Pre-ordering concerns

[jaycee900]

The fact is, if a certain number of people pre-order and they use the cash to fund the first batch and something goes wrong or delayed and a certain number of people decide to cancel their pre-order and want their money back, surely there is going to be a big problem here? Or is it a no refund kind of pre-order, if it is then there is no way I'm risking that kind of cash without knowledge i can get my money back anytime before my order gets shipped.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Here's how you should weigh the situation. Just know that you're throwing your money into a product that has a history of not holding to dates. Personally, I think that something is going to come up and push the release date back past mid-November, given what's happened up to this point. Despite this, I'm willing to, as a consumer, put down the full preorder price. If Pandora gets delayed outright or for a month or more at a time, I think the devs would offer a money-back deal, as after those kinds of delays I think it'd be safe to call the situation "ridiculous". And if that doomsday does happen, Wiz FTW! :lol:

 

[Squidge]

You should be able to get a refund upto the point your order is allocated (ie, all paperwork done, item will be posted within 24 hours), but why would you want to? Either you want the device or not, and if they say it'll take a extra week, are you going to cancel just because of that, and then order again when it's in stock? If so, might as well just wait it out. If not, why pre-order in the first place?

Even worst case, I doubt it'll be anything like the xbox360 pre-order, where some shops had pre-order lists with hundreds of people on, then had delivery of 6 (six) xbox's on launch day. That went down like a fart in a spacesuit.

Secondly, you might find it more profitable (and quicker) to sell your pre-order, should you not want it anymore

 

[adsharma23]

they should already have a rough estimate of the amount of people that will get a pandora through the newsletter signups and all the polls and such here (very rough but good enough)
i'm really just hoping that i can get one out before holiday break so i can have one for the plane ride to Norway (i went there in the late summer and i also was hoping to have one then but of course it was delayed)

 

[Squidge]

True enough, but there's only one way to ensure someone is committed - ask them for cash

 

[TaG]

they should already have a rough estimate of the amount of people that will get a pandora through the newsletter signups and all the polls and such here (very rough but good enough)
i'm really just hoping that i can get one out before holiday break so i can have one for the plane ride to Norway (i went there in the late summer and i also was hoping to have one then but of course it was delayed)

So they are going to sell about 200 then?

Given the 'sign up for newsletter' link has been up for months, and isn't a 'sign up for pre-orders' link I'm not convinced that's going to be an accurate indicator either. Although if 2000 have signed up in the last month that would be a pretty good indicator.

Nor do we have any idea just how many people are currently lurking with intent or how many will descend once it is announced on other sites like Engadget.

As I have said previously, and Squidge has too ^, take cash off people and you are pretty sure.

 

[hotblack]

I think people's main concern over pre-orders is that they want to get their hands on the hardware. A few points.

- Pre-ordering isn't really going to make this happen any sooner. The hardware will be ready when it's ready.
- Getting in on the first batch will mean you are likely one of the first, although there are many other issues which could crop up relating to the good old postage system and the bandwidth that the guys doing the distribution have.
- The pre-orders are weeks before the expected ship date. Further batches will likely be able to be turned around much quicker. It's distinctly possible that if demand is high a second batch could be out very shortly after the first batch.
- The team behind this are not going to do everything they can to fulfill demand. Id people will pay for them, be damn sure they'll take your money. What they won't do is madly over-order on a perception of demand. That is a sure fire way to ensure your business fails and you lose your house
- Once the pre-order posts stop, the 'when will it ship' posts will just replace them.

This is going to go one of a few ways.

- A slow trickle of pre-orders with ample opportunity over a number of weeks to pre-order.
- A huge demand and a sell out in hours which will enable a second batch to be ordered before the first batch are even shipped.
- A peak number of orders over the first few days and a steady stream thereafter. This is IMHO the most likely scenario and would mean there's enough time for those who want one to get one of the first batch. A bit longer before the second batch, but the number of people missing the boat will be less and only those who didn't order wihtin the first few days.

People's only concern seems to be that they'll 'miss out'. If there's that much demand, another shipment will surely be in place very quickly, and then things come down to the dimple logistics of distribution. This is therefore not worth worrying about.

I see no realistic reason for anyone to be getting so hung up on the pre-order issue. People's perceptions seem a little out of whack here. Understandable as there are unknowns here, and we all know how those fuel theories, but I really think everyone should chill out a bit here. One way or another, if you want a Pandora, you'll get one in a reasonable time frame when they're ready.

 

[Nobax]

Hey, I already posted this on page 1, but I haven't gotten an answer yet. So i'll repost it again (sorry for being so pushy, but I ain't very familiar with purchases in foreign countries)

I've got a question about the distribution in the rest of the EU. I live in the Netherlands, but how would I be able to pre-order/buy the Pandora (with English language).
Should I prepare to pay a 'premium price' since it should come from UK or Germany ?

 

[puppydee]

I'm sure it'll be mentioned in the news letter..

 

[WizardStan]

Hey, I already posted this on page 1, but I haven't gotten an answer yet. So i'll repost it again (sorry for being so pushy, but I ain't very familiar with purchases in foreign countries)

I've got a question about the distribution in the rest of the EU. I live in the Netherlands, but how would I be able to pre-order/buy the Pandora (with English language).
Should I prepare to pay a 'premium price' since it should come from UK or Germany ?

As far as I understand you shouldn't. Why do you think you might? I can see that you might have to pay extra for shipping, since it's coming from farther away, but the base cost shouldn't be exceptionally different. This is pure speculation, mind, and it's probably best to wait for whatever notice Craig has brewing for tomorrow, or whenever it actually hits.

 

[Tom`]

Unrelated to anything in this thread so far, but it is a pre-order concern, so I'd rather ask it here than make a new thread:

Is the pre-order price going to be fixed to the UK price (£200 - 17.5% VAT = £165) such that it will end up being approximately $300 at current exchange rates, or will it be fixed at $330 by the putative US distributor? For that matter, will pre-orders be placed through local distributors, or the main OpenPandora website?

 

[Gilrad]

Along those same lines, if I were to preorder from Japan, would I be paying £200, £165 or $330?

 

[hotblack]

I'd imagine it will depend upon what currency you order in/which distributor you order from.

To make things simple I can't see the distributors getting caught up in exchange rates and such, they'll just have set proces in each of their currencies as outlined on the front page. Then, when you buy one you pay that amount (and whichever payment mechanism be it PayPal, your Credit Card company takes care of the exchange rate to your currency). Then you pay shipping and any neccesary taxes in your own country.

So in effect you pay the merchant the amounts on the front page, simple as that. Beyond that costs will vary depending upon where you are and the methods you choose. It's standard for international purchasing.

I guess the one real question is how the cost of shipping will be handled, either on a basic flat rate, staggered between regions, or on a per-order basis.

As for criticising the cost with regard to exchange rates, it makes a change for this to be brought up by those in the US, normally it's people on this side of the pond that get stung To be fair though, you can't expect those behind this to take up the slack of the wondrous world of currency fluctuation. They have costs they need to cover and a system they want to keep as simple as possible while trying to keep it fair, which is totally understandable.

I'm sure it will all be fine and straightforward though. Some of these guys have been distributing electronics internationally for a while. They know what they're doing.

 

[jaycee900]

You should be able to get a refund upto the point your order is allocated (ie, all paperwork done, item will be posted within 24 hours), but why would you want to? Either you want the device or not, and if they say it'll take a extra week, are you going to cancel just because of that, and then order again when it's in stock? If so, might as well just wait it out. If not, why pre-order in the first place?

Even worst case, I doubt it'll be anything like the xbox360 pre-order, where some shops had pre-order lists with hundreds of people on, then had delivery of 6 (six) xbox's on launch day. That went down like a fart in a spacesuit.

Secondly, you might find it more profitable (and quicker) to sell your pre-order, should you not want it anymore

Its not the point that i would want to cancel my pre-order, but my of 'its my right' to cancel, of course i don't to cancel when i pre-order it, but circumstances change, things happen, if a refund is needed thats all i want to know that i can get one....or not....

 

[Gilrad]

I'd imagine it will depend upon what currency you order in/which distributor you order from.

...except that for preorders, they're shipping them directly.

All in all its probably not that big of a deal, though I sorta hope I could take advantage of the ailing dollar and buy it for $330 USD... It's damn near fallen to a 100:1 ratio now!

 

[tridion]

Its not the point that i would want to cancel my pre-order, but my of 'its my right' to cancel, of course i don't to cancel when i pre-order it, but circumstances change, things happen, if a refund is needed thats all i want to know that i can get one....or not....

Of course you can get a refund. You are covered by the Distance Selling Act 2000. No company can refuse you a refund.

 

[TaG]

I sorta hope I could take advantage of the ailing dollar and buy it for $330 USD... It's damn near fallen to a 100:1 ratio now!
100:1? That would make it £3.30. I'll have a shed load at that price.

Of course you can get a refund. You are covered by the Distance Selling Act 2000. No company can refuse you a refund.
That's UK/EU law and covers transactions within the EU.

You have cancellation rights any time up to seven days after receipt.

It also states that the contract must take place within 30 days of the order, if the consumer has not specifically agreed to the delivery after 30 days a full refund must be given.

 

[Squidge]

Is the pre-order price going to be fixed to the UK price (£200 - 17.5% VAT = £165) such that it will end up

How come everyone gets this wrong? £200 - 17.5% is not £165. It's £170.22. If your not in the UK, you will not be paying the UK VAT rate, but the rate applicable to you.

 

[The ONe]

I have just one thing to say :

PANDORA Rules the nations !

 

[TaG]

Is the pre-order price going to be fixed to the UK price (£200 - 17.5% VAT = £165) such that it will end up

How come everyone gets this wrong? £200 - 17.5% is not £165. It's £170.22. If your not in the UK, you will not be paying the UK VAT rate, but the rate applicable to you.
All credit to you for keep trying Squidge; I have given up telling people that one.

I have just one thing to say :

PANDORA Rules the nations !
Thanks for that contribution. :unsure: