That's cool, Paul! Faster service and quicker turn-around on new
modules sounds like a winner to me.
Maybe you should also consider pre-poulated boards, too. Wave-
soldered and on the shelf ready to go. Then we builders would just
wire it up and go. I know this is sacriledge to some, but I've
built enough kits now, and want to get the things into the rig as
quickly as possible. ANd still have a little bit of me in module,
so to speak.
So you would have three levels: full kits (cheapest), prepop kits
(cheaper), and fully assembled (most expensive).
Waddya think?
Mike
--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Schreiber" <synth1@a...> wrote:
> Starting in mid-Nov, I am going to out-source most of the MOTM
kitting AND
> shipping to a third party. This 3rd party currently provides the
solder and the
> resistor/capacitor bags in the kits right now.
>
> The purpose of this is to speed delivery of kits, both in the
existing backlog
> and in the future. But more importantly, it frees up 90% of
my 'MOTM time'! I
> can concentrate on what I do best (R&D) and off-load what I suck
at (shipping,
> buying parts, etc).
>
> The exact logistics have to be worked out. But basically, you will
still order
> off the website like before, your credit card will be billed as
before, but your
> order may arrive from 2 different locations (I'll be like
Amazon.com).
>
> I will still handle assembled modules and repair.
>
> Now, I know what you are thinking.....will this raise the price
again??!?
>
> For the time being, no. I will absorb the loss in profit in order
to ship out
> the backlog and allow time to finish the '650, '450 and '600
modules (plus the
> VC Pulse Divider). Newer designs will be slightly more than "what
they would
> have been", and once the backlog is flushed out (and the existing
parts
> inventory), there is a ∗possibility that some∗ modules may
increase as the 3rd
> party now has to face the burden of restocking (I've already
bought about
> $43,000 of parts the last 3 months).
>
> So, in a nutshell:
>
> a) don't be surprised if you get an order in several boxes
originating from 2
> locations
> b) you should not be able to see any difference whatsoever in the
kits, except
> the 3rd party MAY elect to use a CDROM for the manuals
> c) the goal is to have <2 week delivery of ANY MOTM kit starting
Feb. 1st. It
> will take until then to flush the backlog.
>
> More details as they become available.
>
> Paul S.
> I wonder if a pool table could fit up here??