The Grasshopper Shipping Poll

[Mister G]

If we're going by their word on things, then they should also have had production up in the "thousands per week" for the last several weeks, which they also said in a public update and not a private email. So how can you trust their reports on available parts? You can't.

 

[Delta3DStudios]

Sounds to me like they are still testing their assembly processes. Again, performing tests by releasing a 'batch' of hoppers at a time, and then watching the feedback before continuing to the next group.

They simply won't ramp up production until the bugs have been worked out of the process. What's the sense in shipping thousands of vapes if there is a high failure rate? They are engineers. They need to feel confident that their product is rock solid before they begin shipping hundreds per day.

I'm fine with waiting for my hopper. Take your time boys, get it right

 

[grokit]

 

[hi_there]

If we're going by their word on things

Then all backers would have had their hoppers last Sept.

 

[CarolKing]

Maybe this vaporizer just pain wasn't ready to be released yet? Beta tester aren't usually the first customers, maybe some of the the testing could have been done by folks that donated large sums of money? But it doesn't seem like a thorough job if it's been done at all.

They probably felt that they needed to get this unit out because of so many false start dates. That was their own fault though for getting everybody hopes up and then they would get dashed. Tempers seem to be freyed in the regular GH thread. Poor @grokit got somebody rath for just trying to lighten the atmosphere. Something I thought was hilarious.

No sense in sending them out if the aren't sound because they will continue to lose money. You are right @Ratchett they are sending them out in controlled batches and that will take a long time. Until they feel confident in their product.

@Mister G you are always so patient. When every one is pissed you are always the up beat one. Now you are pissed, so things aren't the way they should be going which is up.

 

[Mister G]

@Mister G you are always so patient. When every one is pissed you are always the up beat one. Now you are pissed, so things aren't the way they should be going which is up.

Oh I'm not pissed, don't mean to come off that way, I'm in this for the long haul, but honestly, I expected them to be shipping many many more by now. But I don't like the way they communicate, it reminds me that we're in a Presidential election period and that makes me grumpy...so much BS. I find BS unnecessary and wasteful. I have other vapes that are more than satisfactory to tide me over, but I feel for those who aren't so lucky and want this one to be their "go-to".

 

[CarolKing]

@Mister G it was a compliment, you come across as being a really nice person. Always giving the vaporizer companies the benefit of the doubt. I appreciate you always being respectful. I try to be too, but sometimes it's hard. I agree I don't think GHL has been upfront with the customers. Maybe because they thought sales would falter.

 

[zymos]

Though of course it makes sense that they wouldn't want to send out huge batches and get huge numbers of defective returns, when you flip that around it's pretty depressing- they know they keep having substantial amounts of defective units, and can only deal with that in small chunks. After several weeks now.

We don't know whether they could even ship more if they wanted to- if the shipping rates are due to their caution, the slowness of assembly, or a combination of those.

 

[Snappo]

they know they keep having substantial amounts of defective units,...

What may be considered "substantial amounts of defective units..." to some, may actually be considered a relatively small number to others. GHL may have determined that until they get those numbers down to what they consider a significantly small number, then, and only then, will they ramp up the shipping schedule. I can respect that.

 

[Bass Vaper]

It's mystifying how from one week to the next, they seemingly have zero idea how many hoppers they'll be releasing.

No shit, man. Well said. Even with replacements going out, they should have averages and more realistic estimates.

Must be the weed

I have an email from Trevor saying this.

I have the same email as well. But the order I added on was pushed back to Nov while my initial order was pushed back to Oct. Up until the most recent delay they were always on the same shipping month.

 

[sasNW]

@grokit im in the same boat, still says September delivery but no confirmation email yet. I'm sure we will both get our confirmations Monday and they will next day air our hoppers to us.... And hell will freeze over

I'm not holding my breath for an October date even. These new "accurate" delivery dates are really helpful

 

[Kaptan]

I am in the same boat with a September shipping date, but I was told by Caroline if I do not receive an address confirmation by the end of the month, I should receive it by early October.

 

[Czechyourhead]

Some honest shipping estimates would be nice.

They should change it to:

Estimated shipping date: Next month.

Not this month.

TBD.

Outlook not so good, ask again later, or cannot predict now.

 

[EmDeemo]

I am in the same boat with a September shipping date, but I was told by Caroline if I do not receive an address confirmation by the end of the month, I should receive it by early October.

I remember when Trevor told me it would August ;-)

 

[Shrike]

...I remember we were told February of '14

...so...so...long ago...

 

[paytonpenn]

Pretty sure if you got yours now you'd be getting replacements for them a week later. I've had only one out of my three units last me longer than a week before needing replaced. I foresee this one Bronze unit falling to the same fate (its a loud clicker). Luckily I don't use it as much as I have dedicated it for eliquids and oils.

 

[zymos]

Oh FFS, almost wish I hadn't read that!

 

[hippogriff]

So it looks like November 24th Backers are gonna be it for September. My impression is they're actually going slower than earlier slowness predictions, like somewhere in 100-150/wk. At this pace w/ modest improvements it'll be a big deal to complete Backers by the end of November. The upcoming update would be a GREAT time for them to change their estimating style from "end of month under best possible circumstances" to "assuming our current pace...". I'm sure they're encountering and dealing with a lot of totally reasonable issues, and they seem to be surviving and delivering, all good, I would love love more detail on any of that. The Vagueness, tho... I just want them to learn and get communications better, is all.

 

[grokit]

Pretty sure if you got yours now you'd be getting replacements for them a week later. I've had only one out of my three units last me longer than a week before needing replaced. I foresee this one Bronze unit falling to the same fate (its a loud clicker). Luckily I don't use it as much as I have dedicated it for eliquids and oils.

So all three of your hoppers went bad, but one of them took longer than a week to do so?

 

[syrupy]

So all three of your hoppers went bad, but one of them took longer than a week to do so?

Nah, I think he's saying the Bronze one still works... for now.

It seems like it would save time if all shipping estimates were just "Next month". An order estimated for September, will automatically become October. And when October comes around, unshipped items will already be estimated for November.

 

[JiggyJack]

I really believe they are still only getting a handful of heaters printed per week. That's the only way I can rationalize this snail's pace.

Believe what you want, but heaters being the bottleneck doesn't make a bit of sense. Why would they have spent money on new equipment to increase production if the heaters were the problem? Why hire new people if you won't have heaters to build with?

I agree with Krazzykid. If they could only get 30 heaters per (week/month?) there is no way they would even try to stay in business. Total sales, assuming all titanium at current pricing, would be $6,000 per week/month. After costs/expenses their profit would not provide a livable for Trevor/Matt let alone employees.

I think it makes far more sense that they are working through production ramp up issues and at some point we'll see the output jump.

 

[YaFreekin Right]

I agree with Krazzykid. If they could only get 30 heaters per (week/month?) there is no way they would even try to stay in business. Total sales, assuming all titanium at current pricing, would be $6,000 per week/month. After costs/expenses their profit would not provide a livable for Trevor/Matt let alone employees.

I think it makes far more sense that they are working through production ramp up issues and at some point we'll see the output jump.

Completely agree. There is no point in ramping production up until they bring their failure rates into a range they are happy with. Small calculated batches, waiting for feedback, is the only way to accomplish this.

 

[CarolKing]

I thought that GHL said their failure rate was 1 in 10. That doesn't sound too bad for a brand new vape. We seem to be getting a higher rate here on FC.

 

[hi_there]

There is no point in ramping production up until they bring their failure rates into a range they are happy with

I wish they would just stop telling everyone that they are getting their vapes next month. They have been doing this for well over a year now.

 

[Delta3DStudios]

I thought that GHL said their failure rate was 1 in 10. That doesn't sound too bad for a brand new vape. We seem to be getting a higher rate here on FC.

Last I read, I thought they said it was now under 5% which would be 1 in 20. But that number still sounds pretty damn artificial. I mean hell @paytonpenn has 3 units, two of which failed within a week - that's 66% failure rate right there.

As I suspected, the large number of manufactured parts which comprise the assembly of this device is too much. Maintaining consistent quality is tough to maintain from vape to vape. I almost wonder if it'd be easier to revise some of these components and reduce the part-counts.... (yes easier said than done, but still) - The back-end certainly seems like the first component I'd re-engineer if I were GHL