[Richter Di]

Fully agree with the proposal to write them in September as a group and also to follow all steps proposed by @mrtim6 .
I am unfortunately only savy when it comes to Facebook groups, but never tried groups here on headfi.

One observation from the failed Kickstarter Ossic project. I was one of their 1000 Dollar development backers and Ossic failed in every way to handle the situation correctly. So at a cerrtain point I was not willing to let them have my 1000 Dollars and I wanted them to pay me back 75% of it so I could be a normal backer. As others could tell they did not want to hear about these claims.
So what I did was to tell my story on every social platform they were using and every post or video they posted. After 2 months they offered me a full refund (which I should have taken, but I did the 75% deal).

So making sure our story is heard from September onwards would mean IMHO not only to write them but comment on all other platforms too.

 

[sahmen]

This has all the makings of failed venture. The reason for the lack of updates to me look pretty clear: They're out of money and about to go belly up.

I understand your sentiment, however, it may not be necessarily valid, if this pattern of lack of frequent communication, is a constant and consistent trait of their behavior, and does not represent a new or recent development. Personally, I completed my pre-ordering process in October 2017. I have since received only one update (in November, 2017), but even then I specifically had to request it from James Smyth, after others on their regular mailing list had received theirs.

It is only a few days ago, after a couple of ignored inquiries, that I received an e-mail from James Smyth confirming my suspicion that my address was never even included on the A-16 buyers mailing list to start with, and that the omission has now been corrected.

Now I do not know how the Smyths used to treat their A-8 customers, and I was never a backer on the Kickstarter thing. However, the impression I get is that the Smyths are simply not great at communicating with their customers, and that they have never been great at that. The pertinent question of the project's solvency or insolvency that you raise, is from that viewpoint, one that is independent from the one of communication.

I am not suggesting that we accept that attitude lying down. I think we should do something to encourage the Smyths to change that attitude, and that is the reason for one slight reservation I have against the "wait-and-see" approach that some members have proposed. Even if we are to get one update from the Smyths this month (and nothing guarantees that we will), it won't represent a substantial change in their communications policy ( the real kind of change, that we should be really gunning for, IMHO). Under the present status quo, an August update from the Smyths may just be one more ploy (the latest among the few notifications the Smyths have sent out) to string us along until the next update, which may well come next January or or February (if that). It is what's most likely to happen if their regularly established policy of rarefied communication does not change.

Now, with all that said, even if you're right that the project is facing a problem of insolvency, we still deserve to be informed about it sooner rather than later, as buyers and backers, don't we?

What we should not allow to continue is this pattern of the Smyths taking our feelings and expectations for granted for extended stretches of time, as buyers and backers. So far, it is what they seem to be doing, and have done for far too long,

We also should not encourage them to continue thinking, as they seem to be doing, that throwing our way an insipid slogan such as "Follow us on Facebook" or "Twitter" constitutes a satisfactory customer relations or communications strategy.

 

[TedTimmis]

I understand your sentiment, however, it may not be necessarily valid, if this pattern of lack of frequent communication, is a constant and consistent trait of their behavior, and does not represent a new or recent development. Personally, I completed my pre-ordering process in October 2017. I have since received only one update (in November, 2017), but even then I specifically had to request it from James Smyth, after others on their regular mailing list had received theirs.

It is only a few days ago, after a couple of ignored inquiries, that I received an e-mail from James Smyth confirming my suspicion that my address was never even included on the A-16 buyers mailing list to start with, and that the omission has now been corrected.

Now I do not know how the Smyths used to treat their A-8 customers, and I was never a backer on the Kickstarter thing. However, the impression I get is that the Smyths are simply not great at communicating with their customers, and that they have never been great at that. The pertinent question of the project's solvency or insolvency that you raise, is from that viewpoint, one that is independent from the one of communication.

I am not suggesting that we accept that attitude lying down. I think we should do something to encourage the Smyths to change that attitude, and that is the reason for one slight reservation I have against the "wait-and-see" approach that some members have proposed. Even if we are to get one update from the Smyths this month (and nothing guarantees that we will), it won't represent a substantial change in their communications policy ( the real kind of change, that we should be really gunning for, IMHO). Under the present status quo, an August update from the Smyths may just be one more ploy (the latest among the few notifications the Smyths have sent out) to string us along until the next update, which may well come next January or or February (if that). It is what's most likely to happen if their regularly established policy of rarefied communication does not change.

Now, with all that said, even if you're right that the project is facing a problem of insolvency, we still deserve to be informed about it sooner rather than later, as buyers and backers, don't we?

What we should not allow to continue is this pattern of the Smyths taking our feelings and expectations for granted for extended stretches of time, as buyers and backers. So far, it is what they seem to be doing, and have done for far too long,

We also should not encourage them to continue thinking, as they seem to be doing, that throwing our way an insipid slogan such as "Follow us on Facebook" or "Twitter" constitutes a satisfactory customer relations or communications strategy.

I said this months ago. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of those following this thread lacked any testicular fortitude. Count me in for a big “Ay”

 

[TedTimmis]

I said this months ago. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of those following this thread lacked any testicular fortitude. Count me in for a big “Ay”

 

[TedTimmis]

Fully agree with the proposal to write them in September as a group and also to follow all steps proposed by @mrtim6 .
I am unfortunately only savy when it comes to Facebook groups, but never tried groups here on headfi.

One observation from the failed Kickstarter Ossic project. I was one of their 1000 Dollar development backers and Ossic failed in every way to handle the situation correctly. So at a cerrtain point I was not willing to let them have my 1000 Dollars and I wanted them to pay me back 75% of it so I could be a normal backer. As others could tell they did not want to hear about these claims.
So what I did was to tell my story on every social platform they were using and every post or video they posted. After 2 months they offered me a full refund (which I should have taken, but I did the 75% deal).

So making sure our story is heard from September onwards would mean IMHO not only to write them but comment on all other platforms too.

September? Are you joking? How about right now?

 

[462429]

September? Are you joking? How about right now?

Yes, Smyth promised an update for the end of July. If he forgot, why should we too?

 

[ajax1]

The December 28, 2017 email I got from James Smyth after placing my deposit says they will update us
every two weeks on the development of the Realiser A16

"It's James from Smyth Research, and on behalf of the Smyth team I would like to thank you for paying a deposit for the Realiser A16 and believing in our upcoming product.
You are now a valuable customer to us and we will update you every two weeks on the development of the Realiser A16."

It has been more than four weeks since the last update (July 3).

So in my opinion they have already missed two updates. I see no reason to wait until they have missed four updates before we complain
as a group.

 

[TedTimmis]

I pre-ordered in March 2017 based on the representation of a product which would ship in August 2017. The following quote about fraud comes from an American legal website and perfectly describes Smyth:

“Whether criminal or civil, fraud generally has several legal elements, including the following:

• Misrepresentation of a material fact
• Knowledge on the part of the accused that they were misrepresenting the fact
• The misrepresentation was made purposefully, with the intent of fooling the victim
• The victim believed the misrepresentation and relied upon it
• The victim suffered damages as a result of the misrepresentation”

 

[TedTimmis]

Smyth was lying and had no intention of shipping last year...and very likely we will never see the A16. As we say here in the U.S., time’s up! The clock has run out.

It’s now to seek out the appropriate police authority.

 

[Fox1977]

Yes, Smyth promised an update for the end of July. If he forgot, why should we too?

Technically, James Smyth did not promise an update by the end of july. He said "we may have a specific update on [the exchange website] later this month"
But as ajax1 reminded before, they promised many months ago updates every other week, and this promise has been far from respected since then.
The May update was quite extensive and giving a real overview of how the development was going. Then nothing came till the beginning of July when the update was sent, giving a much shorter status of the development.

 

[wink]

...

 

[mrtim6]

As I mentioned earlier today we all need to organise a collective email address with all our headfi names attached- as some of the others have mentioned the time to do this is now. However we all need to agree on what questions to ask, what time frame is acceptable for updates I.E. every Friday or every fortnight. If someone is kind enough to kick off a collective email address to get the ball rolling that would be great. No need for us to argue or complain to each other - those comments need to go in one direction- to the Smyths.

 

[musicday]

...

He's inocent !!

 

[pcfi]

However we all need to agree on ... what time frame is acceptable for updates I.E. every Friday or every fortnight.

Great idea - I suggest we demand that they provide updates whenever they feel like they have some relevant information they would like to update us with.

 

[sander99]

what time frame is acceptable for updates I.E. every Friday or every fortnight.

I think every fortnight (=every 14 days, for the non-native Englisch speakers) is enough.
(Because they are a small company, better not too much overhead.)

Great idea - I suggest we demand that they provide updates whenever they feel like they have some relevant information they would like to update us with.

With a minimum of once every 14 days.