deskthority

I know a GB can be really frustrating with all the little decisions you need to make and the people depending on you to deliver, but try to see criticism positively.
If shipping to UK is indeed more expensive than to someplace else, maybe you could ask for someone to become the shipping proxy. My suggestion would be to find someone in Germany and have him collect and pay WASD. That way the GB is split in two parts: organizing/collecting orders by you and payments/fulfillment by the proxy. You gather orders and addresses and whatnot and send the proxy a spreadsheet with all the details. He collects invoices, places the order and ships the stuff.

Also, since the GB is mainly for Europe and paid to the US, maybe you should collect in $, to avoid one currency exchange.

Gathering opinions and checking options should be done on an IC thread, not on the GB proper.
After the GB starts you need to change as little as possible.

I don't know how big this GB has become, but the logistics can be a nightmare!
I'm speaking from the experience of my first GB (Phantom plates). It turned out quite well, but sometimes I got lost, and it was only 25 orders to pack and ship.
Had I gone with this to GH and r/MK, I'd probably have 3 times as many orders, and I'd be still trying to figure out who waits for what!
Now I have a better idea what to expect and how to prepare for it, and the next GB can be somewhat bigger.

I hope there are no hard feelings, and wish you good luck with the GB!

maxmalkav wrote: ↑Scottc is right about the German shipping prices, I think they are better than the Dutch ones.

@pizza_is_a_lie: I discovered kind of late this GB (I'm discovering late almost everything lately, just ask chzel about my phantom plate I was kind of offering myself as proxy, but I was not too direct about it. For myself, any complain about how you are running the GB, I just thought to volunteer just in case you would consider it handy, I totally understand your concerns.

Heh, my bad - the subtlety went straight over my head

There's currently orders in mainland EU from the following: 1 x Germany, Austria, France and Netherlands. I'll have to sit and think about it.

Currently, the orders are still in single digits with just under 2 weeks to go. Here's hoping people are waiting for payday It might be a possibility to essentially split the orders, depending on scale: UK and EU (as there's 4 UK orders, not including me). Any opinions, yourself or anybody else?

chzel wrote: ↑My suggestion would be to find someone in Germany and have him collect and pay WASD. That way the GB is split in two parts: organizing/collecting orders by you and payments/fulfillment by the proxy. You gather orders and addresses and whatnot and send the proxy a spreadsheet with all the details. He collects invoices, places the order and ships the stuff.

Also, since the GB is mainly for Europe and paid to the US, maybe you should collect in $, to avoid one currency exchange.

Thanks, man The currency thing is something I had definitely thought about, this just reinforces it. Thanks! I've kinda answered similarly above. How would splitting it work? WASD were already happy enough to ship from the US within the US directly

I did some minor googling and found out importing computer parts do not require import taxes in the Netherlands.They do however, require regular VAT. So that would mean (155 + 30 = 185 dollar to euro = 166) * 1.21 = 200€. Unfortunately.

I´ll think some more about joining in this group buy... While it is now apparent it is cheaper to participate in the group buy, a little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me I should find a cheaper keyboard.

Sir, the choice is entirely yours! I'd be happy to have you aboard.

Hello, do you think wait one new week ? Otherwise there are the Blue Keyboard CODE Blue Cherry now. . It's hesitant.

a+

I will be taking orders until 2nd August approx. If somebody would like a blue CODE, so be it! Just specify on the order in the additional information.

Hey guys!

Stalled on 9 European orders. I'd like to see double this, ideally! 15 would guarantee this the green light.

I'll take orders until the 2nd August. Let me know if this is a problem or if you have any questions. I aim to have invoices paid by the 7th which gives me time to cooperate with WASD and discuss any out of stock orders. Shipped by 20th.

Non-EU orders will be shipped upon payment of invoice, give or take a few days (if stock is available).

Thanks for the support!

Just under 5 days left, looking for 5 more guys to get involved!

Still looking for more interested parties! 4 days to go!

2 days!

Invoices sent. The sooner they're paid, the quicker the order can be placed! Deadline Sunday 6pm BST!

Thanks

Invoice paid good sir!

2 invoices left to pay and then I can get the shipping finalized with WASD! Should have the order submitted by Monday at the latest, as planned!

Order will be placed at 12PM (midday) BST tomorrow.

US orders: will ship immediately if stock is present. Else, it will ship once available.
EU orders: will ship once all items are available (anticipated mid-end August).

Thanks!

Order placed and shipping paid!

For non-EU buyers, WASD will be in touch directly to make you aware of any shipping information. Let me know how you get on!

Otherwise, EU buyers, please hang tight! WASD are waiting on a shipment of boards but they will ship them ASAP. I'll keep in touch!

On a side note, this GB has been quite a rollercoaster. I'd like to thank everybody who's gotten involved or offered me any advice. One thing I will take away from it, though... FEES!

Card fees, transaction fees, currency conversion fees, PayPal fees, duty fees... I'm about £100 personally out of pocket. But it'll be worth it to see a few V2 and Code posts in the coming weeks

All items sent from WASD!

Just today I spotted this GB. I didn't get to participate in the GB, but I would just like to say that I have had nothing but excellent interactions with WASD. I bought their V2 87 Barebones keyboard, which is excellent, and I found their customer service to be second to none.

pizza_is_a_lie wrote:Order placed and shipping paid!

For non-EU buyers, WASD will be in touch directly to make you aware of any shipping information. Let me know how you get on!

Otherwise, EU buyers, please hang tight! WASD are waiting on a shipment of boards but they will ship them ASAP. I'll keep in touch!

On a side note, this GB has been quite a rollercoaster. I'd like to thank everybody who's gotten involved or offered me any advice. One thing I will take away from it, though... FEES!

Card fees, transaction fees, currency conversion fees, PayPal fees, duty fees... I'm about £100 personally out of pocket. But it'll be worth it to see a few V2 and Code posts in the coming weeks

I don't know the others, but it would be nice if we share the cost of those fees (it won't kill me to throw some extra 10£ from my pocket), that's what I'd like to see from the community if I'd be in the same situation

Hypersphere wrote: ↑Just today I spotted this GB. I didn't get to participate in the GB, but I would just like to say that I have had nothing but excellent interactions with WASD. I bought their V2 87 Barebones keyboard, which is excellent, and I found their customer service to be second to none.

I second this. They've been nothing but helpful and really assuring! If only we could deal with more people like WASD on the daily...

maxmalkav wrote: ↑I don't know the others, but it would be nice if we share the cost of those fees (it won't kill me to throw some extra 10£ from my pocket), that's what I'd like to see from the community if I'd be in the same situation

Aw Juan! Well, while it's a lovely gesture, I have nobody to blame but myself for not correctly tallying up and giving myself a bit of leeway with the prices I think you'll like the next post, too...

Look what turned up at my work, today...

http://imgur.com/a/fyIue

Items will ship out tomorrow! I'm just double-checking the items versus the orders. After much deliberation, umming, arring and worrying, all items should ship via Royal Mail to keep it simple!

UK buyers, you should have your items later this week, Monday at the latest.

EU buyers, you should have your items by the middle of next week.

Thank you all for getting involved!

Nice box design.

I have a WASD V2 87 barebones with mx brown. It is my favorite Cherry mx-switch keyboard. The barebones option saved me some money, as I always replace the stock keycaps on Cherry mx boards.

The WASD is quality-built in Taiwan, and it has a number of excellent features, including Costar-type stabilizers, understated pinhole red LEDs for CapsLock and Scroll Lock (in my preferred location in the top of the case instead of through the key caps), and 6 DIP switches with options that I find useful, such as swapping Alt/OS, changing CapsLock to Ctrl, and toggling Fn and Menu. The case is sturdy and has a beveled front edge with a pair of anti-skid pads on each plane, so that the pads optimally grip the desk whether or not the flip-out feet are engaged.

The only thing I don't like about the board is the location of the USB connector. The board uses a micro-USB connector, which I like; however, the connector is in a recessed area on the bottom of the case, and I find it difficult to connect and disconnect. For those who like cable routing, the WASD has this, but I prefer to have the connector on the rear edge of the case where it is easily accessible.

Finally, WASD has the best customer service I have encountered anywhere.

Customer service tends to fly straight out the window as soon as you ship abroad, though. Even with the best will from a supplier, international shipping and customs are non-refundable.

Hypersphere wrote: ↑[...]
The only thing I don't like about the board is the location of the USB connector. The board uses a micro-USB connector, which I like; however, the connector is in a recessed area on the bottom of the case, and I find it difficult to connect and disconnect. For those who like cable routing, the WASD has this, but I prefer to have the connector on the rear edge of the case where it is easily accessible.

Finally, WASD has the best customer service I have encountered anywhere.

I 100% agree with your opinion on the WASD. The routing, too, I didn't really think about. If you're forever plugging/unplugging your keyboard, be it moving between home and work where you have separate USB cables, this design isn't the best. Though, for more static desks, I can't see this as a problem. I'd have liked to have gotten myself a V2, as well as the CODE I bought.

Muirium wrote: ↑Customer service tends to fly straight out the window as soon as you ship abroad, though. Even with the best will from a supplier, international shipping and customs are non-refundable.

I can't say that this was the case with WASD. Shipping from Cali, they provided me with the brown shipping boxes, leaving them unsealed so I can do my own sanity checks. They marked each box up with a nomenclature which I was using in order to distinguish between orders and kept in constant contact with me concerning the order. They even ran the fine details by me such as the declared price so I know what to expect when FedEx send their tax invoice. I cannot praise them enough!

Speaking of FedEx, they were second-to-none and their tracking system is the best out of the couriers I've used. The boxes seem in great shape, considering their trans-America transatlantic journey. I just hope their tax invoice doesn't have an array of fees and charges (beyond that of the Royal Mail stamp of honor and a little handling fee of their own...)

Muirium wrote: ↑Nice box design.

Right?! Even some of the guys at work liked it

Barebone received and already dressed with some nice thick PBT keys Getting used but already liking the MX Clear switches.

The impression about the quality of WASD board is quite good. I am used to the CM QFR, so I can appreciate some differences between it and this board, but I cannot complain about the quality. I have the impression that MX Clear over plate is a little bit pingy (I already read a bit about this "issue" before, but I really don't mind too much) it seems to be the sound of the spring when it is going back to its original position after releasing the key.

Thanks a lot for all the efforts "pizza_is_a_lie, I am very grateful

So disappointed I missed out on this, I was looking to buy a 88 key barebones with blues. Oh well!

I'm glad this GB happened, spreading the WASD / CODE love.

How many people ended up with boards?

If anyone has a 88 key ISO barebones board with blues that they'd be willing to sell, I'm all ears! (Worth a shot!)