@jdebay - Thanks for letting me know that you've gotten your order and that you became excited again.

@FORGE,

Many customers happily and successfully receive their products and do not mention it on the forum. When there is no surprise or no disappointment, people don't pipe up. The loudest voice isn't always the most representative, only the most disgruntled.

When you say "the majority of the members are as disappointed as you", that is absolutely not true. Many members will often pipe up and give their thanks. We receive thank-you emails every day. Things are going well, though we are working really hard to get the products out! Shipments happen every day. Six is in shipping, and other robots are almost there. Lots of members received their development kits and EZBs and are talking about them, and are very happy.

If we were really "snake oil salesmen", you would see a lot more outrage than this. We've been transparent throughout the process. Please be patient with us! We'll prove ourselves to you before long.

@FORGE - Yes I am trying to use this as a lesson in patience to my son.

@d.cochran - Actually, it’s up to EZ Robot to set proper expectations. When we ordered we were told that due to high demand, orders would ship between November 1st and December 1st. Only afterwards did things change to shipping soon and then to the product is not completed yet and the quality isn’t there yet so you won't be happy. Claiming high demand and setting a definite shipping date window is NOT the same as asking one to put faith and investment into a product not yet completed. I’ll try to attach a copy of our order confirmation that provided the very clear shipping date window:

@DJ-Sures - The original poster expressed frustration and said he was wondering where the V4’s were that he had ordered back in November. Then @Antron007 said that he knew what he was getting into, back in November. I replied to share that I, like @stonewolf, did not know this. Instead we were expecting to have received our order long ago. I also explained that the expectations of my young son have been let down and am expressing my frustration at seeing his interest in robotics diminish over what may end up being close to a year-long wait.

@chrissi - I agree, disgruntled people often take the time to post (more so than happy customers). It’s good to see the EZ Robot team answer these forum posts quickly; and it is also good to see that @jdebay got his order. It’s still frustrating, however, to get the same answer - i.e. please be patient, Roli will ship soon. I trust you understand that.

That said, we are keeping faith in EZ Robot because of: (i) seeing additional people being hired recently, (ii) having transparency now in terms product quality and Roli almost being completed, (iii) prompt replies to emails and forum posts and (iv) due to customers now reporting that they’re receiving product and being happy with it.

@FORGE.... Dude, you must make friends everywhere you go.... Let it go, the product is shipping...I got mine and so have many, many others....

Okay, you ordered a product that was not developed and in production yet. Its like ordering a video game that gets delayed. it happens on almost every video game out there. Operating systems are no better. Computer products, game consoles, cars and really anything out there has been delayed.

Its up to you as a parent to set the expectations of a child to the fact that the product may never even ship when they are ordering.

read this post. It is exactly what we are all talking about. 3d printer that wasnt

The product was in development. Things happened. It was delayed. This happens with almost every technology that there is. Believe me, I know. I have worked in the cell phone industry designing cell phones. I have been in the computer peripheral industry working on the first digital camera. I have worked for software companies. All of these have been missing deadlines for the past 25+ years. Robotics is no exception. For someone not to know that there would be delays that has watched technology evolve over the past 30 years is surprising to me. It happens with RC Cars, coke machines and pretty much anything electronic. Things happen and the world is so tightly integrated now that something that happens half way around the world will affect your product. It is the world we live in now.

Short of going to the store, and buying the product, you cant guarantee that you will get the product, especially when you are so dependent on so many other companies or agencies that are out of your control to get the product to you. It is your responsibility as an adult and parent to make sure that the child has a realistic expectation of what ordering a pre-order means.

Most of the delays are out of your control. Most companies keep deadlines very tight lipped because people dont understand these delays. This is why you dont find out about when the ship date on the next operating system until it is about to hit the door (ubuntu excluded). You dont know what is going to happen that will delay your product until it happens and you have to react to it. I would rather a company be transparent and tell me what they think at that point in time, as opposed to me being in the dark. If DJ and company had been quiet about expected shipping dates, the same people would be complaining that they dont know anything. Its a no win situation and I appreciate that EZ-Robot chose to handle the information like they did.

I wouldn't expect a 13 year old to understand this. They have just started ordering things.like this. I would expect an adult that has seen everything that has transpired in the world over the past 20+ years to understand this. It is because of this that I say that it is the parents responsibility to set realistic expectations for their child. You dont have it until you have it, and you might never get it depending on what happens tomorrow or the next day. When you get it, rejoice and have fun with it. until then, decide if you want to wait for it or get a refund. Short of a disclaimer that says "This product isnt made yet and you are helping to fund development of this product" I dont know what else EZ-Robot could have done. They told you what they thought was the case at that time. What more could you have wanted? Did they lie to you? No, they told you what they believed to be the truth based on the information that they had at that time. What more can you ask for?

nice to know im now an example for the dangers of pre ordering

@Sander is right about the changing expectations post-ordering. Having a date set is not the same as still being in development and then changing your website t&c. At least acknowledge that customers are justified in their frustrations.

"When we ordered we were told that due to high demand, orders would ship between November 1st and December 1st. Only afterwards did things change to shipping soon and then to the product is not completed yet and the quality isn’t there yet so you won't be happy. Claiming high demand and setting a definite shipping date window is NOT the same as asking one to put faith and investment into a product not yet completed.."

I'm scared to order now that I've read these posts is it a good idea to buy them or not because I want to recieve mine sometime in October and I don't want to wait a whole year for this.