Papasan Robots

[robert]

Well, i did get an email requesting my shipping address way back when, but i politely turned the robot down. I didn't feel right accepting one after my many criticisms of RJ on this forum.

I think, because this robot is being given away instead of charged for, that the mailings will be haphazard and intermittent, with no clear timetable on when it will all be done. Keep in mind, this is a small business we are dealing with here, not a major corporation. There could be many reasons for the delays - maybe just a simple question of cost at any given time. (so this month I can afford to mail out 10 free robots) Only Mr Johnson knows and he's not talking. But I think we have always had the perception that once the robots started being delivered it would all be done consistently and quickly. Did Johnson foster that perception? I don't recall.

As far as advertising the giveaway on his website: Although you could argue that it implies that all Alphadrome members will get a robot, he also states that "some members will get robot "A" and some will get robot "B". And isn't that what happened? Some members got "A" and some got "B". doesn't really bother me, more power to him if it helps his business. But i think the more likely outcome will be to increase membership to Alphadrome.

[Morbius]

Well put, Robert. All the posts above especially yours state pretty much everything I've thought about this since we heard of the freebie. I received an e-mail in November for my address but have heard nothing since although every weekday for the good part of a year I've had some fun in anticipating a key in there for the larger super-mailbox. Nothing here yet. Christmas and holiday time would have sped things up, 'cause with 100 million or so packages going out that time of the year they would have come through swiftly (as some did).

It likely would have worked out much nicer all around if the 'bots had been manufactured, boxed and packaged before the announcement was even made of the ALPHADROME ROBOTS, and also something to the effect of members "as of a certain date" would be included.

Seems to me they went out in bunches around the new year....We'll just have to be patient for the new (e)additions to arrive. There could very well be another batch on the skid.....;)

You know, I've spent so much time on this site over the past year that I finally made a point to visit the robot room for a few hours and while there during that period, Altaira and I re-arranged the ROBBY family all together except for the Rohr one and the OTTI as they're too tall for the wood cabinet. Sometimes we can forget what we actually have while chasing more stuff!!

....and, as for you, OZZIE, ALTAIRA thanks you so much for the neat package she received from you last spring. It was extremely nice gesture as we were new members of ALPAHDROME at the time. It's still her fave!! (Ozzie, the only reason I haven't ordered from you is your stuff is TOO DARN RARE AND WONDERFUL)!!

[Morbius]

Matter of fact, I just bought a PAPASAN from Jay. Could have bought it from COMET TOYS directly I suppose, then maybe they would've packed the freebies along with it.

[roboz]

Morbius , goodness that was nothing , but Thanks :)

BTW needed your address way back (her b-day remember)

I have a few dainty botz as I call them..so email ...I'm sure she'll like them.

To the the rest , thanks for keeping it civil , like I said , not out to

flame anyone . In this particular situation , it is what it is & as a member,

stated my views . will leave it at that.

regardless, actually like the recently released blue & lavender pugs

so kudo's papasmurf & the rest of the gang

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

I haven't received my Alphadrome robot either. I did however exchange emails with Robert Johnson regarding my address so I have been waiting for the robot since 11/28/05. Last Wendsday (2/8/06) I sent this email to RJ.

Hi Robert. I was wondering if there ever was an Alphadrome robot sent to me.

I appreciate the enormous undertaking this must have been and I don't think

for a moment that you actually owe me anything but I am curious if I should

continue to anticipate its arrival. My address is included in our previous

email correspondence as seen below. Thanks for your time.

-Don.

That same evening I received this response from him.

Don'

It has been hell around here with shipments and making tin toys with the

japanese - chinese i also going back to china and japan soon but would like

to rap this up with members.. I will check if your shipment has gone out or

is going out soon

Robert

Sounds to me like there may still be some bots coming!?!

[Sonny Young]

No robot, nor request for address, though in all honesty, I can't see how Papasan (or any budding company) could afford such a promotion.

[Rotate-O-Matic]

I have to be honest and say that I'm not even sure why I got a robot except that I reached out to Johnson and said that if he was giving them out then make sure mines went to the right address. I didn't really expect to get one.

And I feel guilt that so many guys here didn't get one yet. But we haven't even heard from Brian if he even got one yet, have we? If he didn't get one, then I really don't understand what is going on and maybe we are all being used in a way.

I don't mean to sound like I don't appreciate the free robot Mr. Johnson but if everybody isn't getting one and it's being adverstised on the internet that we did, then this whole thing isn't right.

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

I am re-posting this here as it was the last post on the first page of this thread and may have been missed by some.

I haven't received my Alphadrome robot either. I did however exchange emails with Robert Johnson regarding my address so I have been waiting for the robot since 11/28/05. Last Wendsday (2/8/06) I sent this email to RJ.

Hi Robert. I was wondering if there ever was an Alphadrome robot sent to me.

I appreciate the enormous undertaking this must have been and I don't think

for a moment that you actually owe me anything but I am curious if I should

continue to anticipate its arrival. My address is included in our previous

email correspondence as seen below. Thanks for your time.

-Don.

That same evening I received this response from him-

"Don'

It has been hell around here with shipments and making tin toys with the

japanese - chinese i also going back to china and japan soon but would like

to rap this up with members.. I will check if your shipment has gone out or

is going out soon

Robert"

Sounds to me like there may still be some bots coming!?!

[toywheezer]

For the record here, I'm getting a ton of emails from everyone ever since I started that damm thread about keeping track of who got a freebie robot.

I am not involved whatsoever in the proceess of seeing who gets robots and let me say that, since I've already been accussed of being in his employment as a stooge in one particular email, I am NOT part of the "Robert Johnson robot ploy to fool Alphadromers with nothing but scadelous (sic) free publicity" as I was told in one email. (You know who you are you schmuck!)

ENOUGH ALREADY!

I'm just another collector who like everyone else here was excited about getting a damm free robot and is a frustrated as everyone else at not having received mine yet either. OK?!!

And since I'm having a problem with paying Mr. Johnson for an auction I just won (yes, it was his money order that got lost in the mail) I actually don't expect I'll ever be getting one now.

[MetalRobotHead]

toywheezer, thanks for the update. At least I can say I have not been pestering you with email. Re. your money order gone missing, that just about settles it for me I'll never send one again. My bank charge £15 just for the service then the cost of posting it by airmail recorded delivery and before you know it thats £20 UK pounds added to the cost of the item and no guarantee it will arrive. I don't know why Mr Johnson Comet toys don't use PayPal they must be losing some trade from overseas customers through not having it. <_<

[funkrobotik]

I'm starting to think that RJ did himself or Alphadrome as a whole no favours when he came up with the freebie idea.

[Andyman]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[Rotate-O-Matic]

Toywheezer dude, sorry to hear your getting so much crap over this. The old expressions goes that "no good deed goes unpunished" seems to be working here.

Here's the $64,000.00 Question.......we all know Robert Johnson reads this board. Of that I'm 100% positive. And we all know that from time to time he has made posts here.

So with all this major robot drama going on whey hasn't Johnson made an Official Statement to the board as to what is going on? Not that he has to explain himself because he doesn't owe us anything. These robot are gifts. But there is a whole lotta drama happening and I'm sure this is not what he had in mind when he decided to do this.

So come on Robert Johnson, just tell us what is happening or what the rules are for this giveaway and then hopefully everybody will be happy. Or at least understand what the deal is.

Fair enough?

(and if that doesn't work I'm putting my Members Freebie Robot on Ebay for sale to the highest bidder! HA HA HA HA!!!!! Only kidding!)

[9tobor9]

WELL, I DO REMEMBER A TIME WHERE MOST OF THE COMMENTS OF WHAT ROBERT JOHNSON WAS DOING WITH ROBOTS WERE NEARLY ALL NEGATIVE !!! AS BIZARRE AS IT MAY SOUNDS, AT THAT TIME , THE FIRST TO SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT MR PATROL OR FIRE CHIEF WAS HENK. BUT THE GENERAL REACTION WAS / eEERGLL ANOTHER RE-PAINTED SMOKIN SPACEMAN.

THEN CAME THE FREE ROBOT GIMMICK & SUDDENLY THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS DIMINISHED. THE MAJORITY FALTERED & NOW THERE WAS A SCHISM IN THE ALPHADROME RANKS, BETWEEN THE ONES WHO LIKE THE GUY & THE ONES WHO DIDN'T.

ULTIMATELY, I PRESUME EVERY MEMBER WILL RECEIVE ONE ROBOT,IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME, BUT NEVER A TIME SCHEDULE WAS GIVEN; SO ROBERT CAN DO IT WHENEVER HE FEELS LIKE IT.

PEOPLE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS WOULD BE BETTER TO TALK TO THE MAN DIRECTLY, THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER ON THE COMET SITE; JUST USE IT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING HERE.

OZ, WHILE I'M AT IT. WE COULD USE HENK'S ORIGINAL PROTOTYPE OF THE DYNAMO ROBOT. NOT THE DYNASMOKIN ROBOT THAT WERE INSPIRED BY IT !

IS THERE A WAY TO GET THAT PIECE BACK, IF IT ISN'T MASS PRODUCED, NEITHER BY ROCKET USA NOR YOU, MAYBE WE COULD TRY AGAIN FROM HERE !!!

[steve]

Christian - I think there is more to the "softening" by some of Alphadromer's attitudes toward Mr. Johnson and his offerings over and above a free robot. Robert's first offerings were in very limited quantities and very high priced. The designs were out there for the most part too. Well Robert has adjusted and he has reached a nice point between super limited and very expensive vs 10 billion pieces out here and super cheap. It's a very tricky formula. Plus many of his offerings are more toned down and some are outright nice. So I think this evolution of his business has changed attitudes far more than the freebie.

Let me say another thing concerning RJ's business. I think as a group that we tend towards solipsism in our views concerning his business. Yes our views are quite a bit important but we are certainly not the whole universe when it comes to buying these products. I know that Papasan is very well received by individuals not soley connected with this hobby and overseas Japan in particular. Like any company with these types of offerings - if you like what you see great - if you like it enough to spend your money on it even better and if there are products that aren't for you or you hate them - say so. I feel that if there is only one in 10 or even 20 items made that I like - well that is one more item that I now have and if 20 others like the items I donn't -good for them.