Incentive / referral program suggestion

[nate]

I think onewheel riders can be some great salespeople for the product. I was recently at a bike rally and got stopped many times to explain what it was, how it worked, and even risked my precious baby with a few demo rides for folks I didn't know. But I didn't try very hard to sell it to anyone because there is little incentive to do so. I think a referral program offering credit towards additional one wheels, future versions, accessories, service, repairs, or extended warranties would be a great incentive to try and actively close some $1500 sales. A cash reward or generic gift card would be a nice option too, but even credit would greatly help incentivize us.

Users could register in the referral program, and we could purchase $10 worth of the business card size promo cards with our custom referral code printed or labeled on them and the recipient / new purchaser would get free shipping or a spare pair of crash guards as an incentive to use the referral/promo code when purchasing on the site.

I'm sure there's some reasonable margin in these devices so you can sign up distributors / retailers later on, but for now an incentive of $250 or so to people out showing off, loving, praising, demoing your product would probably give direct sales an extra boost and keep that back order channel filled up! It would give us some serious incentive to market and praise the product online as well.

[818]

Yes I'm with it, that sounds like the future.

It's comes down to weather or not the company is prepared to push production, they still have the 8-10 week delay time. I'm lucky to have gotten my hands on ones-today. That wait would be killer for me.

[dicorci]

while i think this is an excellent idea; lets face it, with the back up in production and long delivery times there's absolutely no incentive to spend money in pushing sales, sales are not the problem.

lets address the real problem: capital. open up future motion to investment, i'll buy in, i believe in the product, and lets all get rich selling a hell of a lot more boards.

[J-Glide]

@dicorci I'm down to invest too!

[nate]

I know production is back logged for now, but that won't last forever. And the more we can keep it back logged the more excitement and mystery there is around the product. It's a nice story. However, I'm sure they are working on increasing production levels soon. It won't be long til the extra sales help won't just appreciated but needed. I agree though I certainly want the company to be financially successful and continue development for awesome new iterations and products!

[Franky]

Yeah, this isn't Mary Kay. They do not need incentives to sell this board because the product sells itself. Onewheel is something totally new and everyone that sees it and understands what is happening is pretty much awed at how cool it is. Besides the cool and fun factor, the thing is really great at short range transportation besides the mess coming through the wheel which will be figured out an a version or two. Obviously price seems prohibitive at this point but that is because people don't yet realize this is not a toy.

[lynnpreston]

I've found that by starting the convo from the price point of a Segway (lame by comparison, I know), it reduces the sticker shock.

[MichaelW]

Love the idea that the people that own them could get some kind of credit for selling one to a friend or anyone for that matter. Agreed that it is not likely at this point given the back log in ordering... As far as price goes, I thought it was too much in the beginning but now that I own one I think its priceless given the joy it brings...

[dicorci]

frankly the price is too high; not because it isn't worth it but because in order for the 1W to be a mass market success and to truly reshape short range transportation it needs to be < 1K.

a good moped costs about 2000

a solo wheel costs 2000

a great bike costs 2000

other electric skateboards cost around 1000

in order for the 1W to take over, it needs to compete strongly on cost, with mass production sub 1000 is easily attainable, but it takes capital to be able to realize the scaling returns of being able to place large orders, build larger factories, ect.

[MichaelW]

The price will likely come down in time. Remember when a 40 inch Sony flat screen tv was $10,000? That was in 2005.

[Andrew]

@lynnpreston said:

I've found that by starting the convo from the price point of a Segway (lame by comparison, I know), it reduces the sticker shock.

I compared it to a week Snowboarding at Vail ... when you don't live in Colorado. I'd be interested in trying to sell it. Is production still backlogged?