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I know CK will. Or at least they have a couple times in the past when people were unhappy with keyset colors.
And I wasn't telling you to be sympathetic. I was informing you of the reality. If you want products with known quality don't join GBs. Nobody is forcing anyone to join GBs. Most vendors have warnings concerning GB, specifically keysets, and color matching, as well. Any time you buy any product based purely on a render, there's always the likelihood (it's pretty much guaranteed) that the final product won't be exactly the same.
You don't support poor color matching, find vendors whose submissions you trust, or designer who will do their due diligence. Support them. Asking 6 vendors to get involved in the color matching process is both unnecessary (assuming the submitting vendor does their job, and the designer agrees to it) and a nightmare. If we went down this road prepare for every keyset to go through 8 rounds of color matching AFTER they've taken your money.
You don't need to "inform" me of the realities. I've been around this hobby longer than you have.
This isn't a color matching problem. This is a "changing the color code after the GB closed" problem.
I assume you are aware of that, but decided to try to dodge it because it works better for your narrative. Just want to steer the narrative back on solid factual grounds.
Ok. So solutions. Greg and ilumkb didn't let CK know they changed it last second. What should CK do? What should they have done? Better to come up with something than just flail at the air.
Refunds & returns, discounts for future products, apology email, promises to have better processes in the future including requiring the main vendor to keep everyone in the loop on color matching, refuse to be proxy for any main vendor that doesn't follow these procedures....etc. Even a mere acknowledge of "we ****ed up by relying on the main vendor and we won't do it again" would be SOMETHING.
That was just off the top of my head.
CK isn't a volunteer. They can't sell a product and tell consumers to pound sand if something goes wrong.
That said, I know your reputation so I'm sure any request that any vendor take any responsibility other than collecting money will just leave to complete aghast at the suggestion.
Most vendors handle returns, refunds, though it's normally on a case by case basis. Discounts for future products is a tall ask for any part time vendor, that's just silly. Most aren't swimming in profit margins, especially if trying to grow their business.
The rest of what you said, does happen, behind the scenes. Vendors choose all the time who they will proxy for depending on their reliability. It's likely proxy vendors in this buy had no reason to expect or doubt ilumkb to do it's due diligence. They're a respected vendor. I imagine some might change their mind now, which is what you suggested, so...
I agree that greater transparency is a good thing, but this has always been the case. And transparency can be both a blessing and a curse. Should vendors throw other vendors under buses for a single wrong knowing that they normally do right, and miss out on future business? Every buyer in this community likes to talk a big game like they'll buy more from the better vendors next time (I mean how many times have we seen people swear 40 kits will hit moq only to have them not actually hit moq), when in reality it's a minority that comes to vent in forums, or people who aren't even involved in a buy dog-piling to generate drama. Is there actual incentive in the community to put forth 3 or 4 times more effort to insure these things don't happen?
And again, your just being dramatic. Where has CK told people to "pound sand". And my reputation, lol. I guess if pragmatism is a reputation I have i'll gladly continue. It's quite sad that's all you think vendors do, definitely some fine threads of disingenuous cynicism and entitlement in there. But you seem to be taking this much harder then I am. Where did you buy your set from? did they refuse to refund you?
I know vendors very well. I know what they do.
BTW, has anyone ever used the term "entitled" as an insult and not been in the wrong? It's almost always used by someone who is defending someone that screwed up and doesn't want to take ownership.
I mean i just call it how it is. When someone demands support or recompense and then claims the party they expect it from does nothing, even though they do, it sounds entitled. No? Your a self-proclaimed OG, you remember times prior to vendors right? They were pretty rough. Clearly vendors do more than just take money, cause like, that's what we used to have, heh.
Still curious where you bought your set from, and whether you tried to get anything resolved?
God forbid customers get what they ordered, right? Very entitled.
I mean they're warned it might not be exactly like the renders, or exactly what they expect, and if they're unhappy, can usually get a return. And then you factor in that some customers are happy with what they got, the majority actually keep their sets, there are very few returns. And then of course your glossing over the 20 other sets sold that year that turned out fine from that vendor.
Like i said, if you do the dramatic take, everyone is unhappy, and what was delivered was pieces of poop rather than keycaps. How dare they, lol.
And I'm just going to guess at this point that you didn't get GMK Bread at all. You don't seem like the type who'd hesitate to blame a vendor they bought this set from.
Here is where I tell you to pound sand on trying to get me to dox information about myself.
Heh, too funny. I'm fine letting this drop here.
Ok, so I will reply some of the stuff you mention. Firstly, you asked me when you said you don't want things to change. You don't necessarily need to say stuff outright, it can be inferred from other things you say. You keep claiming things being hard to change. And even in that same reply you mention there being no solution. Nobody is asking vendors to go faster than light, of course there are solutions. It is just matter of how adamant customers are about change, and how willing vendors are about the sacrifices they have to make.
You mention that majority of people are not asking refund, so they are happy. I think you know the answer to this already, but here it is still. Of course people are not going to ask for refund since they can sell it for a better price in the aftermarket. Why would they want to go through the process of submitting ticket, waiting and hoping that vendor accepts their return and get the money they paid a year or more ago? And you might say, it is a good thing they just increased their money then, but I mentioned in one of my previous replies that it is not the point. Even if everyone was liking how this turned out better than the renders, still it doesn't make it acceptable. Also I assume there are a lot of people like me who likes the original render better, but doesn't necessarily hate how this set turned out either and keeps the set.
You say that Duke probably didn't actually buy the set, so his opinion is not valid. This is simply wrong even if they actually haven't bought the set. Unless they are some evil mastermind trying to crush the hobby, we are all here to improve the hobby since that benefits everyone. I don't know if Duke bought this set or not, but I am sure they want their experience to be better next time they buy aset, so of course they have the right to give their opinion. Since otherwise they can just tell you that your opinion about customer problems is not valid, because you are affiliated with a vendor and have your biases. And as I said, I am someone who bought the set. In case you don't believe me either, subscribe to my youtube(don't forget to smash the like button) and follow me on twitch, and eventually I will show it there. But just because I am keeping the set makes my opinion less valid than someone who is trying to return it?
Also, I should mention that I have 0 problems with any of the vendors in the keyboard hobby including the ones mentioned here. I have bought stuff from ilumkb, bought stuff from CK and have stuff that I am waiting to arrive, and stuff that I am planning to buy. I am just trying to discuss what are potential improvements to the process so this doesn't happen. I know Duke wasn't including the color matching issues into this category, but I personally would even add that as well to make it more likely that customers get what they see. Since you ask for solutions, my solution for this would be vendors agreeing on a delta value for how close is acceptable, then with proper scientific color matching all the vendors would be notified with the result. If it is inside the previously agreed range then it would be accepted, otherwise rejected. So, there wouldn't be "too many chefs in one kitchen" situation you mentioned. And in the end all the vendors, and their respective consumers would be notified.
