New $500 Flightscope personal launch monitor (MERGED)

[Hondabuff]

Here we are into the 3rd Week of April and not a single person even has a tracking number yet and no app available.

[Hondabuff]

Just called FS and same story. First batch shipping today or tomorrow or who knows. They just submitted the App to Apple so today, tomorrow or who knows. No the salesman hasn't seen one but has watched the video.

[Willstuart2328]

Sounds like they have a quality control problem to me.

[larciel]

calling to cancel. I can predict the unstable app and constant fix promises. will check back in 6 months

[Hondabuff]

calling to cancel. I can predict the unstable app and constant fix promises. will check back in 6 months

 

Let us know how the return goes. I tried early last month to do a return for it and it was like screwing up a one car funeral.

[larciel]

calling to cancel. I can predict the unstable app and constant fix promises. will check back in 6 months

 

Let us know how the return goes. I tried early last month to do a return for it and it was like screwing up a one car funeral.

 

took me 10 seconds. no questions asked.

[jcg132]

I'm strongly considering canceling as well

[Hondabuff]

Talked to AJ and canceled both of my orders. FS is talking May now for the Mevo's.

[jcg132]

I just canceled, looking forward to reviews when someone actually obtains one.

[mikewohlwend]

After reading all these stories I'm glad I didn't try to preorder one.

[sfiggins]

FS also has the X3 on Pre-Order status. It seems they may be spreading their resources a bit thin.

[kgk]

I keep hoping to read a review so I can buy one of these toys.

Darn.

[Hondabuff]

One of the other threads shows an email from FS stating there are still 150 Mevo preorder units still available. Knowing that there were only 300 units made, I wonder if FS has to meet a contractual obligation to the manufacturing plant before they will release them. Might be their barometer to gauge how many units they will actually sell or have to still pay for. Who really knows at this point with the shell game they keep playing. Hopefully you guys who are still hanging on will actually get your units and we can see what the Mevo can do.

[games]

I called Flightscope yesterday. I told the rep I was interested in my order status and that I am a member of GolfWRX and wanted to pass along info about my order to the forum.

 

Bottom Line: The initial batch is getting a firmware update (as a previous poster guessed). Shipment is scheduled for late this week.

 

Interesting comment from the rep, who said he is a MEVO QC tester: "At this price point, while the data is limited, for the technology in the unit and the accuracy produced, it's a no-brainer."

 

I just managed my business through an IT implementation, so I probably have more patience than most. And, while I'm disappointed at the delay, I'm not surprised. Based on the rep's responses, I think Flightscope has high expectations for the MEVO's performance and consumer demand for it.

 

From a business standpoint, if I don't see or hear of new entries to my intended segment, I would probably risk short-term consumer ire over roll-out delays if it means bringing a quality product to the segment as long as it provides a lasting barrier to entry. A few posters have said they are going to cancel their orders to take a "wait and see" attitude on the product, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I would argue it is proof FS is doing the right thing. Customers lost due to rollout delay will come back if the product is good and no other competitors are in the space.

[yellolab]

I called Flightscope yesterday. I told the rep I was interested in my order status and that I am a member of GolfWRX and wanted to pass along info about my order to the forum.

 

Bottom Line: The initial batch is getting a firmware update (as a previous poster guessed). Shipment is scheduled for late this week.

 

Interesting comment from the rep, who said he is a MEVO QC tester: "At this price point, while the data is limited, for the technology in the unit and the accuracy produced, it's a no-brainer."

 

I just managed my business through an IT implementation, so I probably have more patience than most. And, while I'm disappointed at the delay, I'm not surprised. Based on the rep's responses, I think Flightscope has high expectations for the MEVO's performance and consumer demand for it.

 

From a business standpoint, if I don't see or hear of new entries to my intended segment, I would probably risk short-term consumer ire over roll-out delays if it means bringing a quality product to the segment as long as it provides a lasting barrier to entry. A few posters have said they are going to cancel their orders to take a "wait and see" attitude on the product, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I would argue it is proof FS is doing the right thing. Customers lost due to rollout delay will come back if the product is good and no other competitors are in the space.

 

First time posting on this topic, but I 100% agree. Folks will quickly forget new product delays if the product is good, however no one will tolerate the product if it's crap when it comes out. Do you want it good, or do you want it quickly? You generally can't have both.

[brandon_a]

I called Flightscope yesterday. I told the rep I was interested in my order status and that I am a member of GolfWRX and wanted to pass along info about my order to the forum.

 

Bottom Line: The initial batch is getting a firmware update (as a previous poster guessed). Shipment is scheduled for late this week.

 

Interesting comment from the rep, who said he is a MEVO QC tester: "At this price point, while the data is limited, for the technology in the unit and the accuracy produced, it's a no-brainer."

 

I just managed my business through an IT implementation, so I probably have more patience than most. And, while I'm disappointed at the delay, I'm not surprised. Based on the rep's responses, I think Flightscope has high expectations for the MEVO's performance and consumer demand for it.

 

From a business standpoint, if I don't see or hear of new entries to my intended segment, I would probably risk short-term consumer ire over roll-out delays if it means bringing a quality product to the segment as long as it provides a lasting barrier to entry. A few posters have said they are going to cancel their orders to take a "wait and see" attitude on the product, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I would argue it is proof FS is doing the right thing. Customers lost due to rollout delay will come back if the product is good and no other competitors are in the space.

 

I couldn't have said this better myself. A bit of transparency would have been nice, but I understand their position. I'm a software developer by trade so I get the issues they are trying to overcome. I still think it is worth being patient.

[Hondabuff]

FS emailing everyone who placed an order with a shipping date expectation and a hard date on the app and not hitting the time lines is a major fumble. Then your left wondering what is going on with no clear answers. Patronizing your customers is key to a successful business. A simple email with a quality assurance statement is all they need. I still want a Mevo but its been one setback after another and each week my interest keeps waning.

[TM_HOYER]

I called Flightscope yesterday. I told the rep I was interested in my order status and that I am a member of GolfWRX and wanted to pass along info about my order to the forum.

 

Bottom Line: The initial batch is getting a firmware update (as a previous poster guessed). Shipment is scheduled for late this week.

 

Interesting comment from the rep, who said he is a MEVO QC tester: "At this price point, while the data is limited, for the technology in the unit and the accuracy produced, it's a no-brainer."

 

I just managed my business through an IT implementation, so I probably have more patience than most. And, while I'm disappointed at the delay, I'm not surprised. Based on the rep's responses, I think Flightscope has high expectations for the MEVO's performance and consumer demand for it.

 

From a business standpoint, if I don't see or hear of new entries to my intended segment, I would probably risk short-term consumer ire over roll-out delays if it means bringing a quality product to the segment as long as it provides a lasting barrier to entry. A few posters have said they are going to cancel their orders to take a "wait and see" attitude on the product, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I would argue it is proof FS is doing the right thing. Customers lost due to rollout delay will come back if the product is good and no other competitors are in the space.

 

I too am in IT and probably more tolerant of delays. I expected delays because of shipping. When shipping across the Pacific in a container, all you can have is a guessament for delivery. Also it is good they are do QC before sending it out. As a long time Skycaddie user, I know the grief that users can dish out when a product has delays and has undocumented features (bugs) in the programming. It probably would have been good to send more email updates but this is Flightscope's first consumer product and they will from this.

[Pat du Golf]

Maybe cash flow is a big issue here....maybe investors are playing hard ball with the owners for additional shares in the company...maybe the manufacturer is requesting cash because of delays in account payable??

FS is dealing with bigger issue than simple firmware update. This is a good company with proven products on the market.

The owners can't and will not dwell in the real reasons if it has to do with investors....

Mevo is a hot product that can't be released or mass produced if investors or lenders are strong arming FS.

My personal opinion.

 

[Hondabuff]

From the other thread, Email from FS

 

"The first shipment of mevo units is expected to go out this week. Unfortunately, there is no way to see a mevo in person. However, surely once the first shipment of units goes out, people will post reviews and such with feedback.

 

We have about 150 mevo units left/ available for pre-order and will start to ship those by the end of this month or early May.

 

Please let us know if you need anything else"

 

Here is a product I'm trying to sell you and "NO" you can not see it. :stink:

[brandon_a]

From the other thread, Email from FS

 

"The first shipment of mevo units is expected to go out this week. Unfortunately, there is no way to see a mevo in person. However, surely once the first shipment of units goes out, people will post reviews and such with feedback.

 

We have about 150 mevo units left/ available for pre-order and will start to ship those by the end of this month or early May.

 

Please let us know if you need anything else"

 

Here is a product I'm trying to sell you and "NO" you can not see it. :stink:

 

I think they're saying there is no retail presence of the Mevo.

[Hondabuff]

They should of built a product that works, get it to a golf publication to get exposure on it to build excitement then roll out the pre orders.

[Bob57]

I was surprised that they didn't have a functioning model that reps could have shown to large golf shops which would easily have gotten the quantity of orders they might have been looking for. Instead the whole thing seems more like a "go fund me" startup approach. Surprising for a seemingly successful company. Disappointing responses from customer service..sounds like they are given the daily narrative instead of the actual facts. I get the impression they are almost as much in the dark as the consumer... read on another site where a customer was told it can take a long time to get an app approved and if they got their unit and the app wasn't in either store yet they could email a link to download it directly from flightscope.. more woulda, coulda, shoulda..

The other odd thing is many of the sales/service people claim they have not seen a unit..did they have one at the show? working or just empty case?

 

I cancelled my order last week and was absolutely no problem, credit to card processed..

[dlee723]

That was probably their biggest mistake. Instead of just selling units as pre orders they probably should have just sold it as a kickstarter. People will still complain if the schedule slipped but at least it comes with the territory. (I've been on kickstarters delayed 1.5 years haha) Their sales team also should stop giving dates at this point unless it's a 95% confidence one...it's just another detail for people to pick at.

 

I work in medical device development so I know it's hard to get a product out the door. But the execution and how the pr was handled here canprob improve. Big picture, this probably won't hurt the overall sales of this too much vs a crappy product. But personally, the way their sales kept giving the "oh it's almost done" speech raises support concerns. To the point I would look to other companies first when I decide to upgrade my skytrak to the next level.

[games]

Let me preface these comments by saying I've conversed with a FS rep three times now, and all three times my inquiries were handled professionally.

 

Regarding FS handling of the MEVO rollout: FS is used to B2B sales and marketing. The consumer market is a different animal. You're going to get 100x the phone calls and e-mails for a product that is 1/20 of the price of your high-end B2B models. And, those inquiries are going to be coming from consumers with less sophistication and patience than your typical commercial purchaser (e.g. club pro, club manager, retail purchaser).

 

If FS had to do it over again, I wonder if they would have sold MEVO at retail (Dick's, Golf Galaxy, maybe Best Buy) versus direct-to-consumer. The only reason I can think why they wouldn't (additional margin aside) is they are looking at consumer relationships built with the MEVO as an entre' to a future mid-tier segment currently only occupied by SkyTrak and other simulators priced $2,000 to $8,000. From there, isn't the low-end FS LM around $10k new?

[Hondabuff]

Let me preface these comments by saying I've conversed with a FS rep three times now, and all three times my inquiries were handled professionally.

 

Regarding FS handling of the MEVO rollout: FS is used to B2B sales and marketing. The consumer market is a different animal. You're going to get 100x the phone calls and e-mails for a product that is 1/20 of the price of your high-end B2B models. And, those inquiries are going to be coming from consumers with less sophistication and patience than your typical commercial purchaser (e.g. club pro, club manager, retail purchaser).

 

If FS had to do it over again, I wonder if they would have sold MEVO at retail (Dick's, Golf Galaxy, maybe Best Buy) versus direct-to-consumer. The only reason I can think why they wouldn't (additional margin aside) is they are looking at consumer relationships built with the MEVO as an entre' to a future mid-tier segment currently only occupied by SkyTrak and other simulators priced $2,000 to $8,000. From there, isn't the low-end FS LM around $10k new?

 

I still don't think they should be selling directly to the public. Also If you only needed a deposit to reserve one then fine, take as long as you need and email me when its ready. Since they required you to pay the full price upfront then the expectations change. One would assume that by time you are ready to go Pre-Order that you have scalable business model and there have been units built and tested. Throw 25 units out to your reps and tell them to go beat the crap out of these things and report back on what we need to polish them up before mass production. Maybe they did?? I have only had one phone call where I questioned what kinda operation they are running. The rest of the calls have been professional and courteous.

[games]

The MEVO is new tech. This is the first batch of mass produced units. It is going to have bugs and delays. I don't think it matters if they had marketed it as a kickstarter, or asked for a deposit, or full prepay. The biggest issue is they put a deadline on it and missed it and that is going to torque some people off. Regardless of the level of control they had on the situation...

 

Here's the irony (or inconsistency or hypocrisy) of my attitude toward my latest golf purchase: On Sunday, I ordered a training aid that has been on the market for awhile. Ordered at full price; even paid expedited shipping of $9 versus normal $6 charge. (A coupon code that would have saved $6 shipping expired.)

 

I'm far more honked off at the training aid order which is a fraction of the MEVO price! There was zero mention of backorder at time of purchase. I did not receive a ship notice yesterday, and none today. My order status still shows "processing." The worst part it is being shipped from a warehouse less than 75 miles from my house. The amount spent on expedited shipping could have paid for the gas I could have used to pick the darn thing up myself!

 

Again, I remind myself it's not a cure for cancer. It's not going to feed starving kids. And, like the MEVO, when I get it, I think it's going to help me improve my golf game. For whatever reason, I'm more hung up on this little f'ing piece of plastic than I am with the $500 gizmo that is three weeks late. First world problems. LOL!

[brandon_a]

From a FlightScope email I got just now:

 

Dear valued customer,

 

As promised, we started shipping a handful of Mevos last week. We are, however, working on an important firmware and app update to optimize performance, which we believe is crucial before continuing shipments. We're now working around the clock (literally) to finalize these updates, which will allow us to continue shipments. This is causing a delay, but we assure you that we are doing everything in our power to speed things up and we will keep you updated on the progress.

 

We are confident that Mevo will be worth the wait and will exceed your expectations. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and we truly appreciate your patience and loyal support.

[TM_HOYER]

Just received an email with an update. The delay is to fine tune the firmware and app. Also there are pictures of the Mevo and process to show they do exist.

[games]

Just received an email with an update. The delay is to fine tune the firmware and app. Also there are pictures of the Mevo and process to show they do exist.

 

As if on cue... With a little prodding from the volunteer biz consultants at GolfWRX.