is secured via the TSL/SSL protocol which encrypts all passwords and credit card numbers that are used on the site. Overall, Chess House provides a website that is thoughtfully designed with the customers convenience in mind and sufficiently stocked with a wide range of high-quality, and competitively priced chess products and services.
Chess House strengths and weaknesses
Chess House is a world class online chess store with an excellent reputation for supplying high quality chess products and services and for delivering an outstanding level of customer service however there are some aspects of the store that could be improved. Chess House’s main strengths according to the positive reviews that have been left by customers online on sites such as Shopperapproved.com are their catalogue of high-quality chess sets which many customers seem to be extremely impressed by, their outstanding customer service skills and their willingness to ensure all their customers are satisfied, and their considerate pricing of products which many customers appreciate as other online chess stores are much more expensive in comparison. Chess House’s main weaknesses according to the negative reviews that have been left online by customers on sites such as Shopperapproved.com and from personal observation are their lack of payment options, customers not receiving their orders or receiving the wrong order, their inability to deliver on their claims stated in their advertising messages, products arriving in poor condition, glitches that occur during transactions which can cause additional charges, late deliveries, difficulties applying discount codes, and their sparse list of chess sets compared to other online chess stores. Chess House is one of the most trustworthy and reputable online chess stores which most of their customers can verify as their positive reviews significantly outnumber their negative reviews as most customers are typically impressed by Chess House’s products, services and customer service.
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.
