Skadoosh iPad Stand Update

[itzcoolz]

UPDATE: product received on 6/9. Review is available on another thread.

so a few weeks ago, i ordered the Skadoosh iPad Stand that several websites (including iLounge) had linked to. I had been on the mailing list, and ordered it the night that they announced they were taking orders (5/13).

Didn't hear anything about it until 5/25, when i got an e-mail saying that they had modified the design. They charged my credit card shortly after i first ordered it (5/13), but still haven't heard a word about it. What's promising, though, is that they did update their site with some more realistic-looking pictures (originally, i'm pretty sure it was just renders).

my concern is that they charged my credit card, and I'm more comfortable with companies charging my card upon shipment. Thoughts?

UPDATE: product received on 6/9. Review is available on another thread.

 

[rdowns]

No legitimate company charges tour credit card until the product ships. Contact the company for information. I would also call my credit card company and dispute the charge.

 

[Star56]

my concern is that they charged my credit card, and I'm more comfortable with companies charging my card upon shipment. Thoughts?

Not sure if you have been scammed but charging your card without shipping the product is certainly not best practice in the online world.

Perhaps it is time to get the charged reversed.

 

[alee]

I'm also pre-ordered with them. I suspect they're just new at this game like hundreds of other iPad accessory manufacturers that have started up since January.

I suggest just asking them for a status update as I'm going to do in a moment. They have definitely sent out review samples to many reputable sites, so the product does exist and they are capable of making them. Those are good signs.

 

[jtara]

Hah, maybe they're pulling an Altair.

(The Altair computer was pivotal to the home computer industry. It was kit promoted in Popular Electronics. There was an article and they were an advertiser. MITS, the company that came out with it, was a tiny company making some model rocket-related product(s). They took orders but didn't mention that they hadn't purchased any inventory, as they didn't have the money. They financed the inventory with the received orders. Buyers did eventually receive their kits, and the company was a success for a while. Bill Gates and Paul Allen got their start by writing "Altair Basic" and the rest is history.)

 

[itzcoolz]

They have definitely sent out review samples to many reputable sites, so the product does exist and they are capable of making them. Those are good signs.

are you sure that they have sent review samples out? if you follow the links on their page, it looks like the "reviews" are previews just based on the press release.

 

[felt.]

It says ships in 3 to 5 weeks, what's the problem?

 

[Phil Lee]

This blog post shows an iPad in a Skadoosh.

 

[SchneiderMan]

They told me they are modifying the design and will not ship until they have the final version made. So that way they can be safer with reviews made on the product.

 

[itzcoolz]

It says ships in 3 to 5 weeks, what's the problem?

my concern was that they charged my credit card, and i was uncomfortable with this because companies typically charge upon shipment

 

[alee]

Their response to me today...

Thank you so much for your purchase, we really appreciate your business. *We
are actually looking to be a little ahead of the 3-5 week shipping estimate
stated on our webstore. *Your order should ship on or before June 16th. *You
will receive an email when your stand actually ships and delivery to New
York will take 2-3 days from then. *Let me know if I can be of further
assistance.

 

[alee]

are you sure that they have sent review samples out? if you follow the links on their page, it looks like the "reviews" are previews just based on the press release.

This reputable blog got a sample...
http://jkontherun.com/2010/05/17/first-look-skadoosh-ipad-stand/

 

[itzcoolz]

sweet, thanks for that link alee. makes me feel a lot better.

 

[itzcoolz]

this is the note i got from JaDu Industries, telling me i should have it by Wed or Thur. i'll be sure to post a review with pics to share with you guys my thoughts.

"Thank you so much for your purchase. I have some great news…your stand will ship on Monday and you should have it there in sunny So Cal by Wednesday or Thursday. They were already in production when we started selling them, and so for ease of bookkeeping at my end we did go ahead and batch out the credit card sales daily. (Also, Paypal payments are processed instantly, so it seemed fair to process the credit card payments as well.) I apologize if our policy has caused you some concern, your stand really is on its way. We have run into one glitch, though, and you will be receiving an email with more detailed information this evening. Due to our 11th hour modification combined with our efforts not to delay product shipment, there is a flaw in the appearance on a small part of the stand. The front edge of the small arms that hold the crossbar support have a rough finish. It does not affect the functionality of the stand at all, so we have decided to ship this first batch out as scheduled on Monday, then as quickly as possible we will ship out replacement arms with a smooth finish that can easily be swapped out by loosening a few screws. As I mentioned an email with more detailed information will be going out to all of our customers sometime this evening. As always, for anyone upset with this new development we will, of course, cancel the order and make an immediate refund. We really do appreciate the faith you put in us by purchasing our stand early (yours was our second order), we are trying to deliver the best product possible in the shortest amount of time. That is why we are making all modifications and shipment of replacement parts at our expense. Thank you for your patience and understanding, let me know if I can be of further assistance."

 

[CrAkD]

probably a small company. using your preorder $ to help fund the production of the products. yes its generally expected to only be charged on shipment but if it helps a small company succeed and you still get your product I dont see the harm. Altho some of these new ipad accessory companies are wayyyy to expensive. theres a company that makes a pretty sweet car mount for the ipad. but their charging $200!!!!! Its like 2 pieces of metal. Same thing with this stand. yeah its pretty nice but $60!? come on.

 

[peapody]

I dunno. This stand looks pretty ingenious. It is obviously not the run of the mill slab of plastic or metal scraps put together to make an iPad stand. I mean these things go for $40 bucks in the apple store, and they don't recline and adjust as easily, aren't stowable, and don't come with a bag to hold it in on the go. I'd say $60 is a fair market price for what you get in terms of stand (since others out there are $20 less, and just sit there.)

I'm going to get in on this order. Looks like a good product.

 

[miamijim]

I mentioned this stand to my mum as she asked me what I wanted for my birthday in early July. (41 and still as excited as a two year old over my iPad)

Just had confirmation that it has been ordered and will be delivered from the US to my parents in the UK then they will ship it on to me...

 

[bacaramac]

Guessing there was a slight redesign per the first look link posted. Looks like they may be adding ability to put iPad in stand with certain cases. Think it is worth the wait as long as they are up front as to the delay.

JooJoo on the other hand is a horrible company that was not upfront with their customers. Glad I never purchased the JooJoo as others did.

 

[kingsize one]

I mentioned this stand to my mum as she asked me what I wanted for my birthday in early July. (41 and still as excited as a two year old over my iPad)

Just had confirmation that it has been ordered and will be delivered from the US to my parents in the UK then they will ship it on to me...

How much was shipping to the Uk if you dont mind me asking?

 

[peapody]

Well I did it,

I just sent in payment. I will log in how long it takes to receive. I am really in no hurry. Just want to learn more and research the capabilities of my iPad.

 

[peapody]

Just wanted to send an update. I ordered my case over the weekend. Emailed them this morning at 1030 to ask when my dock might come in. Got a reply at 1130 with a personalized message saying:

"Thank you very much for your purchase. I don't have an exact ship date for you right now, but it should go out on or before the 16th. I will forward the emails we sent to our customers regarding our updates. The second email won't apply to your order, as we believe we can hand smooth the arms we have that have not been coated yet and still begin shipping the second batch by the 16th. Thank you for your interest, let me know if you have any further questions."

I don't think you have anything to fear. This company seems on top of their stuff and committed to making a cool product and offer good service. I was expecting a 3-5 week wait as listed on the site since I just put my order through. But I should be getting it next week.


Not only that: JUST got these emails:

Thanks again for your interest in the Skadoosh Stand. We're happy to announce that we've managed to make the stand even better: our development team struck gold last week with a modification that allows just one rocker to adjust and accommodate most thin cases.

So not only have we eliminated the need to buy an additional case-specific rocker right now, but should you change your case preferences in the future, our Skadoosh Stand is ready to change right along with you. Simply loosen the screws holding the new crossbar on the rocker, rotate the crossbar until it holds your iPad (and case) nice and firm, then tighten the screws to hold the new position. For those who already purchased an additional rocker, we will be refunding that portion of your purchase. Please be aware that it may take up to a week for this credit to appear on your account. And don't worry: the improvements won't delay your delivery time.

While it was a relentless quest for improved functionality that led us down this path, we think the form has been improved too. For anyone who feels otherwise, we'll graciously refund your purchase. But we just wouldn't want to send you anything except our absolute best.

We'd like to give special props to early purchasers of the Skadoosh Stand: you've always been ahead of the curve. Savvy. Brave enough to color outside the lines and follow your own instincts. You've always known a good thing when you've seen it. Your reward (besides the ego-stroking you've just received) is the Skadoosh Stand - and the phenomenal bargain you got it for!

But as Frost observed, "Nothing gold can stay," and the introductory price won't last long. The elves in the Skadoosh workshop are murmuring for a raise, and we just can't say no to them. If you haven't ordered your own Skadoosh yet, then hurry, because you won't always be able to Stand Your Pad for such a fantastically low price.

Questions or comments? Send them to jazzy@jadu-industries.com.
For any of our international fans that were scared off by the outrageous shipping charges or had difficulty with your payment on the first day, we want you to know we made some changes. Shipping is now handled by USPS for a flat rate of $13.45 to most countries. We also added a Paypal option to process foreign cards. Thank you to all who provided the feedback that led us to make these changes.

and a follow up email...

One last pre-shipment update for our anxious customers...

First, some great news - we are on track to ship the first batch of Skadoosh Stands this week, beginning Monday! Thank you to all of our customers for both your business and your patience through all of our growing pains in getting this thing rolling.

As our earliest (and most beloved) purchasers know, we already updated from Skadoosh 1.0 to Skadoosh 2.0 before the first stands were even completed. Now I'm here to tell you about update 2.1.
Here's the scenario: Our first modification came at such a late date we had to use short term methods to get the pieces made without delaying production. An unfortunate by-product of these methods were less than smooth edges on the support arms that do not live up to JaDu's quality standards.

This left us with a big decision: To ship or not to ship. Waiting until we have smooth arms for the stand would push back our ship date at least two weeks. Sending them out as-is could blemish our brand image of sleek beauty. Being the person responsible for responding to all of your questions, comments, and concerns I desperately sought a solution that would keep my inbox from being flooded with "concerns".

Light bulb glowing above my head, it came to me. The flaw is in appearance only, and in no way affects the awesome functionality of the Skadoosh. The flaw is also contained to just two small pieces of the Skadoosh puzzle (see photo below). So, our solution is this: we will ship them out as-is this week to get them into your weary, iPad-holding hands as soon as possible. We will also immediately get to work producing JaDu-quality arms to replace the ugly ducklings and will ship them out separately as they become available.

If you can use a screwdriver, you can replace the arms on your stand. We will even be posting a video on our site to demonstrate this simple task. The other option is to shoot me an email (jazzy@jadu-industries.com) in the next 24 hours to let me know that you would prefer us to hold on to your stand until we can ship it out with pristine support arms already installed. Please be aware though, that this option will delay the shipment of your stand by at least 2-3 weeks.

And, of course, anyone dissatisfied with our current course of action can cancel their order for an immediate refund. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we endeavor to deliver a top-notch product in a timely manner. Thanks again for choosing to stand your Pad with the Skadoosh Stand and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Jazzy Hobbs
JaDu Industries, LLC

Great solid company it seems like. The even posted a picture sample of the modifications on the email.

 

[Jazzy Hobbs]

Setting the record straight

Hi, I'm Jazzy co-founder of JaDu Industries and co-creator of the Skadoosh Stand. I don't want to turn this into a commercial, so I'll try to keep it short. I just wanted the opportunity to reply to some of the preceeding comments...
First, the stand exists and we have finally begun shipping the first orders out. (Yay!) We did not begin accepting orders until the unit was well into production. We thought we were just two weeks out from the first shipment, but several modifications to improve the quality and function of the stand pushed back the ship date. Though, I would like to note that we are still inside of the 3-5 week estimate that we posted.
Second, we have privately funded the entire operation. We have not touched the money from sales so far just in case the unthinkable happened and we were unable to deliver the stands. We wanted to be sure the money was there to refund. We have, at every step of the way and with every notification of delayed shipment offered full refunds to anyone wanting their money back.
Third, charging the cards on the day of sale was perhaps a faux-pas due to inexperience in online sales. I have found out that it is not unheard of and not illegal in anyway. I have received a few complaints about that policy, but for many reasons it is one we are sticking with. At this point we are hopeful that we will be caught up on all orders in three weeks and will be shipping within a day of the order being placed, so it will simply become a moot point then.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Jazzy Hobbs]

On a related note...We did make one more last-minute improvement to the stand just as they began shipping this week. We embedded two small rubber feet inside the rocker for softer contact points with the screen of the iPad. This did delay our shipping by two more days. We're still trying to get all stands that were promised this week out, but some may not go until Monday (June 14) and stands promised for the 16th may not go out until the end of the week. Contact me if you have any questions at all:
jazzy@jadu-industries.com

 

[miamijim]

I can only speak for myself here, but I am truly grateful for the way you have taken time as a small business start up to include us customers in the ongoing process that this stand has been going under. Any business that is this worried/caring about their customer base deserves to become a sucsess.

My mother ordered this pad for me for my birthday even though I warned her ther may be delays due to manufacture or delivery outside of the US, but by the looks of this stand it will be well worth the wait.

Thanks Jazzy and I hope this company is a great sucsess for you.

Jim

 

[SchneiderMan]

Well now that we know you didn't actually get scammed, why not change the thread title? It's showing up on Google and misleading..