On the pre-production status

[Craig 1,435]

21 minutes ago, Hidden50 said:

Can someone please post this "weird message"? Are we foolish for once again believing that preorders would arrive by early November?

It's right at the top of page 9 in this thread (if you're set like me).  I auoted below.  But nah, not foolish, just hopeful!  Like me.  I think we all hope that.

Quote

We know we've been a little quiet in the past days, and that is because there is not much new to add into a new update - we are on track to begin shipping tomorrow, on the 29th. Some of you will receive their dispatch notice tomorrow, with everyone from the first batch following by the end of this week. We are currently waiting on stock to arrive at our warehouse in Hong Kong, which will dispatch orders directly to our Asia and Oceania based customers. The first batch is being held at the Chinese export customs at the minute.

Alongside our Asian pre-orders, we will, at the same time, split the batch to stock-up our warehouses in the UK and the US. Those will be sent by air freight.

I have been told that a video update is being prepared for you, and I am assuming it will be sent anytime in the next couple of days. The update will not contain any bad news as we are on track with things, but it may provide more details on each one of our warehouses' schedules.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Craig
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[vlycop 38]

1 hour ago, Doktor Oswaldo said:

Most of the time he has not the whole information anyway (poor guy). We should wait for the official update

I'm not mad at Erik, to my eyes he is doing his best. I'm mad at Fxtec because at some point, when everyone is complaining about communicate for month, you fix it.

I usealy dont ask for transparency to normal phone company, but i usealy don't pay my phone months before it's shipped...

[Tim6263 134]

25 minutes ago, michael.bosscha said:

Face it: assuming mid-November and getting it earlier is a lot better than assuming early and getting it mid- to late November...

I have to agree. A little honesty from F(x) would set the record straight, & all of this hypothesis, debate, disagreement - would all go away!

[Doktor Oswaldo 906]

1 minute ago, vlycop said:

I'm not mad at Erik, to my eyes he is doing his best. I'm mad at Fxtec because at some point, when everyone is complaining about communicate for month, you fix it.

I usealy dont ask for transparency to normal phone company, but i usealy don't pay my phone months before it's shipped...

Absolutely agree with you. That is all true. But still no reason to think they lied to us, or the phone as another delay and stuff like that.
Like many people have done here.
I mean this could all be the case, but we just don't know yet.

[matf-kabouik 414]

Can we just let the 29th happen and draw conclusions afterwards, instead of writing pages of complaints on the 28th following a message that stated that they are still on schedule? Of course the vague communication can be annoying, partly because it shows a lack of confidence in what customers could interpret from more details, but our tendency to speculate on the hidden truth every time they say something is partly proving them right. I would love to have more details too, but the overall hostility here suggests that more transparency (including on bad news) could be used against them just the same way.

I mean we can complain for the extra delay between payments and deliveries, or the unknown size of the first batch, but do we really want to do that on the exact day when they confirm that shipments are starting as planned since a few weeks? I understand that some see in this statement a trick to claim that shipments have started for just a few customers and conceal that they have not started for the majority, and perhaps, but how about checking first?

Big companies with red carpet access to factories have delays too, except they barely communicate about their next flagship until it is nearly done, nor do they communicate about any delays, and none of them have bothered building such a device in the past ten years. We're speaking here about a start-up of a handful of employees that are a few weeks late when taking the risk big companies don't take. Yes they can improve and they surely are clever enough to have noticed what customers didn't like along the process, but if we want to support companies like F(x)tec or PlanetComputers, then I believe the sustained anger even when things are shaping up nicely does more harm than anything else, and it would be sad if the community ended up discouraging them from trying again in the future.

[Erik 1,487]

Hi everyone,

A quick informal update for you.

As confirmed on Twitter, the first batch is in transit. Some of our Asia/Oceania-based customers will receive their tracking details before others, as stock is in transit to our UK and US warehouses. Please bear in mind the customs delays there might be with stock to the UK and US, but hopefully, it will all be smooth. Based on history, customs clearance shouldn't take more than a few days even in the worst case.

With this, I don't see why some of our Asian customers won't be able to unbox their devices next week :), with shipments from the UK and US following shortly after.

Liangchen has been preparing a video update from the factory for you, but I haven't yet been told when it will be sent. It could be out any minute.

 

Erik

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 hours ago, matf said:

Can we just let the 29th happen and draw conclusions afterwards, instead of writing pages of complaints on the 28th following a message that stated that they are still on schedule? Of course the vague communication can be annoying, partly because it shows a lack of confidence in what customers could interpret from more details, but our tendency to speculate on the hidden truth every time they say something is partly proving them right. I would love to have more details too, but the overall hostility here suggests that more transparency (including on bad news) could be used against them just the same way.

I mean we can complain for the extra delay between payments and deliveries, or the unknown size of the first batch, but do we really want to do that on the exact day when they confirm that shipments are starting as planned since a few weeks? I understand that some see in this statement a trick to claim that shipments have started for just a few customers and conceal that they have not started for the majority, and perhaps, but how about checking first?

Big companies with red carpet access to factories have delays too, except they barely communicate about their next flagship until it is nearly done, nor do they communicate about any delays, and none of them have bothered building such a device in the past ten years. We're speaking here about a start-up of a handful of employees that are a few weeks late when taking the risk big companies don't take. Yes they can improve and they surely are clever enough to have noticed what customers didn't like along the process, but if we want to support companies like F(x)tec or PlanetComputers, then I believe the sustained anger even when things are shaping up nicely does more harm than anything else, and it would be sad if the community ended up discouraging them from trying again in the future.

As I usually say to my friends:

If you told you would be somewhere at a specific time, then at the latest when you were supposed to leave home, you know you will not be able to make it on time. And unless the delay is trivial, well then send a short text that you are going to be late. Preferably with a new ETA, or wait sending an ETA to when you know (The delay could be you are waiting for a late babysitter). But you should NOT wait to after or immediately before the promised time, before communicating that you will be late.

It is the same thing here. When they tell they estimate to ship before a certain day, then they will know well before that day if the plan has been delayed.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having to adjust a plan due to unforeseen factors. Just do not pretend that you are still on the scheduled plan!

Here we are in the spin-situation where they change the plan they are saying to be on schedule with, as they earlier told us:

On 10/7/2019 at 2:19 PM, Erik said:

The 29th is when we expect the first batch to leave the fulfilment warehouses on it's way to our pre-orders. Potentially earlier, but definitely not later.

And they are clearly not on plan with "but definitely not later", As it yesterday was told as being at Chinese customs. At the very least a few days will pass in the steps of getting out, getting transported by plane, getting through the UK respectively US customs, reaching the fulfilment warehouses, getting labelled, before they can leave.

[helder_alemao 45]

14 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

As I usually say to my friends:

If you told you would be somewhere at a specific time, then at the latest when you were supposed to leave home, you know you will not be able to make it on time. And unless the delay is trivial, well then send a short text that you are going to be late. Preferably with a new ETA, or wait sending an ETA to when you know (The delay could be you are waiting for a late babysitter). But you should NOT wait to after or immediately before the promised time, before communicating that you will be late.

It is the same thing here. When they tell they estimate to ship before a certain day, then they will know well before that day if the plan has been delayed.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having to adjust a plan due to unforeseen factors. Just do not pretend that you are still on the scheduled plan!

Here we are in the spin-situation where they change the plan they are saying to be on schedule with, as they earlier told us:

And they are clearly not on plan with "but definitely not later", As it yesterday was told as being at Chinese customs. At the very least a few days will pass in the steps of getting out, getting transported by plane, getting through the UK respectively US customs, reaching the fulfilment warehouses, getting labelled, before they can leave.

The first batches will be deivered soon as i believe there are pre orders in China aswell 

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 minutes ago, helder_alemao said:

The first batches will be deivered soon as i believe there are pre orders in China aswell 

Yes, I expect so too, did I say otherwise?

And I look forward to the first 'unpack videos' and reactions from end users.

[Tim6263 134]

39 minutes ago, Erik said:

As confirmed on Twitter, the first batch is in transit. Some of our Asia/Oceania-based customers will receive their tracking details before others, as stock is in transit to our UK and US warehouses. Please bear in mind the customs delays there might be with stock to the UK and US, but hopefully, it will all be smooth. Based on history, customs clearance shouldn't take more than a few days even in the worst case.

 

 

Thank U Eric, truly.  It is definite information; & while not quite as good as some hoped for, it is what we all needed to hear.

[helder_alemao 45]

2 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Yes, I expect so too, did I say otherwise?

And I look forward to the first 'unpack videos' and reactions from end users.

It will be awesome to have handon videos 🙂

[kashif 350]

Thanks Erik for the update and its great to know that shipping is finally started!

Erik can i really make a request to you, that if you can start posting on regular basis up till what order numbers have been shipped and how long the remaining order should expect.

I see so many negative comments here today.

If you can update on orders on daily basis it will really help both FX and the customers, and will really help those who are further down the line.

As its shipping based on who ordered first and which is a fair system so i don't see it to keep confidential. and instead if all of us gets the updates than we can understand when its our turn.

And i would also request all the guys here that if you guys can post here when you get your devices. that is another way of keeping everyone informed and keep them calm.

I really hope we all get our devices soon as we all have been waiting for so long.

[michael.bosscha 142]

Order number weren't sequentially generated. I don't know how much we have to keep saying it but that's not the case. So even if he could give it, nothing can be learned from that piece of information.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 minutes ago, kashif said:

Thanks Erik for the update and its great to know that shipping is finally started!

Erik can i really make a request to you, that if you can start posting on regular basis up till what order numbers have been shipped and how long the remaining order should expect.

I see so many negative comments here today.

If you can update on orders on daily basis it will really help both FX and the customers, and will really help those who are further down the line.

As its shipping based on who ordered first and which is a fair system so i don't see it to keep confidential. and instead if all of us gets the updates than we can understand when its our turn.

And i would also request all the guys here that if you guys can post here when you get your devices. that is another way of keeping everyone informed and keep them calm.

I really hope we all get our devices soon as we all have been waiting for so long.

Isn't it a bit overkill, if they send us mail with tracking info when actually shipped?

As an alternative to absolute numbers (that might well be considered a trade secret), they could communicate, say weekly, on how many percent of the pre-orders that had been shipped.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 minutes ago, michael.bosscha said:

Order number weren't sequentially generated. I don't know how much we have to keep saying it but that's not the case. So even if he could give it, nothing can be learned from that piece of information.

Though not consecutive they would still be in order, right? So some info could be deduced.

[Siani_8 105]

Congrats on being first you lucky Asia based customers!  There better be some unboxing vids because I already watched all the other videos like a hundred times now.  Don't forget to show us what the case looks like too. 

[Jhonny B 5]

So the next round of frustration is started if fx has really shipped.

For 4 months we been wondering when will it ship. Now for the next 4 months we will be wondering when will we get it.

Erik every time you announce it doesn't add up.

Like u now saying if it's shipped today to few then why will it take next week for them to get it? Shouldn't it be by the end of this week

And apart for God knows which lucky ones to expect next week, the rest will then can't expect for atleast next couple of months.

I truly regret the day I signed up for this pro1

[Erik 1,487]

1 minute ago, Jhonny B said:

So the next round of frustration is started if fx has really shipped.

For 4 months we been wondering when will it ship. Now for the next 4 months we will be wondering when will we get it.

Erik every time you announce it doesn't add up.

Like u now saying if it's shipped today to few then why will it take next week for them to get it? Shouldn't it be by the end of this week

And apart for God knows which lucky ones to expect next week, the rest will then can't expect for atleast next couple of months.

I truly regret the day I signed up for this pro1

 

Jhonny, we contacted you 4+ times requesting your order information to chase it up for you. We are unable to confirm your order, hence we are unable to make a suggestion when your specific order is going to ship. Could you please get back to us as mentioned several times?

[Siani_8 105]

I often wonder how much sooner we would have gotten the Pro1 if they weren't busy catering to all the special requests for changes to the final units by forum members to which they definitely accomated some of those. 

[Wasmachineman_NL 99]

Aw hell yeah, looks like i'll be getting my phone the end of the week or next week then.

[matf-kabouik 414]

34 minutes ago, Erik said:

 

Jhonny, we contacted you 4+ times requesting your order information to chase it up for you. We are unable to confirm your order, hence we are unable to make a suggestion when your specific order is going to ship. Could you please get back to us as mentioned several times?

*Wave of e-mails from people realizing they could have sent a message to ask whether they are in the first batch.*

*Pain*

*Error 404 on fxtec.com*

Edited October 29, 2019 by matf

[Noob 158]

I haven't posted much but been watching the forums, twitter, my email for any activity, waiting for my Pro1 to finally arrive.  I share the frustration of seeing estimated dates come and go, but I have to say it's a bit much reading some of the childish negativity from some of you.  I'm not talking about rational criticism which is really more like constructive feedback (which there has been a bit of, and fair enough as as estimated delivery dates have come and gone), but some of you are carrying on like FxTec has kicked your dog, or some scam operator intending to fleece you out of your money or something sinister. 

I'm in the same boat as the rest of you; I'm waiting for my phone and wish that my Pro1 was here months ago (my Droid 4 is seriously dying).  And I agree the communication should have been better.  But the fact is this isn't a 'buying a Samsung from Amazon' experience.  This is a startup that is building/selling/distributing/supporting its first product and has had to solve issues with hardware, software, logistics, licensing, compliance, customer service, etc, with (I'm guessing) minimal staff and budget.  On top of that along the way they've had to deal with global currency market issues, Brexit, Hong Kong protests impacting shipping (again, I'm guessing here), and this is after they formed this company when they were screwed around by Motorola with their original Moto Mod. 

I really just want to say to some of you, "quit your bitching, just ask for a refund and be done with it", but I worry that every lost sale impacts this phone's success and the chance of seeing another keyboard phone.  So maybe if it's in the first shipment try reselling your order if you can.  If the price of the few moto mods that made it to eBay is an indication you might make a tidy profit.  Or, I dunno, just chill out a bit?

[Erik 1,487]

20 minutes ago, matf said:

*Wave of e-mails from people realizing they should have sent a message to ask whether they are in the first batch.*

*Pain*

We typically don't have an answer to that, as the logistics team drafts up the CSV files needed by the warehouses minutes before the warehouse starts processing them. Factors such as when the payment was received and whether it's an Indiegogo compensation determine in what order devices are shipped.

As for @Jhonny B, we are trying to confirm which order reference he has. Due to privacy reasons, we can't confirm why, but we're struggling to locate it.

[Noob 158]

42 minutes ago, Jhonny B said:

So the next round of frustration is started if fx has really shipped.

...

I truly regret the day I signed up for this pro1

 

Based on what you've said in previous posts, a lot of your frustration is a result of your own actions regarding work phone situation.  I hope you've formed a plan B since then as well as a more sensible transition plan, because otherwise I fear you'll be continually frustrated for one reason or another even after you get the phone ("there's this bug on the OS, OMG fix it it's impacting our whole batch of phones you guys suck, etc")

[matf-kabouik 414]

16 minutes ago, Erik said:

We typically don't have an answer to that, as the logistics team drafts up the CSV files needed by the warehouses minutes before the warehouse starts processing them. Factors such as when the payment was received and whether it's an Indiegogo compensation determine in what order devices are shipped.

As for @Jhonny B, we are trying to confirm which order reference he has, due to privacy reasons we can't confirm why, but we're struggling to locate it.

That's actually reassuring, I was starting to think you had opened the Pandore's box there. 😮 I didn't follow @Jhonny B's case, I'm merely a TMO member who's keeping an eye here now and then, but not very actively.