Inventables Deal

Any evidence to put my mind at ease?

Why yes, I just checked online on this page that was referenced near the top of the OP.

Within that, it says you "can stock up on bits and materials now for the busy gift-making season, then use their $100 gift card to replenish stock in 2018. " Stock means more materials. Pretty clear to me.

Well crap, I found the Dec 1 email, buried deep it looks like it’s for an X carve only!

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The only thing that bothers me is the wording in the blog offer. It’s almost as if they take great pains to not say $100 off of anything in our store. It’s kind of worded as if there are categories of products that will qualify depending on what was ordered. I have an XCarve so doesn’t worry me but not sure it’s as clear as it seems for others.

"This promotion has a lot of options for how you can buy something now to get started, then get $100 on us in 2018. "

  • “Buy a machine for the holidays and then buy materials and bits in 2018”
  • “Buy your bits and materials now and use your $100 gift card as a discount in 2018 when you’re ready to buy an X-Carve”
  • "Current X-Carve and Carvey owners can stock up on bits and materials now for the busy gift-making season, then use their $100 gift card to replenish stock in 2018. "

Personally I think Inventables is one of the best companies around for support. So if my concern is valid would seem to be uncharacteristic for them. But it just sets off flags in the back of my head.

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I would agree with that. @rpegg. Either they intend it to be for everything or are intentionally dancing around that The email I received said “spend $100 get a $100 giftcard”… and click for more info. And nowhere in the “more info page” does it mention the $100 giftcard must be used for an Xcarve. I have kept copies, just in case I get into a debate with them in January

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Well, if anyone reaches out to their tech support and gets a straight answer, please post!

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They posted the offer on their Facebook, and they responded to someone by saying as long as they spent $100 or more in December, they’d get a $100 gift card in January. Both in the discussion of the deal on their blog, and on the Facebook post, someone directly asked if it had to be used on an X-carve, and neither got a response. It seems like they intended it to be used on an X-carve, or on materials for someone who already bought an X-carve, but they didn’t explicitly limit it to those situations. I assume they’ll honor it for anyone who spent $100 in December, and allow it to be used for anything they sell. It just seems like they don’t want to come out and say that directly. The more confusion there is over that point, the less money they lose to people who have no intention of buying an X-carve.

Confused as to the angst.
You will use 100 bucks worth of stuff, even if it is not a freebie from the coupon next month.

So it is a WIN, or a WIN WIN… Goodies to turn into vapor either way.

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Actually that’s what the angst is about. $ turned into vapor. Have had an XCarve for two years and the use of a GF for 10 months both of which I purchased when employed. Not that Inventables stuff isn’t good or priced incorrectly just that I’m not really interested in buying unique materials that would sit on the shelf until an special project came up. I can get the more common materials locally. A 1/2 price discount on materials for experimentation might make me feel differently.

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I just placed an order, and then emailed their support to clarify what the gift card could be used for. Here is the answer I got by email:

Your order does qualify for the git promotion, this is eligible for anything purchased from our site!

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Thanx for the clarity.

Question for those who have bought it from Inventables…is Delrin warp prone? I’ve got a half inch curvature on these sheets. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

In my experience, yes. Though more so on the thinner sheets.

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I received my $100 coupon/gift code a couple of days ago from ordering over $100 worth of stuff in December, 2017.

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I have a 1/4" sheet from them that couldn’t be any flatter.

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Yeah, this is the 1/4" stuff. The black. :neutral_face:

I’d never ordered any Delrin before though, so didn’t know what was standard. Sounds like you can get a bad batch, which is too bad.

(This is the second time I’ve been less than pleased with an Inventables order, and only the second time I’ve ordered from them, so the free $100 gift card will be the last order. The Padauk I ordered from them using the GF $50 gift card was white splotchy and had pencil marks drawn across the back of it - obviously a bad cut they’d meant to get rid of and used to fill an order instead. Maybe they would have replaced it, but not worth my time for a small part of an order.)

Two chances is it I’m afraid. :frowning:

(And this really is Glowforge’s fault. I’ve gotten totally spoiled on :proofgrade:. That has been beautifully consistent across a dozen orders. Now I’m completely ruined.) :smile:

Thanks Glowforge. :wink:

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I hope I don’t have the same experience as you. I ordered some 2-color acrylic from them and the second batch that had been backordered is on its way to me now.

EDIT: I received the last of the 2 color acrylic from Inventables yesterday. It appears to be quite flat.

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I was going to wait until they restocked some more 1/8" hardwood, but I ended up buying a few sheets of 1/8" bamboo plywood and a few other odds and ends. No clue what I’m going to do with the bamboo plywood, but I’m sure inspiration will strike at some point.

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I think Inventables is great for unique plexi but hardwoods are just not a good deal. Having received a few different items from Green Valley, I won’t go back.

Here’s a breakdown of pricing on one of their woods.