Update #24 - Here We Go Again!
over 3 years ago – Thu, Oct 15, 2020 at 07:02:28 PM

Hello All, 

I am incredibly excited to share with you that we are shipping out the final round of orders! You have likely already received an email with tracking information. Please verify that you have received your tracking email and that it includes the correct items and address. 

Based on our experience in the previous round of shipping, many backers came out noticing that they had not updated their address and some orders were unfortunately sent out by the time we could stop them. This time, we're allowing a period of 48 hours to give all of our backers a chance to correct any addresses and will then release them all. Once released, we lose control over them and can't make any changes so please verify your information and email us at [email protected] and we'll get it fixed for you. 

We'll be tracking the shipments closely and can't wait to get our final backers their orders!

Thanks again for backing us!

Jose and Team

Update #23 - New Packaging Results Are In!
over 3 years ago – Fri, Oct 02, 2020 at 09:08:41 AM

Hello again everyone!

As you know we recently updated our packaging based on an issue several backers had with the bases  coming loose in the box and damaging their RODA Showcase unit. We've since sent out 50 test units with new packaging and are happy to let you all know that the new packaging has worked out very well. It's not as aesthetic as we had envisioned but our priority is making sure your units arrive in mint condition. 

We've been packaging up the rest of the units left to ship (382 to be exact), and are coordinating with our shipper to have these picked up by the end of next week! Once those shipments are complete, we will have fulfilled every order in our original kickstarter campaign. We are very excited to be this close to the end, and have already received some great feedback from users who have received their orders. We wanted to share this video with you again now that your orders are shipping soon, so you can get the most out of your RODA right out of the box. 

A common question we had was regarding how to get faster spins, which we talk about in this video. It's all in the grip!

There is a lot to keep track of with shipments this big, we've found that using simple color stickers on each box help make sure there's no mixups. 

Thanks again for backing us and we will keep you informed on when units ship. If you had any last minute address changes please send those to us as soon as possible to [email protected].

Thanks again, 

Jose & Team

Update #22 - Here goes nothing!
over 3 years ago – Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 06:09:37 PM

Hi All, 

Quick update for you. We've just begun the test shipment of our new packaging. We'll begin by sending the newly packaged units to the 35 backers who need a replacement because of packaging issues. We hope this new strategy will work out, and will wait to hear from those backers to see if the issue is resolved. If so, we will finish up packaging the final units and have those safely sent to our remaining backers soon after! If you recently received a unit and have any issues please email us directly at [email protected] and we'll include you in the new shipping round.

If you are expecting as replacement but haven't received your tracking information email yet please let us know!

We've learned so much from this experience, it's been a long road but with every lesson we build a better product. 

Thanks again for all your support!

- Jose & Team

Update #21 - Shipping Update!
over 3 years ago – Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 10:39:11 PM

Hello Everyone! We are now up to about 700 units delivered with another 100 still in transit. We wanted to give you an update based on some feedback we've received and our next steps. 

Packaging

The first and most important item we want to address is an issue that has been popping up in shipping where the Showcase base can come loose in transit and wreak havoc on the RODA before it arrives. This is really a failure of our packaging design and overly optimistic expectations on how the shipping companies would handle the packages. 

Twenty backers have reached out to us so far with this issue, and we are issuing all of them a new unit with a new packaging. Fortunately, the amount of backers with this issue is still under 3%, but we can imagine how frustrating it is for those backers to wait this long to receive a unit damaged in shipping. If you're having this issue please reach out to us directly at [email protected].

To that end, here's the changes we are implementing to our packaging.

We tested the new arrangement by tossing the box around and dropping it from over six feet high multiple times, and still found the unit in mint condition inside. 

I do want to point out that the new foam pieces are being laser-cut by us in house. This means that the edges on the foam can come out looking rough, but we tested them to make sure this would not damage the unit and would not cause any scuffs or scratches. 

We now recognize that we focused too much on a pleasing unboxing experience at the expense of adequate shipping protection. We won't make that mistake again, in the future we'll fully redesign the packaging to be  aesthetic and enjoyable to open while still providing adequate protection. 

We'll be testing all this by sending out the twenty replacement units to backers who had issues. We'll want to confirm this is working before moving on to finish packing up the final 300 Showcase units. 

Next Shipping Round

One thing we can do while we confirm that the new Showcase packaging works is start shipping out the 100 or so Standard orders. The RODA Standard orders did not include the base and with the added top box foam, bigger closing stickers, and tighter shipping box, should have no trouble reaching our backers unharmed. 

Timeline

Although we wanted to ship the last of the Kickstarter orders around now the packaging issues will set us back a few weeks and add uncertainty to any estimate, especially if the new packaging still has issues. We want to make sure your unit arrives in good shape and hope you agree it's worth spending the time to get it right. Our target is to ship out the Standard orders and the replacement packaging test orders by the end of next week. If all goes well we may be able to complete shipping by the first week of September.

Note that if you had selected a color option your unit has not shipped yet and will be included in the next shipment!

We want to thank all of you again for backing us and for all your support during these last steps. We're especially thankful to backers who had issues with their shipment and who have been very understanding. If you're having issues with your order please reach out to us at [email protected]. We want you all to have a great experience, and we've loved seeing the messages and comments from people who have enjoyed their RODA! We'll keep you informed throughout these last weeks of the campaign as we work to fulfill the commitment we made to you all over a year ago.

Thanks,

Jose and Team

Update #20 - Huge Shipment Heading Out!
almost 4 years ago – Wed, Jul 15, 2020 at 05:32:57 PM

Hello Everyone, 

I am excited to tell you that our shipping company has just picked up the next 750 units for delivery. We will be fulfilling every RODA Showcase Original order in the next few days. If you were one of the hundreds of backers who ordered the RODA with the Showcase base without a color anodize, you will be receiving an email with tracking information this week. 

We are very excited to be completing such a massive portion of our orders. Together with the first shipment we are now at nearly 70% fulfilled! This is a huge step towards completing the commitment we made over a year ago. We've come a long way from when we first launched over a year ago but we can finally see the finish line in our sights. 

Although we had hoped to be sending out every Kickstarter RODA today, some delays with our final color anodize orders along with final inspections taking longer than we anticipated have set us back a few weeks. We do have everything on hand and will begin the final quality control, packaging, and shipping. If you ordered a unit without a base, or with one of the color options, we expect to be shipping out your order with the last 400 RODAs in the next three weeks. 

If you're one of the over 100 backers who have purchased more than one RODA, here's something a little different you can do: 

Thanks again for all your support,

Jose & Team