The RoboReel Again...

[MPOWERD]

You know this country is setup so if you don't want to buy something, you don't have to do so ( at least so far, I'm worried we may change ). But wow, you guys are a bit over the top. I see it as a piling on mentality. And no one is going to confuse me with a "nice guy" . . . but after reading all the scathing responses, you would think each one had bought one and been snookered out of their last $300. But unless I missed it, most had not purchased one or even used it right? Jeesh . . just say "no thank you" and move on

I guess you never heard of Obamacare?

 

[hh76]

I appreciate the manufacturer hanging around to listen to the forum, even if they seem a little defensive. While I'm sure most companies pay attention to what the general public says about their products, it's nice to have a direct line.

I'm not going to talk about my opinion of the product, as my garage is in no need, and I've got a lot of other items on my budget sheet before I get to convenience products.

What I'd like to comment on is the video in general. It seems to be of good quality, but I absolutely hate the style. I realize that a commercial is just that, a big sales pitch, but I am definately one who gets a little skeptical when it comes to over the top salesmanship. This video reminded me too much of those terrible paid programming commercials where the actors try to pretend that other products are unsable. Whenever I see them, I think "if they need such salesmanship, the product must not be able to sell itself".

For me, have someone demonstrate all the features, and talk about the details. I don't need to be shown how other products are bad, I want to see how this one really works.

Will this product be available in stores, so I could pick it up and look it over?

 

[Pcoghlan]

Christ, what a depressing read...and to think this is what makes up the voting masses.

 

[Modifieddriver]

it was really fun to see their excitement over a product that was called "the greatest invention we've seen in the industry in 20-30 years" by more than one of them..

Are you the Robo company rep? Who are morons that you're talking to? You really believe these comments?

A better invention than a cordless drill? Or any rechargeable tools, all of which actually eliminate a need for your product.


My opinion is I don't think your marketing niche is here and you're time is wasted.


Now, I really wish you success for your product and have a successful business. Because it's not solar, you're on your own with no gov't assistance . I view that as a positive.

When you are marketing to NASCAR, car manufacturers, etc. you will be talking to purchasing agents/company reps that aren't spending their own hard earned cash. Once upon a time I was in that position. I know how it works. These folks will be spending someone else's money, ya' know, kinda' like Wash DC. Perhaps for those working in showplace garages and R&D centers. We have such a place right here in my backyard, called ICAR, that's an extension of Clemson University. BMW is also just up the road with guided tours.

When you go on a tour of a NASCAR shop and watch workers through a plate glass window. What could be better than to showcase your product than race fan visitors watching Robo in action on their favorite driver's cars?. But, most of those folks are using cordless tools.

Sell to all the above folks. Volume of manufacturing goes up and prices should come down to GJ guy level of affordability.

Personally, I look at Robo as a gadget that you see advertised in a TV infomercial. I just don't see any added benefit from your product that would justify a $300 purchase.

AND............I just happened to think, except for side grinders, shop vacuum and battery charger, what do I use a power cord for today? I have a battery powered LED drop light, cordless screw driver/drill motors. Most of the other stuff is pneumatic.

Anyway, Good luck and wish you and Robo success.

 

[James E]

You know this country is setup so if you don't want to buy something, you don't have to do so ( at least so far, I'm worried we may change ). But wow, you guys are a bit over the top. I see it as a piling on mentality. And no one is going to confuse me with a "nice guy" . . . but after reading all the scathing responses, you would think each one had bought one and been snookered out of their last $300. But unless I missed it, most had not purchased one or even used it right? Jeesh . . just say "no thank you" and move on

Hey Pete, is that avatar your new shop? It looks good. Remember to give me a call next time you swing through Raleigh.

I think this "piling on" is more of a reaction to the manufacturer's comments. He offered up his product to a large, international crowd of hobbyists for some free advertising and to get some insight on our opinion. Instead of taking all of this "advice" at face value and moving on, he has weighed in with some responses that, to some, seemed a little condescending. THAT'S when the piling on started.

I haven't counted how many individual posters have weighed in on this product, but the overwhelming consensus is that it's too expensive for this group. That's just a fact, so there's no real need for the manufacturer to try and refute it. After this many pages of posts, I don't think he's going to make any headway changing people's minds.

He says he meant no sarcasm, and I believe him. I think he's passionate about his product--which is great. That passion seems to be coming across as condescension but I suspect this is a situation where he likes his product so much that it's a little hard for him to see how other people might not. Whatever his market is, hopefully those people will see his passion and maybe be swayed by it. I just don't think defending the product to this group is doing him any good.

Whatever the manufacturer could learn from this group, he's already either learned or discounted it. Again, I wish him luck, but this horse has been beaten to death.

 

[KPSquared]

Christ, what a depressing read...and to think this is what makes up the voting masses.

How's your new Robo-reel?

 

[ImportTuner]

Here's the solution to this:

If you are a member of Garage Journal, you get 50% off. (That is reasonable since the dear leader gets a freebie).
If you are over 62 years old, you get an additional 10% off. Military Veteran, add another 10% off. Male? 10% and if you "ask" you get free shipping.

I have not tried the product, and I do not want to become predisposed on an opinion, but going by the feedback from my fellow GJers I think my solution is fair.
Say: $99.95 (best price) and free shipping. I think that would work.

AT that price, I definitely would buy one .. I'm a GJ member, I'm over 62, on a fixed income ..

 

[Pcoghlan]

Sheesh, grow up. Simply because I consider 10 pages of bickering to be childish I have been sent a free roboreel?! That is the extent of your thinking...? Seriously? lol

OK, off to read more instructional threads and will leave this bickering to the kids...

How's your new Robo-reel?

 

[HSpencer]

For what it's worth from the Snap On catalog:

List: $122.50


With the talk about Snap On, thought it might be interesting to show one of these. Of course, it is realized this one is not electronically re-wound, and really does not compare in the techno aspect.

 

[KPSquared]

Sheesh, grow up. Simply because I consider 10 pages of bickering to be childish I have been sent a free roboreel?! That is the extent of your thinking...? Seriously? lol

OK, off to read more instructional threads and will leave this bickering to the kids...

You funny. Say something else!

 

[NCtim]

Cool, but too rich for my blood. And I like a retro look. Maybe if it looked more like Telstar...

I was thinking Disco Mirror Ball!

Cheers!

 

[Kail]

We have 2 at our shop and holy **** these things are awesome. Been a few years and they work flawlessly. You don't realize how great they are until you use one then have to use a regular cord and roll it up..

I know its spendy but this one is actually worth it.

 

[PetesPonies]

FYI, they are selling on ebay now for about $150 new.

 

[KPSquared]

What are selling on ebay? The Robo-reel? Got a link?

 

[PetesPonies]

I have watched 4 sell the last couple days, all around $150. No link needed, just search it, comes up easy.

 

[ket-tek]

We have 2 at our shop and holy **** these things are awesome. Been a few years and they work flawlessly. You don't realize how great they are until you use one then have to use a regular cord and roll it up..

I know its spendy but this one is actually worth it.

Can u post up some installed pics? The website link in your sig is bunk.

 

[KPSquared]

I have watched 4 sell the last couple days, all around $150. No link needed, just search it, comes up easy.

I'm an idiot then. Searched "robo-reel" "robo reel" "roboreel" and came up empty. Link to auction. . .this seems unlikely.

 

[hookedontronics]

my craftsman reel cost me $50 and works like a charm, At $300 this is way overpriced imo. i'd be willing to spend $125 max for something like this, but it's just a corded reel, not worth that much to me

 

[Pcoghlan]

eBay search is 'pretty much' idiot proof, returns three listings for "roboreel"

looking at completed listings it does indeed appear that they have been selling for around $150-$220.

 

[KPSquared]

Ahhh. . .but its not Canadian proof.

My browser was defaulting to ebay.ca and not ebay.com

Found it. Wonder how guys can manage that price point?

Hmm. Same seller. . .3 reels. Maybe they walked from Mexico. . .

 

[luvit]

This thread turned to mush a long time ago. I can't believe the last page didn't have much to say about the topic.

 

[tymbo]

Two ebay auctions disappeared last night. One was for the standard roboreel, the other was for cieling mounted version. I put bids on both and my bids were cancelled.

 

[Higgins]

Would be interesting to see who was selling the units? An individual vs a business??? Then I question, why were they selling the items if they are suppose to be so great!!!

 

[Pcoghlan]

All listings have been pulled and all completed listings too are no longer found through search.

The seller now shows zero items listed AND zero sold, also zero feedback. My guess, they shouldn't have been selling them (all listings were for brand new items) and the co stepped in to have their listings removed.

http://myworld.ebay.com/olivorebecca31

 

[IndyGarage]

All listings have been pulled and all completed listings too are no longer found through search.

The seller now shows zero items listed AND zero sold, also zero feedback. My guess, they shouldn't have been selling them (all listings were for brand new items) and the co stepped in to have their listings removed.

http://myworld.ebay.com/olivorebecca31

Company HQ is located in Austin, TX,

Ebay auctions were located in Gonzales, TX, which is about 30 miles away.

I suspect it is the company doing some pricing research. When you have an active auction that only bids it up to about $100, then that's the value of the product.

It's pretty slimy to use Ebay for research and not go ahead and sell the product at the price it gets bid to. Any legitimate company would sell them and call any losses the cost of doing the research.

Plus, pulling the item before the auction ends, doesn't give you any real information anyway, because everyone knows that the real bidders don't come in until the last 30 seconds of an Ebay auction anyway.

 

[James E]

Company HQ is located in Austin, TX,

Ebay auctions were located in Gonzales, TX, which is about 30 miles away.

I suspect it is the company doing some pricing research. When you have an active auction that only bids it up to about $100, then that's the value of the product.

It's pretty slimy to use Ebay for research and not go ahead and sell the product at the price it gets bid to. Any legitimate company would sell them and call any losses the cost of doing the research.

Plus, pulling the item before the auction ends, doesn't give you any real information anyway, because everyone knows that the real bidders don't come in until the last 30 seconds of an Ebay auction anyway.

Fascinating. That scenario would never have occurred to me.

Of course, manufacturing a product and then researching its potential sales price after it's already in production would never have occurred to me, either.

I certainly hope that's not what's going on.

Any other information on the eBay "seller"?

 

[KPSquared]

Or they were stolen.

The $150 price point should be a tip off that they are priced right out of the market they are trying to reach.

Or not trying to reach depending on whether you watch the ad or listen to swimfan. . .

 

[bdamico]

I would have bought one for $150, including ceiling mount. But not more. Not even added shipping. That's all I've ever said here--too much.

 

[Ryan]

Wow... This thread went crazy. And all over an extension cord reel!

I thought I would recap my experience with it all and then close the thread. It's gone far enough - don't ya think?

Almost a year ago, I posted this feature. While this isn't a positive review of the product, it certainly isn't all that negative. I mean, at this point I hadn't even laid eyes on a unit.

Anyway, the RoboReel people saw this thread and felt wronged. They wanted to send me a unit to set me straight... But as it turns out, RoboReel is based in my hometown so they were able to bring one to my office. In turn, I was able to meet one of their guys and he seemed like a fine fella.

A few weeks go by and I finally get around to mounting the unit in my shop. I use it... and guess what? I really like the damned thing. Too expensive or not, it's hard to argue with its functionality.

In fact, I end up telling one of my buddies about it that is part owner of Austin Speed Shop. He had already heard of it... In fact, they had them installed at *** and their guys seem to be enjoying them as well.

And then, weird **** starts happening... Not with the product, but with people.

A bunch of folks on TGJ that have never used the product question it's value. A pretty natural reaction... as it's the same one I had before I ever used it.

And then one fella claims to have bought one through Amazon only to return it because it just didn't work. RoboReel contacts me and tells me that's simply not true - they had records of all returns and this guy wasn't one of them. So, I sent the user a pretty stern PM questioning the legitimacy of his statements.

As it turns out, the guy was telling the truth... and I made an *** of myself by questioning him. To make up for it, I offered to send him my perfectly working unit, but he declined - and I assume he did so because he figured me for a crazy person. Again, natural reaction given the circumstances... (And BTW, if you are still out there - the offer is still open!)

So after that bit, I decided to avoid the thread and let it ride out. People can discuss the product and decide for themselves if they want to try it or not. That type of discussion is exactly what this forum is for.

But weird **** started happening on eBay... I was told an eBay account was hacked and someone was trying to sell RoboReels without permission. RoboReel contacted eBay and the auctions were stopped. However, a TGJ user felt it was RoboReel's way of testing the market for viability by creating a fake eBay account of some kind.

Which is true? Beats the hell out of me... and at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter does it? I mean... again... they are just extension cord reels, right? It's not like we are talking about national security here. Or is there some kind of dark underbelly to this society of ours that is trying to push expensive but efficient cord reels out to the world no matter the cost or the number of people trampled in doing so?

It's all pretty silly really....

But it doesn't stop there. I then get a private message forwarded to me by another user that was originally sent to him by RoboReel. In that private message my social standing amongst my hot rod peers in Austin was questioned... out of the blue...

I was thunderstruck. I mean, what the hell did I do to deserve this? As a happy user and positive reviewer of the RoboReel, how in the hell did I get drug into this mess?

I couldn't wrap my head around it, so rather than get sunk into internet drama I did the only thing I knew to do - I called RoboReel and confronted their man about the PM. He staggered for a split second and then fessed up, apologized, and expressed his frustration with the whole deal.

It's tough to see your product drug through the mud on the internet by people that haven't used or even seen your product. I get that. I hold no grudges...

And why would I? It's just a cord reel. A cord reel that is really damned expensive and works pretty damned well, but... it's still just a cord reel. And while it might be worth the lofty asking price, it's certainly not worth all of the horseshit this forum has endured.

So, I'm out. Anyone want a RoboReel for free? If the previously mentioned user doesn't call dibs on it, I'll be giving mine away to the user that posts the best thread in the next month or so.

 

[Ryan]

I had reconstructive spinal surgery a couple of days ago. As a result, I'm on some pretty powerful pain killers. So powerful, that I feel like telling this RoboReel story in its entirety.... But also so powerful that I'm incapable of eloquently doing so.

Without doubt, this is the most screwed up story I have ever been involved with in my 21 years plus of running forums. No ****. And let me just give you a couple of examples:

1. RoboReel created fake eBay accounts and and ran reserve auctions in an effort to see what the market would pay for a RoboReel. They used the same IP address with eBay that they used on The Garage Journal.

2. The RoboReel sales guy actually fabricated an Amazon sales sheet with photoshop to prove to me that one of our members was lying and had not actually bought a RoboReel on Amazon. Turns out he had.... and he did return it due to faulty unit.

3. The same RoboReal sales guy called me to defend himself saying something along the lines of, "Ryan, you are an *******... and you are screwing me and RoboReel. I know because Mercury Charlie told me this is something you do... and that I need to stay away from you."

Only thing is, Charlie is actually a pal of mine... and amazingly, happened to be standing beside me at the time this guy called. So, I put Charlie on the phone with the both of us and you could have heard a pin drop. The Roboreal dude had been caught.... and all he could do was cry. Seriously. Sobbed. I think he knew he lost his job right then.

In any case, the drugs brought this back into my mind. I still use a roboreel and I still love it. In fact, I think it's worth the $300 they cost... But whatever happened to the RoboReel sales guy? Whatever happened to the liar?

In a way, I feel really bad for him.

 

[Todd.Brock]

That's so jacked up ... Thanks for sharing. I reely hope you get back on your feet soon.

 

[Gerald O]

Wow! Who needs car-shop reality TV ... TGJ has got real-life RoboReel drama!

A buddy of mine has one that I envied. But can't talk myself into spending that much on a cord winder.

 

[Trey T]

I think I saw this product a year ago at Lowe's and I though it was pretty neat.

 

[-Brent-]

I had reconstructive spinal surgery a couple of days ago. As a result, I'm on some pretty powerful pain killers. So powerful, that I feel like telling this RoboReel story in its entirety.... But also so powerful that I'm incapable of eloquently doing so.

Without doubt, this is the most screwed up story I have ever been involved with in my 21 years plus of running forums. No ****. And let me just give you a couple of examples:

1. RoboReel created fake eBay accounts and and ran reserve auctions in an effort to see what the market would pay for a RoboReel. They used the same IP address with eBay that they used on The Garage Journal.

2. The RoboReel sales guy actually fabricated an Amazon sales sheet with photoshop to prove to me that one of our members was lying and had not actually bought a RoboReel on Amazon. Turns out he had.... and he did return it due to faulty unit.

3. The same RoboReal sales guy called me to defend himself saying something along the lines of, "Ryan, you are an *******... and you are screwing me and RoboReel. I know because Mercury Charlie told me this is something you do... and that I need to stay away from you."

Only thing is, Charlie is actually a pal of mine... and amazingly, happened to be standing beside me at the time this guy called. So, I put Charlie on the phone with the both of us and you could have heard a pin drop. The RoboReel dude had been caught.... and all he could do was cry. Seriously. Sobbed. I think he knew he lost his job right then.

In any case, the drugs brought this back into my mind. I still use a roboreel and I still love it. In fact, I think it's worth the $300 they cost... But whatever happened to the RoboReel sales guy? Whatever happened to the liar?

In a way, I feel really bad for him.

Wow, even with your explanation, Ryan, I don't get how that stuff even happens. Like, what's the impetus driving someone to behave that way?

 

[JohnK007]

Ya got to admit Ryan, some pretty entertaining threads pop up out of the blue on TGJ. This is one of them! Remember the one when MaxJack first came out and they were offering a discount to a limited number of TGJ members? Word got out somehow and all of a sudden you had dozens of new members signing on just to get the deal. THAT pissed off a lot of existing members. But a dozen pages or more devoted to RoboReel beats that.

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery!!

 

[KPSquared]

I don't spend much time on here these days but I remember this thread well.

Thanks for the update. I'm stunned at the whole story.

Hope you can heal up fast!

 

[NUTTSGT]

13 years later, I get a "LIKE" from a post I made in this thread. 3 years later, @Ryan tells everyone the real back story while jacked up on pain meds and now, a decade later, he's talking about how he still uses and loves his Roboreel.


If they were still around, that would be the type of testimonial a company needs in the current marketing environment.

...yeah, back from the dead thread...