[Dec 2 2016] Q&A with Dan

This is not only disappointing - it shows incredible lack of foresight or planning capabilities of the company. We all work for a living - many of us in product development. We can understand product delays - however, we cannot understand a product delay announcement 2 weeks prior to delivery that pushes this 6 months out.

Clearly we deserve to know the exact reasons for the delay - and how this was a ‘surprise’ 2 weeks prior to delivery. At such a late date it could only be discovery that a component used in assembly was defective.

I’d like to understand as well who is currently getting glow forges. That needs to be transparent. I wouldn’t want to suspect that less profitable crowdfunded units were being pushed back in favor of more profitable post crowdfunded units.

Many of us are business owners. We have made commitments based on trust in delivery. Some of us put those commitments out 3 months from when we thought we’d have the unit. Now it’s 6 months out.

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IDK, that was my impression as well. Was just commenting on lgibson comment.

This is not the first Project i have backed that has been delayed… it will not be the last.

However, those projects i have backed that have prioritised the release date have generally been inferior and sub-standard at release.

Is it disappointing to not have my Glowforge yet? Sure.
Is it something that makes me lose faith in Glowforge/Dan? No.

I believe this is a winner of a Product and will be worth the wait…and i would MUCH rather wait than receive an inferior or sub-standard machine.

If i stopped feeling like this then i would take the refund that is offered.

Having said that i have said since the beginning that i believe more transparency and communication would help Glowforge but i am a Marketing Consultant and am thus very used to clients/businesses not thinking it is as important as i do. C’est La Vie

Do what you got to do @Dan, i am so looking forward to having that machine (one day… lol)

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Can we get more details for international forgers! And why pre-release was not accessible to us?

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  1. To ship products internationally, you need certification.
  2. To get that certification, organizations (like FCC) need to test the final “no more revisions” version of the product.
  3. To get the “final no more revisions” version of the product, Glowforge needs more time to improve production yields.

Because they are based in the US and building it in the US, they don’t need to seek out those global certifications for US-based pre-releases. It’s not just because you’re on another continent - it’s ANYONE outside the USA. Even Canada and Mexico.

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…and probably, European directives are partly different than the USA ones…

I bet it’s also because shipping costs an arm and a leg!

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My questions to @dan are:

Do you have sufficient proof of concept tests to be sure the hardware is capable of doing all the stated features yet? That is an important milestone because you can’t finalise the design until you can be sure it will perform. Until the design is finalised you can’t get regulator approvals or start volume manufacture.

What is the earliest date you can achieve CE approval?

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I funded the project in the idea that i will get a return in my small business. To be honest, Glowforge was the reason i started the business. Now instead of any return i am getting 5 more bank payments to be payed from no profit.

Instead of getting a discount, i am getting apologies and credit to buy stuff that i will never afford to order to Europe, due to shipping and customs costs.

More to add, the worldwide economy does not wait on Glowforge, and if my money had some value when i funded the idea, they are not worth the same now… how about 9 months from now on. When you are an investor you look at things like this. Especially that i am not getting profit from Glowforge, but a product. Forgot to mention i am getting 6 more months of warranty. Indeed is going to be a bargain to send the products and pieces back to US for repair… and get them back the next day.

I know exactly what i get myself into, but i was not expecting such delay. I am a man of my word, and when i commit to something i do ANYTHING to stand to my word. Announcing 2 weeks before shipping (to others, not me) that you delay the shipping with 7 months, auch!

So, thank you Glowforge for making me pay the product twice, time is money you know, and 9 months (until supposedly i will get mine) opposite to 4 (initially announced), is a lot of money.

Unfortunately i cannot cancel the order, because i would loose even more money.

Thank you @dan for selling me an idea, not a product, for this you have my utmost respect!

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@dan,

I just want to add to the concern that international backers have expressed. As international backers, we’ve already had to compromise a lot in order to get our units, particularly with shipping costs. I’m currently looking at a $954.00 shipping estimate, for example.

Now, I completely understand the reasons behind the shipping costs; it has to be shipped with a generic delivery company, it’s a large item, it’s heavy, and you’re US-first. That’s fine and understandable. That said, it really does sting when the compensation you’re offering for the delays is also US-only, or at least very difficult to redeem for international users.

Furthermore, we have one more thing to worry about: that the certification process will cause further delays to international customers. This is not an unreasonable concern, given that your focus has been (once again, understandably) on your US operations and customers so far.

Is there anything that you could do to make life easier for your international backers? Any sort of assurance that the certification process will happen on time and is being taken into account for the updated delivery schedule? Is there any research you’re doing into potential local partners as alternatives to Inventables and other companies that are heavily US-focused?

Thank you, and good luck with the next steps.

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Test units often get around that issue, at least coming into Canada and the us. I suspect more to the point is shipping costs - most customers are us based so they’ve got a huge pool of eager testers, and they plan to ship these back and another laser to them…why sink the cost? It doesn’t get you anything.

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I’m with @sergiomdgomes on this and would appreciate if international backers could not be notified as an afterthought if our machines will be further delayed for whatever reason. Perhaps there is no distinction but the GF focus seems to be very much on the US customer base:

[quote=“dan, post:1, topic:3590”]
All you need is a standard household outlet (120 volts, 15 amps, with 800 watts of available power) to use your Glowforge.
[/quote] “standard household outlets” in around 80% of the worlds countries is 220-240v, not 120v.

Also no plans (that I know of at least) to have proof grade material partners in other parts of the world. Shipping PG materials from the US internationally would probably not make sense cost and time wise. This effectively precludes the international user-base from a key GF feature. Perhaps that’s an item for the famous ‘hopper’ - forge (bad pun intended) partnerships with reputable sheet material suppliers in other countries to stick the GF PG cover sheets on their (GF approved) materials. That way everybody wins.

I think for most non-US customers, we just want to get the sense that we’re not somehow second rate GF ‘citizens’.

BTW, please don’t turn this into some nationalist spat - not the intention here…

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@dan Disappointing news, but I still believe it will be great once we have it in our hands. The interchangeable head offers some fantastic potential options (cutter, 3D printer, pen, paint, etc). Also really excited by the deep engraving… but just makes me want to have one at home…

My question: For those who have paid for a Pro can we get a full refund on the difference on the price of a Basic?

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I agree, it’s probably a number of reasons… I don’t think it’s “just” the certifications. Shipping costs money, and it wouldn’t be the pre-release people paying. If I was in their position, I’d limit it too.

How do you know this?

I share this feeling.

I admit, it’s a guess. But based on the substantially higher shipping costs, a reasonably strong dollar, participation on the forum / map (granted there’s some substantial preselection going wrt language etc), general us focus on all aspects of the campaign and support, etc

But yeah I should’ve said “probably U.S.-based.”

Are you planning on actually providing meaningful REGULAR updates? (every 2 weeks). Will you be transparent in providing details on what is left to do, and where things are?

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:slight_smile:

I’m not sure what that’s supposed to convey, but it comes off a little superior.

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