Discontinued The RBT Milaana (unregulated single 18650)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Bravesst

Full Steam Ahead
Manufacturer
I've paid a lot more for a lot less.

Price on Mi is very competitive. What quality, top of the line item can you get for under $200?

Do not go to China to drop the price, please, say it isn't a glimmer of a thought.

When, where, and how can I order the new Mi?
 

hippogriff

Well-Known Member
$100 all day long if we slow boat them from China... I think you looking for a commodity conduction vape my friend... Or sit on the sidelines until word gets out and volume climbs to sustainable levels. You definitely won't like the $249 price on the choice of wood and glass color coming up ;)

I'll bite, where would You value price this vape? MF is $129, Solo is $150, and all the commercial vapes are $269 for this years model and $229 for last years model. So what is the Mi worth? Everyone likes a deal but where does everyone think Mi should be priced? Should I go to China with it, price it at $99 and call it a day?

These are the questions I ponder daily so any input from the existing customer base is valuable. Someone order 1,000 and we can talk deep discounts lol.
This is a niche market, so pricing needs to be comparable to the rest of the niche, seems like you've already done that. Milaana, Firewood, Grasshopper, Firefly, that's the whole portable convection market right? Well the Firefly is overpriced, but they get to do that for a little while cause they're the biggest player. Grasshopper is full of tech (so many things to break, many warranty returns on mine) to justify it's higher price. Firewood is your closest analog, with a bit more features and finish, and similar but slower/less powerful signature, also made in similar circumstances & materials. I think your increased performance merits your price close to the Firewood.

I think marketing-wise you should focus on Firefly customers. These're at least slightly educated customers, and you easily beat the Firefly in price, power, water connectivity, and simplicity. Fer instance, vaporizerwizard.com is popular beyond FC and he's a big Firefly proponent, that'd be a great spot for a Milaana review.

Also seems worthwhile to go to MFLB customers. They may not be convection converts, but they don't have to understand, Milaana works the same as their LB, w/ a massive upgrade in power, speed, and effects, for not much more $.
 

cannabis.pro

aka 420EDC
Accessory Maker
1qds6eH.jpg

We dig the Middle right on this up here in VT. Great work @hippogriff

This is a niche market, so pricing needs to be comparable to the rest of the niche, seems like you've already done that. Milaana, Firewood, Grasshopper, Firefly, that's the whole portable convection market right? Well the Firefly is overpriced, but they get to do that for a little while cause they're the biggest player. Grasshopper is full of tech (so many things to break, many warranty returns on mine) to justify it's higher price. Firewood is your closest analog, with a bit more features and finish, and similar but slower/less powerful signature, also made in similar circumstances & materials. I think your increased performance merits your price close to the Firewood.

I think marketing-wise you should focus on Firefly customers. These're at least slightly educated customers, and you easily beat the Firefly in price, power, water connectivity, and simplicity. Fer instance, vaporizerwizard.com is popular beyond FC and he's a big Firefly proponent, that'd be a great spot for a Milaana review.

Also seems worthwhile to go to MFLB customers. They may not be convection converts, but they don't have to understand, Milaana works the same as their LB, w/ a massive upgrade in power, speed, and effects, for not much more $.
Is Firefly beating Pax? I mean Pax says they've got 1,000,000 units in the wild. On a side note, there was a conversation I was having on Vaporents and the person was now deciding between Milaana and MFLB with price being his final hurdle of $100 vs $200. My comment was 2009 conduction tech vs. 2015/16 convection tech that led up to that. My thoughts is Firefly got some great press on the Firefly 1 which was lackluster at best compared to the Milaana and don't get me started on Firmware (not to mention how incriminating it can be in terms of DUI, border crossing, etc.)

Healthful Aroma is my thought on slogan.
 

OyVape

Well-Known Member
$100 all day long if we slow boat them from China... I think you looking for a commodity conduction vape my friend... Or sit on the sidelines until word gets out and volume climbs to sustainable levels. You definitely won't like the $249 price on the choice of wood and glass color coming up ;)

I'll bite, where would You value price this vape? MF is $129, Solo is $150, and all the commercial vapes are $269 for this years model and $229 for last years model. So what is the Mi worth? Everyone likes a deal but where does everyone think Mi should be priced? Should I go to China with it, price it at $99 and call it a day?

These are the questions I ponder daily so any input from the existing customer base is valuable. Someone order 1,000 and we can talk deep discounts lol.

RBT and everyone, please understand that I have no personal issue with the price or worth of this wonderful machine! Especially in the context of current prices for other vapes these days....lI love it so much, in fact, that I absolutely had to replace my lovely Milaana cause I regrettably lost it in the woods just a few days ago! It's been in use daily since I got it in an early batch. So I am very appreciative of the pre-order price I got it for.

But you did ask for ideas to attract a new market share of smokers or people who haven't experienced vaping. And I remembered in the beginning the Milaana seem to be intended to appeal to people who were into the steam punk bare-bones simplicity that would be so easily affordable it would be a no-brainer for someone who might just be curious about vaping, to get started.

I respect all the effort and expense of manufacturing something and bringing it to market. I was just responding from the point of view of some potential customers you are trying to attract.
 

Shit Snacks

Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
We dig the Middle right on this up here in VT. Great work @hippogriff

Yeah, though if we take out the middle, I feel like then we might as well take out the triangle too. Then you can just increase the size of that center triangle formed by the intersecting swirls, even make it outlined white vs solid black. Kind of a simplified version of that encircled last triskele I posted a few pages back... Also brand is supposed to be a circle anyway no?

I got you @OyVape I don't think he even realized you had one lol (a lost one at that) but yeah these were originally going to be $120 14mm, Zion was 150 for the earliest orders (turned beta testers) however experience revealed it not to be possible to sell them at a loss like that with expensive parts and extensive labor. I think maybe the next hypothetical model will be cheaper, if we can get there...

Exotic wood definitely ups the value, prices inline with logs and bricks, just like the performance (vapor quality and efficiency) yet it's battery powered... Maybe that's where a pitch comes in? Better than smoking for sure, tastier healthier and so much more efficient with its strong power that you can save money so it really ends up paying for itself anyway? How to convey that?
 

stinkytofus

Well-Known Member
I've paid a lot more for a lot less.

Price on Mi is very competitive. What quality, top of the line item can you get for under $200?

Do not go to China to drop the price, please, say it isn't a glimmer of a thought.

When, where, and how can I order the new Mi?
There is a new mi ?
 
stinkytofus,
  • Like
Reactions: SteamfunQ

RBTMarketing

Member
Company Rep
Yeah, stick to the current avatar @RastaBuddhaTao, I'm sorry to say I'm not at all keen on the new triangle concepts, even if thickness of lines and proportions were to change I much prefer what you've already got!
The new triangle concepts are quite a departure from the current one.

Do you really dislike the current one @RBTCustomerService ?

As Ryan said I do like the current RBT logo but we want to simplify it. Especially since it will need to be branded into wood.

another quick study on the existing logo - I tried messing around w/ it at different thicknesses, not worth showing, it needs the balance:

1qds6eH.jpg


p.s. hey mods, imgur doesn't appear to give bb code anymore, at least not for single images anyway. And the image button doesn seem to work.

The middle right one has gotten solid feedback in the past and I do like it as a simplification of the current logo. But @RastaBuddhaTao could that really be easily branded into the wood? A branding iron may help a lot here.
 

scottg402

Well-Known Member
As Ryan said I do like the current RBT logo but we want to simplify it. Especially since it will need to be branded into wood.



The middle right one has gotten solid feedback in the past and I do like it as a simplification of the current logo. But @RastaBuddhaTao could that really be easily branded into the wood? A branding iron may help a lot here.


I'm diggin the logo Ryan put on twitter! And this dialogue is great but lets remember you are never going to get everyone on FC to agree on a logo or price point so someone stands to be disappointed here. Ultimately this is Ryan's decision and I'm sure he will make the right choice.

I think the added wood species is going to be an excellent move too. You all know I love my Walnut!
 

RastaBuddhaTao

Well-Known Member
Manufacturer
I'm diggin the logo Ryan put on twitter! And this dialogue is great but lets remember you are never going to get everyone on FC to agree on a logo or price point so someone stands to be disappointed here. Ultimately this is Ryan's decision and I'm sure he will make the right choice.

I think the added wood species is going to be an excellent move too. You all know I love my Walnut!

You are correct, the logo simplification will be what is on Twitter for the wood burning. A simple triangle in a triangle can be used for commercial type and the full logo will be used for more ornate purposes. Color pallet is black, white, blood red, hunter green, and earth brown. @RBTCustomerService and I will hammer out the graphic design details.

So, what is the best slogan to attract vaporist in the $200 pricepoint? Health, efficiency, flavor, power, speed, versatility, craftsmanship? Let's help @RBTCustomerService put Milaana on the map.
 

AJS

Calm Consistency
When I look at how other vapes are branded, the Pax being the vape with great technology, sleak and compact, easy to use, with a great warranty, the advertising matches that perfectly. You get the feeling that you just stepped into and Apple store where a man in white robes and a long beard is ready to assist you with any issue that arises. They really invoke that feeling well. You take it out of the box, and it works, just as it should, as a Mac would. It's may not be as powerful as someone who is very wise in the ways of Windows, but a Mac is still something to be appreciated, and appeals to a huge majority.

The Firefly is built around class and style, enjoying every moment with your vape (lot of smiles and personal connections in their advertising), and feeling one with your Firefly. It is vaping in style while also "Inspiring Your Senses". They do a great job of pairing memorable moments with your vape...(some simple conditioning, but it works very well in the eyes of large scale statistics.) This makes one feel like they become a part of something special when they purchase the unit...They get to feel what those people are feeling in the pictures.

what a communal spirit RBT is creating
When I think of the Milaana, I think of organic, potent, healthy, efficient, instant. Most importantly, I think RBT nailed it, "Communal Spirit." I think the logo, the website, the advertising, everything should be aimed towards smothering the audience in the idea of an organic community: one that they GET to become a part of when they sign up with their first Milaana. If not, it's just another vape. Okay...not "just another vape", but, just another really fucking good vape. You want to feel like you're not just buying a vape, but that you're jumping into an entire experience. When you visit the Firefly website, without ever coming to FC, you feel a part of something unique. RBT needs that feeling. The FC forum is blossoming in that aspect, just spread it to every fiber of RBT and I think this company could potentially get huge.
When it does, sign me up! (All of this is just my opinion, I think any decision you make is better than anything I could come up with, totally supportive!)

Rapid
Balance
Technique

P.S. That Twitter logo is sick!

Edit:
A great place to start would be an E-Mailing list, sending out specials, recruit-a-friends, advertising pictures (not just pictures of the vape, but people using the vape, good lighting, etc).

Maybe people get a 5% discount for signing up for the Mailing list. Do you know how much shit I've bought just because I saw it in an E-Mail. You gotta get think in the head of a stoner man, tempt the audience! There's a lot you can do without much cost it seems.
 

vapen00b

Many vapes & accessories. Always happy to help
Did anyone else notice the Branded unit on twitter doesn't have a bottom cap seam?
Could be a mock-up or could this be the first glimpse of Milaana 2.0?

:peace:

Yeah, saw that too - think it must be a mock-up unless the desgn branding is final.. And you gotta get that stuff in there somehow when you want a functional unit ;) Looks nice tho :D
 

RastaBuddhaTao

Well-Known Member
Manufacturer
@AJS thanks for the thoughtful feedback... You sound like @RBTCustomerService :) Your input is like good to him I'm sure.

@Shannock good eye. It's just a mock-up on a scrap body as to not sacrifice a usable unit. I plan to do a few hand made units for the video tomorrow.

The kids from "Living on a dollar" (Netflix) are coming to do a video tomorrow and thus the push for the logo, slogan and brand talk.

They plan to do an interview and shoot clips of all of the mfg steps... The hand made in the USA bit. So, what would you like to see in the video? How would you tell the story? How do we tell the tale of transparent design with the great folks here on FC? How do we get them to buy-in to joining the FC / RBT family in reality rather than be marketed into the ever increasing corporate behemoths that are taking over a once underground space? Being able to design communally with customers giving direct feedback rather than have to go through a marketing guy (sorry @RBTCustomerService :) was such an amazing experience for me. Watching @thekarmawhore make changes in the CAD model to integrate FC feedback real time was an exercise in real transparency. It puts the focus on the what the customer actually wants rather than what you think they want.

@OyVape we have plans for the $99 price point after Zion but that is a totally different product. The question is how do we sell Milaana now to finance tomorrow.

Thanks FC for being partners in this crazy ride! Keep the great input coming as selling fact is so much better than selling fiction. I mean, reality TV sells for a reason :)
 
Last edited:

Iamlarrytoo

Active Member
Hello

Can you tell me how I might get my hands on a Milaana? Is there a waiting list?

Thanks,

Lar

As Ryan said I do like the current RBT logo but we want to simplify it. Especially since it will need to be branded into wood.



The middle right one has gotten solid feedback in the past and I do like it as a simplification of the current logo. But @RastaBuddhaTao could that really be easily branded into the wood? A branding iron may help a lot here.
 

AJS

Calm Consistency
There should be a "trade in maple for new wood" option. $60 for a wood change...Id dig it.

Or id buy a 3rd Milaana...hopefully OG pre order purchasers could keep the lifetime warranty for some of us ... But I don't feel THAT special lol. Already feel blessed to have gotten a discounted unit with my Zion preorder.

I think I'm getting ahead of myself, lol. It's going to be weird seeing this simple vape in something like an exotic crotch walnut. Omg just picturing that gets me drooling.

Edit:
@Iamlarrytoo planetvape should have them in stock for ya.
 
Last edited:

buckhakeesah

Well-Known Member
Does Charcol frequent this thread any longer or would it be best to reach out to RBT directly for support? My Milaana's power has tapered off recently and seems under powered than what I am used to. Normally a 5-10 second draw I had to be careful before it would be close to combustion but now I can go past 25 seconds with little heat and this is from testing 3 fully charged batteries. I went to the site and filled out the form but no response yet.
 
buckhakeesah,
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom