"ChessBazaar Evolution…"

I have ordered more than 50 chess sets from CB so far. The customer service and order delivery is top notch.
I wish CB could upgrade the online catalogue with a new exciting format.
The membership points were helpful but not now.
Previously the algorithm automatically utilises the points for the option of reducing the price at check out.
Now there is no prompt for this option.
I look forward to ChessBazaar continuous evolution.

"Baku and Arabian knights chess…"

I purchased two chess sets from chess bazaar last year: the Baku set and the Arabian knights sets. Both were in excellent condition and fairly priced. Recommend the vendor highly!

"Quality and zero-cost shipping"

Without a doubt, you have satisfied my desire to have the best wooden chess pieces at the best price. And I want to highlight something very good about chessbazaar, fast and zero-cost shipping. Very well done ChessBazaar!

"Hit and Miss - Generally OK, Sometimes Disappointing and Frustrating"

Where do I start?

I have purchased 4 Luxury Chess Piece Sets and 2 Luxury Chess Boards from Chessbazzar. Therefore, I have plenty of experience with the products they offer.

My consistent experience has been that the chess piece sets regularly contain defects, faults, and damage. How so? Well, you will find tool marks, deep scratches, chips or tearing, the occasional crack or split, and loose or poorly attached felt. Incidentally, the felt is very thin and poor quality. On the upside, the pieces are generally weighty.

In each case I contacted Chessbazaar within 24 hours and supplied clear detailed photos. I generally received responses within 24 hours. So that is much appreciated.

Over the 4 Chess Piece sets I purchased, I had to replace 13 pieces in total. 11 boxwood, and 2 ebony. I could and probably should have complained about more pieces but I had to draw the line somewhere. Virtually all the pieces contain nicks, and scratches. Some are relatively small, while others are rather visible in prominent areas. I guess this is to be expected with hand made items. However, when you are paying top dollar for a premium luxury item you rightly expect a high standard. So there is a bit of a balancing act to be fair and not too picky on the one hand and pick up genuine faults on the other.

Initially, Chessbazaar replaced the first lot of 5 pieces without an issue. They shipped them for free and via express courier. I received them in less than a week. The second lot of replacement pieces was for 2 pieces and again they shipped quickly and for free. BUT, and here’s the BUT, they shipped for free because I made a further purchase and they piggybacked the replacement pieces along with the new purchase, in effect costing them no extra for shipping. They constantly tried to up sell so as to cover the cost of shipping the replacement pieces. Therefore. I made extra purchases.

The third and final attempt to get 6 more replacement pieces went differently. Because I was not prepared to make a new purchase, I was asked to return the damaged pieces so that they could be “repaired and resold.” (So that some other unsuspecting buyer will get a less than perfect chess set). Upon return of the faulty pieces, Chessbazaar would send me the replacement pieces. After much, negotiating I suggested I would pay the shipping for the replacement pieces. They accepted. I was charged USD$40 ( AUD$65) to ship 6 replacement pieces from India to Australia. I am currently awaiting these pieces to be shipped. All things going well I should receive them soon. Maybe I should have waited before writing this review.

Credit where credit is due. The Chess Pieces are beautiful. Beautifully turned and carved, heavy and luxurious. The problem is the lack of attention to detail and quality control. A little more diligence, a little more care would probably eliminate most of these issues and avoid the disappointment and frustration for both sides.

I should mention in fairness that the items are shipped very quickly, they arrive in less than 1 week, and they are extremely well packed.

I have no issue with the service, other than sometimes they are slow to respond to complaints. They respond quickly initially. But you have to keep pushing, and then they will respond. Don’t give up is my advice.

One other issue that concerned me. The ebony pieces are extremely black. Almost too black. Impossibly black. Because ebony is naturally more brown than black, and only becomes black due to a chemical reaction. So I asked Chessbazaar if they dye or stain the ebony. Their answer was “not as such.” This raised alarm bells. What does “not as such mean”? So I asked again, “Are the pieces treated in any way whatsoever?” The answer was, “No. The pieces are buff polished only.” I must confess I remain unconvinced. I had to ask this question 3 times in different ways to eliminate all the loopholes before I got a clear answer, that in truth is unconvincing. Traditionally, Ebony can be darkened by soaking it in black tea which is rich in tannins. I suspect this is the case. Or something similar. So Chessbazaar may be playing loose with the definition of “dyed” and “stained.”

All in all the Chess Pieces and boards are beautiful. Well made, not always well finished. It’s the finish that could do with improvement. My understanding is that technically, Chessbazzar is not a manufacturer as such. Rather they source items form local manufacturers. No doubt they have their regular suppliers. If this is the case, Chessbazaar would do well to speak to their suppliers/manufacturers and ask them to lift their game, control their quality and check their items before passing them on. This would eliminate so many complaints.

I hope this review is helpful, and will assist the prospective buyer in making an informed decision.

"LA CALIDAD SE FOMENTA"

LLEVO VARIOS AÑOS COMPRANDO JUEGOS DE AJEDREZ A CHESSBAZAAR, QUE HAN LLENADO MI VIDA DE ALEGRIA Y LARGAS HORAS DE ENTRETENIMIENTO. SIEMPRE CON UNA ALTISIMA CALIDAD EN TODO LO QUE HACEN. CON UNA LOABLE LABOR CONSTANTE POR OFRECER A SUS CLIENTES UN SERVICIO ATENTO Y EXPEDITO. ESTOY MUY AGUSTO DE COMPRAR EN CHESSBAZAAR Y LO SEGUIRE HACIENDO.

"Amazing chess board and pieces!"

Really great experience with the chessbazaar store. I am very impressed with the quality of the product and very satisfied with the purchase. I recommend it to anyone who appreciates a high-quality chessboard. It's an incredible board for chess and room decoration.

"Great Chess Supplier"

They have extensive options to choose from across multiple categories. Site layout and navigation is simple and intuitive.

"The Reproduced 1849 Original Staunton…"

The Reproduced 1849 Original Staunton Pattern set is a classic indeed: probably as close to an archetype of European chess as it gets: approximately what someone from these cultural environments would expect chess pieces to look and feel(!) like.

This is the second set that I ordered from Chess Bazaar (first the rather more ornate set from the St. Petersburgh Luxury Artisan Series). They provide consistently good service and superb quality: everything is almost flawless in every respect. The carving is slightly less even and smooth here than in the earlier ornamental set, but it matches the coarser design and you’d really have to scout for minor issues (cross kings, eyes horses).

The king side stamping has bled slightly into the wood, particularly much in the boxwood pieces; perhaps due to the application of the antique finish on those pieces (which I’d rather do without anyway; boxwood looks so much better without paint).

The board is huge, heavy and, nothing short of a miracle, arrived in absolutely perfect condition after a long, intercontinental journey.

The leatherette box also and again is of very fine quality (once more: do save the added foam for travel: to keep the pieces in place). A small piece of cloth is missing from the top of one of the wooden supports for the second tray, and the box and cloth, overall, has a slightly funky smell (storage: humidity in the monsoon period?); but nothing serious: the odour becomes less after some time.

But these are trifles: this is a superbly crafted set; as good as it gets in the real world, with hand craft and natural materials!

It all comes signed for and safely packed in two separate, sturdy boxes: very well protected, with custom-made foam and added bubble foil for extra protection (most pieces are individually wrapped); and speedy delivery as usual.

"Since 2016 I have a relationship with…"

Since 2016 I have a relationship with chessbazaar.com

"Great sets at a great price!"

I have purchased many sets from Chess Bazaar including the 1904 Cambridge Springs, 1946 Issac Lipnitsky, 1963-66 Piatigorsky and the Richard Whitty Repro sets. I love them all! Beautifully crafted, excellent packaging and quick shipments. I highly recommend Chess Bazaar.