Are back orders an iRobot strategy?

FrankyDog · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 29

So it's been clear for a long time that 5XX owners with pets WILL have to, at one or more points, have their cleaning head module replaced. I'm actually in the process now after three months of ownership! Several weeks ago customer support told me that my new cleaning module was ordered but wouldn't get to me for a least a month because it's on back order. Here I am today, 3 weeks later, and am still waiting....

Now, only iRobot knows how many units they are selling and what percentage of cleaning head modules they are replacing on average per unit. But if I'm the average pet owner, 2 cats and a small shorthaired dog, iRobot would need to send me about 4 new cleaning modules, IF THEY WERE SENDING THE REPLACEMENTS RIGHT AWAY, by the time my waranty is gone.

It's just my thought that iRobot is possibly delaying replacement module shipments in order to run the clock down on peoples waranties. I'm not saying they are doing it, I'm just saying it's a possibility. While some on this board will make countless excuses for iRobot, I'm just being honest with others and myself. I love my 560 and want iRobot to turn the ship around, BUT if you look at what they did - which was to sell a product that they probably knew was going to have problems; my theory might just fit the bill.

iRobot should have fully tested their product and made sure it was somewhat reliable given that the people most attracted to Roombas are pet owners. If by chance they did test and didn't come across these gear problems, they should have done a quick redesign of the cleaning head module using ball bearings or whatever, and offered a recall to all 5XX owners.

It's just a shame that I can't show off my Roomba without telling everyone that sees it not to buy one themselves because of the problems they WILL have. This doesn't seem like a company that cares about repeat business.

appreciate honest comments by any iRobot customers about their thoughts about iRobot as a company.

Boomerang · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 45

What you say is valid. I don't know how long the 5xx Series has been on the market? I would think an upgraded replacement Roomba or gear box upgrade be given to 5xx owners under warranty. Replacing with the same defective parts along with the awful reviews (there Web Forum is offline) does not help with a loyal customer base and new sales. I would wait until all defects are taken care of by iRobot before recommending or buying another Roomba. They know all the defects....why not fix just one (if not all)? :o

SusieQ · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 47

In this situation of having to wait 4 weeks to get your roomba running again I would think irobot would extend your warrantee for that amount of time. It won't hurt to ask (insist?) and see what happens.

fancyfreewv · Posted: June 24, 2008, 3:45 pm Post subject:

SusieQ wrote: In this situation of having to wait 4 weeks to get your roomba running again I would think irobot would extend your warrantee for that amount of time. It won't hurt to ask (insist?) and see what happens.

That is exactly what I would say. Most of us have some sort of extended warranty. 3 years from HSN on my 535 and unlimited from Costco 550 which IRobot replaced with a 560 so I don't know what will happen there but it's been modded anyway.

These came out at the end of August last year. Those of us who bought one soon after are coming up on the end of a year.

The theory is possible and it's also possible that they stuck their head in the sand and didn't expect this so it's hard for them to gear up the factory in China fast enough to get them to us. There is also shipping time and handling and US Customs who isn't the fastest in the world to be considered.

digphan · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 11 Location: SouthEast USA

When I the sidebrush broke and the cleaning head started clicking, I contacted Irobot. They stated that I should receive a replacement sidebrush in 5 to 7 days and that the cleaning head module was on backorder and they would send it out once they got them.

I received 3 replacement side brushes 5 days later. Today, after just a couple weeks, I received the new cleaning head module.

eqwalker · Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 288 Location: Arkansas

Hearing things like this is what keeps me hanging on to my 4xxx's and not purchase any of the 5xx's. I know the 4xxx's have their issues too, but it sure sounds like they are not as bad as the 5xx's.

_JP_ · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 207

I don't believe that anyone in management would make such a decision to delay correcting problems for the customers and in the process upsetting them. I really think that they do have supply issues getting stuff from China. There has been a string of problems in China recently that surely have disrupted production.

I put in a warranty order for a broken side brush and got the new ones within a week. That was two weeks ago.

iRobot should be forthcoming with a statement about what is causing their supply problems, that would reduce people speculating about it and assuming that they are trying to blow off the customers.

FrankyDog · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 29

Yeah, it's hard to say... only they know, and they seem to be the only ones part of the Roomba community not acknowleding the obvious design flaw. If they had a good plan for dealing with this issue I'd imagine they would be telling people. Their silence is speaking louder than words. To me they are saying they are going to ride out this storm by ignoring the problem.

I am very familiar with Chinese production. Obviously it does take longer. In fact you can add on one month just for shipping product by boat. I can't say how long it would take for them to design a fix, test it, set-up production, and produce. As we all know though, they have had a year and nothing has changed, which in my mind means they don't intend any changes for 5XX owners.

I think they will fix this problem! BUT they will only put the fixed modules in new units to be repackaged and sold as 6XX units. That way all of us shlubs will upgrade once our warrantee runs out.

Anyone else hoping for real iRobot competition as much as me?
I guarantee if they had a major competitor, they would have had a fix by now.
If a "good" competitor does rise up, I'll be the first one to give them a try.

fancyfreewv · Posted: June 25, 2008, 12:15 pm Post subject:

In light of the stock movement (up $1.75 today to $14.93 + 13%) the defense contracts they have recently won for DARPA for morphing robots and other robots already in use, the company is healthy on a lot of fronts.

The retail vacuum cleaner division may not be one they are putting a lot of the research money in as it's not as lucrative as some others.