Is Watt Wagons Folding It's Business?

[Ebiker33]

I am going to freely admit this is a bit of troll heading, but Pushkar has been very absent from EBR for a VERY long time.
If this pulls him out of hiding..........awesome.
I also saw in another thread somebody said he was threatening to fold his business.
His Facebook is active so he hasn't totally given up on online media activity interaction.

Small businesses have been hit with unprecedented cost increases right across the board especially shipping.
One vendor recently told me the price of a standard shipping container, just to ship alone went from 3K to 6K to 12K to 20K and there are still massive delays at every level.
He also said he can get hit with $1500 a day charges once in port, and even though he wants to get the product out the same day, they can't, because of the backlog and still gets charged, this is extremely unfair to all the merchants.
Faced with these types of issues you need very deep pockets at this point to keep going, or a bank that is super forgiving and generous to you; which I doubt can continue forever.
I really feel bad for all these businesses, but I think WW customers would like to know.

A business that appears to be winding itself down by the owner might be headed that way.
Or maybe he is just changing his business model from direct interaction and sales with customers to distribution and collaboration with LBS business model like he did with Area 13 and one of their custom Ebikes.

Whatever the case, Pushkar, here is the chance for you to set the record straight for all the people posting in this Watt Wagon forum here on EBR.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

Seriously doubt he’s going to reply to this post.

 

[rich c]

"or a bank that is super forgiving and generous to you" Best laugh I've had yet today. Starting any business has never had a guarantee of success. The eBike business was pretty mature when Pushkar started and when he narrowed it down to a high end niche market it made it even riskier. These are unprecedented times, but not unheard of. I wanted to quit my corporate job in 1982 to start a business, but the recession then made it too high of risk. Houses were being boarded up around here and I could see the writing on the wall. I waited 5 more years before I made the change.

 

[WaxedWookie]

He's threatened to fold without fulfilling paid orders on the legal thread because he's struggling to pay/deliver what he owes. Apparently it's my fault along with a couple of other forum users .

 

[Ebiker33]

I stand corrected, he did post for the first time in long time in the legal thread, never got notices, on that thread.

This reminds so much of a watch company I dealt with, I had already purchased 2 watches from them with no issues.
Then he started developing a new watch and asked for $250 down on a 1K watch, which seemed reasonable.
When his suppliers failed overseas his company basically completely folded, and we all lost our down payments.
Good intentions and good will hit a brick wall when big losses mount, not greed, but the old "you can't get blood from a stone" scenario.
People don't give back money they have already spent and don't have anymore, these lost down payments on new products that are only in the developmental stage, are almost like investment in stocks, you hope for a return on investment but there is never a 100% ironclad promise it will happen, there is always an element of risk.
I have learned the hard way, buyer beware.
I still wish Pushkar and Watt Wagons all the best moving into the future.

 

[Csubi]

Pushkar and the staff of WW have stopped going on these forums months ago. Focusing on the business side rather than internet forums.

 

[soopaman]

I dont usually post but I had to chime in on this thread. I find this thread dumb and rather irresponsible. Pushkar and WW team have been doing their best to bring products to the market that gives people so much joy. Sure, they have not been perfect at all time but then and again who is? To open such a clickbait thread discussing bullshit like this is just wreckless. After all if you are feeling so smug and clever why not start a rival company to show us how it could be done?

I am a proponent of free speech but be responsible at the same time too.

 

[Deacon Blues]

When you put a 'but' after I am a proponent of free speech.......you're not.

 

[sc00ter]

Note that the planet is still in a pandemic. Just because you don't have to wear a mask in public (I still do) that doesn't mean other countries are in the clear. Plus, we have a war going on in a country that supplies product. When a business survives by selling products and supply chain issues interrupts those sales, you have a team of employees sitting around on the clock, building lease and other bills lurking in the background. If you looked for product from my employer right now on the shelves you'd think we were out of business as well, and we never stopped working during the pandemic. But part supply issues made production a challenge. Moral of my post, the pandemic sucks and it will be a long time before things return to normal, IF they ever do!

 

[Ebiker33]

Note that the planet is still in a pandemic. Just because you don't have to wear a mask in public (I still do) that doesn't mean other countries are in the clear. Plus, we have a war going on in a country that supplies product. When a business survives by selling products and supply chain issues interrupts those sales, you have a team of employees sitting around on the clock, building lease and other bills lurking in the background. If you looked for product from my employer right now on the shelves you'd think we were out of business as well, and we never stopped working during the pandemic. But part supply issues made production a challenge. Moral of my post, the pandemic sucks and it will be a long time before things return to normal, IF they ever do!

Yes I 100% agree, I see it in my line of work as well.
But let's be honest here Pushkar abandoned his own pinned thread.

Watt Wagons Critical Product Availability Status​

That's not on the suppliers or the EBR posters, but on him, the expectation is that he would keep up his own thread to help those buying or thinking about buying a Watt Wagon.
The business could be in trouble, and his legal council just told him to stop posting altogether for liability issues down the line.
Again I want Watt Wagons to survive this and prosper, he has brought great innovation and progress to the Ebike market.
But some customers and potential customers are now being put off by a lack of engagement that has dropped way off from a year ago on these forums, just calling what I see.
I don't buy "he has no time now", savvy owners always find time to post even if it's only once a week on a Sunday. 2022 Marketing 101

 

[WaxedWookie]

Pushkar and the staff of WW have stopped going on these forums months ago. Focusing on the business side rather than internet forums.

I dont usually post but I had to chime in on this thread. I find this thread dumb and rather irresponsible. Pushkar and WW team have been doing their best to bring products to the market that gives people so much joy. Sure, they have not been perfect at all time but then and again who is? To open such a clickbait thread discussing bullshit like this is just wreckless. After all if you are feeling so smug and clever why not start a rival company to show us how it could be done?

I am a proponent of free speech but be responsible at the same time too.

Given this post from Pushkar in late May, I think would be irresponsible to buy a bike without asking the question. The primary issue isn't the delays, it's the company's opaque, deceptive, and all around shady response to them.

 

[Mike_V]

Given this post from Pushkar in late May, I think would be irresponsible to buy a bike without asking the question. The primary issue isn't the delays, it's the company's opaque, deceptive, and all around shady response to them.

Obsess much ?
You really should call WW in West Newton Massachusetts on your phone and check because you will think about it once a minute forever.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

This post is stupid. They aren’t going out of business, I talked to Greg yesterday about ordering a spare 52v battery. They are alive and well.

 

[Alaskan]

When you put a 'but' after I am a proponent of free speech.......you're not.

Not always the case. I am a proponent of free speech, BUT one has to be prepared for others to exercise their right of free speech as well, sometimes in direct criticism of what you said and not always in a civil manner. You have a right to free speech but not the right to be free of the consequences of offending, angering or simply generating disagreement.

On the question under discussion in this thread, @Ebiker33 got it just right IMO.

 

[DavidRvR]

Not always the case. I am a proponent of free speech, BUT one has to be prepared for others to exercise their right of free speech as well, sometimes in direct criticism of what you said and not always in a civil manner. You have a right to free speech but not the right to be free of the consequences of offending, angering or simply generating disagreement.

On the question under discussion in this thread, @Ebiker33 got it just right IMO.

When its an opinion why get upset? Rage turns to censorship plain and simple.. You would be shutting down ones idea or thought to overpower your thoughts on them.. The problem is.. No one knows how to have a conversation anymore.. Ban/ block.. kids games and immature .

Back to Watt Wagons ... I feel if they are unresponsive and people are having issues with delivery/ Communication/ warranty/ ?/ ? /? then it would be your best interest to hold tight and see where it lands or look elsewhere. Those are flags, big red ones but again... what do I know.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Not always the case. I am a proponent of free speech, BUT one has to be prepared for others to exercise their right of free speech as well, sometimes in direct criticism of what you said and not always in a civil manner. You have a right to free speech but not the right to be free of the consequences of offending, angering or simply generating disagreement.

On the question under discussion in this thread, @Ebiker33 got it just right IMO.

I think you're a proponent of what you think free speech is, or should be. Someone else might have a different view.
I like Elon Musk's definition of free speech: "Someone you don't like is allowed to say something you don't like."

 

[Zachdds]

This post is stupid. They aren’t going out of business, I talked to Greg yesterday about ordering a spare 52v battery. They are alive and well.

Alive …. Sure

Well?
They contested Sheldon’s cc chargeback. They took his bike back and now won’t give him back his money or communicate with him.

They were supposed to have the founders paid back in feb. Then it was as soon as the refund came in. Then it was a refund of at least $1,500 to all founders and now it is something about another refund and who knows when that will be. The only founders who got paid were those that contacted the attorney general. Guess what the moral of that story was.

That does not seem like well to me. This is a company that as Wookie just pointed out told everyone that if the founders legally came after them for a total of 21k that they would be forced to file bankruptcy. So, I agree they are alive, but to me that is not well but rather barely hanging on, unable to meet their debts in either a timely manner nor in the manner that they said that they would.

Is this thread stupid? I don’t know, but if I was planning on dropping thousands of dollars on an ebike, I might find it more informative then some of the other topics discussed on here.

This is not a watts wagon fanboy forum. It is a message board for people to discuss their opinions and questions about a specific brand. As long as people are not making up stuff about the company then I see no problem with any of it. All users are welcome to read it, ignore it, or engage in it. Cuz is allowed to jump to their defense on every post and show the sweet pics of his tricked out ride. Rome is allowed to poke whatever bear he want and Fnf is allowed to go off. All are welcome. I actually enjoy all the banter. I even like MikeV as he trolls on about stuff he has no earthly idea about. Makes me giggle.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

Alive …. Sure

Well?
They contested Sheldon’s cc chargeback. They took his bike back and now won’t give him back his money or communicate with him.

They were supposed to have the founders paid back in feb. Then it was as soon as the refund came in. Then it was a refund of at least $1,500 to all founders and now it is something about another refund and who knows when that will be. The only founders who got paid were those that contacted the attorney general. Guess what the moral of that story was.

That does not seem like well to me. This is a company that as Wookie just pointed out told everyone that if the founders legally came after them for a total of 21k that they would be forced to file bankruptcy. So, I agree they are alive, but to me that is not well but rather barely hanging on, unable to meet their debts in either a timely manner nor in the manner that they said that they would.

Is this thread stupid? I don’t know, but if I was planning on dropping thousands of dollars on an ebike, I might find it more informative then some of the other topics discussed on here.

This is not a watts wagon fanboy forum. It is a message board for people to discuss their opinions and questions about a specific brand. As long as people are not making up stuff about the company then I see no problem with any of it. All users are welcome to read it, ignore it, or engage in it. Cuz is allowed to jump to their defense on every post and show the sweet pics of his tricked out ride. Rome is allowed to poke whatever bear he want and Fnf is allowed to go off. All are welcome. I actually enjoy all the banter. I even like MikeV as he trolls on about stuff he has no earthly idea about. Makes me giggle.

You must lead a very boring life with all the time you have to come on here and bad mouth Watt Wagons.

 

[Zachdds]

Yes I do. I numb up patients all
Day long and have about 10 min or so to kill. Sometimes I engage the patients other times they like to be left alone and I come in read the news check a few message boards etc.

Would you like to compare number of posts?

 

[Csubi]

Again, this the minority YELLING. We get you're hurt from the countless other posts that are made daily. We get it.

Many, many others are happy with their products and services.

When you post endlessly how wrong the world is, the world eventually stops showing empathy and starts to resent you.

These posts are now my entertainment with my morning ️

Keep the cringe and laugh worthy posts coming!