:+1: I agree ……… it would have been nice if they just sat back and watched how BLF would have ‘completed’ the project and use that as a ‘working’ template for their future GBs.
Fortunately, Sofirn did a 500-unit first run (instead of hammering the full 3000 out in one go), so the maximum damage is limited. The remaining 2500 can still be authenticated using whatever improved system Sofirn come up with.
Even if every single one of the first 500 lanterns had gone to fraudsters, the absolute worst case would be that Sofirn had to make an extra 500 lanterns available at the group buy price.
Just because it has “shipped” doesn’t mean that it’s out of Sofirns building. My light was 4 days between “shipping” and being picked up by the carrier. Maybe they can find it in the shipment and ship it to a rightful owner. Maybe.
I don’t think the shipment can be stopped since Sofirn doesn’t know who a legit BLF user is and who isn’t. All they are going on is whether the user name is on the list or not.
I suspect that the vast majority of the batch 1 lanterns have gone (or will go) to a legit BLF user. Whether that person is in the first 500 or not is another story.
I’m hopeful that things will go much smoother after batch 1 based on some ideas we’ve been kicking around.
I think someone said Sofirn would need to associate the username with email address or last name but that is unnecessary.
They’re already associating BLF username with unique Amazon code which they are sending to BLF users as private messages.
So only thing they need to change is the approval method of Ebay and AliExpress purchases.
Instead of user telling them their BLF username, user needs to tell them their unique Amazon code.
And if they want to prevent double dipping then obviously after user completes Ebay or AE purchase they need to deactivate that code on Amazon and mark it as used in their list.
Not perfect but probably good enough for this group buy.
Yes, clearly that is one way to control things. A central database would be the most efficient means of doing this but even manual controls would work assuming everyone is in the same location and working off the same lists.
Unknown at this time, as Barry or Sofirn has not indicated to us if all of the first batch has been ordered (or codes/messages sent out for all of them) as of yet.
Just ordered mine with batteries through the Amazon AU store with coupon code, thanks to the team for putting in this massive effort to make undoubtedly the best LED lantern money can buy.
Hopefully the drama in the last few days won’t affect my order.
Will the second batch be different than the first?
I already ordered 1 (of 2 on the list#193ũ) trough ebay (is in shipping) but also have another code for amazon.de. But I would like to purchase a green colored version 2 for the groupbuy price and have someone above #500 get theirs sooner. Is that an option?
