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.
Hoyle’s of Oxford is a family run traditional games store that’s based in the UK with both a physical and online presence. Hoyle’s of Oxford was founded in 1975 by the Scaysbrook family and began as a retailer of ornamental chess sets however, in addition to chess sets they now specialise supplying other traditional games such as Go, backgammon, dominoes, dice, marbles, mahjong, cards and casinos, timers and clocks, outdoor games, playing cards, puzzles and more. Hoyle’s of Oxford is one of the most popular online chess stores in the UK as well as around the world and a pioneer of the online chess industry that has served the chess community in the UK for over 45 years. Hoyle’s of Oxford is well known for their extensive catalogue of high-quality indoor and outdoor game products and for delivering an excellent level of customer service. The products at Hoyle’s of Oxford cater to the tastes and budgets of game enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels and the Hoyle’s of Oxford team take pride in their ethical approach to business and strive to do right by their team, customers, local community, and their environment. Although Hoyle’s of Oxford has a wide range of products in their online store there are still many products that can only be found by visiting their physical store in Oxford and customers are also encouraged to visit the store to challenge them to any traditional game.
Store history
Hoyle’s of Oxford is an independent family run game store with a physical and online presence that was founded in 1975 by the Scaysbrook family. Hoyle’s of Oxford started as suppliers of ornamental chess sets when they were first introduced into the UK and later pivoted to supply Staunton chess sets as well as other popular modern and traditional games such as Go, backgammon, dominoes, dice, marbles, mahjong, cards and casino equipment, croquet, Kubb, bowling sets, tumble tower, rounders, ring toss, boules, table tennis, classic family board games, role playing games, trading card games, playing card games, small box games, co-operative games, party games, word play games, escape and mystery games, puzzle games, children’s board games, children’s card games, children’s co-operative games, children’s toys, children’s educational games, vintage games, and gift supplies. Hoyle’s of Oxford has been an integral part of the Oxford community since 1997 due to their ethical and personal approach to interacting with their team, customers, local community, and the environment. The Hoyle’s of Oxford name comes from an eighteenth-century English writer, Edmond Hoyle, who is known for his writings on the rules and variations of card games, chess, and backgammon. Edmond Hoyle’s most famous book, “Hoyle’s Rules of Games,” has been in print since 1760 and can still bought at Hoyle’s of Oxford to this day.
Product selection and quality
Hoyle’s of Oxford has an extensive catalogue of high-quality chess products as well as traditional and modern games that caters to the tastes and budgets of both chess players and game enthusiasts of all ages. The products that are available at Hoyles of Oxford include chess sets, chess boards, chess pieces, chess books, chess boxes, chess clocks, chess computers, Go sets and accessories, backgammon sets and accessories, dominoes, dice sets and accessories, marbles, mahjong, cards and casino accessories, classic family board games, trading cards, playing cards, puzzles, childrens games and educational games, vintage games, and gift supplies.
Chess sets available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Three player chess sets, tutorial folding chess sets, book style chess sets, chess and draughts sets with drawers, DGT starter kits, official world chess championship chess sets, tournament folding chess sets, tutorial wooden chess sets, portable electronic chess sets, travel chess sets, and roll up chess sets.
Chess boards available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Black tulip and root wood chess boards, acacia and maple chess boards, sheesham and maple chess boards, ash and erable chess boards, roll up vinyl chess boards, black and cream faux leather chess boards, ebony and maple chess boards, black tulip and erable chess boards, wenge and sycamore chess boards, padauk and maple chess boards, walnut and maple chess boards, walnut and sycamore chess boards, mahogany and sycamore chess boards, teak and sycamore chess boards, and plastic foldable chess boards.
Chess pieces available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Staunton chess pieces and ornamental chess pieces.
Chess books available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Beginners chess books, chess move explanation books, grandmaster lessons books, chess puzzles books, chess history books, chess books for children, and chess openings books.
Chess boxes available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
sapele veneer chess boxes, sheesham chess boxes, beechwood chess boxes, and walnut chess boxes.
Chess clocks available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Analogue chess clocks, DGT chess clocks, mechanical wooden chess clocks, and mechanical plastic chess clocks.
Chess computers available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
DGT Centaur digital chess computers and DGT Pegasus digital chess computers.
Go sets and accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Beginners Go sets, Go boards, double sided Go boards, folding Go boards, folding magnetic Go boards and stones, vinyl roll up Go boards, plastic Go boards, Go stone bowls, hand woven Go stone bowls, bamboo Go stone bowls, Go stone cotton bags, Go bowl boxes, Go stones, beginners Go books, Go strategy books, Go opening books, Go endgame books, Go philosophy books, Go puzzle books, Go proverbs books, and famous Go games books.
Backgammon sets and accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Folding wooden backgammon sets, folding leather backgammon sets, slim folding backgammon sets, tournament backgammon sets, combination backgammon and chess sets, roll up backgammon sets, competition backgammon sets, wooden backgammon counters, acrylic backgammon counters, faux leather backgammon dice shakers, learning backgammon books, and backgammon for dummies books.
Dominoes sets available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
6 by 6 wooden dominoes, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes with no spinner, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes with spinners, 6 by 6 coloured dots dominoes with spinners, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes with vinyl case, 12 by 12 acrylic dominoes with spinners and vinyl case, 6 by 6 sheesham and brass decorative dominoes, 6 by 6 wooden dominoes with wooden glass window case, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes with faux leather case, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes with spinners and wooden case, 9 by 9 acrylic dominoes with spinners and wooden case, and Astuccio double nine dominoes.
Dice sets and accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
standard dice, twenty sided dice, twelve sided dice, DnD multi-sided dice sets, square cornered dice, eight sided dice, ten sided dice, four sided dice, D20 jumbo dice, thirty sided dice, 22mm white dice, ten sided percentage dice, large wooden dice, roman numeral dice, standard wooden dice, multi-sided diddly dice sets, bone dice, diddly dice, compass dice, music symbol dice, BODMAS mathematical operations dice, three sided dice, yahtzee dice sets, small dice, doubling dice, alien dice, Perudo, poker dice gift set with leather case, one hundred sided dice, multi-sided inclusion dice sets, gigantic wooden dice, sixty sided dice, skew dice, single tally mark dice, ankh dice, gear dice sets, rounded corner dice, one hundred and twenty sided dice, multi-sided metal DnD dice sets, multi-sided jumbo dice sets, soccer dice gift set with leather case, skull dice, multi-sided cheese dice sets, tennis dice gift set with leather case, turtle dice sets, snooker dice gift set with leather case, tortoise dice sets, pink elephant dice sets, moose dice sets, teddy bear dice sets, cricket dice gift set with leather case, golf dice gift set with leather case, leather dice shakers, faux leather dice shakers, premium dice cup sets, and plastic dice cups.
Marbles available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Medium 22-25mm marbles, medium 22-25mm handmade marbles, small 16mm handmade marbles, 16mm glow in the dark marbles, crystal world map marbles, 35mm large marbles, 20mm handmade eyeball marbles, 50mm ginormous marbles, 42mm giant marbles, marble bundles, marble games, pocketbook of marbles, 16mm small steel marbles, and 1850’s Victorian clay marbles.
Mahjong sets and accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Acrylic tiles mahjong set with faux leather travel case, acrylic tiles mahjong set with varnished wooden case, acrylic tiles mahjong set with walnut case, acrylic tiles mahjong set with dragon motif wooden case, acrylic tiles with racks mahjong sets, wooden tiles mahjong set with wooden case, acrylic tiles mahjong set with vinyl case, five drawer mahjong case, animal mahjong sets, beechwood mahjong racks, acrylic mahjong tallies, play and win mahjong handbook, and know the game mahjong booklets.
Cards and casino accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Tin poker sets, travel poker sets, dead man’s hand poker sets, aluminium case poker sets, aspen poker sets, classic piatnik poker sets, white suited poker chips, blue suited poker chips, green suited poker chips, black suited poker chips, yellow suited poker chips, burgundy suited poker chips, casino night sets, classic piatnik poker cards, burr wood roulette sets, roulette mats, baccarat baize layouts, premium briar wood card shoe with blackjack playing cards, automatic card shufflers, silver aluminium poker chip case, torcello playing cards, leather playing card case with notepad, faux leather card box with twin deck of playing cards and poker dice, poker dice gift set with leather case, Hoyle’s encyclopedia of card games, and poker for dummies books.
Classic family games available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Monopoly classic, monopoly oxford edition, London underground monopoly, anti-monopoly, monopoly mega edition, monopoly builder, anti-monopoly tin, monopoly grab and go, monopoly deal card game, hotel board game, game of life, Cluedo, Cluedo grab and go, Cluedo junior, scrabble original, travel scrabble, Rummikub classic, Othello, risk, civilization, Stratego, diplomacy, escape from Colditz, catan, 5-6 player catan, Carcassonne, labyrinth, Scotland yard, trivial pursuit, where is moldova, articulate, articulate mini, sequence, qwirkle, brain master, perudo, yahtzee, pass the pigs, boggle, jenga, mousetrap, operation, twister, frustration, connect 4, connect 4 grab and go, hungry hippos, battleship, travel battleship grab and go, sea battle, guess who, guess who grab and go, great game of Britain travel, four in a row wooden game, Uno card game, Uno flip, Uno show ‘em no mercy, we are family – happy families reinvented, azul, azul mini, woodland snap card game, jaques original happy families card game, and linkee 3rd edition.
Trading cards available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Magic trading cards, pokemon trading cards, yu-gi-oh trading cards, and disney lorcana TCG trading cards.
Playing cards available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Bicycle playing cards, oxford playing cards, harry potter playing cards, ocean plastic playing cards, Star Wars playing cards, James bond playing cards, classic canasta playing cards, the Beatles playing cards, frank lloyd wright playing cards, avengers playing cards, william morris playing cards, the art of alice playing cards, spider man playing cards, shakespeare playing cards, inspirational women playing cards, jane austen playing cards, classic bridge playing cards, garden birds playing cards, nasa space playing cards, cotswolds playing cards, grateful dead playing cards, sherlock holmes playing cards, classic cars playing cards, cribbage with playing cards, high victorian red playing cards, french lingo playing cards, whisky poker whisky lovers playing cards, italian lingo playing cards, the met x lingo playing cards, birds playing cards, spanish lingo playing cards, frieda kahlo playing cards, copag playing cards, british slang lingo playing cards, stranger things playing cards, moon playing cards, italian naples regional playing cards, russian lingo playing cards, german lingo playing cards, alice in wonderland playing cards, classic piatnik poker playing cards, lord of the rings playing cards, mushrooms playing cards, japanese lingo playing cards, piatnik opti bridge playing cards, elvis playing cards, mandarin lingo playing cards, black panther playing cards, tattoo playing cards, gin rummy playing cards, prosecco playing cards, the woman’s hour playing cards, ducale 54 cartes de luxe playing cards, torcello playing cards, drag queens playing cards, classic piatnik bridge set, red playing cards, herbs playing cards, purple monarch playing cards, mars playing cards, italian regional piacentine playing cards, let the good time be gin playing cards, banksy playing cards, classic piatnik rummy set, hudson playing cards, voyager playing cards, the met x lingo arts of asia playing cards, swedish lingo playing cards, greek lingo playing cards, 48 cartes espagnoles playing cards, gold playing cards, the met x lingo portraits playing cards, doppelkopf playing cards, rolling stones playing cards, a big deal playing cards, italian regional piemontesi playing cards, japanese lingo playing cards in tin, ocean playing cards, italian regional trevisane playing cards, hebrew lingo playing cards, 48 catalanes playing cards, austrian regional salzburger playing cards, latin lingo playing cards, jonathon adler versailles playing cards, italian regional triestine playing cards, italian regional romagnole playing cards, italian regional trentine playing cards, star trek playing cards, the met x lingo botanicals playing cards, skat playing cards, italian regional bergamasche playing cards, italian reional bolognese playing cards, football legends playing cards, drink mat playing cards, italian regional sarde playing cards, italian regional milanesi playing cards, batman playing cards, arabic lingo playing cards, italian regional abruzzesi playing cards, the met x lingo met icons playing cards, van gogh playing cards, monet lillies playing cards, italian bresciane playing cards, bezique playing cards, the met x lingo sculptures playing cards, italian regional toscane playing cards, italian regional genovesi playing cards, monet playing cards, belote playing cards, italian regional tarocco playing cards, the met x lingo masks playing cards, the met x lingo animals playing cards, italian regional venete playing cards, seashore life playing cards, pirates playing cards, mandalorian playing cards, nautical flags playing cards, italian tipo bologna playing cards, inspiration women of influence playing cards, and the joy of wine playing cards.
Puzzles and accessories available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Jigsaw puzzles, mechanical puzzles, brain teaser puzzles, rubik’s cubes and speed cubes, and puzzle books.
Children’s games and children’s educational games available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Kaleidoscopes, wooden magnetic fishing games, we’re going on a bear hunt board game, dino dump, the muddles, shopping list, smelly wellies, insey winsey spider, farmyard heads and tails, jungle snakes and ladders, wooden stacking game, pigs in pants, frustration, tummy ache, shopping lists extras clothes, farmyard, operation, hungry hippos, jungle heads and tails, dinosaur dominoes mini game, animal match mini game, llamas in pyjamas mini game, match and count, alphabet match, wooden yoyos, what a performance, crazy chefs, cheeky monkeys, big alphabet jigsaw, first 100 animals card game, first 100 animals matching card game, rush to recycle game, penguin pairs mini game, penalty shoot-out mini game, first jungle friend, big wheels, big red bus jigsaw, what’s the time mr wolf, pizza pizza, one dog ten frogs, flashcards, counting caterpillars, catch and count, world map and poster, where’s my cupcake, three little pigs, shopping lists extras fruit and veg, pop to the shops, match and spell, lunch box game, the game of ladybirds, giant road jigsaw, farmyard dominoes, bus stop, big number jigsaws, labyrinth, jacobs ladder, chess opening for kids, how to beat your dad at chess, kid’s french magneti poetry, kid’s genius magnetic poetry, kid’s spanish magnetic poetry, first words magnetic poetry, kid’s chinese magnetic poetry, kid’s story maker magnetic poetry, opposites, guess who, guess who grab and go, catan junior, ticket to ride first ride to Europe, go fish, hungry hippos grab and go, chess endgame workbooks for kids, labyrinth ball bearing puzzle tubes, david williams word games, david williams mental maths games, horrible histories battle card games, roald dahl spelling games, roald dahl maths games, grasshopper magnifying glass, bee magnifying glass, ladybird magnifying glass, octopus magnifying glass, chameleon magnifying glass, owl magnifying glass, sea battle, four in a row wooden game, jacks, pick up sticks, 20mm handmade marble eyeballs, 50mm ginormous marbles, crystal world map marbles, unstable unicorns for kids, whot!, sleeping queens, chess tactics for kids, wooden cup and ball, alice in wonderland ludo, my first carcassonne, abc123 magnetic poetry, zombie kidz evolution, ocean memory game, evolutionary curiosities, dobble classic, roads connecting game, roll ‘a’ saurus, outfoxed, dream a tree connecting game, fish spinning top, tyrannosaurus rex, rainbow unicorns, dinosaur opposites, magic maths, dino-snore-Us, cluedo junior, mobi kids mathematics tile game, jigraphy flags jigsaw puzzles, french skipping sets, wild wonders balancing games, set of 3 mini juggling balls, sleeping queens 2, history heroes card games, dobble kids, nature trail memory games, grow up, burger balance, rhino hero, rhino hero superbattle, monza, dragons breath, cloaked cats, first orchard, animal upon animal, dinkee linkee for kids, alice in wonderland card game, dynacube, cat’s cradle, pick a pig, disney trivia, jigmap world map jigsaw puzzle, snail sprint, mini butterfly kite, 16mm glow in the dark marbles, bookworm, marble games, we are family – happy families reinvented, the space station – children’s escape room, ocean life floor jigsaw puzzle, chess puzzles for kids, dino dash jigsaw, my feelings bingo, monster maths, my first bananagrams, bird bingo, bug bingo, wooden marble run, escape from aquarium, my junior rpg, the explorer children’s escape room, forest skittles, animal ring toss, travel ludo game in a tin, exit: kids-jungle of riddles, dobble 123, flipside labyrinth puzzle, honeycombs, my lil’ everdell, chess for children, 22-25mm handmade medium marbles, 16mm small handmade marbles, 22-25mm medium marbles, 16mm small steel marbles, alice in wonderland flamingo croquet, matilda and her little friend, unstable unicorns, cards against humanity family edition, tree bingo, dinosaur bingo, deep sea discovery, the elements a quiz deck, woodland snap card game, jaques original happy families card games, stomp the plank, snakes and ladders games, draughts game, ludo game, pinguflip, articulate for kids mini, the happy heads card game, magnetic travel chess, magnetic travel sea battle, magnetic travel snakes and ladders, tarot for all ages, star wars trivia, little word whizz: tell an interesting story, peacock kaleidoscope, pocket book of marbles, wooden snakes and ladders, wooden ludo, woodland happy families card game, story time chess, hurry up chicken butt, the zoo children’s escape room, rhino hero junior, spotty sausage dogs, enchanted forest, arithmanix, boggle, 6 by 6 acrylic dominoes no spinner, large wooden dice, 42mm giant marbles, marble bundles, giant wooden dice, octopus kite, multi-sided jumbo dice sets, magnetic travel ludo, taco kitten pizza, i saw it first ocean, trash pandas, duncan butterfly yoyos, duncan imperial yoyos, 35mm large marbles, travel battleship grab and go, battleship, indiana jones throw me the idol, tiddlywinks, kingdomino, carbon city zero, piggy piggy, jumanji, dobble anarchy pancakes, zingy springy, mini zingy springy, cluedo grab and go, monopoly grab and go, i saw it first jungle, wooden crazy golf set, let’s go fishing magnetic game, i saw it first danger, poorly explained movies game, telling the time floor jigsaw puzzle, may contain butts, queen of farts, block happy, and bird families a high flying card game.
Vintage games available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Old maid card game, jingo puzzle, sooty’s magic card game, pantomime snap, peter and pirates card game, alice in wonderland card game, st george style chess set, what next?, sorry!, chinese chequers, antique draughts/cribbage board, travel draughts/checkers board, poker chips by seaforth plastics, bridge set by seaforth plastics, miniature magnetic chess set, the rose chess set, franklyn’s novel patience game, will’s woodbine cricket game, art deco playing card case with spade trump, brass trump markers, physogs, campaign, tri tactics second edition, risk!, the great race game totopoly, antique roll up chess board, corinthian bagatelle, pac man, careers board game, the concorde game, circus donkey card game, famous five card game, round Britain the road safety card game, the secret seven card game, the golden egg card game, just william card game, muffin the mule card game, tidleywinks, bezique set, spellicans, webster’s yorkshire bitter bar cricket game, real canasta cards, 64 milestones the game of life, travel roulette deluxe, menuette, who goes there?, book of lexicon card games, U-boat, diplomacy bilingual edition, scrabble J.W Spears and sons, travel scrabble, buccaneer first edition, treasure quest, lion brand playing cards, the counties of England fourth series, new bond playing cards, totopoly, totalistar greyhound racing game, imperial black and white dominoes, monopoly spares title deeds, autobridge, grand prix merry go round race game, ebony and boxwood backgammon stones, folding tunbridge ware cribbage board, three handed mahogany cribbage board, American import mahjong, hand painted mandarin chess set, leather cased 5 drawer mahjong, yew wood dice shaker, escalado, the escalado speed boat race, five-a-side football, buccaneer second edition, small double nine dominoes, ww1 gun stock cribbage board, bakelite trump indicator, manifesto, free parking, the new table game of ping pong, what am i bid?, japanese lacquered cribbage board, the juggle puzzle, minoru, blow football, noddy’s ring game, ring em!, wembley, wheeling: a game for cyclists, lotto, the chad valley mini croquet set, fish pond, artillery bank coin box, the magnetic fish pond, the physog family, spiral way, chop sticks, going! Going! Gone auctioneer, the black cat fortune telling game, the new game auctioneer, the mickey mouse quoit game, password eleventh edition, the driver, guiding card game, cluedo, mickey and the bean stalk, rook card game, tiddley winks, oscar, g.h.q the waddington war game, the national gallery card game, counties of England second series, lobo card game, formula 1, thunderbird, lott’s bricks, dover patrol, doctor who, snakes and ladders with shaker, stumpz, leather folding chess board, silver trump marker, folding inlaid mahogany cribbage board, folksy chess/draughts/backgammon board, militaire card game, rush hour card game, international football whist, chavet Staunton chess set, 5 drawer mahogany mahjong case, pottery Staunton chess set, chad valley GWR interlocking wooden jigsaw, horse racing tonight, lunar rocket, the James Bond 007 secret service game, touring England board game, victorian clay marbles, large double nine dominoes, monopoly, jaques of London Staunton reproduction chess set, secret agent card game, compendium of games, brass trump markers, pepys astronaut card game, spinning top stand and set of five, bone and ebony double six dominoes, guiness chess advertising rooks, Staunton style red and white chess pieces in bone, ace of spades cribbage board, z cars board game, old maid card game, oil the great adventure board game, moon probe, everest, satellite shoot, bingo game merit, dan dare card game, round Europe card game, hand painted cup and ball, put’n’take, silver spinning top, speed by pepys card game, gift card game, the game of nations, mine a million game, and they’re off, bakari, jack and the beanstalk game, nile, careers board game, the handicap race game, everyman to his station, yellow pondsnag puzzle, green pondsnag puzzle, baccalite the electric roulette game, flip football, pair of red leather dice shaker, aviation board game, campaign waddington’s, beat your neighbours playing cards, perishers card game, magnetic monopoly, travel go, blast off waddington’s, sportac, new money snap, monopoly note holders pre war, japanese oyama goma spinnging top, nancy b frank wooden spinning top, woodland snap pepys card game, waddington’s spelling bee card game, famous five pepys card game, snap cow and gate smiler card game, snap card game, puzzling pastimes all at sea del gardo card game, pooltella waddington’s card game, petits metamorphoses puzzle card game, peter and the wolf walt disney pepys card game, lincard card game, kan-u-go card game, jack of all trades card game, holiday snap card game, gambo! 500 counters, flight card game, express first class card game, davey crockett pepys card game, cinderella walt disney card game, kargo golf card game, calypso: a novel new card game by de la rue, animal noises card game, addem card game mansell’s, victory world map wooden jigsaw puzzle, chelsea flower show game, carved wooden spinning top, magic disappearing dice boxes, a new game of the history of England, escalado spare horse, and flotilla.
Gift supplies available at Hoyle’s of Oxford:
Greeting cards, wrapping paper, and gift bags.
Hoyle’s of Oxford customer service and customer experience
The Hoyle’s of Oxford customer service team can be reached by phone, WhatsApp, email or mail, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm and Sundays 11.30am to 6pm. The Hoyle’s of Oxford customer service team are happy to help with any issues or questions customers may have such as product related questions, assisting with returns and exchanges, assisting with website navigation issues or any other issues that customers may have. Hoyle’s of Oxford’s contact information can be found at the bottom of their website. There are a small number of reviews online that have been left by customers of Hoyle’s of Oxford however all of the reviews that customers have left online on sites such as trustpilot.com, tripadvisor.co.uk, and yelp.com are positive. The customers that have left positive reviews online regarding their experience shopping with Hoyle’s of Oxford were pleased with Hoyle’s of Oxfords fast dispatch time, their extensive range of products, their secure packaging, the helpfulness of their customer service team and their professionalism in handling customers issues, their attention to detail and their personalised approach when interacting with customers. Hoyle’s of Oxford prioritises delivering an excellent standard of customer service to both online and offline customers and welcomes visitors to their physical shop whether they are just passing by to have a look or are looking to spend the day at the shop to challenge them to any of their traditional games.
Trustworthiness and reputation
Hoyle’s of Oxford is a pioneer of the UK chess industry that’s served the chess community in the UK for over 45 years and the online chess community for over 5 years. Hoyle’s of Oxford ranks highly in the scale of trustworthiness which is a sentiment that many customers of Hoyle’s of Oxford also hold according to the positive reviews that they have left online on sites such as trustpilot.com, tripadvisor.co.uk, and yelp.com. Hoyle’s of Oxford prioritises delivering an excellent standard of customer service and supplying high quality products which have enabled them to achieve a high number of positive reviews relative to negative reviews. The customers of Hoyle’s of Oxford that have left positive reviews online have expressed their satisfaction with Hoyle’s of Oxford’s fast dispatch times, their extensive range of products, their secure packaging, the helpfulness of their customer service team, their professionalism when handling replacements, and their personalised approach to interacting with customers. Hoyle’s of Oxford has been an integral part of the Oxford community since 1997 and are one of the most popular online chess stores in the UK with a reputation for taking a personalised approach to serving their customers and for supplying nostalgic products.
Pricing and affordability
Hoyle’s of Oxford has a wide range of high quality, nostalgic and competitively priced products that cater to the tastes of game enthusiasts of all ages. The chess sets that are available at Hoyles of Oxford are priced as low as 17.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 180 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess boards are priced as low as 7.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 139.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess pieces are priced as low as 5.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 595 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess books are priced as low as 4.99 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 19.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess boxes are priced as low as 16.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 44.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess clocks are priced as low as 24.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 89.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess computers are priced as low as 249 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 299 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The Go sets and accessories are priced as low as 4.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 395 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The backgammon sets and accessories are priced as low as 6.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 359 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The dominoes sets are priced as low as 5.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 119 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The dice sets and accessories are priced as low as 10 pence on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 22.50 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The marbles are priced as low as 25 pence on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 5.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The mahjong sets and accessories are priced as low as 8.99 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 299 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The cards and casino sets are priced as low as 3.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 249 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The classic family games are priced as low as 5.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 67.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The trading cards are priced as low as 3.75 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 27.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The playing cards are priced as low as 2.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 29.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The puzzles and accessories are priced as low as 2.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 79.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The children’s games and children’s education games are priced as low as 25 pence on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 59.95 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The vintage games are priced as low as 2.95 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 985 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. And lastly the gift supplies are priced as low as 1 pound on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 10 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum.
Available Payment methods
Hoyle’s of Oxford accepts multiple payment methods which includes American Express, Apple Pay, Diners Club, Discover, Google Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, PayPal, Shop Pay, Union Pay, and Visa.
Shipping, cancellations, returns, exchanges, and delivery performance
Hoyle’s of Oxford ships both nationally and internationally and has same day free local collection options for customers that live within the UK. Uk customers that choose to collect their orders from the Hoyle’s of Oxford store will receive an email notification when their orders are ready for collection and they must provide their name and order number in order to receive their items. Uk customers can choose between standard UK delivery which costs £4.95 and next day UK delivery which costs £9.95, Uk customers that choose standard UK delivery can expect their orders to arrive in up to four working days via Royal Mail and UK customers that choose next day UK delivery can expect their orders to arrive the next working day if their orders are placed by midday, Hoyle’s of Oxford cannot guarantee that orders placed after midday will be delivered on the next working day but they will try. Orders within the Uk which have a destination postcode of OX1, OX2, OX3, or OX4 can expect their orders to arrive within 0 – 2 working days via Velocity Cycle couriers. Orders that are placed on weekends and bank holidays will not be dispatched until the next available working day. Deliveries to Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands are not eligible for the same standard UK delivery and next day UK delivery rates, standard delivery to these locations will cost £19.95 and next day delivery will not be available. Deliveries to the Channel Islands will cost £14.95 and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro Economy. Deliveries to the republic of Ireland will cost £19.95 and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro Economy, custom duties fees are not included. Deliveries to European union mainland will cost £19.95 and will be shipped via Parcelfore Euro priority, custom duties fees included. Deliveries to Finland will cost £15.20 and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro priority, custom duties fees included. Deliveries to Sweden will cost £14.95 and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro priority, custom duties fees included. Deliveries to Switzerland will cost £19.95 and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro Economy, custom duties fees are not included. Deliveries to Norway will cost 375 NOK and will be shipped via Parcelforce Euro Economy, custom duties fees are not included. Lastly, deliveries to North America will cost £69.95 and will be shipped via Global Priority, customs duties fees included. North American customers are unable to order playing cards from Hoyle’s of Oxford due to shipping regulations. Customers have 30 days from the time they receive their orders to request a refund or exchange after which time Hoyle’s of Oxford will not be able to issue refunds or exchanges. In order to return an order items must be unused, in the same condition as they received it, and in it’s original packaging. Customers that wish to return an item must also provide a receipt or proof of purchase. Customers are responsible for return shipping costs unless their items were faulty at the time of delivery or arrived in poor condition in which case Hoyle’s of Oxford will take responsibility for the return shipping costs. Once a return item is received it will be inspected and customers will receive an email notifying them that their orders have been received and whether a refund will be issued or not. If approved a refund will be processed and a refund will be issued to the customers original payment method. Only regular priced items can be returned for a refund, sale items cannot be returned once purchased. Hoyle’s of Oxford only replace damaged or defective items.
Website navigation and mobile friendliness
The Hoyle’s of Oxford website is easy to navigate, intuitively designed with the customers convenience in mind and mobile friendly with easily identifiable product categories, a search bar which is located at the top right of the wesbite which enables customers to search for specific products, and a footer menu thats located at the bottom of the website which enables customers to find additional information such as the about us page, the visit us in Oxford page, the gift vouchers page, the play with us in oxford page, the shipping policy page, the refunds policy page, the terms of service page and much more. On desktop devices hovering over the product categories will display all the product types within the chosen category. On mobile devices clicking on the hamburger menu that’s located at the top left of the screen will display all the product categories. The Hoyle’s of Oxford website is as easy to navigate on mobile and tablet devices as it is on desktop devices with clear and vivid product photos and comprehensive product descriptions which enables customers to make well informed purchasing decisions. The Hoyle’s of Oxford website is also secured with TSL/SSL encryption which protects customers sensitive data such as passwords and credit card numbers that are used on the site from malicious entities online. Overall, the Hoyle’s of Oxford website is easy to navigate, mobile friendly, intuitively designed, secure and stocked with a wide range of high quality and competitively priced products.
Hoyle’s of Oxford strengths and weaknesses
Hoyle’s of Oxford’s main strengths are their wide range of high quality and competitively priced products, their intuitively designed website, their live chat feature which enables customers to communicate with the Hoyle’s of Oxford customer service team directly, their WhatsApp feature which enables customers to speak with the Hoyle’s of Oxford customer service team from their mobile devices, their excellent standard of customer service, their fast dispatching times, their professionalism when resolving customer complaints, and their personalised approach to interacting with customers. Like all online stores Hoyles of Oxford also has some weaknesses which if addressed would greatly improve the store as well as the shopping experience for existing and future customers. Hoyle’s of Oxford’s main weaknesses are their lack of chess products, their high shipping costs, their inability to ship to many countries around the world, and their lack of reviews online which can make it difficult to determine what past customers have experienced whilst shopping with Hoyle’s of Oxford. Overall, Hoyle’s of Oxford is a trustworthy and reputable online chess store with an easy to navigate website and a wide range of high-quality products that has served the chess community both online and offline for decades whilst prioritising the needs of their customers.
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.
