Group Buy - Tilta Gravity Gimbal

[Daniel Stilling]

Hey Chris, and this is no reflection of your great work on this group buy.
I am disappointed by the lack of communication from Tilta. Costumer service lives and dies with communication. Obvious example is RED.
Tilta, please don't just ignore us. Drop us a line. Let us know clearly what is going on. Staying quiet only works against you. Please.

 

[Mike Finegan]

I am in same boat as most others - money received - slow to acknowledge and then no confirmation that you are in first wave even though you paid immediately.
Chris -
Sorry to ask this, but since Yang and the other Tilta employees are not answering emails for like a week now, can you:
1) list who has been told they are in first wave by Tilta formally (email not chat, etc.)
2) who has received ANYTHING as part of this group buy
3) how many people have paid - in other words are they waiting for all 50 to pay first and some people are not paying? If that is the case they need to be very open about that and you will need to chase down those who are dragging their feet
4) what do we do in the unlikely case they refuse to communicate, provide delivery dates or ever send out units in a timely fashion? How long before it becomes a legal event? I was planning to go to China this winter, but not to track down unfulfilled pre-paid orders!! At what date do they agree to return funds because of noncomplianece with your agreement?
Thanks and sorry in advance, just we all put a lot of good faith into Tilta and they have a lot to gain with RED community - do not want to see this go south
Mike

 

[Matt Fleming]

I got some somewhat good-ish news from Sophia this morning: I sent an email last night asking for an update on delivery (first response was the maternity auto-reply). Later, Sophia replied "It will be available after half of month". That is roughly on track to the promised 4 week schedule (I paid on the 7th).

Frustrations with poor communication aside, I don't see any reason for us to get overly alarmed. Yet. I do think it's important that Tilta be upfront now if they anticipate any problems with the agreed delivery schedule though.

 

[Michael Reiken]

Just FYI - I paid last week 23rd, emailed them and Sophia replied one day later saying they got payment and will process order asap.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Yea...I'm pushing on my end as much as I can for you guys...glad some of you are getting clarification. Tilta wants to do more of these in the very near future for their Weapon/Scarlet-W accessories as well as their WFF. All in the works right now...communication or lack there of will def'n be addressed. Hehe

 

[Tim Daust]

Yea...I'm pushing on my end as much as I can for you guys...glad some of you are getting clarification. Tilta wants to do more of these in the very near future for their Weapon/Scarlet-W accessories as well as their WFF. All in the works right now...communication or lack there of will def'n be addressed. Hehe

if this group buy goes well... put me down for the #1 spot on the Tilta DSMC2 Cage w00t w00t

 

[Brendan H. Banks]

Disappointing here as well. Was promised a spot in the first 25 on Sept 6th and confirmed the next morning first thing (as most emails are sent overnight from them). It took a full week for them to send me payment info and a correct invoice after sending two incorrect ones for well over $3k even though I wasn't getting any additional accessories. I paid on Sept 13th and was confirmed on the 18th and I asked for when I should receive shipping info, was told "ASAP". I emailed again yesterday wondering why it hadn't come through yet and they said "The gravity will be avaialable after half of month.Once have stock,I will ship it to you immediately"

I don't know why this is and it's definitely now messing up shoots as I was supposed to be in the first 25 and paid as soon as they responded to emails.

Whats the word word on this Chris? Jumped on in the #3 spot for the GB and am feeling like this isn't progrsssing as it should.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Disappointing here as well. Was promised a spot in the first 25 on Sept 6th and confirmed the next morning first thing (as most emails are sent overnight from them). It took a full week for them to send me payment info and a correct invoice after sending two incorrect ones for well over $3k even though I wasn't getting any additional accessories. I paid on Sept 13th and was confirmed on the 18th and I asked for when I should receive shipping info, was told "ASAP". I emailed again yesterday wondering why it hadn't come through yet and they said "The gravity will be avaialable after half of month.Once have stock,I will ship it to you immediately"

I don't know why this is and it's definitely now messing up shoots as I was supposed to be in the first 25 and paid as soon as they responded to emails.

Whats the word word on this Chris? Jumped on in the #3 spot for the GB and am feeling like this isn't progrsssing as it should.

So..your actual place on the GB master list didn't have any impact on when your Gravity/Gimbal would ship. Reason being is because you could have been one of the ones to not ever pay, so they shipped in order of payment receipt, unless otherwise requested by the customer that they are willing to wait for the next round, or if by the time you paid, the allotment was already gone.

I think their factory def'n has had some communication issues with us - the language barrier could possibly play a role, but I think it's more of giving us inaccurate information. I've been working on it and trying to get exact clarification. As you all know, their factory is in China and so Yang is trying to get as much Intel as possible, but he only relays what his factory tells him. I'm also seeing if there is something Tilta can do extra as a way of saying thanks for being patient, but it's looking like a good chunk of them will ship around Oct 18.

I know we all want products immediately - just remember we paid a fraction of what these things cost, so while you can be angry/frustrated that yours didn't ship first, even when told it would (I know how frustrating that is), you're still going to get an amazing product and you'll think it's worth the wait once you get your hands on it.

 

[Brendan H. Banks]

So..your actual place on the GB master list didn't have any impact on when your Gravity/Gimbal would ship. Reason being is because you could have been one of the ones to not ever pay, so they shipped in order of payment receipt, unless otherwise requested by the customer that they are willing to wait for the next round, or if by the time you paid, the allotment was already gone.

I think their factory def'n has had some communication issues with us - the language barrier could possibly play a role, but I think it's more of giving us inaccurate information. I've been working on it and trying to get exact clarification. As you all know, their factory is in China and so Yang is trying to get as much Intel as possible, but he only relays what his factory tells him. I'm also seeing if there is something Tilta can do extra as a way of saying thanks for being patient, but it's looking like a good chunk of them will ship around Oct 18.

I know we all want products immediately - just remember we paid a fraction of what these things cost, so while you can be angry/frustrated that yours didn't ship first, even when told it would (I know how frustrating that is), you're still going to get an amazing product and you'll think it's worth the wait once you get your hands on it.

I totslly understand about the deal and demand, but communication is something that is easy to fix. It's tough to be knocking at the door constantly trying to pay someone and having it take up to a week sometimes to get a response. The confirmations that are not actually confirmations are tough too.

I really appreciate your help and communication Chris. You're the most transparent part of the process! :thumbsup:

 

[Tim Daust]

So..your actual place on the GB master list didn't have any impact on when your Gravity/Gimbal would ship. Reason being is because you could have been one of the ones to not ever pay, so they shipped in order of payment receipt, unless otherwise requested by the customer that they are willing to wait for the next round, or if by the time you paid, the allotment was already gone.

I think their factory def'n has had some communication issues with us - the language barrier could possibly play a role, but I think it's more of giving us inaccurate information. I've been working on it and trying to get exact clarification. As you all know, their factory is in China and so Yang is trying to get as much Intel as possible, but he only relays what his factory tells him. I'm also seeing if there is something Tilta can do extra as a way of saying thanks for being patient, but it's looking like a good chunk of them will ship around Oct 18.

I know we all want products immediately - just remember we paid a fraction of what these things cost, so while you can be angry/frustrated that yours didn't ship first, even when told it would (I know how frustrating that is), you're still going to get an amazing product and you'll think it's worth the wait once you get your hands on it.

Respectfully,

Have any shipped though? I've only seen people who purchased them from dealers or ebay who have them. I am getting the feeling NONE of these so called in stock 25 shipped. not one single person has confirmed they have been shipped anything yet. Did they take them all to the trade show and give them to dealers instead of to us in the group buy? Maybe the "first 25" was a mistake or even a ruse. so lets forget that.

Even completely ignoring the in stock 25 units the other units are supposed to ship 4 weeks after payment. So is that 4 weeks after each individual payment or after WE ALL pay? Yang said they are loosing money on shipping. Maybe this is why they said OCT 18th.

Yang & anyone else from Tilta reading this...Yes this is a group buy so everyone involved wants to save $. Saving money has nothing to do with changing the terms of an agreement after collecting payment in full. That would be a sketchy business practice and its not acceptable without communication at the very least. Even with a group buy where we are saving money. I paid in full via paypal instant transfer ( $5190.35 ) on the 9/08. If they cannot fulfill orders within a reasonable amount of time I can just file a claim/dispute with paypal. For those of you who did a direct wire transfer not much you can do but wait.

I will remain patient and positive. Thank you for listening to my concerns & feedback regarding this group buy.

Chris, most of all thank you for being in the middle of this. I can only imagine its become a headache beyond expectation.

 

[Aaron Marquette]

... communication is something that is easy to fix.

I really appreciate your help and communication Chris. You're the most transparent part of the process! :thumbsup:

Very well put. Thanks, Chris.

And Tilta take note: Sure, customers appreciate saving money -especially when they are spending thousands but your part of the deal is to provide prompt, honest communication and keeping your terms of the agreement.

My email quotes took 2 weeks to get corrections completed. When I asked for an invoice with expected delivery, I was told invoices only appear after payment and delivery date depends on payment date. The invoice should come before the payment not after.
**Has anyone on the GB received an INVOICE with expected delivery dates?

And regarding shipping, if Tilta claims low value on items to avoid customs/import fees, the full value of those items will likely not be insured by DHL or UPS. If you claim full value, your shipping + import duties will obviously cost more. This all stems from the original detail that AbelCine would be receiving and servicing the gear. Both of those comforting parts of the deal have disappeared with no clear explanation from Tilta.
**Are you GB guys asking Tilta to claim full value or low value on imports?

Again, we all appreciate Chris' work to facilitate communication but it's time to give him a break and hear directly from the CEO, Yang Shao. Please provide your customers with:
1: Invoices including delivery date estimates
2: Explanation of shipping insurance coverage
3: Explanation about why AbelCine shipping & service was removed from the original deal
4: Details on the whereabouts of the first 25 units

For the record, I'm not looking for anymore free accessories and I am excited about this new equipment. I have tested it and I look forward to working with Yang in the future. This message is not about a deal on gear, it's about business communication.
Let's get back to shooting!

 

[Scott Ressler]

FYI, Tilta in China are out of the office for another National Holiday until after Oct. 7

 

[Brendan H. Banks]

Yeah, I got the out of office as well.

That being said, I did push back and ask for clarity and Tian wrote back quickly saying "more will be coming in to ship out two weeks from now". The general tone of the email was also kind and thanked me for my patience. Hoping the week of Oct 11th will be one of shipping notices...

 

[Tim Daust]

Yeah, I got the out of office as well.

That being said, I did push back and ask for clarity and Tian wrote back quickly saying "more will be coming in to ship out two weeks from now". The general tone of the email was also kind and thanked me for my patience. Hoping the week of Oct 11th will be one of shipping notices...

ummm.. don't they manufacture them there at the factory in China? Where else would they be "coming in" from so they can ship them out? Please I hope that means coming in (to the states) so they can ship them out to us?

The way this is going I am worried about support/service for any issues. This is a serious concern. IF I don't have some sort of CLEAR and HONEST communication I will be jumping ship. I know if I treated my customers like this I wouldn't be able to afford gear in the first place. Even if you blame slow shipping on the "discount" or the "group buy" I still don't feel right about someone taking my money and then stopping communication. As of writing this, I again directly sent a message to Yang via facebook expressing my concerns.

remember. we only have 45 days to file a dispute/claim with paypal. If they do indeed have more units coming in 2 weeks from now, that puts us at around the 17th before we start seeing them ship. Right?

 

[John Brennick]

For what it's worth, Tian reached out to me to ensure mount was correct and since I will be out of the country for a month I wont need my gravity until end of November. They were very accommodating to deliver when i send them an email that I'm heading back to the states. Very prompt with replies and very helpful with questions. Thats just my experience thus far. While I did have some difficulty getting assistance to transfer the funds, I'm pretty understanding considering they were slammed with the trade show. For me, so far so good...

 

[Tim Daust]

For what it's worth, Tian reached out to me to ensure mount was correct and since I will be out of the country for a month I wont need my gravity until end of November. They were very accommodating to deliver when i send them an email that I'm heading back to the states. Very prompt with replies and very helpful with questions. Thats just my experience thus far. While I did have some difficulty getting assistance to transfer the funds, I'm pretty understanding considering they were slammed with the trade show. For me, so far so good...

Its worth more than you know. Thank You John.

After the holiday on the 19th I asked if they had any update on shipping at all? The response I got was.
"Our team in china is preparing to ship your order and I'll Let you once its shipped out from the factory. thanks for your patience."

that was the last and final email Ive received. I was only looking for a ball park delivery date. Ive emailed them 3 times total since payment. Once I talked to Yang and just decided to be patient. I am only expressing myself here so that others like yourself will chime in. I figured a ton of you have been emailing. Especially those with incorrect invoices. It seemed like that was something several people had to deal with. I am very grateful for the discount and really look forward to this. Honestly Ive had 2 bad experiences with group buys not on this forum. One took money and said 60 day delivery and then 2 years later, still nothing. That was for just a few hundred dollars.

I might be naive here, but are the purpose of ALL of these group buys to "crowd fund" the manufacture of these units? I would assume only the ones that upfront say that. They have us pay up front and then use all of our collective money to make the units that never existed in the first place? Please educate me. I am not trying to be a pain in the a$$ I really just want perspective. I support crowdfunding completely but only when it is presented that way.

Chris did a good job of explaining clearly the product hasn't officially hit the market yet. I definitely understood we are getting an amazing deal and Tilta is offering this as a group buy immediately upon release (or before???)

Thanks John!

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Yea, no need to panic. Tilta will take care of us. You'd regret jumping ship, trust me.

 

[Matt Bass]

I'm pretty over this whole waiting - no response game. I ordered the tilta weapon top plate handle rig on July 19th direct from Tilta (just like this group buy) and haven't heard anything from them. But I just went on eBay and saw I could get the exact the top plate systems for half the price and within a week. So I'm going to go ahead and cancel both of these items. There is nothing I hate more than horrible customer service! There is just no excuse and if this is an indication of what potential customer service looks like I would rather stick with an American company like Movi.

If there is anything I've learned from customer service it is that RED has the best customer service I have ever had from any company and this tilta company is right up there with DJI as the worst customer service in the biz. Sorry but I'm over it.

 

[Abiodun Shote]

Yea, no need to panic. Tilta will take care of us. You'd regret jumping ship, trust me.

Do you have a master list of those who've paid and the possible shipping dates or everyone who's paid on or before Sept 18th gets from the batch that goes out on Oct. 18th?

 

[Chris McKechnie]

I'm pretty over this whole waiting - no response game. I ordered the tilta weapon top plate handle rig on July 19th direct from Tilta (just like this group buy) and haven't heard anything from them. But I just went on eBay and saw I could have one the top plate systems for half the price and within a week. So I'm going to go ahead and cancel both of these items. There is nothing I hate more than horrible customer service! There is just no excuse and if this is an indication of what potential customer service looks like I would rather stick with an American company like Movi.

If there is anything I've learned from customer service it is that RED has the best customer service I have ever had from any company and this tilta company is right up there with DJI as the worst customer service in the biz. Sorry but I'm over it.

I'm sorry things didn't work out for you. I wish I would have known that they had 2 holidays and 2 conventions right after the GB closed, but I was told 4-weeks, which is what I relayed to you guys. I know they have a bunch ready to go. Yang said they are also still reviving payments too, and they will be shipping out in the order payment was received.

Do you have a master list of those who've paid and the possible shipping dates or everyone who's paid on or before Sept 18th gets from the batch that goes out on Oct. 18th?

Trying to get that list. I know that they have quite a few ready, so they should start getting tracking numbers soon. I'm staying on top of it for you guys, always hounding and requesting updates.