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.
Jaques of London is a family business that was established in 1795 and is one of the most influential online chess stores both in the UK and around the world that has played a pivotal role in popularising chess as well as other games such as croquet and ping pong over the centuries. Jaques of London is one of the top online game’s stores in the world with a rich history that has placed it at the centre of some of the most notable events of the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Jaques of London also has physical store that’s located in Kent which customers can visit if they prefer to view products in person rather than online. In addition to chess sets, Jaques of London also supplies arts and crafts supplies, Montessori educational games, board games, outdoor games, puzzles, and a wide variety of other traditional games such as playing cards, dominoes, checkers, Chinese checkers, solitaire, backgammon, score four, snakes and ladders, dice, cribbage, rummy, tumble tower and more. Jaques of London’s main goal is to encourage families to spend more quality time with one another by harnessing the power of play with games such as chess, checkers, and backgammon.
Store history
Jaques of London was established in 1795 by Thomas Jaques and his 15-year-old son, John Jaques, and the company started off as a manufacturer of Ivory, hardwoods, bone, and Tunbridge ware in Hatton Garden. Jaques of London is most known for it’s involvement in the creation and promotion of the Staunton chess set, it’s connection to royal figures such as Queen Mary of Teck and King Emperor George V in the 19th century, it’s involvement with the MI9 during World War 2 and for inventing croquet and ping pong in the 19th and 20th century. Jaques of London was the first to supply Staunton chess sets through their collaboration with the inventor of the Staunton design, Nathaniel Cooke, and with the permission and support of chess master Howard Staunton who played a key role in promoting the Staunton design through his articles in The Illustrated London News newspaper and by assigning his name to the design, which was significant at the time. Jaques of London began selling the Staunton chess set the same year Nathaniel Cooke patented the design in 1849 which was a highly successful endeavour and eventually caught the attention of Queen Mary of Teck and King Emperor George V for inclusion in the Queen’s legendary dollhouse. Not long after the success of the Staunton chess set which made a significant contribution to the popularity of the Jaques of London brand, in 1851 John Jaques’ son introduced croquet to the world and won two gold medals at the great international exhibition as a result. Jaques of London was highly influential in the popularisation of ping pong and ping pong equipment during the early 20th century and was the first to trademark the term “ping pong”. Jaques of London claims to have invented the game although it is reputed to have existed during the Victorian era in the 19th century. Jaques of London worked closely with MI9, the British military intelligence agency, to create hollow toys to fill with vital equipment to assist allied prisoners of war in their escape from imprisonment during World War 2. After enduring a tumultuous three centuries and eight generations in Hatton Garden, Jaques of London decided to relocate to Kent in 2000 which is where their head office still stands today. Since 2020 Jaques of London have continued to expand their toy range by introducing the 5 “Lets” toy range to encourage play, education, creativity, exploration, and imagination in children. Jaques of London have been awarded with numerous business awards over the years and have recently launched a Mini minds hub that’s stocked with over 150 free learning resources to encourage learning at home. Jaques of London is a pioneer of the online chess industry that’s been around for 228 years with a mission to spread joy to the world.
Product selection and quality
Jaques of London has an extensive catalogue of high-quality chess products as well as traditional board games, games, art and craft supplies, Montessori educational games, outdoor games, and puzzles. The products that are available at Jaques of London include chess sets, chess pieces with chess cases, combination chess and checkers sets, backgammon sets, Chinese checkers, cribbage, playing cards, Solitaire, dice, dominoes, arts and craft supplies, toys, puzzles, indoor and outdoor games, Montessori educational games, and much more.
Chess sets available at Jaques of London:
Chess and draughts sets, travel chess sets, folding chess sets, folding magnetic travel chess and draughts sets, standard wooden chess sets, folding magnetic chess sets, and chess draughts, and backgammon sets.
Chess pieces with cases available at Jaques of London:
Staunton chess pieces with mahogany chess case, Staunton chess pieces with Beech chess case, Staunton chess pieces with English leather chess case, Staunton chess pieces with oak chess case, Staunton weighted chess pieces with hardwood and brass chess case, Staunton chess pieces with wooden sliding lid chess case, 1972 Fischer Spassky chess pieces with mahogany and brass chess case, 1854 edition chess pieces with beech and brass chess case, 1972 Fischer Spassky chess pieces with beech and brass chess case, original 3.25 inch Staunton chess pieces with wooden sliding lid chess case, original 3.5 inch Staunton chess pieces with wooden sliding lid chess case, 1930 edition 3.5 inch Staunton chess pieces with mahogany and brass chess case, 1972 Fischer Spassky 3.5 inch chess pieces with leather and brass chess case, 1854 edition 3.5 inch Staunton chess pieces with mahogany and brass chess case, 1869 edition 4 inch Staunton chess pieces with mahogany and brass chess case, and the 1869 edition 4 inch Staunton chess pieces with beech and brass chess case.
Backgammon sets available at Jaques of London:
Mahogany backgammon sets, oak backgammon sets, luxury backgammon sets, high quality heavy weight backgammon travel sets, backgammon sets with solid brass finish, genuine leather backgammon sets, high quality backgammon sets, portable linen backgammon sets, portable backgammon sets, wooden luxury backgammon sets, and combination chess, draughts, and backgammon sets.
Checkers/draughts sets available at Jaques of London:
Chess and draughts set, draughts pieces, complete wooden 12-inch draughts sets, high quality draughts sets, travel chess and draughts sets, and combination chess, draughts, and backgammon sets.
Games available at Jaques of London:
Shut the box, shut the box 9s, shut the box 12s, travel shut the box, dominoes, giant dominoes, triangle dominoes, animal dominoes, dominoes rally, wooden box Mexican train, tin box Mexican train, Chinese checkers, snakes and ladders, snakes and ladders with ludo, snakes and ladders with abc puzzle, score four, canasta, mind genius, mancala game, ludo, mahjongg, dice, poker dice, dice cups, liars dice, noughts and crosses, quoits, colourful tumble tower, giant tumble tower, outdoor target ball, kites, playing cards, pirates stacking game, bingo, hoopla, tin can alley, croquet sets, croquet mallets, croquet hoops, croquet balls, croquet stands, wooden skittle set, rounder sets, rummy, solitaire, target garden games, ping pong sets, ping pong bats, ping pong balls, ping pong net and post sets, compedium, puzzles, wooden puzzles, pets shape puzzles, colour me in 3d puzzles, learn to spell puzzles, vehicle puzzles, dinosaur puzzles, spelling dinosaur puzzles, let’s play dinosaur puzzles, kid’s dinosaur puzzles, planet puzzle, gear puzzles, rainbow puzzle sets, transport puzzles, shape puzzles, animal puzzles, jungle puzzles, sea life puzzles,fairies puzzles, classic traffic puzzles, space puzzles, christmas puzzles, wooden farmyard puzzles, wooden alphabet puzzles, threading puzzles, classic animal puzzles, ocean puzzle boards, puzzle boards, puzzle rolls, bridge sets, twin card sets, boules, travel cribbage sets, swing seats, rope ladders, sports cones, swing ropes, halfpenny boards, halfpenny coins, gaming chips, little helpers gardening kits, volleyball sets, tiddeldy winks, tiddlywinks, roulette, luxury bagatelle games, wooden blocks, kids train track sets, shape matching boards, shape sorters, pull along shape sorters, classic kid’s yoyo’s, rapid rockets, ocean story books, farm story books, wooden laptop toys, spelling games, wooden calendar clocks, let’s play colour stackers, wooden abacus, fishing games, magnetic fishing games, teaching clocks, kid’s building blocks, activity maze’s, magnetic maze’s, activity cube’s, number activity sets, count and stacks, counting games, discovery building blocks, colour sorting games, reward charts, double reward charts, shape patterns, marble reward jars, sports day sets, fractions boards, dress up bears, dress up rabbits, counting caterpillars, lacing sets, digital timers, and sensory boards.
Toys available at Jaques of London:
Fishing games, shape sorters, pull along shape sorters, animal shape sorter toys, spelling games, wooden Noah’s ark, craft sets, threading beads, wooden calendar clocks, space puzzles, fairies puzzles, wooden alphabet puzzles, shape puzzles, jungle puzzles, classic animal puzzles, planet puzzles, let’s play deluxe dinosaur puzzles, dinosaur puzzles, spelling dinosaur puzzles, pets shapes puzzles, wooden farmyard puzzles, rainbow puzzle sets, gear puzzles, classic traffic puzzles, vehicle puzzles, colour me in 3d puzzles, ocean puzzle boards, rainbow stacking rings, let’s play colour stackers, hammering benches, London buses, reversible board sets, wooden car park, giant car parks, racing car parks, dinosaur car parks, learn to spell puzzles, threading puzzles, Christmas puzzles, animal puzzles, kid’s dinosaur puzzles, monkey stacking toys, transport puzzles, wooden biscuit tins, magnetic fishing games, xylophones, bouncing bunnies, teaching clocks, play food tins sets, kid’s construction bench’s, play food sets, sea life puzzles, count and stacks, kid’s building blocks, shape patterns, fruit sets, counting games, pizza play food, wooden trucks, magnetic calendars, animal tumble towers, let’s play transport magnets, colourful tumble towers, building blocks, let’s play musical bench’s, animal seesaw’s, activity cube’s, vegetable boards, fruit boards, fractions boards, early years stackers, rain sound makers, play food breakfast sets, breakfast in bed play foods, number activity sets, ice cream counters, holiday lollies sets, wooden rainbows, magnetic maze’s, wooden abacus, shape matching boards, bakery boards, outdoor target balls, target garden games, discovery building blocks, basic magnetic letters, alphabet sets, early letters, foam letters and numbers, bath alphabet letters, wooden blocks, kid’s train track sets, tower of Hanoi’s, hook a ducks, activity maze’s, reward charts, double reward charts, kites, classic kid’s yoyo’s, pretend party cakes, quoits, pink cookie cakes, pirates stacking games, hoopla’s, wooden vehicle carriers, tin alley cans, big hunting kits, let’s play birthday stamp sets, kid’s fire trucks, giant dominoes, animal dominoes, clean and play sets, marble reward jars, rapid rockets, crayon sets, wooden skittle sets, tree hanging straps, Montessori stacking stones, low loader trucks, swing seats, garden swings, kid’s garden swing sets, wooden tractors, junior maths cubes, finger painting sets, water colour pencils, simple origami for kids, giant chalks, farm yard craft kits, trapeze bars, dinosaur excavation kits, paint cups, colour sorting games, kid’s wooden Ferris wheels, wooden coffee set toys, wooden camera’s, wooden tambourines, early years xylophone toys, cupcake mould and paint sets, space mould and paint sets, car mould and paint sets, ocean mould and paint sets, wooden ball track toys, drum sets, kids sand art kits, paint and brush sets, travel drawing pads, dinosaur paint sets, sports cones, sports cones sets, rope ladders, wooden laptop toys, swing ropes, gem discovery kits, dinosaur magnets, rock painting sets, space torch projectors, dinosaur torch projectors, wooden bus games, farm story books, ocean story books, sports day sets, pink dream catcher kits, grey dream catcher kits, rubber band guns, kids steering wheels, play handles, gem art kits, climbing handles, animal magnets, junior snakes and ladders, wooden easel for kids, skipping rope for kids, little helpers gardening kits, dress up bears, dress up rabbits, rainbow scratch pads, dinosaur magnetic boards, starter tool kits, lacing sets, sensory sound blocks, sensory boards, digital timers, teaching clocks, art set for kids, folding paper planes, wooden aeroplanes, hair salon sets, counting caterpillars, makeup sets, cat stacking toys, kid’s doctor kits, and snakes and ladders with abc puzzles.
Arts and crafts supplies available at Jaques of London:
Dinosaur magnetic boards, animal magnets, travel drawing pads, basic magnetic letters, foam letters and numbers, alphabet sets, bath alphabet letters, magnetic calendars, craft sets, crayon sets, finger painting sets, water colour pencils, simple origami for kids, giant chalks, farmyard craft kits, paint cups, cupcake mould and paint sets, space mould and paint sets, car mould and paint sets, kids sand art kits, paint and brush sets, dinosaur paint sets, rock painting sets, princess mould and pain sets, ocean mould and paint sets, sketch pencil sets, wooden easel for kids, rainbow scratch pads, art set for kids, folding paper planes, let’s play birthday stamp sets, giant chalks, rock painting sets, gem art kits, colour me in 3d puzzles, and art set for kids.
Jaques of London customer service and customer experience
The Jaques of London customer service team can be reached by email or mail, any day of the week and at any time of the day and they aim to respond within two days to help with any queries that customers may have such as product related questions, assisting with returns and exchanges, assisting with website navigation issues and any other issues that customers may have. Jaques of London’s main goals are to spread joy to the world, to encourage families to spend quality time with each other by playing games such as chess and other traditional games, to promote the growth and development of children and their education and to do all the above in a green and sustainable manner. There are split opinions regarding Jaques of London’s customer service, whilst there are many positive reviews that customers have left online on sites such as trustpilot.com there is also a significant number of negative reviews which reveals a reoccurring theme. Many of Jaques of London’s customers that have left negative reviews online are disappointed with the condition that their products arrive in, the quality of their products as customers have claimed that their products have broken not long after being delivered, orders arriving late or not at all, receiving products that were not ordered, and Jaques of London’s customer service as many customers have struggled to resolve their issues due to Jaques of London not having a phone service and taking too long to respond to emails. On the other hand, the customers that have left positive reviews online were impressed by Jaques of London’s fast delivery times, their aesthetically pleasing packaging, their extensive catalogue of products, their sites intuitive design, the quality and pricing of their products, their customer service, and their clear product images and informative product descriptions. The Jaques of London has over 20,000 positive four and five star reviews and just over 1500 negative one and two star reviews. Although the majority of Jaques of London customers seem to be generally happy about their experience shopping with them according to the reviews online that are positive there is still a significant number of customers that are disappointed with their experience shopping with Jaques of London according to the negative reviews online.
Trustworthiness and reputation
Jaques of London is one of the most well-known online chess stores in the world with a history that stretches back centuries. Jaques of London is known for supplying the highest quality chess products and for providing an excellent service to their customers. According to the reviews that customers have left online, the majority of the people that have shopped at Jaques of London were generally pleased with both the quality of the products and the customer service that they received. Customers also have the option to visit the Jaques of London’s physical store if they prefer to view products in person rather than online. Whilst many of Jaques of London’s customers have had positive experiences shopping with them the opinions and experiences of customers that have had negative experiences should also be taken into consideration when determining the trustworthiness of Jaques of London as there is a significant number of customers that have expressed their disappointment with both the customer service and the quality of products that they have received from Jaques of London. It’s rare for an online store that has been in business for as long as Jaques of London has been to avoid disappointing some of their customers as it’s common for online stores to occasionally rub some of their customers the wrong way, whether intentionally or unintentionally. However, as most of Jaques of London’s unhappy customers have experienced similar issues with the company it’s unlikely that their disappointments are unwarranted and future customers should exercise caution because of this. Jaques of London’s reputation is still solid and their long track record of supplying high quality products and providing customers with an outstanding level of customer service are some of the main factors that contribute their reputability.
Pricing and affordability
The pricing of Jaques of London chess products caters to the tastes and budgets of chess players of all ages and levels of experience. The chess sets that are available at Jaques of London are priced as low as 6.99 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 31.99 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum. The chess pieces at Jaques of London are priced as low as 99 pounds on the lower end of the spectrum and as high as 4,999 pounds on the higher end of the spectrum.
Available Payment methods
Jaques of London accepts a wide range of payment methods which includes American Express, Apple Pay, Diners Club, Discover, Google Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, Shop Pay, Union Pay, Visa, and Klarna.
Shipping, cancellations, returns, exchanges, and delivery performance
Jaques of London ships exclusively to mainland UK and no longer offers international shipping services. Customers have a choice of several shipping methods which includes 2-7 day tracked delivery and 48 hour express tracked delivery on standard items, 2-7 day tracked delivery on bulky items, 2-7 day tracked delivery on express croquet items, and 7-14 working days tracked delivery on bespoke croquet items. For orders under 30 pounds the 2-7 day tracked deliver costs 3.95 pounds for standard items and 5.95 pounds for bulky items and express croquet items, the 48 hour express tracked delivery costs 4.95 pounds for standard items, the 2-7 day tracked delivery costs 5.95 pounds for express croquet items and the 7-14 working days tracked delivery costs 5.95 pounds for bespoke croquet items. All orders over 30 pounds are eligible for free shipping however it is only applicable to the standard 2–7 day shipping method. Orders that are made after 1 pm will be processed on the next working day and certain products are also not eligible for tracked delivery. Peak periods and times of industrial strikes can cause delivery delays and customers are advised to wait 7 working days during such times before contacting the customer service team. Products such as croquet sets, Chelsea skittles and luxury badminton sets are made to order in the UK and can take up to two weeks to be delivered. Jaques of London does not offer free returns however Jaques of London offers customers a 60 day period from the date of purchase in which returns can be made. In the event that customers receive their items damaged they are advised to take a photo of their damaged item as well as a receipt of their purchase which should be within the 60 day period in order to be eligible for a refund. Jaques of London does not allow customers to cancel orders however customers can return any unwanted items. Customers have 60 days from the date of purchase to initiate returns and must pay for the shipping, once the items are received in good condition and in the original packaging they will be refunded to their original payment methods.
Website navigation and mobile friendliness
The Jaques of London website is fast and responsive, easy to navigate, intuitive and mobile friendly with easily identifiable product categories and a search bar that’s located at the top right corner of the website which customers can use to find specific products. Hovering over the categories at the top of the page will expand the dropdown menu and display the different subcategories within each category. Additional information such as the contact us page, the frequently asked questions page, the help centre and more can be found in the footer menu of the website that’s located at the bottom of the website. On mobile devices the product categories can be accessed by clicking on the hamburger menu that’s located at the top left corner of the website. The Jaques of London website is as easy to navigate on mobile devices and tablets as it is on desktop so customers can find whatever they are looking for regardless of what device they are using. The products on the Jaques of London website are both clear and vivid and the product descriptions are extremely comprehensive which enables customers to gain all the information that’s needed to make an informed decision on whether to purchase or not. The Jaques of London website is also secured with TSL/SSL encryption which protects customers sensitive data such as passwords and credit card numbers from malicious entities online. Overall, the Jaques of London website is stocked with a wide range of products, intuitively designed with the customer in mind and customers should find the site easy to navigate and feel safe in the knowledge that their personal information is secure when interacting with the site.
Jaques of London strengths and weaknesses
Jaques of London’s main strengths according to the positive reviews that customers have left online are their extensive catalogue of high quality and competitively priced products, their outstanding customer service, their speedy delivery time, and their intuitively designed website. Jaques of London is one of the pioneers of the UK chess industry which has enabled them to master many of the aspects of business that contribute to their overall strength however as with almost all online stores there are also some areas where improvements could be made which would improve the store and have a positive impact on both current and future customers. Some of Jaques of London main weaknesses according to the negative reviews that customers have left online are their lack of communication with their customers especially when customers are experiencing issues and need assistance, the absence of a dedicated phone service which prevents customers from receiving the support they need in a timely manner, their slow delivery time, their frequent inability to process and send out orders as numerous customers have complained that their orders have been delivered late or have not been delivered at all, and the absence of live chat which also prevents customers from receiving assistance from the customer service team in a timely manner. Overall, Jaques of London is a reputable company with much more positive reviews from customers than negative reviews however opinions about the store among customers will vary depending on who you ask, because of this, customers should still exercise caution when shopping with Jaques of London.
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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