The Grasshopper Shipping Poll

[lovecrush]

It is known that to receive your hopper straight from hopper labs you must wait at least one entire year

 

[tr33sPlease]

So after many push backs of the dates the last extension is supposed to be the last correct? As they claimed they are ahead of schedule if i remember correctly. Im seeing some adress confirmations for early 2015 (jan, feb) but my hoppers are supposed to come this month ( after they pushed it back 2 months last time and said it was the last push back because they got in trouble.) I dont see how they are going to get to my order of oct 2015 this month at this rate, and they claimed to be on track or ahead of schedule.

I have been very supportive and waiting patiently and this is my first disparaging comment. I have tried to give them the benefit of doubt and even defended the wait, as i knew it was kind of up in the air. But with no june update and there is no way they are on track or ahead of schedule im startimg to get kinda pissed. Because i foolishy believed that they were being open and acctually moving this along. But no they lied again about the dates, i mean they have to have lied because there is no possible way i can see me getting my order this month. Especially when they are delivering orders to retailers, vape feind i understood because it was right as pre-orders went out and it made seince they were waiting in line too. I defended the vape feind retail, they deserve their cut and helps UK. But with 2 more retailers getting theirs, sounds shady to me. I do realize many folks have waited longer than I have, and we all have felt the fustration of the dates push backs. However i do really feel lied too again as hopperlabs knew they weren't going to get to all pre-orders yet claimed to be ahead of schedule.

I will eat my words if i do get an addy comfirm, but not holding my breath.

Sucks that i too now am in the pissed off crowd even though its just over a vape that i knew i was going to wait for. I have plenty other vape to use so im not sure why im getting fired up over this one. I usually have a pretty carefree additude and just figured it would get here when its ready. I guess its my fault for acctually believing anything hopper labs says because it always turns out to be smoke up your ass.

Please correct me if im wrong about thier claims, its just i guess i have hit my tipping point, i feel outright lied to many many times and they promised in the last update to have correct shipping dates.

Nope, you are right...they don't want you to have an accurate estimate... That would hurt sales.

 

[vapviking]

I'm wondering if HL made a different kind of mistake now. Here's my speculation for the day;

Maybe they had started building a network of European retailers outside of the backer/preorder system, planning for it's rollout to coincide with their having caught up with all preorders. While they are behind with the preorder goal, certain obligations came due with these retailers and so HL started shipping, though sporadically, to them. Vapefiend seems to be selling quite a few, and though they come in fits and starts, they do replenish, while Hoppers continue to pop up at other sellers, too.

If this is the case, I'm sure it would have been a tough decision to proceed in this way, but one consolation for them could have been the thought that many preorderers, especially those in EU would get their hoppers anyway (maybe sooner!) through the retailers and in so doing alleviate the in-house backlog. We are seeing people cancel their preorders. It also provides an easier warranty process in EU and some relief to HL in dealing with claims.
This scenario would also provide a boost in cash flow.

 

[Mr. Me2]

So after many push backs of the dates the last extension is supposed to be the last correct? As they claimed they are ahead of schedule if i remember correctly. Im seeing some adress confirmations for early 2015 (jan, feb) but my hoppers are supposed to come this month ( after they pushed it back 2 months last time and said it was the last push back because they got in trouble.) I dont see how they are going to get to my order of oct 2015 this month at this rate, and they claimed to be on track or ahead of schedule.

I have been very supportive and waiting patiently and this is my first disparaging comment. I have tried to give them the benefit of doubt and even defended the wait, as i knew it was kind of up in the air. But with no june update and there is no way they are on track or ahead of schedule im startimg to get kinda pissed. Because i foolishy believed that they were being open and acctually moving this along. But no they lied again about the dates, i mean they have to have lied because there is no possible way i can see me getting my order this month. Especially when they are delivering orders to retailers, vape feind i understood because it was right as pre-orders went out and it made seince they were waiting in line too. I defended the vape feind retail, they deserve their cut and helps UK. But with 2 more retailers getting theirs, sounds shady to me. I do realize many folks have waited longer than I have, and we all have felt the fustration of the dates push backs. However i do really feel lied too again as hopperlabs knew they weren't going to get to all pre-orders yet claimed to be ahead of schedule.

I will eat my words if i do get an addy comfirm, but not holding my breath.

Sucks that i too now am in the pissed off crowd even though its just over a vape that i knew i was going to wait for. I have plenty other vape to use so im not sure why im getting fired up over this one. I usually have a pretty carefree additude and just figured it would get here when its ready. I guess its my fault for acctually believing anything hopper labs says because it always turns out to be smoke up your ass.

Please correct me if im wrong about thier claims, its just i guess i have hit my tipping point, i feel outright lied to many many times and they promised in the last update to have correct shipping dates.

I feel your pain and frustration @Milkytime. But I'll come to the defense of ghl again because I don't think they "lied", or alternatively, we just don't know...a lot of stuff.

My belief/feeling is that ghl has made and continues to make all estimates in their good faith belief that it is accurate and doable. And then shit happens. They may not communicate as frequently or as well as many of us would like, and I think that's a fair critique of their chosen business model.

Regarding additional retailers popping up, we don't know (at least I haven't read here) if these others were backers like Vapefiend or preorders that were just in line before many of us. So we really have no information that ghl is playing retailer favorites in any way. But I would guess not, partly based on my assumption that ghl makes more profit selling retail than wholesale.

We also don't know about the flow or concentration of preorders in any given month. For example, ghl MAY have received 1500 orders between January and March 2015 and 150 preorders between April and June 2015. These numbers are just hypothetical but it demonstrates how ghl CAN possibly catch up on preorders. It really depends in part on preorder date concentration.

So, I think I'm done throwing shade on ghl for now. And I do feel everyone's frustration. For me, it's a little more about anxiousness. Let's just hope and wait for the next newsletter and flurry of confirmations.

 

[delloy]

Still waiting on my shipping confirmation for 12th Feb 2015 preorder, hoping it will be in the next few days on the back of evidence supplied here and with dates after mine already fulfilled. Perhaps they work on domestic shipping orders first then the international preorders after.....who knows?

 

[Razshiro]

Still waiting on my shipping confirmation for 12th Feb 2015 preorder, hoping it will be in the next few days on the back of evidence supplied here and with dates after mine already fulfilled. Perhaps they work on domestic shipping orders first then the international preorders after.....who knows?

Well maybe they forgot your order , send a mesage to Caroline to be sure you're not "the forgotten" !!

 

[Bdubbdiblets]

I know this question only applies to a few but I couldn't find any answers out on the interwebs..

Bought a Hopper from Vaposhop in the latest release. I live in the States. Any one experience any issues as far as mailing/customs etc. It's a pen so I would imagine it would be fine and as well MMJ is legal in my state but just thought i'd see if anyone had any issues and even if there are issues I feel like it is apropos as I am new to the GH train and feel like i should have to agonize a bit before I get mine in hand.... Thanks!

 

[christohari]

Still waiting on my shipping confirmation for 12th Feb 2015 preorder, hoping it will be in the next few days on the back of evidence supplied here and with dates after mine already fulfilled. Perhaps they work on domestic shipping orders first then the international preorders after.....who knows?

I am still waiting for mine as well, Feb 12th 2015 preorder and i got the address confirmation on may 27 2016. I am also domestic/US.

 

[tr33sPlease]

Let's dispel with this fiction that Grasshopper labs doesn't know what it's doing. It knows exactly what it's doing.
-Rubio

 

[Tdtour]

So I got banned for my post #4188 but Milkytime said the same thing in post #4225. Thats really confusing, the mods are after me.

Still very strange HL has not sent out this months update. Has anyone heard from them? Does anyone have good news from them?

 

[seaofgreens]

If vape fiend is restocked this month while the rest of us continue to purgatory, it will be rather telling exactly what GHL is preferring.

Not that we don't already know.

 

[delloy]

Does the order status on the HL website change once shipped? Mine has "processed" currently showing since my address confirm on the 27th. Although I will wait after the weekend to make enquiries as regards to if it has left their facility or if I have become one of the "forgotten"

 

[jabba]

Anyone else get an order in for one of the VapoShop GH's last week? I ordered on Thursday (early morning in US....so mid afternoon in Netherlands)...and have not received shipping notification. All their docs say shipment within 24 hours, however, my order status is still unshipped. I emailed them an inquiry yesterday and have not heard back from them.

 

[Bdubbdiblets]

He is an FC member I msg'd him, he responded super quick and said they would be out Monday so by my calculations that will be in a few hours over there (not that I'm eager or anything) so hopefully we will see some shipping confirms soon.

I'm also hoping there is no sort of customs issues I imagine all would be good but have you ever received a shipment of vape related material to US from Europe?

 

[sammac]

I picked one up Thursday as well. Anxiously waiting...

 

[Vaperist]

where is this month's

• Monthly Newsletter?

very curios what they have to say about extending estimates once again. because preorders from April 2015 till even January 2016 are all scheduled for shipping this month. if reports in this thread are right, it seems that pre-orders from 10 months gonna happen this June. queue isn't moving that fast to reach current estimates.

but what is moving is a nice sellouts in EU retail shops. or just maybe, this is my bitch side talking now... they figured: "Fuck them!" let those pre-orders wait, our company gonna survive now anywayz. we used their money to finance those mass production machines we got. but fuck them now! demand is instant for this thing in vape market. we can sell those Hopers for more money trough our euro friends. "Let them wait more! chances increases for people to cancel their annoying pre-orders and buy from our retail friends instead!" more free units for retailers $¯\_(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯$ more pesos...bitch talk OFF i don't think this is true though. what kind of person would do that, right?

but bright side is saying that HopperLabs are working so hard that they have no time for Newsletters. and grand estimate for June will be fulfilled indeed.

 

[vapviking]

where is this month's

• Monthly Newsletter?

very curios what they have to say about extending estimates once again. because preorders from April 2015 till even January 2016 are all scheduled for shipping this month. if reports in this thread are right, it seems that pre-orders from 10 months gonna happen this June. queue isn't moving that fast to reach current estimates.

but what is moving is a nice sellouts in EU retail shops. or just maybe, this is my bitch side talking now... they figured: "Fuck them!" let those pre-orders wait, our company gonna survive now anywayz. we used their money to finance those mass production machines we got. but fuck them now! demand is instant for this thing in vape market. we can sell those Hopers for more money trough our euro friends. "Let them wait more! chances increases for people to cancel their annoying pre-orders and buy from our retail friends instead!" more free units for retailers $¯\_(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯$ more pesos...bitch talk OFF i don't think this is true though. what kind of person would do that, right?

but bright side is saying that HopperLabs are working so hard that they have no time for Newsletters. and grand estimate for June will be fulfilled indeed.

You're funny!
And there may be something to your bitch talk theory. Why are all these sales coming out of shops in EU, but none in US or even other parts of world other than HL? Surely it's not chance; were all the Europeans smart enough to preorder (and add) boatloads while almost no one else (retailers) in the world thought of it?

 

[YaFreekin Right]

where is this month's

• Monthly Newsletter?

very curios what they have to say about extending estimates once again. because preorders from April 2015 till even January 2016 are all scheduled for shipping this month. if reports in this thread are right, it seems that pre-orders from 10 months gonna happen this June. queue isn't moving that fast to reach current estimates.

but what is moving is a nice sellouts in EU retail shops. or just maybe, this is my bitch side talking now... they figured: "Fuck them!" let those pre-orders wait, our company gonna survive now anywayz. we used their money to finance those mass production machines we got. but fuck them now! demand is instant for this thing in vape market. we can sell those Hopers for more money trough our euro friends. "Let them wait more! chances increases for people to cancel their annoying pre-orders and buy from our retail friends instead!" more free units for retailers $¯\_(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯$ more pesos...bitch talk OFF i don't think this is true though. what kind of person would do that, right?

but bright side is saying that HopperLabs are working so hard that they have no time for Newsletters. and grand estimate for June will be fulfilled indeed.

They certainly make more money when people buy their product direct so this makes zero sense to me.

 

[jabba]

They certainly make more money when people buy their product direct so this makes zero sense to me.

You are assuming a more 'typical' business model where dealers obtain product at a volume discount. I'm seeing international dealers charging significantly higher prices when compared to Hopper Labs direct pricing. Perhaps dealers placed large pre-orders and are selling at a premium to obtain their profits? I'm not disagreeing with you, however, the Hopper business model is less than transparent and virtually indecipherable at this point in time....so who knows what is really going on?....certainly not me.

Of course I fall in love with this Grasshopper (sight unseen) and it is being sold by a company who cannot seem to ship product in a reasonable time period or provide substantive status updates. Ugh.

 

[christohari]

May Update


Hello Everyone,

We’ve concluded an eventful month with much work completed. We had some hiccups, but still maintained a record rate of shipping. Below we’ll cover what was accomplished in May, the shipping numbers, and where we stand on order delivery.

In May we made the transition to a new Charger control board. Feedback from customers told us we needed a more reliable charger and so we set about making the switch. By switching to a more powerful microcontroller, we cut the number of electrical components by half. This came with it’s own set of challenges in software upgrades and testing. A three month development, design and testing phase concluded in Mid May. With everything set we started production of the new design. An immediate problem with board manufacturing led to a few hundred having to be scrapped and a two week delay in production. Things were back running smoothly again on May 24th.


Although we lost about half of the available shipping time in May, we still shipped 1600 units out. This is about 85% of what we planned to get to in May. Looking into June, we will need to make up a little time. If by mid June it does not look like we will fulfill all the estimated orders, we will adjust the shipping estimates in order to keep everyone informed. The orders are clearing fast and we are excited to be doing this much shipping.

As always, we thank each and every one of you for your patience and support. We are looking at a smooth month in June without any major changes. We look forward to getting your Hopper shipped to you shortly.

-Hopper Labs Team

I posted this in the GH main thread but i think its appropriate here too

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

Although we lost about half of the available shipping time in May, we still shipped 1600 units out. This is about 85% of what we planned to get to in May. Looking into June, we will need to make up a little time. If by mid June it does not look like we will fulfill all the estimated orders, we will adjust the shipping estimates in order to keep everyone informed.

Finally some hard numbers!

That would be roughly 1880 units they had hoped to ship in May. What is the cutoff for May estimates? I believe it was orders placed by May 2015. That would be 5 months of orders, Jan 2015-May 2015, or 376 orders per month.

We can presume the order rate is not linear, but I still feel these numbers are helpful. It would be my guess that after the initial preorder excitement wore off orders tapered off over the summer, and picked up during fall. At least that's what I've seemed to notice after following the Grasshopper threads for nearly a year.

Also of note is they lost almost half the shipping time in May, so they should be capable of shipping more than 1600 or even 1880 units this month.

My question is, where do June 2016 estimated delivery dates end? I have a mid-September 2015 order date and a June 2016 estimate. Does anyone with an October 2015 order date have a June estimate? how about Nov, Dec, etc?

Assuming a linear order rate and shipping rate, and taking into account they have some catching up to do so I will be generous and add a month, they should theoretically be able to get through September 2015 orders this month. That's 5 months worth of orders, May 2015-Sep 2015. Again I am being generous here, especially considering the missed shipping time last month. If everything goes well they should be able to achieve even more progress than that.

Of course they hedged their bets and said they may need to further revise shipping estimates. I can say that at this point I finally think I can count on having it in July. This would be one month later than the "accurate" estimate, but not a big deal. Maybe only even a two week difference if it was late June vs early July.

 

[Delta3DStudios]

That would be roughly 1880 units they had hoped to ship in May. What is the cutoff for May estimates? I believe it was orders placed by May 2015. That would be 5 months of orders, Jan 2015-May 2015, or 376 orders per month.

We can presume the order rate is not linear, but I still feel these numbers are helpful. It would be my guess that after the initial preorder excitement wore off orders tapered off over the summer, and picked up during fall. At least that's what I've seemed to notice after following the Grasshopper threads for nearly a year.

It's important to note that HL opened preorders around late December 2014/January 2015. There weren't too many people who signed up for preorders initially (because the GH was still a myth back then)

It wasn't until @BuzzDanklin posted his initial report in March 2015 that preorder sales for HL finally started to pick up. Preorders didn't get another boost until they started shipping to IGG backers and the early reports started to flood in - that's when a lot of people started to buy in. I'll be more interested to see how fast they ship the Fall 2015 preorders

Source for my conjecture - public google spreadsheet tracking hopper sales/shipping data & my store's hopper accessory sales trends over the past 8 months.

 

[Vapoholic420]

I'm a Feb 12th 2015 @6am pre-order and I got mine in on Sat and all is well so far! I think I got a good one! It works great! The back end doesn't get hot at all either. I'll need to test it more, but so far so good! I'll try to remember how to post some pics of it on here when I get back home. It's been a while since I've put pics up on here.

 

[delloy]

Think I'm gonna have to contact HL. Feb 12th 2015 1am preorder and still no shipping confirmation

 

[spacebuckette]

I think today's update was perfectly fine, but I just don't buy that they actually believe they can catch up this month. I guess it's just something they have to say to keep people calm and purchasing. Whenever HL uses the word "if" in terms of delays, it seems to really mean "when". I'd rather just have my ESD say "Eventually" at this point, and I haven't even been waiting long.