Quote from: Werner on June 02, 2013, 08:42:21 PM

Why do they purchase from this if others are selling with lower order number and for fewer BTC?

Beats me.

Please clarify what you mean by lower order number. It is every customers right to chose who they wish to purchase chips from. The goal is to give every customer the best service possible for their purchase, not simply act as a reseller. There are cheaper alternatives available, but who would trust someone who plagiarized their entire thread to put in the time required to source assembly, develop the infrastructure needed, and provide quality customer service without cutting corners?

Additionally, we provide full assembly and parts, with the fastest expected unit turnaround time.

Quote from: lexis200 on June 02, 2013, 09:28:00 PM

...assuming... Steamboat manages to sort out the fab and hosting etc, it's a reasonable price, no minimum order, and I don't have to host it or deal with shipping and customs etc.

The fab has been sorted. Once prototypes have been tested and finalized production will begin.

Quote from: Geode on June 02, 2013, 09:34:09 PM

I don't mean disrespect by this, but how do we know that we can truly trust Steamboat? I could be totally wrong and Steamboat may be totally trustworthy, but I can imagine that those sending lots of money via Bitcoin to him can have legitimate doubts and some fears at the back of their minds. To Steamboat, in light of this, would you be willing to give your identity and address information to the escrow JohnK? This is for peace of mind for the others here who may not know you so well and I don't mean any offence by this request.

No disrespect taken. I am glad you are taking the time to research who I am and who you are investing with. My identity has not been released due to delays in other portions of this project which will undoubtedly be discovered once the community begins it's background check. I am, and always have, planned on becoming publicly known. I do not have an issue with giving this information to John K. in the interim to ease your concerns.

Please note however, that this does in no way guarantee the safety of an investment. Any longtime member of the bitcoin community will be able to give at least one example of a scammer whose identity is known, who has not faced the consequences of their actions. It is extremely important to do research and qualify the organizers, and make informed decisions which are not based on assumptions. Escrow by John K. only protects the bitcoins sent, not the chips once they have arrived. Do I believe every other group buy coordinator is a scammer? No. Would I be willing to send thousands of dollars to a member with a 2 month old account and 40 posts? Also no.

The administrative and logistical load of organizing a group purchase is no easy task, and requires a significant amount of planning. This is not a complaint. I love what I do, and I love being able to play a part in the distribution of the hashrate to all of you.

Quote from: Geode on June 02, 2013, 10:33:19 PM

There is no reliable track record because previous group buys are not fully completed with actual shipment to the group members. I am not saying that Steamboat is a scammer and I am not trying to discredit him, but it would be nice if he did give some information to JohnK.

This is true of every group buy. Again, while I am fine with giving John K. my information, do not think this guarantees your safety. That is not to discredit John, as he is providing an excellent service to the community and doing everything in his power to help protect it.

Do your research. Read the posts of the organizers. Get a feel for their personality, beliefs, values. Scrutinize their threads. Is it professional? Have they addressed all of your concerns? Are they making an effort to answer questions and provide accountability?

How many threads have addressed the issue of faulty Avalon chips?

All purchases received, recorded, replied. Pressing issues have delayed the OP revamp, which will be release as soon as possible.

Thank you all for the questions and concerns, which are very important to ensure the health of the community.