Thought's on the latest dbrand controversy (Project Killswitch)?

[tikker]

3 hours ago, Crash The Noise said:

So yes I'm a bit upset because false advertising is illegal. If you're going to claim that you "have nothing to hide" and list a sardonic breakdown of your own prices that is self-admittedly high, thus rendering the self-joke/irony meaningless, at least fix your f*cking website first.

It's misleading advertising at best, not false advertising in my opinion. Nowhere has the page promised you a full bundle with all the listed items. It lists components of some "project" or product lineup they will be offering and offered you an early-buyer ticket for $3. The actual bundles came out different from what people thought/understood from the marketing, but that's not really false advertising. You are not denied a screen protector, it's just not part of a kit.

[Roswell]

Why would anyone pay money to reserve… a case?

 

People whining about high prices after reservation, you’re the reason they’re high. You’re the problem.

 

This company charges obscene prices for plastic because there are people like you willing to blindly pay reservation fees for said plastic.

[Ethnod]

16 hours ago, NovaNightmare said:

This is incorrect. 

 

The total price for everything is $99 dollars. 

 

For $59.99 you get the Case, the Kickstand and a skin. 

 

If you want the optional travel cover, and grips, you pay $14.99. 

 

You would also need to now separately add the Screen Protector for $24.99.

 

The total price being roughly $99.

 

Previously, including today, the screen protector showed as part of the kit, but it was excluded. 

The screen protectors are a separate thing, I never saw them as part of a package. They discussed them in the initial announcement but after that they were released months ago. Plus in fairness, $25 for a pair of good quality screen protectors is not an outrageous price. 

 

And in fairness I was confused to see that

1.- the travel cover was being sold separately, I thought it was part of the grip

2.- that there was nothing about the thumb grips being free if you pre-ordered, as promised 

 

 

Now, I've no idea where I got the idea that the travel cover and the grip case were one thing, I obviously just assumed it as I found no references to them being one. 

 

Although I just went through all of the project killswitch emails (skimmed so happy to be corrected here) and in fairness they never refer to the items as anything other than an ecosystem, never a bundle or kit. Only in the last email where the release date and prices are do they do that. 

 

Is the price expensive? Yes, is it worth it? No idea but from everything else I've gotten from them I'd Imagine this will be good. At that price I'm fairly certain that I am going to wait for LMG to review it first. I'd the price was a little bit lower I probably would have ordered them already 

[LogicalDrm]

7 hours ago, tikker said:

It's misleading advertising at best, not false advertising in my opinion. Nowhere has the page promised you a full bundle with all the listed items. It lists components of some "project" or product lineup they will be offering and offered you an early-buyer ticket for $3. The actual bundles came out different from what people thought/understood from the marketing, but that's not really false advertising. You are not denied a screen protector, it's just not part of a kit.

This was going to be my main point as well. From screenshots, there's only mention that project components are what is listed. Nothing more, nothing less. Then you pay to be at the head of the line. Pretty much like how any premium amusement park ticket system works. You still need to pay the ticket price, and park can choose to have maintenance on your favorite rides on the day you go.

 

Seasides that, as there's no original T&C to check, I would bet before they give chance to *insert "take my money" meme*, they probably have something that says project parts, bundles and pricing are subject of change.

[yolosnail]

3 hours ago, Ethnod said:

The screen protectors are a separate thing, I never saw them as part of a package. They discussed them in the initial announcement but after that they were released months ago. Plus in fairness, $25 for a pair of good quality screen protectors is not an outrageous price. 

 

And in fairness I was confused to see that

1.- the travel cover was being sold separately, I thought it was part of the grip

2.- that there was nothing about the thumb grips being free if you pre-ordered, as promised 

 

 

Now, I've no idea where I got the idea that the travel cover and the grip case were one thing, I obviously just assumed it as I found no references to them being one. 

 

Although I just went through all of the project killswitch emails (skimmed so happy to be corrected here) and in fairness they never refer to the items as anything other than an ecosystem, never a bundle or kit. Only in the last email where the release date and prices are do they do that. 

 

Is the price expensive? Yes, is it worth it? No idea but from everything else I've gotten from them I'd Imagine this will be good. At that price I'm fairly certain that I am going to wait for LMG to review it first. I'd the price was a little bit lower I probably would have ordered them already 

 

I bought a pack of 3 tempered glass screen protectors for my Steamdeck on Amazon for £7($8USD). There's no way is Dbrand's screen protector 9x as good.

 

As for the rest of the drama, people need to grow up, it's honestly pathetic the way people are going on about it. 

[LogicalDrm]

15 hours ago, yolosnail said:

I bought a pack of 3 tempered glass screen protectors for my Steamdeck on Amazon for £7($8USD). There's no way is Dbrand's screen protector 9x as good.

Just like many other brand products are hardly worth twice as much as competition. Yet people are willing to pay for brand name alone. Or as better known, "Apple tax".

[Ethnod]

On 9/3/2022 at 9:27 PM, yolosnail said:

 

I bought a pack of 3 tempered glass screen protectors for my Steamdeck on Amazon for £7($8USD). There's no way is Dbrand's screen protector 9x as good.

 

As for the rest of the drama, people need to grow up, it's honestly pathetic the way people are going on about it. 

I have bought cheap screen protectors in the past and then proceeded to have issues with screen responsiveness. I've no issues with paying the extra, so far it has served me well. 

 

While yes some of the drama is overblown, they are correct in that the entire package is steeply prices. I think, like me, people were taken aback by the price. 

In saying that guys, there are alternatives already avaliable for purchase. If you lost $3 and are not happy, take the hit and move on. Vote with your wallet, show them its too expensive, maybe it will be on sale soon

[yolosnail]

6 minutes ago, Ethnod said:

I have bought cheap screen protectors in the past and then proceeded to have issues with screen responsiveness. I've no issues with paying the extra, so far it has served me well. 

 

While yes some of the drama is overblown, they are correct in that the entire package is steeply prices. I think, like me, people were taken aback by the price. 

In saying that guys, there are alternatives already avaliable for purchase. If you lost $3 and are not happy, take the hit and move on. Vote with your wallet, show them its too expensive, maybe it will be on sale soon

I've never had an issue with screen responsiveness with any of the cheap protectors I've bought, and I've gone through plenty! I really don't take care of my phone so I buy a good case and a multipack of the cheapest screen protectors I can get next/same day on Amazon! 

 

The only issue I've really had with some glass screen protectors is with the coatings they use, I've had a couple that smudge up more than others.

[justinboggs]

So Project Killswitch was indeed supposed to have the tempered glass included in the buddle!

Source: Emails to and from there support team.

[tikker]

Like I argued in the other thread, in my eyes all they confirm is that Project Killswitch covers the tempered glass panel. Not that there would be a complete package with everything. It was misleading for sure, but they never promised a full package as a product from what I have gathered.

[Needfuldoer]

"Project Killswitch" is the umbrella name for their entire range of Steam Deck accessories, not a bundle of accessories sold together.

 

dbrand just did a terrible job of communicating that.

[justinboggs]

I don't buy their umbrella name story. You don't reserve an umbrella name with a deposit you reserve a product.

[justinboggs]

I can't even use the $3 deposit on the screen protectors 

 

IF it all under "Project Killswitch" shouldn't there be sub categories not 3 different main categories listed under Steam Deck ?

 

[LogicalDrm]

2 hours ago, justinboggs said:

So Project Killswitch was indeed supposed to have the tempered glass included in the buddle!

Source: Emails to and from there support team.

First, merged to previously existing thread. Second, you are talking to bot.

 

1 hour ago, justinboggs said:

I don't buy their umbrella name story. You don't reserve an umbrella name with a deposit you reserve a product.

No, you paid for place in queue. That's about it.

 

1 hour ago, justinboggs said:

I can't even use the $3 deposit on the screen protectors 

 

IF it all under "Project Killswitch" shouldn't there be sub categories not 3 different main categories listed under Steam Deck ?

 

Because it wasn't deposit? You literally paid for chance to get any item before it hits open markets.

[tikker]

3 hours ago, justinboggs said:

I don't buy their umbrella name story. You don't reserve an umbrella name with a deposit you reserve a product.

The $3 was to reserve a buying spot for whatever they offer when the entire project officially launches (and will count towards your bill then). It was not to reserve a product and not a store deposit you can spend freely. This has been the case for as long as I remember. In-person in-store console/game reservations and the like have always worked this way for me as well when that was still a thing.

[justinboggs]

12 hours ago, LogicalDrm said:

No, you paid for place in queue. That's about it.

 

Because it wasn't deposit? You literally paid for chance to get any item before it hits open markets.

 forget to include this last night. No you just can only use the $3 when they say you can. So you are claiming you only get bot replies from their Customer Service email support and they are not just trying to be funny? Bot 028 is most likely used in place of the customer service agents name... They still claimed I wouldn't have to buy the glass pack because it was apart of Killswitch. Question: "Does Project killswitch come with same glass that is offered in this pack? https://dbrand.com/shop/special-edition/tempered-glass-screen-protectors?device=steam-deck#buy I don't want to buy more then I need." Reply "Sure Does" They changed their tune later aka lied/changed their mind/mislead people/ after sending out pricing surveys but withholding the info that Expensive $25 glass pack wasn't included I know I would have picked a lower price if I would have know it wasn't already built into the price. I know and they know we would have all picked a lower price so they waited willfully so they could charge more, capital greed!

[LogicalDrm]

5 minutes ago, justinboggs said:

 forget to include this last night. No you just can only use the $3 when they say you can.

That I didn't know, it hasn't been brought up before. Do you like have account there? Or how else will it know you have made the deposit?

 

5 minutes ago, justinboggs said:

So you are claiming you only get bot replies from their Customer Service email support and they are not just trying to be funny? Bot 028 is most likely used in place of the customer service agents name... They still claimed I wouldn't have to buy the glass pack because it was apart of Killswitch. Question: "Does Project killswitch come with same glass that is offered in this pack? https://dbrand.com/shop/special-edition/tempered-glass-screen-protectors?device=steam-deck#buy I don't want to buy more then I need." Reply "Sure Does" They changed their tune later aka lied/changed their mind/mislead people/ after sending out pricing surveys but withholding the info that Expensive $25 glass pack wasn't included I know I would have picked a lower price if I would have know it wasn't already built into the price. I know and they know we would have all picked a lower price so they waited willfully so they could charge more, capital greed!

It's bit hard to follow your logic there, but I would stand behind my previous post and agree on what @tikker

and @Needfuldoer

are saying. The messaging is just confusing. Even with that support email. You are asking if the tempered glass sold separately is same that's included in bundle. Or that's how they (and I) interpret it. Not whether it sold separately is within the Project Killswitch.

 

Also, I've yet to see any promises made about pricing. "Affordable" isn't promise of actual price. As I've noted just on forums, even term "budget" doesn't mean same to all.

[justinboggs]

14 minutes ago, LogicalDrm said:

That I didn't know, it hasn't been brought up before. Do you like have account there? Or how else will it know you have made the deposit?

 

It's bit hard to follow your logic there, but I would stand behind my previous post and agree on what @tikker

and @Needfuldoer

are saying. The messaging is just confusing. Even with that support email. You are asking if the tempered glass sold separately is same that's included in bundle. Or that's how they (and I) interpret it. Not whether it sold separately is within the Project Killswitch.

 

Also, I've yet to see any promises made about pricing. "Affordable" isn't promise of actual price. As I've noted just on forums, even term "budget" doesn't mean same to all.

Yes you have to have an account for the reservation. Sending out a survey for pricing then afterwards removing a product from the package is just wrong and misleading and bad practice.

[Blue4130]

12 minutes ago, justinboggs said:

Yes you have to have an account for the reservation. Sending out a survey for pricing then afterwards removing a product from the package is just wrong and misleading and bad practice.

So since they didn't state a price when you put your $3 down, why can't you just add it to the cart. End result is the same. 

 

If they stated a price when you paid your $3 and changed the package after the fact, I would understand the outrage. 

[justinboggs]

Since I feel like I'm being misunderstood and my point is getting lost. This reddit post about sums up why I'm upset with it. Disclaimer from OP that I also agree with.: "I love Linus so don’t think I am bashing him by including him here, he just happens to be the biggest voice I know for dbrand."

[LogicalDrm]

2 hours ago, justinboggs said:

Yes you have to have an account for the reservation. Sending out a survey for pricing then afterwards removing a product from the package is just wrong and misleading and bad practice.

So video there is just glorified crying about thing that was already explained to you? Let's sum with notion that i agree on dbrand having as bad public relations as Linus.

• You deposit $3 to reserve spot and get store credit on "project" which is advertised to include listed things.
• You get survey asking your opinion on affordable price.
• Project is released and does include advertised things. Just that they are split into 3 tiers.
• Stuff included in tiered bundles are also sold separately. As in being same stuff, but just individually priced.
• Your store credit is only valid for "project" branding which is now revealed to mean bundles, not individual products.

Conclusions:

• You don't understand what "project" means.
• You don't understand what "survey" is.
• You are annoyed of losing $3 as you don't want to buy bundle.

Also as extra, if we were to make strict conclusion on original ad, it would still be bundle.

[wanderingfool2]

2 hours ago, LogicalDrm said:

So video there is just glorified crying about thing that was already explained to you? Let's sum with notion that i agree on dbrand having as bad public relations as Linus.

• You deposit $3 to reserve spot and get store credit on "project" which is advertised to include listed things.
• You get survey asking your opinion on affordable price.
• Project is released and does include advertised things. Just that they are split into 3 tiers.
• Stuff included in tiered bundles are also sold separately. As in being same stuff, but just individually priced.
• Your store credit is only valid for "project" branding which is now revealed to mean bundles, not individual products.

Conclusions:

• You don't understand what "project" means.
• You don't understand what "survey" is.
• You are annoyed of losing $3 as you don't want to buy bundle.

Also as extra, if we were to make strict conclusion on original ad, it would still be bundle.

Well I think some of your "conclusions" is a bit of an oversimplifications.  Having just read the topic and parts of the reddit, this isn't just bad public relations...this boarders on idiotic branding.

 

Would like to say, the conclusion "losing $3" sort of overlooks the fact the screen protector isn't in a bundle, was part of the "project killswitch" and yet the $3 credit doesn't apply to purchasing just the screen.

 

The other thing is, it's clear they know what "survey" is, it's just in the survey they were asked regarding what they would price "project killswitch" at...which highly indicates they are intending to sell it as one big bundle.  Then they separate things out, which is sort of a slap in the face for the people who spent the time giving feedback.  As it heavily implies that all that will be one bundle item.

 

I do think people understand what "project" means, but if you are listing something as being part of a project (and asking people to show support in advance with a deposit) then they better well include said products are part of the project.

 

The more correct summary would be:

dBrand create a "project killswitch" and got reservations for it (which isn't clear if it is a bundle or each product individually)

dBrand asks about pricing via a survey, without a hint they are separating or what the community would want to see included

dBrand splits it into 1 bundle, an add-on and 3rd product (without selling things individually)

At least 1 of the 3 new products isn't included in the "project killswitch" deposit.

 

The bit where the screen protector isn't included, despite what appears to be many confirmations by dBrand that it will is the kicker really.

 

 

[tikker]

7 hours ago, justinboggs said:

No you just can only use the $3 when they say you can.

Because you've only put down a deposit for spot in the queue to buy whatever they offer when it goes live. You did not put down store credit to spend whenever or the likes. Like I said this has often been the way these things have worked for me. When I reserved consoles in-store they'd ask for something like a $25 deposit. That was not store credit to spend on whatever I liked, it was ensuring a place in the queue for buying the console and it counted towards that. If you didn't show up within reasonable time (something like a few days) after you got the call, your $25 was refunded and the thing went to someone else. This is nothing strange in my opinion.

 

Other than that, they did drop the ball hard on their marketing here and I do think they should offer a full bundle when it goes live, or at least (again when it goes live) let the $3 apply to everything that falls under the umbrella.

[SansVarnic]

Getting mad is nothing new. This would just be another case and example  of vote with your wallet. Don't like it? Don't buy it. Simple and done. Moving on.

[LogicalDrm]

On 9/14/2022 at 11:54 AM, wanderingfool2 said:

Well I think some of your "conclusions" is a bit of an oversimplifications.  Having just read the topic and parts of the reddit, this isn't just bad public relations...this boarders on idiotic branding.

Yes, yes and yes. Doesn't really effect on the contents. But...

 

On 9/14/2022 at 11:54 AM, wanderingfool2 said:

Would like to say, the conclusion "losing $3" sort of overlooks the fact the screen protector isn't in a bundle, was part of the "project killswitch" and yet the $3 credit doesn't apply to purchasing just the screen.

Bah... had to look again. And I admit being bit wrong here. The tempered glass part seems to not be included in the bundles. I remember that I looked at the listed items in the announced bundles and seeing it as the part of the more expensive one. But I must have mixed it with something else someone was crying about. Thats on me.

 

On 9/14/2022 at 11:54 AM, wanderingfool2 said:

The other thing is, it's clear they know what "survey" is, it's just in the survey they were asked regarding what they would price "project killswitch" at...which highly indicates they are intending to sell it as one big bundle.  Then they separate things out, which is sort of a slap in the face for the people who spent the time giving feedback.  As it heavily implies that all that will be one bundle item.

I still don't think we see survey made by for-profit company in same way. Its just company asking how bad the outcry would be and deciding on how much profit they can make. For me it does sound like some of the people complaining thought that they can just pay what they want. Answer survey and pay the price you chose or that was most popular. There's only few places where it actually works like that.

 

On 9/14/2022 at 11:54 AM, wanderingfool2 said:

I do think people understand what "project" means, but if you are listing something as being part of a project (and asking people to show support in advance with a deposit) then they better well include said products are part of the project.

I was wrong about the tempered glass part. The rest still stands. Its was naming scheme of branding, but that was all said. It was represented both as AIO bundle AND as possible branding for individual items. They lacked the fine print, thats actually the biggest issue.

 

Sidenote, I have been made aware that people are really thin skinned for the word "crying" which for me is synonym for "complaining about almost nothing". Or making something that is very small meaning and loss much bigger issue for likes, sympathy, fame etc. Imo this thread applies that quite well.