[PART 1] Official BLF GT Group Buy thread. Group buy officially closed! Lights shipping.

[DENGOH]

When customer praise a product, they are definitely happy about it.
Congratulations to BLF GT Team to receive NASA endorsement of excellent flashlight! :sunglasses:

[Tejasandre]

@Texas_Ace

Got a reply from the NASA contractor today now that they have had some time to play with the light some, I will quote part of it it below

FYI, we measured the divergence of the central spot. It is 16 mrad (0.9 deg) or 16m spot diameter at 1 km.

By the way, excellent design! Congratulations!

I would say that is an endorsement we can be proud of

Are we redefining “moon light”?

[JasonWW]

@danallen

@JasonWW

Lumintop tried to find a second reflector making company capable of making these giant reflectors, but could not find one.

That’s what I remember off the top of my head.

Jason, I am just wondering if I am not reading carefully enough. Where did you get the info about Lumintop looking for another reflector company? Was that posted here? Or do you communicate privately with Neal or Lumentop?

I’m not sure if that was ever said in public.
I think I was suggesting to Texas_Ace in a PM that Lumintop should look for a 2nd reflector making company to speed up the orders. Then he told me that they have tried to find another company, but we’re not able to, etc…

I think TA answered your other questions from this post. If not, ask me again.

[JasonWW]

@danallen

I am 1554 on the list. That has me a little worried, because I read the group buy is limited to 1,500 lights. However, my number of 1,554 is not adjusted lower to account for all the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lights ordered by some people. I did a quick count and saw there are way more than 54 of those 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lights that I thought were supposed to get my number down below 1500. The part that worries me is I know some people have already got more than one light, so I am assuming those lights past the first per person were sent only after accounting for the number of people who are supposed to be able to get one light, even though we are way down near the bottom of the list. The problem with that is we obviously are working with a stressed process here, so it seems plausable that I could end up with a bad news email that says, “Sorry, dude, ’we’d love to send you a BLF GT for $150, but unfortunately, the group buy has reached its limit and you are SOL.” I feel like this is a big favor to even have a shot at the GB, so it’s not like I feel like I am owed anything. That doesn’t mean I would not be disappointed.

There are about 710 people currently signed up to buy a light and about 650 lights available. We will see what the drop out rate will be. Hopefully everyone who has signed up (and still wants one) will be able to get one.

[JasonWW]

@keithd

Was there a list of who was in the last 50?

No, not that I’ve heard. We counted the lights that went out in each shipment (roughly 800 in first 5 shipments) and there where a total of 850 orders. So that leaves about 50 lights which just got shipped out in this 6th shipment.

[JasonWW]

@Hardusvd70

Just got email from Neal where he stated that the flashlights were shipped out today and the tracking numbers will be available as from tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming this. I’ll change post #1 to show they shipped out on the 13th.

[Hardusvd70]

@JasonWW

@Hardusvd70

Just got email from Neal where he stated that the flashlights were shipped out today and the tracking numbers will be available as from tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming this. I’ll change post #1 to show they shipped out on the 13th.

My Pleasure!

[mrheosuper]

@JasonWW

@Hardusvd70

Just got email from Neal where he stated that the flashlights were shipped out today and the tracking numbers will be available as from tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming this. I’ll change post #1 to show they shipped out on the 13th.

isnt it too early to declare that they have shipped, i still dont receive any info, and not many people claimed that they receive too

[danallen]

@Texas_Ace

@danallen

@Texas_Ace

Not to worry, you have not been forgotten. If you are waiting for the next batch, everyone is in the same boat, we will send out the next batch of PM’s as soon as I feel they are ready for more orders. This means they need to finish all the existing orders first.

If you have an existing order, sure you filled out the survey. I will be putting that in list of issues in Neal face regularly until it is dealt with.

I guess this is restating the obvious….the plan is to address issues on orders already filled before taking the next round of orders? If I were filling these orders, that is what I would want to do, as part of trying to make the next round of orders as close to perfect as possible, correcting any problems causing the issues already encountered.

I am 1554 on the list. That has me a little worried, because I read the group buy is limited to 1,500 lights. However, my number of 1,554 is not adjusted lower to account for all the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lights ordered by some people. I did a quick count and saw there are way more than 54 of those 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lights that I thought were supposed to get my number down below 1500. The part that worries me is I know some people have already got more than one light, so I am assuming those lights past the first per person were sent only after accounting for the number of people who are supposed to be able to get one light, even though we are way down near the bottom of the list. The problem with that is we obviously are working with a stressed process here, so it seems plausable that I could end up with a bad news email that says, “Sorry, dude, ’we’d love to send you a BLF GT for $150, but unfortunately, the group buy has reached its limit and you are SOL.” I feel like this is a big favor to even have a shot at the GB, so it’s not like I feel like I am owed anything. That doesn’t mean I would not be disappointed.

A lot of people will not end up going through with the final order, so far we have around a 20% drop out rate IIRC, which was expected from the start. So if that keeps up then everyone should get a light.

That said only the first 1500 are guaranteed at the GB price, everyone over that should have a shot though if the current drop out rate continues.

No horse is too dead to beat.

I am not looking for any guarantees, just trying to understand the facts of the situation as best I can.

What counts as the first 1,500? Is it the first 1,500 lights or the first 1,500 names on the list? Or the first 1,500 lights shipped? So far, the orders have been filled for something like the first 1,000. The drop out rate is 20%, so that would be 200 drop outs so far. That would put my number at around 1350 instead of 1,554.

Here are some graphics showing how I had misunderstood the group buy. I thought all the people in the group buy were going to get their first light before anyone got their 2nd light.

full size image at this link

full size image at this link

full size image at this link

This tabulation is sortable and viewable at this link.

full size image at this link

[keithd]

@JasonWW

@Hardusvd70

Just got email from Neal where he stated that the flashlights were shipped out today and the tracking numbers will be available as from tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming this. I’ll change post #1 to show they shipped out on the 13th.

So it looks like Neal skipped my order yet again. Haven’t received a single email or message since 29 Dec from him.
It’s a bit disheartening - by the time I get to post beam shots, folks will be like, “Who cares?” even though I got in early. (Sorry for whining, just had to get it off my chest)

BTW - are the BLF GT lights serialized? I didn’t see if they were. I was #6 on the list, but Neal originally contacted me saying I was getting light #5. I thought it was odd, but maybe someone dropped out.

[MichielSanders]

@danallen

No horse is too dead to beat.

I am not looking for any guarantees, just trying to understand the facts of the situation as best I can.

What counts as the first 1,500? Is it the first 1,500 lights or the first 1,500 names on the list? Or the first 1,500 lights shipped? So far, the orders have been filled for something like the first 1,000. The drop out rate is 20%, so that would be 200 drop outs so far. That would put my number at around 1350 instead of 1,554.

Here are some graphics showing how I had misunderstood the group buy. I thought all the people in the group buy were going to get their first light before anyone got their 2nd light.

the list numbers are in order of posting date, first come first served.

and if the 20% drop out rate (the highest number is 1049 and that totalled in 850 sold lights) of the first rounds is the same in the last round probably everyone on the list that really wants a GT could buy a GT.

[JasonWW]

@keithd

@JasonWW

@Hardusvd70

Just got email from Neal where he stated that the flashlights were shipped out today and the tracking numbers will be available as from tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming this. I’ll change post #1 to show they shipped out on the 13th.

So it looks like Neal skipped my order yet again. Haven’t received a single email or message since 29 Dec from him.
It’s a bit disheartening - by the time I get to post beam shots, folks will be like, “Who cares?” even though I got in early. (Sorry for whining, just had to get it off my chest)

BTW - are the BLF GT lights serialized? I didn’t see if they were. I was #6 on the list, but Neal originally contacted me saying I was getting light #5. I thought it was odd, but maybe someone dropped out.

What the heck are you talking about? Tracking numbers haven’t even been sent out yet. When they are, I’m sure people will post here saying they got their tracking number. So how do you know your light wasn’t shipped?

No, there are no serial numbers.

[JasonWW]

@danallen

I am not looking for any guarantees, just trying to understand the facts of the situation as best I can.

What counts as the first 1,500? Is it the first 1,500 lights or the first 1,500 names on the list? Or the first 1,500 lights shipped? So far, the orders have been filled for something like the first 1,000. The drop out rate is 20%, so that would be 200 drop outs so far. That would put my number at around 1350 instead of 1,554.

Here are some graphics showing how I had misunderstood the group buy. I thought all the people in the group buy were going to get their first light before anyone got their 2nd light.

full size image at this link

full size image at this link

full size image at this link

This tabulation is sortable and viewable at this link.

full size image at this link

Wow, that’s too much to answer.

On your last question, I bet mack303 asked for 2 lights at the same time.

Destro probably asked for 1 light, then a few weeks later asked for a second light.

That would explain the numbering.

As for the rest:

Lumintop agreed to sell 555 lights at $115 and the rest for $150 up to 1500 total units. (The prices are actually a bit more due to Paypal fees)

The Miller made sure the 555 lights got distributed more evenly by limiting one per person (except for a handful of people he said could get 2 at that price). If they asked for 2 or more lights, their 2nd, 3rd, etc… lights would be at the $150 price.

Due to so many early sign ups dropping out, the 555 list went all the way up to number 700 something on the list. This gets pretty confusing.

All these “555” guys paid deposits and their balances where paid during the first week of Dec 2nd. That gave Neal time to match the balance to the deposits. Then the people up to #1049 on the list got to pay on Dec 9th.

Since lights didn’t start shipping out until late December, list numbers got thrown out the window. Orders roughly got sent out by payment number. Not everyone that signed up early actually paid on time, some paid in late December. Orders could not be held up by them. So the paid order became most important.

This meant people that ordered 4 lights got their one light at $115 plus their 3 others at $150.

There is no practical way I can see Neal trying to ship lights by using the original sign up order. Eventually we ended up with 850 orders.

In order to ship these lights in an economical way (since Lumintop actually lost money of the $115 555 lights) Neal used pallet shipping to the US. He needed to fill the pallet to get a discounted shipping price. So he started at the front of the paid list and found all the DHL to USA with no batteries and filled it up.

The 2nd pallet was DHL to the USA with the batteries and he filled it the same. Etc…

It’s not what we were expecting, but what can you do? These Group Buys can be roller coasters. There are always issues that pop up and solutions have to be found.

I hope that answered your questions.

Please no more questions that require an hour to type out. Lol

[DENGOH]

Damn! I thought finally someone can beat Jason.

[JasonWW]

@ZozzV6

One switch led is brighter than the other:

I almost forgot about this post.

My switch looked the same. When I removed the cover I found both leds were equal brightness. It’s just the weak output from the leds plus the thick silicone cover. Try rotating the cover and that should even out the light distribution.

[gregor]

Today I got email from Neal saying my GT will be shipped today :+1:
I hope this is true and my long awaited big toy will finally arrive.

I asked him to send me tracking number. I hope I will get it.

[drood]

Shirley writes to me …

[gregor]

Does this mean I can contact Leo directly regarding tracking number….?
Drood, was your reply for me?

Thank you

Kind regards

[drood]

@gregor

Does this mean I can contact Leo directly regarding tracking number….?
Drood, was your reply for me?

Thank you

Kind regards

No. Shirley writes to people interested in GT outside of BLF Group Buy. I’m in Group 1 and I’m still waiting. Maybe Lumintop is already selling GT at full cost … But who knows? Maybe Leo has tracking numbers …

[Boots]

So, if I’m not on the list, how does that affect things. Keep in mind, I didn’t even know about the details of the group buy. I was contacted by someone (don’t even remember who now) when I expressed interest in another forum. They sent me a link to purchase (mid to late December I believe) and to contact Neal. I emailed Neal and he said I had time to purchase as it was not closed yet and so I did that night. Neal emailed me the next day wanting my phone number for DHL to contact me and since then, nothing other than the confirmation from PayPal that the money had been transferred to Neal.

So, I guess the question is as I stated above. If I’m not on the actual list, but I paid the $200 (approx $150 for the light and the deal on the 8 batteries), how does that affect my time frame for delivery?