I feel it’s a bit like saying BMW’s aren’t for developing countries.
There is a product, and if people choose to buy it they can, if they don’t want to, then they don’t have to.
We all have choices in the world. That’s what makes us conscious human beings.
In regards to waterproofing, the western red cedar is proven to be long lasting and durable only with a coating of natural tung oil (cheap), that saves some of the costs of treating the wood, and replacing the hives further on down the track.
Flow provides modification templates online for those who want to buy a few Flow Frames and modify an existing hive - home made, or bought from elsewhere - http://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/modifying-a-langstroth-box-for-flow-frames/p/143#a1
The cost comparison has been discussed on other threads in the forum, for example - Cost of Flow Hives
The consumer has to weigh up the costs and see if it is an appropriate product for them.
Labour + harvesting equipment, etc, vs time/labour savings + no harvesting equipment required.
In the end, maybe it’s better for a community project etc., to have share harvesting equipment, and save on costs that way. And as always, it’s just something that needs to be weighed up on an individual basis.
Hopefully Flow can make this product as accessible to everyone as they possibly can, but due to it just having been crowd funded, paying for patents, setting up manufacturing, staff, even a legal team due to copyright issues, cheap knock-off’s, etc., profit margins aren’t known exactly yet, and all this has to be determined to make sure the company can remain viable.
Then we can see where they go from there.