I find it frustrating that you go to place an order online where it gives you the date of Dec 19th for delivery. So I ordered the Glowforge Pro on Dec 8th. Now I don’t hear anything and keep checking online and see that is still says unfulfilled. Then they changed the delivery date to Dec 20th. Now I took time off for the holidays so I could learn this new machine and now on Dec. 18th it still hasn’t shipped. And all that they will say through chat (since you cannot call and talk to anyone which is very frustrating) is that they is a delay and they are sorry. They have no updates or ideas when it will ship. How do you run a business like this? Why do you continue to take orders and tell people they will get them if you know that they are really behind. Plus, I asked if they could ship it one day air since ground will obviously take a lot longer to get to me and their respond with “We do not offer expedited shipping”. So you spend $6000 on a machine and then they are like…you get it whenever we feel like shipping it out. I have heard others ordered machines after me and have received them already. Why is that?
Because they are manufacturing machines for shipment - if there is a delay at the factory there really is nothing they can do about it. I haven’t checked in the last month or so, but they used to say “Estimated Delivery” for this very reason.
This company is still a startup. The machines have only existed for ~3 years. Understanding that now will make things go smoother for you once you have your (wonderful) machine in hand!
My issue isn’t only in the fact that they are behind. It’s the fact that they knew they were backed up but didn’t feel the need to tell you. Instead they make the sale and then just leave you hanging. Plus, how wonderful can a company be without any customer service? And why people order machines after me and get them before me seems wrong. Whether it is a startup (3 years) or not. I didn’t buy the machine during the kickstarter where it was cheaper with the idea that I might have to wait. Plus, they advertise that you could still get your machines before Christmas. So if they don’t want people frustrated with them, they should rethink their advertising and maybe try to have some customer service besides…silence.
Glowforge has a long history of not being able to tell you when exactly your machine will ship and when it does ship their ability to send a tracking email does not meet expectations. Some reasons why other people may have already received their machines:
- They ordered a different model
- They live closer to the shipping point. These ship ground.
- Yours is stuck in the FedEx distribution network because: holiday season.
Most likely it just hasn’t shipped yet for a reason you will probably never know. If you haven’t already create an account with FedEx so they’ll tell you when you have packages coming. They will be more reliable, once it is handed off to them, than glowforge.
I find it said that FedEx is more reliable for tracking information then the company that sold the item. I did talk to FedEx and they have no shipping information for the laser yet. Sure glad Glowforge shipped my materials that I can’t use without a laser. And I just think customers should know that they might not get their machine for months when they order. That way they could plan accordingly. Certainly is a good way to run a business.
They time them to arrive a couple days ahead of the laser. So normally, that is a good sign.
Originally they shipped at the same time, from different locations, so people would get a laser and no materials to laser.
Well that’s a little hyperbolic… If the factory tells them they will have X number of machines to ship on Date Y… That’s what they have to go on. If the factory then tells them they’ve fallen behind, that’s as much out of their hands as it is out of yours unfortunately. But I think we’ve moved past the founder stage where the machine may be “months” behind the estimated ship date.
I ordered my Pro on 11/30 and it just arrived a little over an hour ago. I got 3 boxes - the GF, filter and crumb tray/materials. It was later than originally estimated by about a week. I already have a FedEx Delivery Manager account (It’s free, I highly suggest signing up just in general), so I saw my shipping information before I received an email from GF but that seems common with any shipment. Hopefully, yours will ship soon!
The driver that brought my items today wasn’t the usual guy that runs this route, and he had an extra hand with him. So, they’re definitely in their busy season, and there have been some big weather systems going through the country that can add to delays. On top of whatever factory delays there may be.
I’m in the same boat here. I ordered on 12/8 because the advertising on their web page promised pre-Christmas delivery at the time. My initial delivery date on my account page was 12/20 and that has not changed (…yet). I sent them an email at the beginning of the week, but have received no response.
I understand that it’s only been 10 days since I ordered, and the “expected delivery” date has not yet passed, but it seems odd that FedEx hasn’t notified of a shipment if it will actually be here in Washington state on Friday the 20th…and it seems odd that GF provides no order updates. GF was happy to take my $6000 payment on 12/8, even though they haven’t provided the goods that were paid for with the money they took. My feeling is that the payment shouldn’t be processed until the order is ready to ship - like most every other retailer does because most banks that issue credit cards DO NOT ALLOW merchants to charge your card/account before they ship the item (this is no longer a pre-funded Kickstarter project).
I’m not sure what the quality of the product is, as I have yet to see it (hope it’s as good as I expect), but it’s clear that the company needs some help with regard to customer service and order management. They may make a cool product, but once there are dozens out there making the same thing, the company with competent customer service will win out.
Their shipping system is notoriously wonky. And I have to agree about charging people before the item ships.
I’m sorry to hear about the delays, though. I do suspect it’s beyond GF’s control, but that doesn’t make it any easier when you’re expecting your laser and excited to get started. Hope they arrive as close to Christmas as possible so you have plenty of time to play! Looking forward to seeing what you make.
I totally agree. I too ordered with the “promised pre-Christmas Delivery” and I find it unacceptable that I will be paying my credit card bill before I get my machine. If it hasn’t shipped, it shouldn’t be charged yet.
What? Umm. I guarantee you that is not standard practice. I’ve been shopping online pretty steady the last few weeks and I get charged the day I place an order- no matter if it ships days later. Plus, my customers pay up front for items that take 7-10 days to build/ship and no one has complained about it.
The law in the US is, unless stated differently by the seller, they have 30 days to ship from when the order is placed and it is at their discretion whether to charge at the time the order is placed.
Regardless of your feelings in this matter, the law states otherwise.
This is the information online. Problem is, they delayed shipping, didn’t notify me, nor will they provide a new date because they don’t know. The 30 days are only if they don’t give a date when you order. And they did provide a date when I ordered.
“### Delays
If the seller is unable to ship within the promised time, it must notify you, give a revised shipping date and give you the chance to cancel for a full refund or accept the new shipping date. The seller also must give you some way to exercise the cancellation option for free — for example, by supplying a prepaid reply card or staffing a toll-free telephone number.
- If you don’t respond — and the delay is 30 days or less — it’s assumed that you accept the delay and are willing to wait for the merchandise.
- If you don’t respond — and the delay is more than 30 days — the order must be canceled by the 30th day of the delay period and a full refund issued promptly.
If the seller can’t meet the revised shipping date, it must notify you again by mail, email or telephone and give you a new shipping date or cancel your order and give you a refund.
- The order should be canceled and a refund issued promptly unless you indicate by the revised shipping date that you are willing to wait.
- If you don’t respond to the second notice, the seller should assume that you are not willing to wait issue a full refund promptly.”
Correct. If you don’t accept the delay, or if you are unhappy with the lack of updates, GF has consistently offered refunds to prospective customers.
As stated above, it’s unfortunate their process doesn’t allow for real-time updates, but you can get your money back at any time.
Just because you don’t follow the policies of the banks that issues the cards does not mean that the policies do not exist.
If I don’t accept the delay???
They’ve never even notified me of any delay. The fact of the matter is that GF has not proven themselves to be very competent regarding customer updates and customer satisfaction.
It’s pretty simple, when will I get what I paid for…?
Just got through to chat with someone at GF and am completely disappointed in this company (might ship tomorrow…might ship in a few weeks). I’m rethinking the purchase entirely…
Well, I would have had to be informed of the policies of each individual bank card somehow? My accountant has never mentioned this.
I believe there are many on this forum that are satisfied customers and we have been here in the forum since 2015. I understand that you want your machine before Christmas, but if they aren’t available because of any number of factors there is nothing to be done. I believe you can cancel without penalty up until the unit ships.