Sure they do, every vendor online or otherwise gets their money before you get the product, when was the last time you walked out of a store without exchanging your money first, when was the last time you recieved your package from online before they charged your card?
This company just happened to be a start up company that had to plan implement and execute manufacturing, transportation, logistics and shipping and did it all in 9 months. And so far have either run ahead of schedule or only just slightly behind a schedule they made before any of that planning and execution had even been finalized. Just because your expectations are unrealistic doesnāt detract from the amazing job they have done so far, and continue to do. They have 30,000 orders processing and manufacturing over 5-6 month window and you are shocked that they canāt pull detailed information out of their hat about 1 single order?
Sorry if this tone is offensive but this is getting ridiculous. Letās get some perspective people.
Perhaps people donāt understand Start Up/Crowdfunding businesses?
It usually means that the company/product/manufacturing infrastructure is not already set up. That is what the funding is used for. When an order is placed you are usually pre ordering, the crowdfunding is then used to set up all the normal business processes.
Microsoft etc are all established companies where you are simply ordering an already manufactured product. Try ordering a book or something else from Amazon - their products too, are established already in production, yet they can take up to 9 or more weeks to be delivered, AND they definitely charge you the moment you place an order.
Be a little patient, its all part of supporting innovation & people who normally wouldnāt be able to follow through with new ideas. Be proud you are contributing to the development of new ideas & creative difference in a world where too many things are instantaneous, poorly thought through & lacking in quality & consideration.
The company is a startup. They are still communicating. They are shipping orders. I have frames they manufactured in my Tennessee garage ready to be positioned on my new hives this spring. The frames look well made, and I hope to order additional frames next year. Relax. These frames are intricate. It is a major project to make them, fill orders, get them all sent out.
This was a really good communication, that the people expecting their Hives for Christmas could have done with 3 months agoā¦ I appreciate all the explanation apart from the shipping date estimateā¦
my shipping date is 15 Dec 2015, thatās what it says, that doesnāt mean December 15, that means 15th December 2015 (as it pretty clearly says on my order details)
does the Mar 10 on the order date mean I ordered in in 2010? no!
All the way through this campaign I have quietly waited, and been instructed to follow the Est Shipping date, and been told that they are currently shipping at pace with that dateā¦ only AFTER the date are we given this explanation.
Again, I do appreciate the information, and I will have to print off a gift voucher for Christmas now, but it is pretty late in the day to completely change our understanding of 15 Dec 2015ā¦
Is it possible to get a definition of āqueued?ā
Does it mean:
A. The flow team told the manufacturer to start building my hive and ship it after it is built
or
B. My hive is already built, but it is now being packaged and eventually shipped
There are thousands being built. As.they are built they are shipped. The orders are matched up and sent off. Itās not some conspiracy. I got the impression there was a difficulty with DHL messing about. No the Flow team.
Really, people, are you kidding me. What this company has accomplished in less than a year is nothing short of a miracle and you are complaining. I want my hive as soon as I can get it as well but, I find patience, love and kindness gets things accomplished alot faster than typical American complaining gets you. Be patience, be kind, be thankful and be quiet.
Iām not sure that it is necessary to single out āAmericansā as being the source of the problem. Iāve been one of the most outspoken about being patient and commending Flow for their communication.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions about a monetary investment made with a new company many, many months ago. This has to be expected by the folks at flow, especially since The startup was so successful.
@Kenh questions we welcome but some people are nagging *itching and doing a dance because it hasnāt arrived to the approximate time table - it was approximate and some peeps are getting their knickers in a bunch for no reason
I followed the Flow campaign from the start. The demand was huge, as one lot of perks was filled, another lot became available, and then another one. The Flow team must have felt confident in sending out those orders, in the estimated time as promised to be able to offer the additional perks. All the ongoing whinging & complaining canāt be good publicity for the product.
There is nothing wrong with the product, marketing or system DHL have created issues and they are a multimillion company world wide - they are the ones not coping Flow hives and frame are flying out the door as soon as they are made and dhl canāt get itās act together - they donāt call it āDropped, Hidden or Lostā for no reason in the UK
I think it all depends on your frame of mind. For a start up company to be a few weeks behind schedule is nothing. In fact I planned for and expected it to be honest. In my mind it says something about the people whining and complaining not a thing about the company. This doesnāt do anything publicity wise for Flow except among other whiny peopleā¦
Just wanted to add my support in the positive column. You guys are doing a tough job and are standing up admirably under a very successful and very busy new business. Iāve funded other crowdfunding campaigns and it is not unusual for delivery to be a year overdue of the estimated delivery dates, so to be so very close to the original estimates is a major miracle, very rarely achieved. Well done.