Sondors mid-drive price increases

[Tone Rob]

Hey guys, so today if you go on CNN, you'll see the article about the shipping containers.Which I'm understanding the raise in prices on everything we get imported here. These guys were paying 2 to $3,000 per container before the pandemic, now they're paying over $10,000 per container,so you guys that are still waiting for shipping dates take a look at that article.
How the pandemic turned humble shipping containers into the hottest items on the planet

 

[Gmanx]

its across the board, no end in site. Luckily i have my ebike in my grubby mits, but I feel for those of you who have ordered and are waiting or wanting to order.

 

[Tone Rob]

I feel their pain, I ordered my Fold XS the end of May last year for July delivery 2020,I got my bike first week of September 2020. But I would hope they have patience because since I got this bike in September 2020, I've rode it since. In the cold weather and all and I love it. No complaints about it what do ever

 

[arcom]

Sondors is my ex-wife’s maiden name. Now I have 2 reasons not to buy one.

 

[Taylor57]

Everythings ship shape

 

[RoadToad]

So, I got a call about 4 weeks ago. My 'shipped' Cruiser is completed, but awaiting a container. I guess when they said shipped before, they meant that it was boxed and left the factory floor. They said they have secured something like 6 of 18 containers (but don't quote me!) needed for the bikes that are built. They received 2 containers first week of August that they were told will be end of month, so they remain somewhat optimistic for it to ship earlier than mid to late October now quoted/committed. Of course, my Cruiser was not in those 2 received containers. Anyway, it was nice to actually get a call without me calling first. I do understand why they can't commit a date, but they really need to put that information in their Social Media.

My LX and my Cruiser are of the $1999 early order variety. I remember about a year ago, RockStar was $2499 for January 2021 delivery and $2599 for February.

The latest is that the Cruiser is 'at sea', which is at least something. Based on the SoCal port backups, it could be 2 weeks, or it could be 6 weeks. It is anyone's guess. Maybe it's time to do a pool. Place your bets everyone! No prize... just bragging rights.

 

[Tone Rob]

2 weeks 1/2

 

[m@Robertson]

My guess is that the price increase is mostly higher shipping costs going from $1400 in June 2019 to $2600 in June 2020 to $6800 in June 2021. Last I heard, the price of a container load is now hovering near $20k.

Its now more like $30k, unfortunately. And this is what I heard drove the Sondors increase from people who work directly with the company. For the industry as a whole, I seriously doubt we're done seeing increases caused by shipping costs.

I recently bought a solar generator. the manufacturer brought out a new model and promised delivery in two weeks. Then, it turned out the photos of all of the units lined up being QC'd was in China. That told me they still needed to find containers, get them loaded, get the boat a berth at the destination and finally get it unloaded. Based on that I said no thanks to the upgraded units and got the current model (delivered in 3 days from Las Vegas).

As of today, about 2 weeks since, delivery is now announced to be 4 to 6 weeks from now. Shipping is screwed up everywhere.

 

[Gmanx]

Part of it is Sondors terrible communication

 

[billmeek]

That told me they still needed to find containers, get them loaded, get the boat a berth at the destination and finally get it unloaded.

Don't forget the requirement to get a truck to pick up the cargo at the port. There's been bidding wars going on where companies have scheduled a truck to get and deliver their containers that never showed up as the trucks were offered a higher rate to pickup other cargo. That means that companies are ending up paying demurrage fees since the containers are past their scheduled pickup.

 

[m@Robertson]

One day later after I made the above post, that web site I was talking about (Bluetti Power) has changed from 4-6 weeks to 6-8 weeks. Its not their fault but there are customers howling, pointing fingers etc. etc.

 

[rich c]

Late to the discussion, but price is the major marketing tool for Sondors. Near break even pricing in the beginning causes a huge stir with the press and enthusiasts. They get tremendous coverage in the press with these "Remarkable" prices. People even buy bikes from them that don't fit, because of the price. They even have the thought process that they can buy different handle bars, cut off the seat post, add spacers under the handle bars, etc..., but don't add those in the cost of the purchase for some reason. Riders then ride with the cheap components and start replacing those when they are disappointed. It's a brilliant marketing strategy that dates back to the beginning with $499 fat bikes with $199 shipping with a 1 person customer service department, zero technical service, and a 30 day warranty. They did the same thing with the marketing on a "car". They said it would cost $10,000 and EVERYONE lost their minds, including the press, who went wild! There were people who just sent him money, no orders, no stock certificate, just plain sent him cash for the development. So incredibly low initial prices will not only buy you free press, it builds an incredibly loyal group of disciples that own as many as 6-8 Sondors eBikes. Just a plain brilliant businessman who only ever engineered a triangular battery box with his original partner. Note, I owned 2 second hand Sondors fat bikes in 2016. I bought a demo Haibike in Nov. 2016, and never road the Sondors again.

 

[rich c]

The sondors mid drives were gonna go up regardless. The lower prices were introductory prices for the new mid drives to reward the people for taking a chance on the new bikes, the rockstar was said to eventually top out around 3800-4000usd by summer 2022 and the other two mid drives were supposed to go up comparatively as well.

See my new comment. The low introductory price is to drive free press coverage and build a following. It is not a reward! It made me laugh though, thanks.

 

[tomjasz]

Bafang has had 2 price increases.

 

[Gmanx]

for me, i understand price increases, again, the issue i think folks have with Sondors (and others) is their lack of transparency when everyone one on the planet knows they are impacted by supply chain, why not be upfront? It isn't like they have to explain it to anyone who has been on this planet for the last 10 months.

 

[m@Robertson]

for me, i understand price increases, again, the issue i think folks have with Sondors (and others) is their lack of transparency when everyone one on the planet knows they are impacted by supply chain, why not be upfront? It isn't like they have to explain it to anyone who has been on this planet for the last 10 months.

Oh my god that is sooooo wrong. I realize you believe what you are saying but I absolutely, positively promise you that is totally untrue. If you had to listen to the conspiracy theories and

Just. Utter. Nonsense.

that I do as a moderator on the Sondors FB group, you'd understand (I'm also a moderator on a couple of others that aren't dedicated to that brand, and the ignorance is pervasive)... you'd realize how truly uninformed so many people are. Many will tell you they don't buy the COVID excuse anymore because the pandemic is over so where's my bike already?!?! About a week ago I had some bonehead tell me he thought Sondors was waiting to ship their Madmods scramblers because they wanted to wait until the shipping price comes down to increase their profits. Another genius proclaimed that a photograph of a whole slew of bikes that had just gotten off the production line was a photoshop (Cue Senator Vreenak!) and there were in fact no bikes at all. I asked him if he thought our world leaders had been replaced by lizard people. Was not in the mood that day for that level of stupidity.

The reality of that particular pic was that the bikes are fully inspected and tested after assembly, then disassembled and packed. But from what I could see, they were missing pedals. Would not surprise me one bit if they were sitting - not pending disassembly and packing - but because they were missing a small part like that.

 

[Gmanx]

I’m just talking about how they publish dates, miss those dates, act like people aren’t nervous about them slipping dates, act surprised when customers are pissed they miss multiple dates and act like customers should know. I have a friend that ordered a mad mod when it was first available, still hasn’t gotten it and had 3 different times that last minute they email them thanking them for patience as they miss another deadline they shared.
I get some people are clueless, yada yada, still doesn’t make sondors any less sloppy in this regard.

 

[m@Robertson]

I think they are getting blamed now for past sins. Back in the day... yeah guilty as charged. A very small company that just didn't get that more communication was generally better than less. But nowadays they are just as clueless as everyone else when it comes to deadlines and shipping issues. For all the reasons everyone knows. They largely cleaned up their act on communication (I said 'largely').

What you are describing with the Madmods is life in 2021 when doing business with Chinese manufacturers. It sucks for everyone. That pic I was talking about above was of hundreds of Madmods sitting waiting for disassembly and packing. Assuming all the parts were available. I wonder about the missing pedals.

 

[Gmanx]

agree with you, they are at the mercy of this squeeze on the supply chain industry. We aren't talking a couple of weeks though, with madmods. We are in the ballpark of being almost a year behind what they told customers delivery date was. For them to be so cavalier in 2021 based on what we learned in 2020, is on them. I'm glad folks are getting out and riding, that's the big picture win, i just will be looking elsewhere for my N+1 needs for the foreseeable future and to each their own. I was originally interested in getting a mad mod myself, which is what kind of got me looking at ebikes again.

 

[RoadToad]

The latest is that the Cruiser is 'at sea', which is at least something. Based on the SoCal port backups, it could be 2 weeks, or it could be 6 weeks. It is anyone's guess. Maybe it's time to do a pool. Place your bets everyone! No prize... just bragging rights.

The correct answer is 3 weeks. Bike shipped yesterday and is due tomorrow.