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Does (Mass)Drop have anything to say about this Pandemic?
Perhaps I’m missing something? As far as I can see there are some piecemeal replies and allusions here and there, but no real information.
I’m a longtime fan of (mass)drop, but I’m concerned about the lack of anything from Drop on what is befalling the world. I’d like to know what you are doing for your workers, what is happening with orders and shipping, how viable things are going forward. How are you keeping safe? How are you keeping your workforce, supply chain and customers (community members if you must) safe?
I can appreciate attempts to stay the course and maintain normalcy, but this situation is not normal. How about you guys share something. If there is something already provided, I would be happy to be proven wrong.
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keyboard_arrow_downKevin
5435
Outreach
Apr 20, 2020
Hey Rambler,
Thanks for showing interest in what's going on over at Drop. Here's a very quick summary:
1) Our staff at the SF-based HQ are all working remotely from home now, so things are a little harder to coordinate for photography, samples, etc. Situations that used to take 3 people 2 hours to sort out (sample, photo, discussion, etc) now can take 2-3 days as we have to move samples from house to house.
2) Production Capacity in China is running around 2-4 weeks behind and at about 75% normal capacity. Things that are being produced for group-buys are taking longer, and getting samples from China to various Drop team members to inspect take longer (see point 1 above). Small nuanced disruptions in the supply chain cause huge headaches and chain reactions that we have to sort out.
3) Freight shipping from China is more expensive, and slower. A large portion of air-freight used to travel in the belly of a 787 intercontinental commercial passenger plane. These planes have more or less completely stopped flying, so everything is more complicated now.
4) Our primary warehouse that handles 85% of our outbound shipping volume is located in Edison, NJ. NJ is the #2 hotspot in the USA for COVID19, so there are severe restrictions in place that (rightfully) are slowing down our ability to send outbound shipments. This is what Drop customers/users can feel/see/experience the most. But, as I've just noted, is just one of many issues we currently confront.
5) Our outbound networks (domestic, and international) are regularly experiencing service disruptions that delay or outright cancel our shipments. Sorting through a lost, frozen, or mis-routed package is an absolutely massive time sink.
6) Our USA-based suppliers (i.e. JVC, or Sennheiser, etc) have sporadic capabilities when it comes to restocking our warehouse when we order additional units from them. HD6XX and HD58X are on the verge of being sold out- we're trying to get another 1000+ units over to us ASAP.
Everyone over at Drop is working tirelessly to sort through all of the issues above and keep the company running smoothly. Customers are seeing hiccups in our operations and by and large are forgiving of them; given the entire world seems to have hiccups these days. We haven't been more proactive with our communications because quite frankly, we've been heads down working on solutions 24/7. It's also very difficult to put something in writing when you know it's probably going to change the following day. We have a message regarding COVID delays on all of our checkout pages so we aren't dismissive of communicating the issues.
I'm trying to 'catch up' a little bit- but I also feel like I know our users very well and see the data coming in. The majority are happy with everything that's going on at Drop and support us in what we're doing. We are grateful to them and look forward to a near-future where things are more normal.
sfritz
1
Aug 22, 2020
KevinThank you Kevin, for taking a moment. What I hear you saying is that in an emergancy and crisis, Drop, like almost every other warehouse and middleman business, gets hit by compounded shipping delays these days, and since during Covid everyone was working from home, this makes using Drop's systems are less than ideal for coordinating emergancy response to disaster, especially if adding new projects. I also see you mentioned China several times, perhaps they are a core supplier country for Drop; therefore anything and everything involving China in this rapidly changing international shipping landscape is mighty unpredictable and at best behind schedule. This is all really helpful. Thank you for taking the time to respond, and for all the hard, long hours you and your team are putting in. I wish ya'll well!
(Edited)
sfritz
1
Apr 18, 2020
Hi, I am somewhat new to the Drop Community. My friend, who is a long time MassDrop fan, and I are looking around and wonding if its time to invite the maker folks out there in the world to come and get a Drop Maker Community going.
Makers Spaces, hobbists, activists and entrepreneurs around the world are looking for ways to break in to affordable tech, low cost supplies, and open source designs in the quest to address the unique and sudden challenges this pandemic created. Shortages of medical and non medical supplies are felt everywhere on products like stalled by limited international shipping deliveries or overworked and understaffed fulfillment centers.
Makers are looking to improve on existing products too. For example, open source designs are being published worldwide on mask improvements for hospital workers, and they are printing them locally from their home 3D printers.
There is an opportunity for everyone across the nation to help their local hospitals in a similar fashion. For more people to get involved, and get affordable printers to folks to scale up their successes.
A mix and match kind of Drop for each brand of 3D printers, each with a home, professional, and commercial printer option would be a good start. But that same drop should have quick add ons for supplies and accessories, hopefully discounted bundles of supplies and accessories.
Lastly, a crutial pandemic solution such as top open source designs for masks should be sent with every purchase too, even if its just a link for a download in an email upon purchace, or better yet free to everyone and linked in the campaign itself so visiting current makers who aren't purchasing could see it and share the Drop campaign with others in their maker circles. The soultion gets out there, linked to the affordable tech opportunity the Drops access.
If everyone who has a hospital in reach does this, perhaps the price will remain available on Drop beyond the initial campaign, and would provide a real draw for makers during this pandemic and for years thereafter.
Tech can't solve everything, but access to tech changes lives well beyond a single purchase. Getting printers to those staying home durimg this crisis could help slow the spread of COVID-19 and literally help save lives at their local hospital and in the surrounding community.
Does anyone already in the Drop community have an interest in 3D printers or some other helpful product that could help people during these next couple months of outbreaks?
(Edited)
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