cold blue steel
Member
Well pulled the plug on 3DR yesterday. I've heard way too many promises and the actions just don't match up... Guess it's China here I come for 1/2 the price...
3DR anyone else having problems??
- Thread starter cold blue steel
- Start date
I think 3DR is just a bit overloaded at the moment, with the new "Solo" etc. I had ordered 2 motors and some props for my Iris+ on 4/28, and paid $30 for FedEx 2nd day delivery. Got an email verifying my order, then nothing. Emailed them a couple of days ago, and my package was sent out the next day, should be here today. At least 3DR will talk, and email you, unlike some other companies. And I always root for the underdog! As with anything, you can search for the best price, or best service/support, and I don't think it unreasonable to expect to pay a little more for the latter. Heck, EVERYTHING comes from China now-a-days, just depends on if you want to send your money straight to China, or to someone that speaks your language, and has a local phone number. Just sayin........
Oh well, finally got my package from 3DR. Ordered 4/24, 2nd day air from FedEx, $30 shipping. Just got it this morning. Seems as if 3DR was in a hurry to send it, after I emailed, asking where my package was, (parts backordered?) and they sent it to the wrong address. At least I finally got it. $130.69 for 2 motors and 8 props. Getting a little disillusioned.
I could ask, and ***** and complain, but I'd rather write it off, and see where they go from here. I gave them my physical address to ship the 2nd day air package, but after I emailed asking where my package was, (claimed backorder), they sent it off right away, to my billing address, which is a PO Box. Post office would not accept the 2nd day air package, and FedEx marked it as a wrong address. Finally got it straightened out yesterday, and my package came this morning, by FedEx special delivery. I really hope 3DR has not bitten off more than they can chew, with this new Solo, and Iris+M ????? You gotta crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. Seems lately that companies come up with something that they advertise as the latest and the greatest, only to come out with something completely new a few months later, and dump the older item, to go off in a different direction all together. All these proprietary radios, batteries, chargers, props, etc. etc. that will only work with that particular product, does not make my motor run. At all. If you look around, there are soooo many multirotor companies out there, that you've never even heard of, Guess they started out with an idea, couldn't sell enough to make a profit, and now just selling out stock, until it's gone forever.
Old Man
Active Member
They've moved the entire production facility to China from Mexico, and they put a lot of faces at the NAD. I'm disappointed with the move to China but everything together might be a plausible explanation for the recent shipping and delivery screw ups. Not a good one, just plausible.
Vermiform
Member
Thank you for your service.
Bartman
Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
was also surprised to see this and very disappointed as they had touted their "local" manufacturing in recent years as a plus for choosing 3DR. at least now we'll have clones of their stuff that much sooner
Old Man
Active Member
Probably correct. Our society looks at price before all else and generally rejects better products if they cost more than the cheaply priced product. Look at WalMart as an example, then take a look at the "Made In XX" labels found on all the hard goods in other stores. You can waste days looking for something not made in China, Taiwan, Viet Nam, or some other eastern nation. Just finding a location other than China is hard by itself. I did all that one day and came away from the activity very disillusioned. The U.S. does not have a manufacturing base anymore, and China has cheap labor, virtually no labor regulations, and pretty much the same with environmental laws. Then we have Chinese government subsidizing Chinese owned businesses either directly or indirectly to assure a world market advantage. You almost have to play the game on their field to effectively compete. Our dear prez made a big pitch yesterday (in Portland) to further export our work overseas. American big business has zero loyalty or regard to/for the American population today, only to their bottom line.
Then we have the criminal element that's so prevalent in Mexico right now. Being perfectly candid I would feel safer in Iraq than Mexico as the situation currently stands. Personally knowing a family that experienced a terrible assault against them while on vacation in Baja adds a little extra to that sense. I've been to both countries quite a lot, but at least in Iraq I can carry a weapon and shoot back. As a small engineering company I suppose 3DR functioned just fine split between Berkeley, San Diego, and Tijuana. The recent large investors likely have had considerable say in maximizing productivity and profit levels through cost reductions obtained from Chinese labor and manufacturing practices.
If they don't quickly clean up the customer service department, again, they will end up just a smaller version of DJI. One thing is certain, DJI's Wang is watching them closely.
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dazzab
Member
Be more concerned about the quality and the cost to achieve it than the country.
Either that or they want to produce the best quality at the best price for their customers. People here would be the first to condemn them for lower quality and higher prices. The Chinese have some very sophisticated equipment for the manufacture of electronics that just doesn't exist in Mexico. And don't forget, the components being assembled in Mexico were probably from China anyway.
Well, it's like I said before, almost everything now-a-days comes from China. I wonder what the world will do when "their bubble" pops? Probably India or some other place with slave-like labor, and no EPA breathing down their necks. It's all about the bottom line, period. Capitalism in a communist country, at it's best. Sorry I didn't mean to get political, I just remember the way things "used" to be.
dazzab
Member
Isn't it America's insatiable desire to eat up all the world's resources that drives the very issues which seem to disturb you? It's too bad the political discussion is so off topic as I'd really like to chat with you. But as far as 3DR moving manufacturing to China goes, it's probably a win-win for everyone involved but Mexico. 3DR still is a US company and has a large staff in the US. So it's not all doom and gloom.
Old Man
Active Member
Back on topic, 3DR has an opportunity to initiate significant changes in the RTF "consumer drone" market, but they need to pay close attention to implementation and follow up. I'm concerned that moving their facilities to China could cause them to follow the long standing Chinese hobby business practices of pretty much ignoring the customer post sale. In 2013 3DR had crap customer service but turned that issue upside down in 2014 by replacing C.S. management and implementing much better C.S. practices. They had some really good people working for them in Mexico. Of late I've been reading where they have been falling from their vast improvements in C.S.
The relocation of the company will be challenging but they need to keep in mind that APM and Pixhawk alone were not what brought many of their product buyers. Quite a few became disillusioned with the reliability, supply, and C.S. issues experienced with their prime competitor. They have to make a high quality, highly reliable product and treat their customers right to be competitive with a product priced higher than the competition. If they can do that, and follow up with new products that can be added to the basic platform at reasonable costs and simplicity, they can be a game changer and capture a lot of market share. But they have to remember what keeps them in business, and that's the customer. You want the repeat customer, not just the initial one time buyer.
The relocation of the company will be challenging but they need to keep in mind that APM and Pixhawk alone were not what brought many of their product buyers. Quite a few became disillusioned with the reliability, supply, and C.S. issues experienced with their prime competitor. They have to make a high quality, highly reliable product and treat their customers right to be competitive with a product priced higher than the competition. If they can do that, and follow up with new products that can be added to the basic platform at reasonable costs and simplicity, they can be a game changer and capture a lot of market share. But they have to remember what keeps them in business, and that's the customer. You want the repeat customer, not just the initial one time buyer.