Flow Hive - more info

[dexter's shed]

but as he had only just decided to keep bees on the back of the flow hive 'promises' and really didn't have a clue it was a bit of a waste of time talking to him about it ... I was speaking Beekeepese and he was speaking Flowhivese ... two very different languages.

I can foresee a few people like this appearing out of the woodwork in due course ...

me too, I was chatting to another woodland owner on another forum, he wanted to start keeping bees in his woods, so had paid for two complete flow hives, I tried to mention that would mean he wouldn't start until 2016, but that seemed to go over his head,

 

[Hivemaker.]

If I were them I would be looking for an island to buy and pull up the drawbridge ....

....and make sure to get as much money in right now for the shipping costs, as may not be able to get more in later.

Just need to have a little faith, I'm sure everything will work out fine.

 

[einsteinagogo]

interesting, because most Crowd Funding donations, try to include shipping. There will also be profit on shipping, so more money, and it also locks people further into the deal!

Also, once the hammer has fallen, and Crowd Funding has Ended, they will not be able to process more cash, which is taken through Indiegogo. If people pay through Paypal they are protected, if they don't ship, etc Paypal buyer protection kicks in, and often rules in their favour (buyers!).

I suspect!

 

[einsteinagogo]

<snip>

I can foresee a few people like this appearing out of the woodwork in due course ...

I've had about 20 people at my work, ask me about this, and should they buy one, because it will be cheaper than buying my honey, and they don't have to to manage bees, just take the honey!

I just told them, don't try it, remember the bees need a life as well!

It's not all about honey!

 

[einsteinagogo]

....and make sure to get as much money in right now for the shipping costs, as may not be able to get more in later.

Just need to have a little faith, I'm sure everything will work out fine.

I had the faith in Crowd Funding, with a Company, which already existed IDAPT, Barcelona as sold in Maplins, Currys, PC World, they emailed me as a registered customer of existing products, to back them with a new product.

Took the Money and RAN! - They just stated project failed, we are not giving the money back, because it's not mandatory under Kickstart rules!

I've now lost the faith in all Crowd Funding, PLEDGE/DONATION based schemes which are unregulated by the FSA!

It only takes one like this to go pear shaped now, and this will be death of crowd funding!

ONLY DONATE WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE!

I like the way the Andersons use the word purchase!

It's not a purchase!

 

[wessexmario]

And the one thing I am not totally clear about is what (assuming you ever get to that point !) do you do with the flow frames after the season ...do you leave them on the hive ... how can you clean them out ?

Somewhere on their website they suggest you might have to take the flowhive frames out twice a year to clean them. (which defeats the object somewhat)

I met a new beekeeper (No bees at present) at the convention yesterday who has bought one ... or at least he has paid for one. He's only gone for a minimum package - wasn't altogether clear what he had 'bought' but as he had only just decided to keep bees on the back of the flow hive 'promises' and really didn't have a clue it was a bit of a waste of time talking to him about it ... I was speaking Beekeepese and he was speaking Flowhivese ... two very different languages.

he's probably bought the "flow light" option then: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/flow-hive-honey-on-tap-directly-from-your-beehive#flow_light

and who mentioned "customer service"? It's simple innit?

"3 frames please."
"With or without a flat pack box Sir?, and will Sir require anything else?"

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They now have a whole new world of managing subscribers over a year or more to explore. Calculating, matching and chasing incremental payments through an entry panel where any amount can be typed in. Not something you see very often; there might be a reason for that. And they haven't started on combined shipping costs yet. Steep learning curve in customer management ahead.

Not really - large shovel and V large suitcase, shovel wads of cash into suitcase, tell everyone the project failed then b*gger off to some south sea island and live the rest of your life in luxury.
Can that many people be that stupid? but then again, there's still a market for Warre hives........................

 

[Hivemaker.]

I had the faith in Crowd Funding, with a Company

They saw you coming then, that is why this type of thing works, plenty of people around who like to give money away.

 

[einsteinagogo]

They saw you coming then, that is why this type of thing works, plenty of people around who like to give money away.

lesson learned, and been burnt! I didn't think it would happen with an established company of 10+ years!

but clearly it did.....the current owners and people involved are being flamed right now on google+, Kickstarter, and LinkedIn!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Wow! We have had an amazing response to the release of our shipping rates. Our support staff and working hard to answer the flood of emails coming through, and we have just added three new support team members today to help with the increased demand....

...of shoving even more money into the very big suitcases.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Great scam though, but do all these people wanting to buy them think they actually come with a hive full of bees ready to go? Where are all these people going to get bees? Or will that be their next project ? Special bees grown especially to power flow hives & guaranteed to produce a gallon a day!!

 

[wessexmario]

A photo from one of the inventors showing what goes on under the lid of his flowhive:

https://instagram.com/p/xoJSH8FMhN/?taken-by=flowhive

Now everyone will want one...

...

Some people are being dangerously mis-informed - this young mum thinks (very likely from the video) that it will make a bee hive "kid friendly" !!!

https://instagram.com/p/zlgSXuzhRc/
The observant will notice that there's no floor on that "beehive"

 

[dexter's shed]

, but do all these people wanting to buy them think they actually come with a hive full of bees ready to go?

probably not, as all the sales literature state bees are not included

I've been following them since they started, yes I think that a lot of buyers will get a nasty shock when they realise theres more to it than turning a tap, but it's a new product that seems to work well in Oz, it will be interesting to see if it gets here how well it works, I think iit will have a following, the same as the beehaus when it first came out, everyone laughed and slatted it off, but you don't see many selling second hand, and those that do, still fetch a good price, so I'll just sit, wait and watch

 

[GillianS]

Flow Hive !!

Been reading some of the comments about this (not all!) Has nobody thought about the honey being unripe, I take it that the bees keep filling up the cells without them being full up, however under normal circumstances the bees reduce the water content to acceptable levels before sealing the cells! Seems like one massive con trick to me!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

I think iit will have a following, the same as the beehaus when it first came out, everyone laughed and slatted it off, but you don't see many selling second hand, and those that do, still fetch a good price, so I'll just sit, wait and watch

Have not seen many selling new either, could that be a reason for the lack of second hand ones for sale.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I take it that the bees keep filling up the cells without them being full up,

No, they fill the cells and cap them.

 

[Finman]

https://instagram.com/p/zlgSXuzhRc/
The observant will notice that there's no floor on that "beehive"

Neither bees

 

[Finman]

Great scam though, but do all these people wanting to buy them think they actually come with a hive full of bees ready to go? Where are all these people going to get bees? Or will that be their next project ? Special bees grown especially to power flow hives & guaranteed to produce a gallon a day!!

Gallon a day and 15 kg/summer.

Good flow comes from good pastures. Guarantee the yield? Of course not.
Normally hives share the same nectar amount on field. If bees are too much, flowers have not enough time to exrecete nectar when bees are licking them all the time.

In Europe huge amount of hives limites the yield per hive.

 

[dexter's shed]

A photo from one of the inventors showing what goes on under the lid of his flowhive:

that'll happen on any hive/lid that you don't put a crown board on, I think some people are just grabbing at straws to try and make it look bad

 

[einsteinagogo]

<snip>

In Europe huge amount of hives limites the yield per hive.

that's an interesting point, a friend in Urban West Yorkshire, near Leeds, stated there a were at least 250 beekeepers, with at least a single hive, and his yield of honey last year, was down, and it was thought this was because the area did not have enough flora to support at least 250 colonies, in such a small forage area.

He was surprised at the amount of honey I had extracted last year, but I live in the countryside, and I don't think there are any other beekeepers in my 3 mile forage area. I'd never really give in a thought.