Beware with Kwikbyte

Excuse me for the noise in the list but maybe this information will be useful and prevent other people to get caught in the same situation.

We recently bought a KB9202B board from Kwikbyte. As we are based in Brazil, we asked for a friend in the U.S. to buy the board and send it to us.

The board comes with a CD which should have the lastest documentation but the schematics were for a previous version of the board.

We asked gently for them to send the updated schematics, and they answered requesting identification of the company which purchased the board, board serial number, etc... We sent the information required and we received the following answer:

>This is not an authorized distributor. Your company is in a competing >>market segment; we will not provide any support for your purchase. You are >>welcome to return the unmodified board (at your expense) and additional >>materials for refund. >> >>Regards, >>KwikByte Sales >> snipped-for-privacy@kwikbyte.com >>
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The answer the gave is completely illogical, they do not have "authorized distributors". They only sell by the web through PayPal, and actually we were not requesting any support, only the updated schematics they should have included in the package !!!!.

We were amazed with such response and even after we sent ours showing our outrage, their position remained the same.

We will probably not return the board because the cost of doing so will not be worthwhile. Our loss. I really don't know if this illogical behavior has something to do with the fact that we are in Brazil, and I do not know how they treat their U.S. customers.

So, Beware with Kwikbyte !

Regards, Claudio

Reply to
clas333
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Something doesn't click here. They sell on the web via PayPal, yet you had a third party buy and send it? You do sound very much like a clone artist.

--
 "A man who is right every time is not likely to do very much."
                           -- Francis Crick, co-discover of DNA
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Reply to
CBFalconer

I don't think you grasped the concept here. When you sell you a product you are closing a CONTRACT. If your product includes schematics these should be updated and correct. It doesn't matter the reason why the customer needs the schematics. It maybe to study the board, to connect custom hardware, etc...

We didn't expect product support and don't need it. We are just buying a development board. Having the schematics and the datasheets from the chip manufacturers we don't need any support.

CBFalconer escreveu:

Reply to
clas333

Why can't you simply have your friend in the US request updated schematics and then forward them on to you?

I wouldn't jump to conclusions about Kwikbyte without hearing their side of the story.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

I took a look at the KwikByte web site. It seems that they do have some problems:

The manual at:

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f looks pretty good----even if the publication date is June 1, 2008!

Hmm, I wonder if that means that the rest of the documentation will be ready in 2 years!

Mark Borgerson

Reply to
Mark Borgerson

are

Oops, I got the date wrong too---the manual is dated June 8, 2008.

The page footers are labeled "KwikByte Proprietary". Does anyone else find it a bit comical to label a user's manual as "proprietary", then post a link to it on your web page?

Mark Borgerson

Reply to
Mark Borgerson

actually I can guess what is the reason, Brazil have very high import taxes (what I heard is between 80-200%) which makes the Brazilian engineers very creative how to smuggle the electronic parts/modules they buy in their country without paying import taxes, logic response for non-logic government decissions. I do wonder if these so high import taxes really stimulate the local production? to some level like 5-20% it will give advantage for the local industry, but at such ridiculous levels will just make them lazy and not interested to be competetive as they have guaranteed 80-200% margin more than external competitors.

Best regards Tsvetan

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Development boards for ARM, AVR, PIC, MAXQ2000 and MSP430
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Reply to
tusunov

I think you nailed it...

Reply to
Jim Stewart

I think that 'Proprietary' in Brazil means the same as 'Limited Liability' or 'Ltd.' in England. It's used in Australia, as well.

Leon

Reply to
Leon

But KwikByte is apparently in the US, though their actual location appears to be a secret.

--
Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ
Reply to
Al Balmer

No, it means owned or ownership here in Oz too, it get used

*with* Limited. Pty/Ltd is the smallest class of company.
Reply to
Clifford Heath

Google is your friend:

KwikByte is located in/near New Port Richey, FL, near Tampa.

--Gene

Reply to
Gene S. Berkowitz

I probably should have been clearer - the point is that they don't volunteer that information. Why are they hiding?

--
Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ
Reply to
Al Balmer

Proprietary = private ownership, shares not traded to the general public (although I am not sure what the technical definition of that might be)

Limited = limited liability

The smallest class of company in Oz as elsewhere is a sole proprietorship or partnership, in which the proprietor or partners have unlimited liability. In a limited liability company, the personal assets of the shareholders are in theory protected against adverse action affecting the company itself. (Skase is very familiar with this legislation; check out his history ;)

Reply to
larwe

That's a business, not a company - company here means an incorporated entity, a legal "individual" that can own/owe and be sued etc. In a partnership there's joint ownership and joint liability, entirely different.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

Probably because the business appears to be a husband and wife, and they obviously don't want to handle phone support...

--Gene

Reply to
Gene S. Berkowitz

Not that this is topical here, however with all respect in my opinion you are wrong. I googled on this to be sure and what you are describing is a "corporation". The company is "an institution created to conduct business". I did not make-up this definition, googled it up.

Also here and article:

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Quote: The individual represents the *company* legally and fully. Common ...

Reply to
Roman Ziak

Incorporation forms a corporation, not a company :) For example, I can form the "Lewin Edwards Company" tomorrow. I would need to register a business name, but it would not be a corporation unless I filed articles of incorporation.

However the definitions of these terms are location-specific.

Reply to
larwe

The location of interest is Australia, per my original response to Leon. I stand by what I said. Thanks for adding that it's different elsewhere - without even saying where :-)

Reply to
Clifford Heath

... which is my country of origin.

Reply to
larwe

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