Rich's Tongfamily (Richtong.net add-on)

Well kickstarter has been a great adventure but it is one of those 20% of the things are complete duds.
Since I posted this #8 actually emailed me back?! And offered to fix. Now that’s amazing!!!
Here’s a list so far in reverse order of “insults to customers” and lessons learned. So here’s the letterman list of mistakes:
10. Leather tool holder. Was nice but the button came off in the first month. I can sew it back on but website confused me a little.  Lesson is that crowdfunding doesn’t provide reviews but if you have a problem, go back to kickstarter and post a message which is private or a comment which is public. If they have a site look for a contact us. And if u got email from them mail back. The great guys do multiple projects and answer their mail. 
9. Selfie mirrors. Guy gets $50k to make a little mirror for your phone. Never heard from again. Lesson learned. See how many previous successful projects. Even very successful projects will fail. So $50 lost.  

1. Titanium slim wallet. He meant well but it’s been a year. But at least he had has stayed on the site. Main lesson is it was his first kickstarter. 

2. Various little electronic gizmos. U get them in a usps envelope and there is no documentation anywhere. Net lesson if you want components it’s better to wait to see if it lives long enough to be worth it to the seller to write documentation. But over I’ve got $300 worth of PCBs now in a drawer 🙂

3. Wifi controlled lamp. Lots of complaining but they haven’t given up yet so I won’t call it a total loss yet as the developers are sill saying they will shop. Lesson here is don’t buy things that you really want right away. 

4. Solar panel for gadget charging. Another one that’s still alive and they say they might ship. Lesson is no first timers and be patient 

5. Camping hammock. Well it works but is big and heavy. So lesson is some things u need to see before you buy.  

6. CNC machine. Well only $200 but with a massive instruction list. And then we didn’t glue a shaft and they went out of business. U need a 3d printer to make the new part. (But see no. 1). Lessons are no more first time folks and kits are kits and don’t expect instructions to be clear. But only $200. 

7. An 18 inch long duffel bag. This was classic not reading the site stupid. I just read duffel and imagined a 3 foot long bag. It’s a repeat seller. And lots of communications. I just never read the site info. Lesson is read the fine print and beware of even multiple project guys. $70 wasted. 

8. A 3D printer. It’s sad now but spending $1k for a diy kit was pretty dumb. It arrives a year later without instructions. And from a first time guy. Lesson again is its his first product and spent way too much.