Hi guys,
It’s time to address one of the current hot topics within the community: the balance payments for Spectrum. As we’re nearing shipping and preparing to launch the payment flow, there are two important aspects we need to get right: 1) having the correct logic in place to collect the outstanding payment without any complications; 2) providing you with all the necessary information about the process so that you can complete your purchase.
What to expect
While the team is working hard on the technical setup, I’ll already start on the informational bit. This post contains preliminary information on the payment flow and is the first part of a three-step process. The series of posts will come in the following weeks and includes:
Post 1 (this current post): Preliminary information
We address any commonly asked questions and bring clarity into the process we’re building out. Here it’s a good moment for you to ask any outstanding questions you have about the balance payment.
Post 2: Follow-up on your questions
We’ll collect all your questions and address them in a well-structured FAQ format. (Of course, we’ll already do our best to tackle as many of your questions under this post).
Post 3: Final payment flow
Having processed all your feedback, we’ll lock in the confirmed and final process for collecting the payments.
We want to communicate the full process to reduce the chance of customers missing out on any important information. In addition to the upcoming community posts, all relevant Spectrum customers will be provided with timely updates via our client-only newsletter so that you know exactly when and how to pay.
Prompt to pay
Once we’re ready to process your payment, we’ll send you a payment reminder to the email you’ve placed your order with. That link will redirect you to a dedicated landing page where you can review your order. From there on, you’ll be able to check out your Spectrum at the preferential price point you reserved it at.
Round off your Spectrum experience
Once you enter the checkout flow, you’ll be given the opportunity to select any relevant accessories for your Spectrum (including cables, adapters, and other items that came to be highly requested in our customer survey).
Based on the community and client feedback we received, we’ve had a long internal discussion on how to handle the cables inside of the Spectrum box. Out of the customer survey we sent out, one thing became clear: there is no one cable that will make everyone happy. While we would like to include as many free items for you as possible, Spectrum is coming at an extremely competitive price point for the market. With that in mind, we had two choices at hand: 1) pack cheap cables in the box (the majority of which will be left unused, making this solution less environmentally friendly) or 2) offer premium, high-performance cables at a fair price. We chose not to compromise on quality and went with the latter option. This goes in-line with our overall product approach of only paying for what you need and nothing extra (same as with the stand).
We’ll offer you a range of premium accessories you can customize your order with. All items featured in the checkout are exclusively reserved for Spectrum pre-order customers and come at a special, discounted price. Later they will be featured on our Eve shop at their usual (still fair but higher) price point.
Shipping
Our team has been working on the full shipping process for Spectrum; the main challenge there has been locking the final prices. The COVID-19 crisis has heavily impacted the global logistics landscape; as a result of that, the shipping cost is extremely volatile and on average 4x higher compared to before the pandemic. We are doing our best to secure the best shipping cost for you.
There are two shipping methods we can offer you: 1) standard and 2) express. The standard shipping takes 18-35 days based on your region. Spectrum is first shipped by sea to local warehouses in the US, EU, Australia, Canada, and from there on sent by courier for the last mile delivery. For the EU, Australia, Canada, and the UK, taxes and duties are included in the price and/or in the shipping fee. For the rest of the world, taxes and duties might be applied at the country customs. The express shipping takes 3-7 days based on the destination, and your Spectrum will be delivered by air directly from Hong Kong to your address, with duties and taxes paid for. To provide you with the most accurate estimates, we’re building a regional breakdown that we’ll be able to share with you shortly.
Payment methods
The following payment options are currently supported: credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) as well as Apple Pay.
Your Spectrum being assembled
All pre-order customers have reserved their Spectrum by putting down a $100 downpayment. Now that Spectrum is getting closer to mass production, our team needs to order your Spectrum to be made by our manufacturing partner. For that, we require you to complete the outstanding amount of your order. Once you complete the payment and later receive the shipping note, your Spectrum payment will no longer be refundable as by that time, we would have used it to assemble and ship your monitor. If you change your mind after you’ve paid for your Spectrum in full and have received your shipping notice, you’ll have to follow our official return policy. In addition to the updated return policy, we’ll share more information on the monitor’s warranty shortly.
As our manufacturer has focused on the production of our Spectrum 4K monitor, we would be collecting the balance payments for the 4K model first. Nonetheless, the overall payment process we share will remain the same for all models and is relevant to all Spectrum customers.
First come, first serve
We understand that you may need some time to collect your funds so that you’re able to pay, which is why we’ve started the communication in advance to prepare you for it.
To make it fair and transparent to all, we will follow a “first come, first serve” principle for shipping Spectrum. We’ll reach out to the full base in chronological order, giving the earlier backers the opportunity to fulfill their payment first. After we’ve informed the whole pre-order base and have given you the chance to pay, we’ll prioritize shipping the units that are paid for first. You’ll still have the option to wait for third-party reviews before paying; this, however, would mean that you’ll get your Spectrum later than people who have completed the full payment before you.
I hope that this post gives you an insight into the payment process. Our team is working tirelessly to make it all happen. Please let us know in the comments below whether there are any important questions you might still have regarding the balance payment of your Spectrum.