Purple-Days availability

[SSS]

enjoy whatever suits you. that's my opinion.

new page, new list

updated through post by jimbo

Last Confirmed Shipment: sci-fi-dude #3075 Ordered 11/3 Shipped 2/10
Lowest Known Numbers Awaiting Confirmation: sour #3083 ordered 11/3
Expected Wait Time: 14-15 weeks

Current Known Wait List:
sour #3083 ordered 11/3
hookem13 #3102 ordered 11/5
nobilo #3125 ordered 11/8
thegame #3144 ordered 11/10
ledados #3164 ordered 11/13
shadowlink12 #3172 ordered 11/14
lo #3197 ordered 11/15
sinclue #3200 ordered 11/17
perseusstoned #3224 ordered 11/18
bodhi #3232 ordered 11/19
buzzhead #3248 ordered 11/20
cville #3292
ejance #3335 ordered 12/1
lex1489 #3394 ordered 12/6
elhoel #3418 ordered 12/8
xero #3502 ordered 12/15
jofroxp #3538
greenroses #3581 ordered 12/24
slick64 #3610 ordered 12/26
commit #3615 ordered 12/28
d232 #3619 ordered 12/29
diabeticgonewild #3684 ordered 1/4
donkdafied #3688
blearybear #3738
bags #3822
neilito #3859
yada #3864 ordered 1/23
bkram #3968 ordered 2/3
mrschyguy #3975 ordered 2/3
edgar #4018 ordered 2/9

Canada Wait List:
sudo_high #2949 ordered 10/19
jimbo #3953 ordered 2/1

 

[max]

i suggest you take a read of your rules and see just where i went wrong. if im at fault then so are the rest of you

You're entitled to your opinion, but it doesn't carry equal weight.

Also from the rules page: Rules are interpreted and applied at the discretion of the moderators and exist to keep the forum fun, informative and manageable

 

[fail]

Just canceled my order 3863 and orderd pandora kit instead. I had 11+ weeks left out of 14+, so I decided to build it myself. I would definitely prefer to get a PD built by Tom, but 11+ remaining weeks are just too much.
I hope Tom will be OK with this.

 

[SSS]

thanks for the report fail. a cancellation is good to know too.

 

[tonylarock]

Let me start off by saying, I just got given away all my pipes to family and friends after the first day with WDZ,
I swear to all that is sacred, that I am telling the truth,
I have been smoking for 25 years, and never have I encountered a better taste, , BIGGER HIT, and better high! With such a little amount. Holy Freaking doody!
Thank you WDZ, and big thank you PD for Leading the way!

 

[Lo]

I felt the very same way after getting my first PD Tony!

Glad you're kicking the combustion habit

 

[sudo_high]

Long time patient lurker, 1st post.

Could we add one to the top of the waiting list #2949, ordered 10/19. Canadian, so apparently they have to dog-sled it up here.

 

[max]

Just canceled my order 3863 and orderd pandora kit instead. I had 11+ weeks left out of 14+, so I decided to build it myself. I would definitely prefer to get a PD built by Tom, but 11+ remaining weeks are just too much.
I hope Tom will be OK with this.

Tom doesn't care. He builds and sells both. Since vapenow handles the PD order process, they're handling order cancellations and refunds. That's why they're in the mix. BTW, this cancellation is an excellent example of why ordering 'either', vs purple or paisley, can sometimes get you delivery one shipment quicker.

 

[D232]

Figured I'd get in line...

Order #3619

Placed 12/29

I'd love to save time and buy a pandora, but I'd rather have it professionally made for peace of mind.

 

[Commit]

Ill join up too, #3615, on Dec. 28th.

I admire Toms desire to maintain standards, but as a business student who is taking courses in factory processes and outsourcing, and after seeing his production videos, I think he could outsource his production fairly easily while maintaining quality control.

Im not sure if hes looked into it, this is pure speculation, but its my professional opinion. We are constantly doing real-world case studies in school and are faced with extremely similar situations.

The fact that there is such a large demand with essentially only word-of-mouth and a couple Youtube vids to generate attention speaks to the quality of the product and the potential it has. Not to mention its extremely limited availability on a single website limited to the contiguous NA market...

Why not License the design so you have the final say on production, but have the ability to enter other markets and give other vapers a healthy alternative?

Its looking to me like hes only going to get busier and busier, which can only mean bottleneck changes or burnout. Price sensitivity seems to be incredibly low as well once the features are understood, combined with the word-of-mouth distribution, demand is only going to multiply as units go out the door.

 

[fail]

Ill join up too, #3615, on Dec. 28th.

I admire Toms desire to maintain standards, but as a business student who is taking courses in factory processes and outsourcing, and after seeing his production videos, I think he could outsource his production fairly easily while maintaining quality control.

Im not sure if hes looked into it, this is pure speculation, but its my professional opinion.

The fact that there is such a large demand with essentially only word-of-mouth and a couple Youtube vids to generate attention speaks to the quality of the product and the potential it has. Not to mention its extremely limited availability on a single website limited to the contiguous NA market...

Why not License the design so you have the final say on production, but have the ability to enter other markets and give other vapers a healthy alternative?

Its looking to me like hes only going to get busier and busier, which can only mean bottleneck changes or burnout.

I think that Tom should try to outsource a part time business manager to handle PR and other stuff. Also he should hire few school pupils for part time employment where he supervises the work.

 

[lwien]

Ill join up too, #3615, on Dec. 28th.

I admire Toms desire to maintain standards, but as a business student who is taking courses in factory processes and outsourcing, and after seeing his production videos, I think he could outsource his production fairly easily while maintaining quality control.

Im not sure if hes looked into it, this is pure speculation, but its my professional opinion.

The fact that there is such a large demand with essentially only word-of-mouth and a couple Youtube vids to generate attention speaks to the quality of the product and the potential it has. Not to mention its extremely limited availability on a single website limited to the contiguous NA market...

Why not License the design so you have the final say on production, but have the ability to enter other markets and give other vapers a healthy alternative?

Its looking to me like hes only going to get busier and busier, which can only mean bottleneck changes or burnout.

This is all well and good, Commit, but I think you're under the assumption that he would like to grow his business. He may be perfectly fine with where it currently is.

 

[fail]

I think that Tom should try to outsource a part time business manager to handle PR and other stuff. Also he should hire few school pupils for part time employment where he supervises the work.

On the other hand, the nature of the product makes all this somewhat problematic.

 

[Commit]

Yes, but when you class his product as a medical device (which it relatively is, compared to competition), its not just what he wants anymore, there are ethical implications as well (to a certain extent).

I fully understand Toms desire to keep everything under such personal control and I admire it, but the reality is that such a good product has demand far higher than the amount he can produce.

Options like producing a more expensive custom made version and then mass-producing the design as a different model seem to fit well with the situation, it means Tom can continue to satisfy those people who truly appreciate what it is he is doing, while filling orders for those people who simply want a quality product. If he can do this while taking on minimal work himself (and he can), I dont really see any problem with it.

Whether he likes it or not, it seems Tom has created something unintentionally that most entrepreneurs struggle with- something in very large demand.

As far as a process, the actual production is fairly straightforward and could quite easily be tweaked into a line-flow manufacturing method.

The line-flow process of manufacturing is actually slightly counterintuitive in terms of quality control, for as each employee only concentrates on a single task, an experience curve will increase that employees ability and accuracy over time-leading to quality increases. Further, because there are multiple eyes going over each and every product, defects are minimized even more. On top of that, economies of scale will be realized on materials-reducing costs both for the mass-produced and custom product.

I wasnt thinking about this when I wrote it-only thinking in print because Im off on reading week and am checking up on my order , but Id be happy to have a chat with Tom about the company, product, and his goals, although there are many people better suited to his needs- any small-business program has the resources he would need to take it to the next level.

 

[lwien]

Yes, but when you class his product as a medical device (which it relatively is, compared to competition), its not just what he wants anymore, there are ethical implications as well (to a certain extent).

He has met those ethical implications by making his product as safe to use as he can possibly make it. In my opinion, he is under no ethical mandate to increase his production.

....any small-business program has the resources he would need to take it to the next level.

Again, that is under the assumption that he wants to take it to another level. From everything that I have read here and know about Tom and Pammy, they are perfectly happy with the level that it is currently at, and possibly may want to even scale it back a bit.

 

[Commit]

He has met those ethical implications by making his product as safe to use as he can possibly make it. In my opinion, he is under no ethical mandate to increase his production.

That is exactly my point, in denying consumers the option to purchase a healthier alternative at no real personal investment, this is where an ethical issue can be found. The vaporizer market is as far as I know completely unregulated and little research has been done into toxins which are inhaled from inferior products. A friend of mine bought an Iolite around New Years, and in under a month it had defected and melted severely while in use. This is not good.

I assure you I understand what you mean when you say they do not want to take it to the next level, but the problem lies in that demand is only going to increase. It is obvious they are overworked and under an unsuitable amount of stress by the waiting list length, what I am suggesting is they look into unloading the work to whatever amount they want, allowing them to have more free time, not less. If that can be done with minimal complications, I dont see any harm in it, and it is the best option both for them and the customers going forward.

Whatever, I was just stating my opinion and accidentally tripped my case-study switch and started analyzing . If Tom wants to get some more input he is welcome to contact me at tcolli3@uwo.ca, I am an HBA student at the Richard Ivey school of business, a school which specializes in teaching through entrepreneurial case studies. Doesnt really matter to me, I have more than enough on my plate to think about right now, I just think that there is a better solution than what is happening, and it is only going to end in disappointed customers and an overworked Tom and Patty.

Much respect to him on creating something which is good at so many levels, I am looking forwards to getting mine but am hoping the waiting list isnt so long Im out of school for the summer and traveling by the time it comes in the mail- there is my vested interest haha


Oh Im in Canada btw, thats order # 3615

 

[indigal]

I fully understand Toms desire to keep everything under such personal control and I admire it, but the reality is that such a good product has demand far higher than the amount he can produce.

Options like producing a more expensive custom made version and then mass-producing the design as a different model seem to fit well with the situation, it means Tom can continue to satisfy those people who truly appreciate what it is he is doing, while filling orders for those people who simply want a quality product. If he can do this while taking on minimal work himself (and he can), I dont really see any problem with it.


I wasnt thinking about this when I wrote it-only thinking in print because Im off on reading week and am checking up on my order , but Id be happy to have a chat with Tom about the company, product, and his goals, although there are many people better suited to his needs- any small-business program has the resources he would need to take it to the next level.

Commit,
Kudos to your thought process. . Whether or not Tom & Pammy ever want to grow that big is irrelevant in my response to you, I just like the way you think and the way you get it across. You have good ideas and communication. Welcome to FC btw.

 

[jimbo]

SSS, if you want, you can move me on the Canadian wait list, keep up the exceptional work!

 

[Purple-Days]

Welcome to the forum to all the new folks.

Thanks for your trust in us.

We are looking into other ways to provide as many units as possible.
But, I come from a background of, 'build slow and steady'.

We live in a town of under 1100. Most of the year it is about 750-850 (tourista influx).
Plug that variable into those textbook formulae and it throws it off. We graduate
20 folks from high school each year, Pammy and I are going to a function tonight to help local scholarships, The All You Can Eat Rotarian Crab Feast, 21 AND OVER... Haha ... Most local graduates either move out, or go into existing family businesses. Logging, cattle and sheep, fishing or cranberries.

I do not make fun of your college business models, but they don't always apply. Here, in Port Orford, or in Namibia, or Tibet, or Guatemala you have to apply local conditions...

Other factors, many you never see, but pay for in every product
, are involved. It's not just that $7.25 minimum wage... If I get cut, cause I am too stupid to keep my hands out of moving machinery... NO, I don't (or try very hard not to) get my hands whacked off. It's my shop. An employee might, or might not, care as much about safety and the long term cost of injuries. This kind of thing can keep you (me) up at night, I don't want to be awake at night about such things.

We have been working with a local friend lately, they do our laser logo work.

The also turn our Billy Bowls and have an excellent wood shop. Several runs of American Cherry have 'turned' out beautifully, they work from our example and I provide squared blanks they turn and laser them, after that I bore and tap them... NO compromise or materials substitutions. BTW these folks are better on the lathe than me. any day ! This allows me more time to assemble the PDs. No compromise...

 

[Commit]

Thanks, indigital, hopefully I can explain a bit about my approach and answer Tom at the same time.

I said that my school uses a case-based approach, hopefully I can elaborate a bit and speak to your points at the same time. The school contacts successful (and unsuccessful) entrepreneurs and CEOs of a huge range of companys, and asks them to write a ~15pg background report of a difficult decision that they have made during their career. The reports include a) a detailed background of the industry, b) a detailed background of the manager and extra considerations, and c) the problem the manager faces. These are 100% real cases, and make no mistake each is as unique and different as is yours. We then have to take the place of the decision-maker and make the call, writing a report which defends our decision in as many ways as possible, "drawing implications" are the most popular words here- basically its all about applying theoretical models to real-world situations and accomodating special circumstances.

Where my school differs from most is that this is their primary approach, in other words its pretty much all we do. For example, Im currently redesigning a factory manufacturing process in the D.R. for a subsupplier to the US military for overhead camouflage support poles, deciding the location and target market for a premium ice cream retailer in Toronto suburbs during the beginnings of the recession, solving a Union wage dispute between a small custom furniture manufacturer and its employees in the heavily unionized city of Windsor, and determining the long-term growth strategy of a classy wine-tasting and retail establishment on the island of Trinidad. We do over 3 cases per week, and then discuss and debate them in class. Our exams are especially hard cases which we are given along with a book of paper and told to solve in 4 hours, they are not testing our memorization of theories and frameworks, if you do not end with a final clear decision, you dont pass. We are not marked on the correctness of our decision, so much as how well we draw implications and understand the unique problems which the manager and company face. By the time I graduate I will have done over 400 of these cases.

My point is that every business is unique and faces difficult problems, but there is always an optimal solution which addresses as many of the issues as possible. This is something which the top-tier biz schools are starting to recognize, and its evident in the changing approach from theoretical to experience-based methods.

Really, what Im saying is that if youre having trouble with the way your business is running, Help IS available. If your locale doesnt present the right employee opportunities, there are options available to you such as licensing the entire design or especially time-consuming steps to a more distant (but abler) manufacturer but having randomized quality control testing and the legal ability to terminate the contract if you are not satisfied. Im not really familiar with small-business stimulus measures in Oregon, but I am sure there are many resources available to assist you with making these calls.

As to labour disputes, that is always a concern in business and is one that much help is available for in labour consultants and insurance. It is a risk of being an employer for sure, but every company that is successful effectively manages that risk.

It sounds like your on the right track by getting higher capacity machinery for some steps and outsourcing a bit, that is definitely the right approach and the best way forwards for someone who from what I can see does not want the hassle of employees. Another option is to completely pass the buck on production, youre already most of the way there with the Pandora Kit. If demand continues to increase, there is a very good chance that some individual will start buying the kit, building it, and then selling it at an inflated price (took me about 10 seconds after reading about the Pandora to think of that). Theres some pretty obvious flaws with that approach which im not going to insult your intelligence with pointing out.

 

[Commit]

PS, if anyone is bored and intrigued by what Im talking about- check out the show Dragons Den, its sponsored by my school and is all about this stuff. Gives an interesting look at how new companies get funding with real asses on the line.

 

[lex1489]

PS, if anyone is bored and intrigued by what Im talking about- check out the show Dragons Den, its sponsored by my school and is all about this stuff. Gives an interesting look at how new companies get funding with real asses on the line.

It's like you knew I'd be high while reading this thread. I'm going to check it out right now.

 

[jmscliff]

Commit: Do they ever teach you to KISS in business school. That means Keep It Simple Stupid. Maybe Tom and Pammy should buy Futures contracts on cherry wood, or maybe they could do Inverse Interest Rate Swaps to hedge their leveraged bets. After watching Tom's videos you should more than realize he isn't interested in growing too quickly, which seems to be a big problem with too many businesses these days if you haven't noticed. I personally bought a pd over other units BECAUSE of his personal, hands on, local approach. I don't want an "outsourced" vape. I want a vape made by a small shop craftsman who believes in quality not quantity and I'm willing to wait. I'll be nice and not tell you to use your degree as toilet paper..........

 

[Commit]

First, I dont see how making someone else do the work is more complicated if thats what he wants, he can stay involved as little as he wants or just sell the design- thats what Ive been saying the whole time.

Second, while I am very impressed with your name dropping, the recession was caused by the improper regulation of derivatives and the housing market, not uncontrolled growth.

Third, I hope you love the craftsmanship when Tom and Pammy burn out and quit and you dont get your order after waiting half a year. Some people may care the most about the handmade aspect, the majority dont. Why should he work his ass off for those too? ...sure as hell not my idea of retirement

Whatever, a ton of respect to you as an inventor and individual Tom, entrepreneurs and inventors exactly like you are the ones who got your country where it is now and are the only ones who can keep it off the rocks in the near future.

Peace, Im out

Ill be waiting for my pd

 

[lwien]

Commit: Do they ever teach you to KISS in business school. That means Keep It Simple Stupid. Maybe Tom and Pammy should buy Futures contracts on cherry wood, or maybe they could do Inverse Interest Rate Swaps to hedge their leveraged bets. After watching Tom's videos you should more than realize he isn't interested in growing too quickly, which seems to be a big problem with too many businesses these days if you haven't noticed. I personally bought a pd over other units BECAUSE of his personal, hands on, local approach. I don't want an "outsourced" vape. I want a vape made by a small shop craftsman who believes in quality not quantity and I'm willing to wait. I'll be nice and not tell you to use your degree as toilet paper..........

Commit, while the above post may sound a bit defensive, he does have a point. The "old(small) world, craftsmanship is one of the things that drew me to the PD also, and I would imagine that that same thing is true for a good portion of his customers. Tom and Pammy have created a pretty nice niche for themselves in the marketplace, and a change in business plans, one planned for growth, could in fact, be counter-productive if they want to continue to feed that portion of the vape market that they have so successfully nurtured.

I also have no doubt that you would argue that one could do both.

But I don't think this discussion belongs in the availability thread. (Hell, that could be debated also......)

Edit: Just read your above post. Your statement of, "Some people may care the most about the handmade aspect, the majority dont. Why should he work his ass off for those too? ".

I would argue that a majority of his customers DO care. And regarding selling his design, have you looked at the Myrtlezap and the Woodez yet? And if you sell the PD name to someone else, guess what? It is no longer a PD.

I would also say that beyond the product, and beyond Pammy and Toms personal touch, one of the reasons for their success IS it's lack of availability. That's a fact, regardless of any lack of intention to do so.

Anyway, I'm out also.

Sorry for the derail, guys.