I won't lie--I was a bit surprised at some of the responses that readers left in the comment section of the first part of my interview with One Laptop Per Child's chief connectivity officer, Michail Bletsas. The first comment, from a reader named Catherine read, in part:
OLPC should not consider adding a zero to the number of laptops distributed in a new G1G1 until their distribution problems are resolved. Mr. Bletsas fails to disclose that distribution is so far behind that many people have not received their computers. G1G1 isn't really completed. I ordered two in early December and have yet to receive them. My first attempt to reach OLPC's 800 number got me a recording that invited me to push zero if I had not received my computer, and then it promptly disconnected.
Catherine's comment has since received a handful of responses of its own, including a few from readers who have yet to receive their end of the Give One Get One promotion.
I asked Bletsas if he would take a few moments out from his busy schedule to respond direct to the concern, and he gladly reciprocated. His response, after the jump.
Michail Bletsas: Catherine's comments are valid and well justified. Nevertheless, I think that I can partially address her concerns by offering an insider view into the G1G1 "supply chain". As I said in my interview, OLPC is not a laptop company, and our focus is on getting laptops, in large numbers, in the hands of kids in the developing world.
For the purposes of the G1G1 promotion, we had to put together (in two weeks) an ad-hoc order processing and fulfillment process, using pro-bono and at-cost services from four different organizations to complete four separate tasks:
1. Order entry and credit card processing
2. Call center and order aggregation
3. Order fulfillment
4. Shipping
Despite all the difficulties, the majority of the G1G1 laptops have already been delivered to their buyers in North America, but there are still many laptops undelivered for four major reasons:
1. A number of orders didn't make it from the order entry system to the central database in the call center during the daily upload process and were only uploaded during the monthly reconciliation process. As of now, all these orders have been processed and will be shipping in the next few days.
2. Address verification issues: Shipping addresses wouldn't verify with the credit card companies. All of these people will be contacted so that we can get the discrepancy addressed.
3. P.O. Boxes. Many G1G1 participants provided P.O. Box addresses and FedEx
doesn't deliver to them. USPS is being used to ship those laptops.
4. Undeliverable addresses. We had laptops returned to the warehouse by FedEx, because they could not deliver to the specified address. Again, we are contacting the participants in order to get a valid "ship to" address.
For the purposes of the G1G1 program, we used the existing systems of the various providers. We didn't have the ability to control those systems (hence avoiding problems like only having an order appear in the monthly lists and not in the daily), nor did we want to put our own in place (to save on costs). For example, we couldn't force the order entry system to not accept P.O. boxes (as our shipper required).
It was a hard choice, but I still believe it was the right one because it maximized the numbers of laptops that we can donate to kids in the developing world, which I think is also the primary concern of the participants in the G1G1 program. (Cost of the order entry system and
credit card processing: $0)
What I can offer Catherine is my assurance that the laptops that she and the other G1G1 participants donated are already finding their way to kids in the developing world. It might sound strange, but getting 1,000 XOs delivered to a school in Mongolia is much simpler than getting 1,000 XOs shipped to individuals in the U.S. and Canada.
Having the kids make the best out of them is what OLPC is really all about.
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January 24, 2008 2:59 PM
I have been a patient donor since ordering my system on the 14th of November but I still haven't received a computer yet. More troubling for me than the delay is the misinformation information coming from the OLPC support lines. I verified by telephone that there was no problems with my information and was told my order had been sent to the warehouse and would ship by January 15. The next information I got was an email around the 20th telling me to expect more info on or before the 23rd, nothing further has been forthcoming.
Please stop trying to put a happy face on the problem in the press and on the official olpc website and just fix it. Then you won't have to make excuses in the press.
January 24, 2008 7:19 PM
At some point, someone is going to need to verify that the Mongolians, Rwandans, etc. actually received their XOs too. I'm skeptical. If donors in the U.S. can't get theirs, how can they deliver 1000's in a third world country?!!
January 24, 2008 7:33 PM
Same here. Ordered on November 13. Still no laptop. Several missed promises about shipping, and a charge to my credit card, but no laptop. I did a VISA charge back yesterday... OLPC deserves it.
January 25, 2008 4:25 PM
This mis-information campaign by OLPC and the OLPC contractors is worrying. The ostrich management that is going on here is indicative of more serious problems. I do hope that someone looks into this situation since if the organization cannot actually correspond with paying customers supporting their project, I highly doubt the children and teachers are getting better support. To say that a number of people are disappointed in the lack of professionalism that this organization has shown would be an understatement. OLPC - let your actions speak louder than words, so far it has been politics and ideals that fall short due to a lack of attention to details.
January 26, 2008 3:01 PM
I ordered my g1g1 laptop in early Dec. 3rd and have not received it ! I think OLPC should have been more organized before starting this mission of g1g1. I called the 800 number and was told that I would receive an e-mail in a few days letting me know when the laptop would arrive. I will be patient, but I will only wait l more month. I just might cancell my credit card paypal payment.
January 26, 2008 5:18 PM
Joe Anonomous, you will be surprised how delivering 80 000 boxes to each individual address can be nightmare, when delivering 250 000 boxes to one government organisation where address is clearly known and with connection channels devoted to shipping can be easy ridev and lesser of problems.
OLPC did one fundamental mistake here - they did G1G1 program during end of the year. Huge mistake. Shipments get lost in all huge holliday/xmas brouhaha (I still wait for things ordered in Dec 3, and it was pure commercial sale), people get very angry when not getting things they ordered to arrive on Christmas, etc.
HB, have you ordered XO? If so, I can see why you are angry. If not, just please stop spread FUD and misinformation. At first, I was also worried about lack of organisation in OLPC, but when I have spent time on OLPC forum and reading different reports in different places, it is clearly problem at distributors side, who didn't want to deliver to POs, have problems with address (this is whole another issue - it is not good that only perfect address can be get only by commercial means), and other issues. Also, it seems that most of people got their boxes, so we talk about majority of fustrated sponsors, which, of course, not good.
In short, I believe in OLPC, but they should have restisted the urge to have something like G1G1 program until begining of new year.
However, amount of plastering and FUD which OLPC recieves that some companies don't feel very well about project, as it can compete not their products, but way of thinking of new computer users.
January 26, 2008 6:38 PM
We are so privileged to live in a first world country, we expect:
Immediate delivery
Instant response to calls
Unparalleled service in all respects.
OLPC is non-profit
Working on a shoestring
Trying to do some good for kids who have nothing.
Just shut up.
You'll get your computer eventually.
Meanwhile, rejoice in what you've done for a poor kid.
Bob
February 7, 2008 1:11 PM
I ordered mine in November. OLPC has repeatedly promised and then failed to deliver. They claim a problem "verifying my address". I've given them the address FOUR TIMES, and FOUR TIMES they've simply deleted the street address part and then claimed "problem verifying". There is no credit card problem, they GOT the money. The bill has been paid, the merchandise undelivered. My credit card company takes a dim view of this kind of thing. A dispute is being filed today. Today was the tenth business day after they told me 7 to ten business days the last time. DING! Times up.
February 7, 2008 1:52 PM
Today's web page says "problem veryifying your address". Called the 800 number. "No problem, ignore the email." And now for the latest estimate of when I might expect my XO? APRIL. Ten days ago it was ten days, and they were still shipping as late as the fifth of Feb. Just not to me.
Yeah, Bob, we live in a first world country. I expect delivery WHEN PROMISED, even if it isn't immediate, and I expect tax exempt charitable orgs to TELL THE TRUTH. What a novel concept. And in our first world country, we have laws that protect the consumers against fraud.
Peteris, OLPC didn't have to deliver 80000 boxes, they just had to ship them. First come, first served, they said. Not true. Today they claim they were out of stock two weeks ago, and yet I was told mine would be here by today. Not true. And delivering 250000 boxes to a third-world country doesn't mean they delivered to the kids.
OLPC's fundamental mistake here was not when they started G1G1, there are two, at least. One is they charged money when they were unable to ship. If you can't ship something, don't charge for it until you can. You don't get chargebacks and look like you're trying to run the clock out on potential disputes when you keep pushing delivery back. And two, THEY LIE. Bald faced deliberate lies. A delivery promise when they know they don't have anything to ship.
I was told I was getting a refund in full. I am supposed to get a paypal notice today. I expect neither will happen. They have given me no reason to believe a single word out of their mouths, and every reason to doubt them.
April 1, 2008 6:18 PM
Following up on my earlier post, it is now April 1, Michael, and my nephew and niece have not received their G1G1 Christmas gifts. The most recent twist from OLPC was to separate the two into separate orders. Having waited four months now and been told story after story, none of which has panned out, I finally decided to throw in the towel. And what was I told? OLPC lacks the capability of cancelling one of the orders, although it has not yet shipped. I have no confidence in Michael's assurances that OLPC is doing a better job for the children in the third world who may have received laptops.
April 1, 2008 6:42 PM
Catherine, call your credit card company IMMEDIATELY and see if you are still within the timelimit for filing a dispute on the charge. Tell the credit card company that the merchandise was never delivered. Dispute any and all charges. Charging for merchandise that is never delivered is fraud, and credit card companies don't like it. Paypal will get dinged when the card company charges them back, and maybe paypal will learn the lesson of dealing with OLPC.