Completed MJOLNIR: The minimalistic – but not boring – 9.7L Case

[Sharknose]

So just to check:
As of April 27th, you do NOT have confirmed shipping agreement in place with any delivery company?
You do NOT have a confirmed shipping agreement to get cases to the US, Canada, Australia and Europe?
You do NOT have a confirmed date when manufacturing, anodizing, assembly and packaging of Dark and Steel cases will be completed?
You do NOT have a confirmed date when Dark and Steel cases will ship to customers?
(I'm considering the case 'shipped' when the delivery company supplies a tracking number for the package)

You said "to be realistic" that:

• 99.99% sure it will be finished & shipped by April

In light of the above, what is your date (not the factory's) that you consider certain for shipping the cases?

As you said, "I've noticed that there's always some sort of delay"...

 

[AlexTzone]

So just to check:
As of April 27th, you do NOT have confirmed shipping agreement in place with any delivery company?
You do NOT have a confirmed shipping agreement to get cases to the US, Canada, Australia and Europe?
You do NOT have a confirmed date when manufacturing, anodizing, assembly and packaging of Dark and Steel cases will be completed?
You do NOT have a confirmed date when Dark and Steel cases will ship to customers?
(I'm considering the case 'shipped' when the delivery company supplies a tracking number for the package)

You said "to be realistic" that:

• 99.99% sure it will be finished & shipped by April

In light of the above, what is your date (not the factory's) that you consider certain for shipping the cases?

As you said, "I've noticed that there's always some sort of delay"...

This is a question to answer for me on Friday, because by that time I’ll have a lot more information. Today we have a LOT of semi-final deals that could work.

 

[saonexus]

Man.......I'm never gonna get my dark case

yeah it's starting to feel like that now doesn't it

 

[Acen]

Patience my friends, what is a few weeks more in a year delay...

 

[J3EBS]

@AlexTzone For your next project, hopefully you'll take a more aggressive stance in dealing with manufacturers or shippers when trying to sort things out, because it seems like you're being REALLY passive. Over half your backers are from the US, Canada and Australia, not even counting Europe here, and there's still talks about shipping deals a year after the expected shipment date? It's been over a week since backers have received cases in Asia, and there's still nothing firm that can be told to anyone else. To answer @Acen 's comment, just because someone went from punching me in the face to a mere slap doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. A yearlong wait is disgusting, but even a day without progress is still infuriating when this case costs as many as my last THREE combined.

 

[AlexTzone]

@AlexTzone For your next project, hopefully you'll take a more aggressive stance in dealing with manufacturers or shippers when trying to sort things out, because it seems like you're being REALLY passive. Over half your backers are from the US, Canada and Australia, not even counting Europe here, and there's still talks about shipping deals a year after the expected shipment date? It's been over a week since backers have received cases in Asia, and there's still nothing firm that can be told to anyone else. To answer @Acen 's comment, just because someone went from punching me in the face to a mere slap doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. A yearlong wait is disgusting, but even a day without progress is still infuriating when this case costs as many as my last THREE combined.

We had good shipping solutions, but ever since the vaccines started rolling out the freight market basically got insane. The rates are higher than ever right now, by a substantial margin (+30%-50%).

Anyways, we're making a deal with UPS now since they are still somewhat reasonable - meaning that at the very least US and Canada are solved. Australia, Japan, Europe, etc are also looking good with another of our freight forwarders (DHL/Fedex). Signing the contract today!

 

[Allhopeforhumanity]

We had good shipping solutions, but ever since the vaccines started rolling out the freight market basically got insane. The rates are higher than ever right now, by a substantial margin (+30%-50%).

Anyways, we're making a deal with UPS now since they are still somewhat reasonable - meaning that at the very least US and Canada are solved. Australia, Japan, Europe, etc are also looking good with another of our freight forwarders (DHL/Fedex). Signing the contract today!

@AlexTzone For your next project, hopefully you'll take a more aggressive stance in dealing with manufacturers or shippers when trying to sort things out, because it seems like you're being REALLY passive. Over half your backers are from the US, Canada and Australia, not even counting Europe here, and there's still talks about shipping deals a year after the expected shipment date? It's been over a week since backers have received cases in Asia, and there's still nothing firm that can be told to anyone else. To answer @Acen 's comment, just because someone went from punching me in the face to a mere slap doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. A yearlong wait is disgusting, but even a day without progress is still infuriating when this case costs as many as my last THREE combined.

That's a tad hyperbolic @J3EBS given the global state of materials sourcing, manufacturing slow-downs, and shipping/freight insanity due to a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Custom niche projects, and particularly first-time products are often fraught with significant snags and delays in the best of years (just look at any other crowd sourced SFF chassis on this forum), when you compound that with the current state of the world, a year delay and some logistical retuning are honestly right up there with just about the best realistic outcome. That said, I understand your and others frustration, everyone wants what they feel like "they were promised" under better circumstances, and waiting with parts in hand, ready to assemble, can be an agonizing process, but it sounds like @AlexTzone is actively working on a shipping solution and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[AlexTzone]

Aaaaand now the contract's signed!

 

[N9neBreak3r]

Aaaaand now the contract's signed!

Is that just for stealth, or does this contract include dark and steel when they are ready? Are you going to have to sign another contract for dark and steel when they are ready for shipment?

 

[AlexTzone]

Is that just for stealth, or does this contract include dark and steel when they are ready? Are you going to have to sign another contract for dark and steel when they are ready for shipment?

We don't need to sign another contract, Dark and Steel will be shipped under the same one!

 

[Ovni]

Do we all get a Track & Trace code?

 

[smallfx]

@AlexTzone For your next project, hopefully you'll take a more aggressive stance in dealing with manufacturers or shippers when trying to sort things out, because it seems like you're being REALLY passive. Over half your backers are from the US, Canada and Australia, not even counting Europe here, and there's still talks about shipping deals a year after the expected shipment date? It's been over a week since backers have received cases in Asia, and there's still nothing firm that can be told to anyone else. To answer @Acen 's comment, just because someone went from punching me in the face to a mere slap doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. A yearlong wait is disgusting, but even a day without progress is still infuriating when this case costs as many as my last THREE combined.

Punching you in the face? You might be going a little hard on the dramatics there

Go take a break from the computer, buddy.

 

[AlexTzone]

Do we all get a Track & Trace code?

Yes sir!

 

[Shinken1]

Thanks for the update @AlexTzone
Looking forward to the future Updates on Europe & Dark cases.

 

[J3EBS]

Punching you in the face? You might be going a little hard on the dramatics there

Go take a break from the computer, buddy.

Did I say anyone is punching me in the face? It's an analogy. Have you heard of those before? If not, it is a comparison meant to draw a parallel to a real-world scenario. Here's another one: if someone online knows nothing about me and wants to make recommendations on what I should or shouldn't do, it would be like a monkey heading the NASA shuttle program.

Don't worry! There aren't any monkeys at NASA! It's just an analogy!

 

[AlexTzone]

Did I say anyone is punching me in the face? It's an analogy. Have you heard of those before? If not, it is a comparison meant to draw a parallel to a real-world scenario. Here's another one: if someone online knows nothing about me and wants to make recommendations on what I should or shouldn't do, it would be like a monkey heading the NASA shuttle program.

Don't worry! There aren't any monkeys at NASA! It's just an analogy!

Somebody needs to get the monkeys out of NASA asap, there's no way we'll reach the moon again if they're in charge of the SLS!

 

[beerbuddha]

Aaaaand now the contract's signed!

@AlexTzone
alright - looking forward to the shipping update.

 

[BAS1C]

That's a tad hyperbolic @J3EBS given the global state of materials sourcing, manufacturing slow-downs, and shipping/freight insanity due to a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Custom niche projects, and particularly first-time products are often fraught with significant snags and delays in the best of years (just look at any other crowd sourced SFF chassis on this forum), when you compound that with the current state of the world, a year delay and some logistical retuning are honestly right up there with just about the best realistic outcome. That said, I understand your and others frustration, everyone wants what they feel like "they were promised" under better circumstances, and waiting with parts in hand, ready to assemble, can be an agonizing process, but it sounds like @AlexTzone is actively working on a shipping solution and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Yeah, if you’ve never been involved in a “group buy” type of product purchase, this is how they always are. Unless you’re buying an “in-stock” product, you should expect delays. Pair that with a global pandemic, and yeah, delays are obvious.
I think Alex is doing a fine job of communicating stuff, it’s actually quite impressive how much time he takes out of his day to update us here almost every day.

Awesome news on the shipping contract! Looking forward to seeing cases hit customers’ hands I’m eager for batch 2… woohoo.

 

[smallfx]

Did I say anyone is punching me in the face? It's an analogy. Have you heard of those before? If not, it is a comparison meant to draw a parallel to a real-world scenario. Here's another one: if someone online knows nothing about me and wants to make recommendations on what I should or shouldn't do, it would be like a monkey heading the NASA shuttle program.

Don't worry! There aren't any monkeys at NASA! It's just an analogy!

You gotta be kidding me, right? I don't actually think Alex punched you in the face. That's why I said you're going hard on the dramatics.

You need to chill out. Everyone is waiting for the case just like you, the difference is you're acting like a little boy that can't get a toy he wants.

 

[shirosama]

I made an account just to say thanks to @AlexTzone for being able to deal with all the negativity + and sarcasm (esp from Mujeeb on the KS community).
COVID is a thing, shipping delays are a thing. I'm just looking forward to receiving the case as soon as possible!

My rig has been sitting on a test bench for over 1.5 years LOL what's another month or so to wait for this awesome case

Thanks again Alex for working on this and for handling people's negativity with patience and respect.