A "Quick" Update on Early Shipping for Add-Ons & A Couple Housekeeping Notes
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Nov 09, 2021 at 02:12:05 AM
Just a "Quick" Update on Early Shipping for Add-Ons
First, we want to thank you all so much for your continued patience! We've known the miniature painting community has been in dire need of a product like Studio X, and to our surprise, we have a few crafters, landscape, and portrait artists backing Studio X also. Please know we appreciate, respect, and are thankful for every backer who believes in and supports our project!
We realize the delays are frustrating for our backers, and we sincerely apologize! However, please know we are doing everything we can to keep the process moving. Unfortunately, these are unprecedented times we haven't seen the likes of in our lifetime (I speak for John and me). As much as we hope our phone calls, emails, and wee-hour chats will make all the difference to get Studio X out (yesterday), regretfully, it's out of our hands at this time. Rest assured, we are in continuous contact with the manufactures and won't let up!!!!
On to the actual order of business (the "Quick" Update), we are progressively contacting those who want Add-Ons' early shipping. We have received an overwhelming response for the early shipping of Studio X Add-Ons. Unfortunately, I don't believe I was clear about which Add-Ons I referred to in my original email. The early Add-Ons we can ship are those who ordered the Pro Acryl Paints, Bomb Wick Brushes, and Jentastic's Drunken Brush Goop during the Kickstarter. Any Add-Ons related to Studio X, such as the Light Kit and Travel Bag, will not be available until Studio X is available to ship.
When contacting us about the early Add-On shipping, please only use our email address; [email protected]. We receive messages from individual backers via multiple avenues; Facebook, IG, Insta, Messenger, company email (OK), private messages, online store contact form, etc. We want to make sure we cross our t's and dot our i's, so having messages coming in from multiple points slows down the process. We understand backers want to make sure they get their request in; we can't blame you for that! However, please remember to email all correspondence to [email protected]. Also, please check your emails you registered with Kickstarter. I have sent many emails, and repeat emails and haven't received replies from some. If you could check and respond it would be greatly appreciated.
Lastly, I need to mention something we don't take lightly. We have a few backers going through financial hardships due to Covid requesting refunds. While we wish we could refund our backers having financial difficulties, we simply can't. We sent the money raised for Studio X to our vendors and manufacturers quite a while ago. While our thoughts and well wishes won't change the hardship some are experiencing, please know there are many of us in the same situation and we wish you and your family well.
We wish you all well, hope you stay safe, and enjoy the upcoming holidays with family and friends!
Cheers!
Sissy & John
Early shipping continues!
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Nov 01, 2021 at 03:10:11 AM
Early add-on shipping steadily continues and is taking longer than expected. We have had quite a few backers who originally did not want early shipping change their minds and are now requesting it.
We are still waiting for answers from our manufacturers and a new quote on the packaging as our original packaging manufacturer took some severe damage during the floods and wont be able to process our order any time soon. The LED light manufacturer is also behind schedule due to shortages of chips needed to produce product.
The delays are exactly that and the project is still going to move forward as soon as possible. We cannot guess or give a delivery date until these issues are resolved and we can get production que slots/dates and we cannot book or get firm shipping quotes until those dates are set.
The project being delayed has caused multiple issues for us and we have made adjustments where possible on our end. Please remember we are a small start up company and doing our best in a very difficult time. The current issues are not in our control and could not be foreseen by anyone.
We've had a few comments from backers who want to know why we are selling other products while the Studio X hasn't been fulfilled yet. The short and simple answer is we are a business trying to survive.
Sitting waiting and doing nothing will put us out of business and the better we do the easier it will be to fulfill this project. We have seen a large increase in raw materials and shipping and are hoping to be able to take care of these without asking our backers for additional funds.
A big thank you to all our backers who understand this is a Kickstarter project and not Walmart. We are unable to snap our fingers and fix all of the issues over the last year. We are updating and giving you the answers we have to give with no sugar coating.
Thanks
Emails and early shipping.
over 2 years ago
– Sat, Oct 16, 2021 at 04:53:52 AM
Were are steadily working through the thousands of emails and messages for early shipping of add-on's and shipping info. We are roughly 80% complete but with multiple emails, changes and messages in three locations its taking time. We will get to everyone just be patient please.
The manufacturers are all telling us its going to be awhile before the issues are resolved. Between the floods, logistics and the massive bottleneck for shipping it's not going to be a quick or easy fix. I'm sure some of you have seen the recent news about the 250,000+ shipping containers that cant be offloaded in California due to space and backup. The issues started 5 to 6 months ago and were seen at the manufacturing level and are now showing up in retail.
We will stay at it and update with any news when it comes.
Thank you
A few details.
over 2 years ago
– Sat, Oct 02, 2021 at 03:37:01 AM
We are making our way through all of the many (1800+) and growing emails and messages for the early shipping, add-ons, and shipping info adjustments. We wanted to let the backers know who are adding wet palettes, and brush holders to their pledges that the Studio X comes with 2 wet palettes and one brush holder already so no need to add unless you actually need more.
Also the MMW website extras can be added to early add-on shipping if you opted for it but will be taken care of later for the backers waiting for final Studio X shipping.
Again we cannot add any previous non Studio X products (Monument, Badger etc) from the kickstarter project to backers orders who did not previously add to their pledge as all inventory is accounted for.
Parcel tracking for early add-on shipping will be sent directly to the email we have through backerkit so please watch your spam and junk mail.
Thank you
Waiting for answers from manufacturer.
over 2 years ago
– Fri, Sep 24, 2021 at 05:24:12 AM
A quick update on manufacturing. We are still waiting for information from the main manufacturer on a schedule. The massive rainfall,flooding, and landslides in China have made scheduling production an issue. Please spend a few minutes googling the floods in Sichuan and Zhengzhou to get a good idea of what is going on.
Our project has 5 manufacturers involved the main manufacture for Studio X, lighting, travel case, rubber seal for the wet palettes and insert for the brush holder, and the packaging manufacturer. We were close to getting a firm production que date before the floods but now they are delayed.
The packaging company was good during the 1st flooding but took some heavy damage during the typhoon right after. We are currently getting quotes and looking at production availabilty from other companies.
The lighting manufacturer is also having a chip shortage issue so production is spotty at best and scheduling again is not easy.
At the moment our only option is to wait until it gets sorted and we get answers. We cannot give a firm or even rough delivery date until everything is lined up, production que’s are set and production begins.
For our backers who understand the challenges and issues we have and are dealing with to get the project completed a huge thank you as it’s been difficult to say the least.
The early shipping is still being worked on as multiple messages and emails from each backer have taken a lot of time and are still coming in. The international rates from Fed Ex needed to be readjusted as anything over 5 lbs made a big difference in price. The Mega bundle of Monument paints is 5.10 lbs before boxing and any other items were added and most of the orders included the mega bundle.
Thank you.
