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AC200 Sales Game

Digital DIY

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Jun 18, 2020
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Like many of you, I received an email from Bluetti saying that the pre-sale for the A200 would be July 1st at 7am PDT.. BUT only 200 units would be available @$999. This is nice but how does that help the rest of us? I sent their marketing team an email and this is what they said..

"The crowdfunding is also a form of pre-sale. The expected delivery time of Bluetti AC200 is mid-August. We will release limited super early bird price, early bird price, Indiegogo special price and so on once it launch."

By not taking as many orders as possible, they are giving the competition an opportunity to come up with something equivalent / better / cheaper.

Gaming the sales is ok, but I would rather see an open early sale at $1399 (or something appropriate) for all pre-orders July 1st and if I have to wait to November, that would be OK. I don't have the time to watch the clock and hit submit waiting for "and so on".

Maybe I am wrong and the rest of the crowd enjoys the sales game.
 
. BUT only 200 units would be available @$999. This is nice but how does that help the rest of us? I sent their marketing team an email and this is what they said..

"The crowdfunding is also a form of pre-sale. The expected delivery time of Bluetti AC200 is mid-August. We will release limited super early bird price, early bird price, Indiegogo special price and so on

Gaming the sales is ok, but I would rather see an open early sale at $1399 (or something appropriate) for all pre-orders July 1st and if I have to wait to November, that would be OK. I don't have the time to watch the clock and hit submit waiting for "and so on".

Maybe I am wrong and the rest of the crowd enjoys the sales game.
Why do you want to pay $1399?
You mean $1400 right? BUT you dont understand how these crowd funding sales go.
200 sold at $1000 not $999
Then the price instantly goes up to $1100 for the next number of xxx? buyers.
There is a third level of $1200? for the rest of the campaign.
That's what We will release means translated from Chinese.
limited super early bird price $1000
early bird price, $1100
Indiegogo special price $1200
and so on.
There is No limit on how many units sold.

@Schlagger And good luck on building your own to the same specs for $1000 including shipping
1700 Wh Li battery claiming 2500 cycles.
2000 watt inverter with 6 outlets
150V MPPT 700 watts solar.
Battery charger that combines with MPPT charging.
Cable adapters. $$
Compact case with intergrated meter that is not available to buy with safety cut off protection for over, under voltage etc.
USB and 25A 10A 3A outlets

Add all those components up plus your $$$time compared to a home built all in one that will be much clunkier and not really portable.

At the $1700 list price you can build Wills superior $1900 hand cart version but that is rather large so not portable like an AC200.
 
Thanks.. The AC200 fits my needs for an older RV perfectly. I don't think I can make one that compact. I realize I can order along the way and jump in at some price.
 
Follow-up... The AC200 Super Early Bird notice went out at 8:44 AM (CDT) and the sale began within a minute. This was 15 minutes before the advertised launch.

AC200 Launch Notice.png

By 9:02 AM (CDT) the first 200 were sold out. I happened to be watching the sale and I closed my Super Early purchase at 8:58 AM CDT. I was #160 out of 200.

AC200 Super Early Sale.png
By 10:28 AM (CDT) the sales really slowed down. What I do not get is why some people have elected to pay $200 more for the same thing.

AC200 Sales Follow through.png

Shipping for US versions is projected to be Sept 2020.
 
I never received the notice, have been checking since midnight.
 
Ok trying to figure out how this works, I make a donation (I see $100.00 pre-selected) but I am not guaranteed to get the perk? Doesn't sound right.
 
Ok trying to figure out how this works, I make a donation (I see $100.00 pre-selected) but I am not guaranteed to get the perk? Doesn't sound right.

I have participated in several Indigogo launches. The amount you pay is not a guarantee that you will receive anything. Companies use Indigogo as as cash flow opportunity to ramp up production. The first several hundred are low margin for the company, but it establishes demand, reduces the capital risk, and generates a buzz within the online communities.

Typically, I would not spend $1000 on an unknown product or company. Based on Will's review of the pre-production AC200 and the general reputation of Bluetti, I felt comfortable enough to get in early.

Companies also add on $25-$200 donations that may end up in discounted items in the future, but there is also no guarantee of that.
 
Okay I understand about the donation, What about if I put down the asking price of lets say 1000 dollars am I still not guaranteed the item?
 
Okay I understand about the donation, What about if I put down the asking price of lets say 1000 dollars am I still not guaranteed the item?

Unfortunately, it is like investing in a start-up, you may or may not receive the perk/product or per by the time the company projects. It could be possible that they run into some shortage or find some flaw and the product could be seriously delayed. If some of the contributors requested a refund, it could kill a large project. Per the Indigogo terms... "Crowdfunding is not shopping. Your donation is a way to support a project but does not guarantee that you will receive a perk. You may request a full refund from Indiegogo until the campaign ends on August 20, 2020. Any refunds after this date are the responsibility of the campaign owner, Bluetti Team, at their discretion."

Example 1: I once funded some battery products ($30). They were over a year late with their product development. For a few bucks, I let it ride. 18 months later, they eventually delivered the product as described.

Example 2: Kickstarter is a similar concept. They had a travel tripod last year with crazy results.. In the end, they had over $12.1M in pre-orders @ $300+ each. The company (like Bluetti) was already in the business, developed something unique, and based on their history, people were willing to give it a chance.

Good luck, but I am all in. Go Bluetti!!!
Screenshot 2020-07-01 15.31.23.png
 
Sale site says September, and emails from them say mid-August.....
 
I invested in a crowd funded time machine that never showed up. When the projected date passed I contacted them and they told me that they had already delivered it to me in the future.
??? This better be delivered in the present!
 
I invested in a crowd funded time machine that never showed up. When the projected date passed I contacted them and they told me that they had already delivered it to me in the future.

Tell them you returned it as defective six years ago.
 
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