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Replica World Journal — premium board games

Guide · 9 min · Mar 21, 2026

How we measure box creep before a game earns shelf space

By Helena Voss, buying desk

“Box creep” is what happens when inserts swell, lids lift, and trays no longer seat after repeated punches. Customers rarely notice on day one; they notice on day sixty when the shelf sags and nobody wants to teach the game again.

The three-pass rule

We punch every punchboard twice on separate evenings, then bag components using only the supplied bags. If anything forces an extra tuck or a corner fold, we photograph it and usually pass on the line.

Tray tolerances

We measure vertical play with a simple slip gauge: if stacked tiles rock more than two millimetres in the long slot, we mark the SKU as “needs aftermarket insert” in our internal notes — and we tell you on the product page when that is the honest verdict.

Return to the shop or write to the buying desk.