Rainer Popp - Popplocks

WillHu
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:05 am

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by WillHu »

03SVTCobra wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 4:21 pm
EMarx wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 5:01 am It took me almost 6 months to solve the T11! Such an involved puzzle, and it’s necessary to take time away from it and see it with fresh eyes.
I cant even get the first step with the instructons!
Sounds like you've got a broken T11... let me take that junk metal off your hands!

In other news, my T12 arrived today :) super stoked to give it a good shot!
OPEN: AQUA GREEN MINT BRONZE

TITANIUM COPPER ORANGE INDIGO SILVER LIME
SittingDuck
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:29 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by SittingDuck »

How does one get to buy these without resorting to auctions?

Sign up for the newsletter on the Popplock website? And if so, how does he work? Does he regulary make batches of all his locks, or does he work on the next lock in the series, release it, sell out, then start with the nex one etc.?

Basically, should I expect to maybe get an email in a year about T13, then be too late because I took too long to reply, or is there a "secret" list I would have to be signed up for?
Open: Aqua * Titanium * Blue * Green * Bronze
Closed:Gunmetal * Copper * Indigo * Gold
Want to buy: *Orange * Silver * Red * Lime * Black * Purple * Handmade * Voyager
pewetools
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:17 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by pewetools »

Hi SittingDuck,

well, I dont think that it make a sense to sign up for a newsletter when you think about to buy one puzzle. I signed for the newsletter and it was a negative experience. I have all kind of puzzles but no Popplock and so I was interested just to get one as a sample. I got a mail after he anounced the T12 - he wrote:

Please let me know if you want to buy one. I will get back to you within the next few weeks. There are about 200 locks for sale. Unfortunately I cannot guarantee that everyone will get a lock.

I answered within 1 hour and I got a confirmation mail that he will not answer question about the delivery and that he will not discuss about how he will allocate. Then after two weeks I got an very disappointing mail, he wrote: The delivery T12 is on the way to the dealers and will be available there shortly! Please buy there, if possible. Thank you!

So the "story Popplock" is over for me. He is maybe a good puzzle designer but I am not able to accept an arrogantand rude attitude like this. I will survive without a Popplock very well.

Best regards
Peter
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ghxost
Posts: 579
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:53 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by ghxost »

pewetools wrote: Mon May 11, 2020 12:21 pm Hi SittingDuck,

well, I dont think that it make a sense to sign up for a newsletter when you think about to buy one puzzle. I signed for the newsletter and it was a negative experience. I have all kind of puzzles but no Popplock and so I was interested just to get one as a sample. I got a mail after he anounced the T12 - he wrote:

Please let me know if you want to buy one. I will get back to you within the next few weeks. There are about 200 locks for sale. Unfortunately I cannot guarantee that everyone will get a lock.

I answered within 1 hour and I got a confirmation mail that he will not answer question about the delivery and that he will not discuss about how he will allocate. Then after two weeks I got an very disappointing mail, he wrote: The delivery T12 is on the way to the dealers and will be available there shortly! Please buy there, if possible. Thank you!

So the "story Popplock" is over for me. He is maybe a good puzzle designer but I am not able to accept an arrogantand rude attitude like this. I will survive without a Popplock very well.

Best regards
Peter
With the amount of interest he has what would you suggest? Other than a lottery style, he did his best in my opinion. 200 some units and 1000s of emails. Would love to hear the ideal solution you have in mind...

Arrogant indeed
Seeking:
Black extreme (not merc), Red (extreme), Ruby, Peach
Ramisi5, devil isis, devil copernisis (or other harder variants)
mrmkaufman
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:19 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by mrmkaufman »

Right. On.
pewetools
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:17 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by pewetools »

Hi ghxost,

"With the amount of interest he has what would you suggest? Other than a lottery style, he did his best in my opinion. 200 some units and 1000s of emails. Would love to hear the ideal solution you have in mind..." well, maybe to produce more? Or not to sell to single person at all - only to dealers instead of giving people hope to get one?

But I dont think that there is a lottery at all. If it would be a lottery, this would be fair and I am sure that he would say that it is a lottery but he said that he will not discuss how he is doing. Sorry, but this is a snap in the face of a customer and a rude style which I dont like.

Best regards
Peter
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ghxost
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:53 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by ghxost »

Producing more is always a nice thing to think of, but the cost and time to produce can be something unobtainable by the creator. That is why we have limited edition puzzles mostly... makers make what they can and move on.

As far as a lottery or just dealer sales, those are options of course. But from t11 to t12 the audience grew exponentially due to social networking. Handling that huge junp in demand may not have had a lot of forethought.

I'm sure there will be a lottery style next time, or dealer only. Just my opinion of course.
Seeking:
Black extreme (not merc), Red (extreme), Ruby, Peach
Ramisi5, devil isis, devil copernisis (or other harder variants)
SittingDuck
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:29 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by SittingDuck »

So from what I understand, there seem to be a case of replying when you get the newsletter email, and hope that you are lucky.

Regarding the rest of the discussion, I suppose this is a good of a way of doing it as any. One could also argue that the "fair" alternative would be for him to offer the ones who had bought his previous locks the first chance for new ones, as a thanks for the support. I am happy this does not seem to be the case though, as it would not be well for my own chances. (there are bound to be some exceptions of course).
Open: Aqua * Titanium * Blue * Green * Bronze
Closed:Gunmetal * Copper * Indigo * Gold
Want to buy: *Orange * Silver * Red * Lime * Black * Purple * Handmade * Voyager
mereacregrigore18
Posts: 202
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:48 am

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by mereacregrigore18 »

Hello everyone,

I believe something is missing here from Peter's email description. Let's post the original:

The email from Rainer about the T12 bellow:

"Dear lock and puzzle friend,

T12 will be available soon.
According to the instructions, the lock has 10 steps to open.
It weighs 2kg and has a key.
The price is 490€ including German VAT, excluding shipping costs.
Please let me know if you want to buy one. I will get back to you within the next few weeks.
There are about 200 locks for sale.
Unfortunately I cannot guarantee that everyone will get a lock.
If you have never bought something from me, I would be happy if you could tell me how experienced you are in dealing with puzzles and in which country you live.

Thanks a lot!

Best regards
Rainer Popp "

He clearly states: "If you have never bought something from me, I would be happy if you could tell me how experienced you are in dealing with puzzles and in which country you live."

In my opinion you had to send an email not only saying that your are interested in the T12 and that's it. Also a description and your experience with puzzles ,so basically what he was asking there. The only reason I see he is doing this is because the T12 might be hard to solve and he chooses the ones that he think are capable of solving it. Don't take me wrong now, I also don't agree to this choosing criteria and to the second email saying they are sold out and no reply. But that's his choice ,we should respect it.

I also didn't get one from Rainer itself or a reply at least. But I understand that from 1000's of emails he received. I got a chance for a T12 from Wil Strijbos, so mine is on the way. Should arrive this week! :)

Hope this clarify the email description and the choosing criteria Rainer is doing.

Stay safe!
Greg
pewetools
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:17 pm

Re: Rainer Popp - Popplocks

Post by pewetools »

Hi mereacregrigore18

yes of course you are right and I did. I told him that that I have all color variations of Loki and except of two types also all kind of Revos.

Here I just want to present the negative result of my experience.

Best regards
Peter
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