BrewNanny - What do you think?

Any progress update?

 

Quite a few backers are starting to chime in on the KS page... but nothing from Brewnanny.

 

KS page?

 

Kick Starter

 

Just read through the Kick Starter backer comments, and I wanted to comment but as I wasn't a KS Backer of that campaign I couldn't, so I'll do so here.
I saw at least one individual still supporting BrewNanny and Gary Lyons, with this statement, from a February 25 2015 post, "I'm a bit shocked at the harsh tone of some backers, and that someone would go so far as to report a project or take legal action in this particular case.
I could understand if we were talking of a store selling a finished product and then not receiving a delivery within a reasonable time frame after placing an order."
OK, my response to this is, no I wasn't one of the KS Backers, but I did purchase a BrewNanny unit (November 2014) after seeing it advertised as a product in BYO.
To me, this is the same as "a store selling a finished product and then not receiving a delivery within a reasonable time frame after placing an order".
While I thoroughly believe the KS Backers need to receive their promised units first, I feel it wrong that BrewNanny still advertises units for sale, both in email solicitation and in craft publications (while I have read that BYO will no longer accept advertisements from BrewNanny, I am unsure of the validity of that fact).
I contacted the State of Massachusetts, Dept. of Commerce, as mentioned in this thread and was told that I needed to pursue this through my State of residence's Attorney General's office.
I plan to do this, but currently I am trying to recoup my funds through the credit card that backs my debit card.
Unfortunately, I have given up hope that BrewNanny or Gary Lyons will ever deliver ordered units, mainly due to the lack of updates and/or communications from either.

I hope I am wrong for the KS Backer's sake as well as others, but do not believe I am.

 

It's one thing for a KS project to not go as expected, or take longer to deliver, but to not level with the backers and communicate on a regular basis and possibly lie several times about the status (shipping daily in several updates) of the project is unforgivable. The icing on the cake was when they created their own website and started to sell more units - At a 50% discount to what Kickstarter backers paid and advertise in printed publications as if the thing was real.

Kickstarter should have a clause in their agreement with the project creator that states no sales outside of the KS site can be made until the project has completed (backers received their rewards). After all most people that are backing a project is because of how exclusive it is. This would keep the project creator "Focused" on delivering what they promised, provide value to Kickstarter projects, and also protect people like yourself who "blindly" purchased a BN on their website.

 

This should be interesting, saw this on the kickstater page comment section:

"We will be posting a comprehensive update in a few days. We are getting some photos together of the shop with our staff assembling BrewNanny's and have some other exciting developments to share."

 

I'd like to see that myself!...

 

As I understand it, the delay in posting the picture was that the Loch Ness Monster, who was taking the photos, was having laptop problems. So Nessy gave the files to Sasquatch, who will be uploading them shortly.

 

Maybe Nessie & Sas' will have on their BN T-Shirts too. That would make 2 out of the four that backed the project by buying t-shirts. I bet that assembly room has padded walls.

 

The local drug store must be having issues developing the photos that were taken with his 110 Kodak camera, or maybe he's having trouble getting 110 film for his camera.

 

Hey! Those were so cool growing up! I hated loading that other film, you had to get it on the track just right but then it would just spring back when your closing the lid.

 

don't worry dudes - the kickstarter for developing film prints is funded and in 6 months you'll have the photos

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/prynt/prynt-the-first-instant-camera-case-for-iphone-and

 

Talk about solving a problem nobody has!

 

It's interesting to see the BN creator's most recent post about getting some photo's together and posting... If you go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lyonslabs/brewnanny-home-brew-monitor?ref=nav_search, you'll see that he say's he has had a career in photography...

Certainly if the BN exists it wouldn't take over 7 days to snap a few photo's and post them...

 

I wonder if he's registered the name BrewScammy yet.

 

with the exception of scheduling time with the production plant.. this is where I'm at. It takes 5 minutes to snap some pictures, and seconds to upload them. At this point they wouldn't even need to be good quality pictures to put your customers at ease.. just something to show they are actually being produced in volume.

 

Take a look at this kickstarter....someone is trying to create an app so you can have beer delivered to you. I mean come on! Who was the idiot at kickstarter who let this guy on, the picture of the guy just screams "I'm just going to take your money". Oh and the only real risk is creating the APP.... try state laws that don't allow this at all (at least in Texas). Granted this would be awesome but its far away from realistic.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1695795425/brew-you?ref=nav_search

 

That's fabulous. They are using the UnrealEngine4 to create the app too.

Is there anything that the UnrealEngine CAN'T do??

 

Like someone will see you bought a 300 dollar bottle of scotch and be kind enough to deliver it to you.. no biggie.

 

I saw this too and thought the same thing. I usually ferment in a keg. I'm sure it could be adapted to it. I would have pulled the trigger on the early bird price.

 

Still no update. He must be taking a lot of pictures.

 

All backers should unite together and demand a comprehensive update, as promised, by a specific date. If we don't get it by that date we all file disputes with our CC companies and contact Kickstarter to let them know he has violated their agreement by not fulfilling the rewards to his backers.

 

Kickstarter doesn't care (tried contacting them several months ago). If you (people who backed on KS or purchased on BN's website) haven't already contacted your CC company you probably should. It takes 60 days (from the time you contact the CC company) for the CC to "investigate" the charge before you get refunded... A lot of people that purchased
"it" have sounded off on the KS comment page and also the brewnanny Facebook page with little to no reply.

 

Every single one of the backers should report the project On Kickstarter. At the BrewNanny kickstarter page go to the campaign tab and scroll to the bottom and report that there is a post funding issue. This can only help our cause since the creator has quite clearly misled every one of his backers and is now seemingly attempting to keep putting us off as long as possible. There is power in numbers and Kickstarter does NOT want to be affiliated with these types of projects/people. It can be bad press for them.

 

I just recently found out that Paypal gives you 180 days to file a claim instead of 45 days. I thought I was out of luck, I have 8 days left to file. There have been no responses to my emails and little communication with buyers. I like the idea but I am not confident they will be able to fix bugs and tweak the software in a timely manner. I would suggest anybody that used Paypal to consider the same because they are pretty strict about filing within the time frame. I would stick with it if we had updates on progress and if they never would have said they were shipping daily.

 

Hopefully your post here and on the KS page will awaken the other backers that haven't already woke up. I also liked N.Connolly's comment 4 days ago - "We took the time to fund your business.. I would hope you have the time to communicate with us". Wish I could have commented so well in several of my posts. It would be great to see Kickstarter do something, but I think they accept that a certain percentage of projects are fraudulent.

 

Just got a letter from my credit card company.... took 60 days but they refunded my $499. Hope everyone else gets their money back.

 

Glad you got your money back! Which credit card company was it? I submitted my dispute a couple weeks ago, so I'm still waiting to hear.

 

Wells Fargo

 

i still want to see the photos..........................

 

You should really share this on the Kickstarter page if you haven't already. I'm
glad you got some justice. Either this guy is the most disorganized business owner ever or a shyster.

 

Kickstarter update finally out. Not sure it really explains much. What I'd really like to know: how many have actually shipped? What I really want to hear: I'm sorry about all this and I'm trying hard to make it right. That neither of these are included in the update is a huge disappointment.

 

Agree with you about him being a disorganized shyster. I just added a comment on the KS comments section about my refund.

Pretty long winded update. They should have included a sentence in the first paragraph that says something like, "Regarding the shipping daily updates... We lied to you several times". Good luck to everyone staying aboard this crazy train of a project. Looks like it will be awhile before they start "Shipping Daily" again.

 

I would like to see this guys balance sheet and business plan. I feel like any private investor would have freaked out by now. Anyone else watch shark tank? haha
Glad to see the pictures though and that he's communicating.

 

Might need to come up with my own KS project called the "BrewNessie"... basically a $10 hydrometer with an attached string for retrieval that you float in your carboy... It could be yours for $39.95 and we begin shipping tomorrow.

 

You may not be too far off, you just gave me an idea! Who is a patent attorney?!

 

If you're going to take my idea... Make sure to include a package of sea monkees and a wifi camera that takes selfies from within your carboy while you look in amazement of the fermentation process.

 

I think the Oatmeal comic strip sums it up best.

 

only if it ships in 31 weeks