Respect - first.
Alix left us!
This is a very sad news to announce you the fact Alix left the team, as you’ve already read on LinkedIn. She left us on Monday, « feeling more comfortable into social rather than economic stuff » she is now working in a health mutual, what we completely understand. We wish her the best, it does not change anything on our side, we are more than happy for her. We are looking for her next successor that we will introduce you as soon as we find him/her. We do think she was getting kind of tired of some kind of comments, as we can imagine when you work in a service such as « lost luggage » in an airport, or so..
As long as WE are positive, we see this as a new opportunity, to get fresh ideas to our team.
« Scams and links » you posted.
As said several times in public and during all our previous updates and conferences, we do entirely accept the fact we are late. We can’t stop you from being disappointed by the delays occurred, as long as it is our proper decision to take our time, but please note it will not change anything, and if we could press the « replay » button, bringing us several months back, we would keep doing what we have achieved until now : working on an amazing product.
A scam is totally different, and we can not approve being treated as such. You can of course keep posting on the links you have found. We do not have any problem about that. But if scamming is punishable by law, false accusations are equally important.
Once again, we do have nothing to hide (except our prototypes), and feel totally comfortable about legal stuff.
You perfectly know we are not a scam, or at least you guess it. We do completely understand your worries, and have decided until now to keep going without spending any time nor money into legal procedures, as long as the Kickstarter money has not been raised for this purpose, and we did not want to waste our time launching such legal procedures against blackmailers, but we will never accept such public accusations. Accepting complains about delays is one thing, but keep taking any risk regarding the growth of our company based on false accusation is another one.
So, for the last time, we are 100% sorry for being late, and 10000% sure you will enjoy your product once you will receive it, we are doing our best. We are sorry to read any single comment about your worries, and completely understand them, you are free to do so, this is not satisfying at all, but we have to handle them. However, be treated as a scam will definitely not be left without consequences.
Laws are being written to be respected, as YOU mentioned.
Open your eyes.
Once again, we will not explain the reasons of our delays. They have been exposed several times. We have already shared with you the following link, which seems not entirely read / understood / well interpreted / … by some backers. http://money.cnn.com/interactive/technology/kickstarter-projects-shipping/
We strongly invite you to check the bottom of this list and find « Oculus », and then take note of their acquisition by Facebook. What we are trying to do here, is of course not pretending being potentially acquired now by a such large groupe, we already declined several offers, because Slidenjoy is our baby, and we would not leave the company without enjoying the day we will be shipping the first unit and the next hundred of thousands ones.
We can really imagine, how sad their backers were, but did it finally kill their company?
Today, to be entirely honest, as we have always done, we are not stressed about the future of our company. We are 100% sure every single backer will receive his own baby. What is disturbing, honestly, is the kind of blackmailing people, not respecting our own personal implications.
Patent
The patent process is sometimes hard to explain. However, let us summarize it : « (…) A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or assignee for a limited period of time (…) »
The reason why we have not showed any decisive prototype since the beginning, being the best way to prevent us from any copycat, we kept all this time to keep posting new patents at every new improved version of the Slidenjoy, you will of course understand the reasons why we are not sharing them publicly before the latest release is officially presented.
Finally, the whole procedure takes around 18 months, and depends from the legal / public authorities. Of course similar for each single one for which we applied during the whole development.
Delivery.
As explained many times, we engage ourselves to deliver your babies before anyone can find it in any store. This is the game. You pre-ordered, we are doing the job (delays occurred - no more comment), delivering you before anyone else, then being distributed in several hundreds/thousands of stores all around the world.
The final agreement we have with our biggest distributor is engaging ourselves to produce and be ready to deliver the 50.000 units for the second quarter of 2017.
We are humans before anything else, we did learn a lot from our mistakes, the reason why we have not announced any new precise one. However, just to once again hit on the nail, you will receive it before the large distribution. Once again, thanks to the delay occurred, the amount of orders until now, our work, and all other things which have been achieved, please note you have been upgraded, and will receive a very much more perfect product than the one you pledged for a very lower price.
Testing
Inviting Maxime to do a full test on A working prototype is planned. We have already exchanged e-mails with him for this purpose, as he can confirm.
Your questions
All your questions are read, we will answer them, but really wanted to write you a quick text about the current situation to clarify these listed points which are very important to us.
_____
Thank you to all backers who do keep sending us their wishes and keep trusting us since the beginning. You can’t imagine how good is it to read such comments, in such times.
Of course, a very small sample of our backers, are publicly expressing their extreme displeasure, almost harassing us, but we want to notify the tens of people who are showing us their support (by email, Facebook chat, … or even stay in the silence, allowing us to do our job, and preventing us from reading tons of comments and wasting time replying to false accusations, because during this time, we are now working on other tasks). Everything would be much more easier if you all, were trusting us. Unfortunately, to whom it may concern, and to the less supportive ones, without mentioning anyone precisely, we would be more than happy to read ONCE FOR ALL your full support, because we seriously need it.
Kickstarter is a kinda weird mix. A mix of amazing and wonderful travel from an idea to the delivery, but also a place where fu****s have done s**t, scammers. Which, we are definitely not. We are a simple team of humans, working very hard to finally satisfy every single backer. We know we have made mistakes, lack of communication, … but we keep trying to improve ourselves, and the next few weeks would be so much comfortable if we could have your support, from you, all backers, instead of always getting back to some false accusations.
Finally, sorry for our English, but Alix left, this is the reality. It is now 7PM, we have been here since 8AM and instead of enjoying a family dinner at home, watching TV, helping Laurent’s daughter with her homework, improving my English, going at the gym or anything else, as most of people are actually doing now, we are, still the three of us, sitting at the office, to share with you these « few words », before replying to all important emails which arrived since we started writing this text, and doing all the stuff that was planned for this afternoon. But this is how we, « entrepreneurs », are doing RIGHT NOW and sometimes, things are not that funny.
BUT WE STAY POSITIVE. For the last time, IT DOES NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.
Sincerely, from the three of us, in our « headquarter », Acoz, Belgium.
nathanrutherfordphoto about 1 hour ago
You promised us Q1 delivery, now you're saying Q2 2017... ? Can you just be transparent and show us the project plan and timescale?
Israel Illan about 3 hours ago
"Once again, we will not explain the reasons of our delays"
That summarizes it.
Axel Mertes about 3 hours ago
I fully agree with Scott's comment below. Make it short, down to the point, less personal, more prefessional, and don't feel forced to react, but act!
I myself could react "pissed off" when I think about that I wanted to use this device since a long time. I even had the very same idea many years before, but never attempted to make it a reality. I have created a few technical products in my lifetime and understand that its hard, sometime time consuming and you need to be passionate about it - and you have to deal with unexpected obstacles. If these weren't there, everyone could do...
So I react as a realist here and think: They will make it, give them the time needed!
In the meantime I extend my screens with an iPad and according app. Not quite the same, but helpful at last.
So heads up, look forward. At best, print out Scott's comment and pin it up at your office. Its very well written and very professional from my perspective. Take it as an example for the next round. And keep us involved and update on *product development and production process* more regularly.
Slidenjoy Creator about 6 hours ago
@Michael Winter: Hi! Just PM us with the new size you want and we'll change it. :)
Mark Ruff Ryder about 8 hours ago
I Trust you guys and i know the final product will be so much better for the wait
Yes I'm itching for and man time could have done with it but i know your focus in on making it the best product it can be so in the end the wait will be rewarded.
just refund the problem person if its stressing you too much.
Michael Winter about 10 hours ago
No longer*
Michael Winter about 10 hours ago
Can I update my required screen size? I no Lo there have my computer from however long ago and don't want your well honed product to arrive worthless.
TaZMaNiaNKinGs! about 13 hours ago
I think the attitude and lesson you should be learning from "Oculus" is NOT "so what if we were late,even a great company like Oculus is also late". But instead strive to excel as the projects who have made it ON TIME! Also on FB it was informed that delivery will be in Q1 2017, and now it will be Q2 2017?? Seriously please post us your Gantt Chart of your project and strive to achieve it!! We would also love to know what stage of the product you are working on now.
DR about 18 hours ago
Wow, I'm so sorry. I had no idea we were working you so hard. I think all of us backers should pitch in and send you on a well-earned vacation with some downtime.
"It is now 7PM, we have been here since 8AM and instead of enjoying a family dinner at home, watching TV, helping Laurent’s daughter with her homework, improving my English, going at the gym or anything else, as most of people are actually doing now"
Scott Samtheskull Porter about 18 hours ago
I sympathise that the project is bigger than you expected. I always expected some delay - after all, this is Kickstarter, not Amazon. While I, like others, might feel peeved that the campaign led us to believe the product was further along that it was, I, like many, will wait.
I think the main frustration for many (myself included) is the sporadic contact (only every 4 weeks or so) - most of which contain no info on the actual product (this update doesn't). 99% of your backers have no interest in what trade shows or industry awards you have attended. They might be important to you in order for you to build your business for the future (I wish you well in that), but it has no bearing on our rewards, and just antagonises people.
For example, in this update, a more effective version would have been;
//
Alix left us
We are sad to say that Alix has left us for a new role -we wish her well in her career, and will let you know when a successor has been recruited.
Comments posted
Please ensure any comments posted on Kickstarter are factual and respectful. We apologize again for the delays, and are working as hard as possible to get the product finished and shipped to you as quickly as possible.
Delivery
We still can’t confirm a date for delivery of your rewards. Sorry about that. We can and do still guarantee that as valued Kickstarter backers, you will receive your units before anyone else.
Development
Example – you didn’t include anything: This week we have been working on fixing a problem with {part}. We had to re-tool one of the moulds, but this will make {part} stronger. (Or something like this).
//
That’s it. Short & Sweet!
Nothing about trade shows, patents (you’re not the only KS project to have a patent), blackmail (even mentioning this in a KS update sets off alarm bells), or having to work long hours to catch up (we all have to do that).
Keep is brief, factual, and most importantly, tell us something relevant to the development and delivery of Slidenjoy.
I’d suggest fortnightly updates to keep people in the loop.
Charlie Brensinger about 19 hours ago
Frankly, of all the projects I've backed or followed that have slipped and delayed, this one is by far the MOST communicative. You all take things personally (which some may call unprofessional) and as a result you've made concerted efforts to keep people in the loop as to what's causing delays.
I understand the skepticism from fellow backers, but personally I'm happy to keep waiting. Get it done right.
Mr P about 19 hours ago
"Doesn't help to see in your picture all those new MacBooks, iPhones, iPads all over the work table."
This grated for me too - but what is really telling is that none of them are actually using prototype slidenjoys. I think that speaks volumes: I've worked for companies developing mass produced products (manufactured in much larger volumes than we're talking about here) and everyone involved in the development process was immersed in the product, however crude, from day one. "Dog fooding" is the US term, I believe.
Doovid about 20 hours ago
I agree with the comments of Mr. P. I have not commented on the progress of this product for many months hoping and wishing things were better. I personally found this update rather unprofessional and with a condescending tone. (Perhaps a telling of what is happening behind closed doors)
There is a reason why backers are feeling like this is a scam. There is a reason why your integrity and work-ethic is being questioned.
You sold your backers the idea that your product was finished and ready to roll out a year ago... fast forward to today and all we hear is that we are getting a new product that is an upgrade from the original offered....
what does this mean?
That the product is entirely being developed at this current time with no forseable date of when we will receive it. What a shame.
Honesty should have been there from day one. If the product was not developed then tell us this.
Now it is too late, trust is gone and you are being questioned about it. Business is tough and you require a tough skin, so rather than complain about harassment, show initiative and keep us updated on a regular basis. Our money is already invested and all we want is our product which we're promised to us a long way back.
Doesn't help to see in your picture all those new MacBooks, iPhones, iPads all over the work table. There is a reason we are all questioning you. Please, just keep us informed and show us results. Your words mean nothing at this point.
Mr P about 20 hours ago
"Nope, just optimistic engineers and that's not a crime."
They are NOT engineers, they are marketers. That is the fundamental problem - they have no idea how to put a product together and they are learning as they go.
"Of course, a very small sample of our backers, are publicly expressing their extreme displeasure, almost harassing us"
Oh for goodness sake, grow a pair. The same questions come up over-and-over, and you refuse to answer them. You refuse to engage. Weeks go by without substantive updates.
"It is now 7PM, we have been here since 8AM and instead of enjoying ..."
You won't get any sympathy here - first, you chose to start this project. Second it's hard work.
You want to win trust? Post a two-three line update every day (a tweet!) telling us what progress you made that day towards the goal of delivering. Then we can see what's going on, and share in the journey.
I've said it before: you as a team are incredibly arrogant. You need to show some humility and just answer the questions that have been asked. 'Don't know' is better than ignoring us. It is the silence that winds people up: you are really good at saying exactly the wrong thing whenever you open your mouths.
P.
Brian Reynolds about 20 hours ago
This was, from the beginning, a very ambitious project with many technical hurdles to be overcome as the dream was matured to reality. Given that hindsight is perfect but design teams are not, delays should have been anticipated by your backers. Taking time to ensure quality is good. Getting patent protection (International I assume) is a requirement to protect your intellectual property and the future of your company. Are you scammers? Nope, just optimistic engineers and that's not a crime. I look forward to receiving a quality product (and I ordered two so have more to look forward too!)
People should have realized that Kickstarter is not a market place, but a place to provide development money for dreams.