NEW Prototypes and "Shop Update"
Today's blog post is a bit different...
If you don't want to read it (it's a little longer than usual), then you can just skip to the end where I show you some of the new stuff we've been working on. :-)
If you don't want to read it (it's a little longer than usual), then you can just skip to the end where I show you some of the new stuff we've been working on. :-)
But, if you want to learn a little bit about, "What on earth actually goes on INSIDE Magnus' brain ...and inside his business?", then stick around. :-D
Were YOU Here A Year Ago?
Before we dive into the nitty gritty...
Were you here a year ago? Actually, not even a year ago, just six months ago?
Up until six months we used to run the business mostly on "pre-orders". I would create a new design, I would offer this design, customers would pre-order it, and then we would produce and ship them.
The biggest issue was we would pretty much ALWAYS be late. Why am I telling you this? Well, a couple of reasons...
Firstly, in the past, this blog post I'm writing just now would typically me just explaining -- every single week -- exactly why the sliders everyone pre-ordered were still late. It was bad for the customers and, honestly, it was bad for us too.
We get lots of requests to do pre-orders again - but it just doesn't work for us unfortunately. I mean, I'm not saying I'll never do them ...but it's unlikely.
THREE Things You (Might) Need To Know
If you follow online (i.e. Facebook, etc.) then it probably looks like I don't act on requests from from Customers.
And by requests I mean making certain older sliders models again, going back to older plates, making brass/copper sliders, and so on.
And by requests I mean making certain older sliders models again, going back to older plates, making brass/copper sliders, and so on.
Here's the thing...
I do hear all of these things. But there are generally three reasons I don't do anything about them:
#1 - It's ALWAYS a super-small minority (relative to the number of products we make and sell). For example, someone did a Poll on Facebook the other day for me to make sliders with a more symmetrical layout like I used to. 18 people voted for this -- when I last checked -- which is nowhere near enough. It's an incredibly small minority unfortunately.
#2 - Each person only has their own, single experience with our products. They're not seeing the large number of emails we get when a product has an issue. And these are emails from a range of different people (for some people it's their first slider ...and for others it's their 50th from us).
As an example, we get lots of requests for the older "V2" version of our dimple plates. The BIG problem is that -- even though most people found them great -- it was a customer service nightmare for us. A number of people would find they scratch badly ...and there was enough of those that it didn't become viable to make them at all. Now, I get it, many people say they were the best plates ever ...but, from our experience, they were not good.
As an example, we get lots of requests for the older "V2" version of our dimple plates. The BIG problem is that -- even though most people found them great -- it was a customer service nightmare for us. A number of people would find they scratch badly ...and there was enough of those that it didn't become viable to make them at all. Now, I get it, many people say they were the best plates ever ...but, from our experience, they were not good.
It is near impossible for me to get across to each individual person that, just because their experience with a particular set of plates (as an example) has always been amazing ...there are lots of people who encounter endless problems with the exact same plates. Like I said, trying getting people to understand this -- to understand the "big picture" of working with hundreds of customers who don't have the same positive experience of plates as they do -- is something I have had to give up on really.
#3 - You may have noticed this already ...but I tend not to stick with the same thing (most other makers tend to do a lot of the same thing over and over compared to us). I'm always pushing for new things. New plates, new designs, improving, tweaking, and so on. I've not psycho-analyzed myself too much about this ...but I'm sure there is some sort of psychological issue going on here.
Which brings me to...
Here's the #1 Thing You Need To Know
For all the NEW designs, products, plate changes, and so on we do here at Magnus...
The #1 thing we are ALWAYS aiming for is:
Constantly improving OUR products ...so it improves YOUR experience!
This truly is what we are doing here at Magnus. The thing is... the better your experience... the more we as a team enjoy what we do (yeah, selfish, I know).
Some "NEW Stuff"...
Here's are some things we are working on...
Some may never be made -- and some will definitely be made. It's a sort of "show and tell" of what is currently going on in the workshop right now. :-)
This slider does not have a name -- and I'm not sure we will make it -- but it has a "spider web" feel to it:
We will likely make this one ...it's definitely a bit "different":
This one is definitely a bit "out there" - I've called it the Glob for now:
These round things are actually spherical magnets - lots of issues with this (we've been working on it for a while):
These should hopefully be available next week. This is not a slider of course ...it's our famous "SlideClick" utility blade knife:
I have sold a couple of these already - but more are coming:
Lastly (Some Absolutely BLATANT Product Promotion)
I've had a bit of a dig around in the workshop and assembly/shipping area ...and found a bunch of products that are good to go (but they just kind of slipped through the net of getting as far as on the website).
If they're something here you like, then now is your chance:
Hi Magnus, I’ve always liked the ‘different’ things you’d make now and then – love the domino set, my daughter and I use it quite often! The nick-nacks were great buys too, such as the ‘lego’ block and skull and the pen-pencil set was a great idea too! Love the feel of the Ti, keep up the innovations, great work
Thank you for sharing the information you have about your business. I do have 1 of your sliders and I cannot count how many pens! The pens are my daily carry as they are above and beyond when it comes to a pen!
Keep up the excellent work!
Magnus I’m responding to your #3 point here in a weird way and I apologize for the long message – I am happy your Ti fidget slider creations have done so well for you and your company sir and I understand why it seemingly took over your entire product portfolio 3-4 years ago and has remained that way since. I caved and bought one roughly a year ago too despite having no real interest or need in having one, I admit. I like to think I can understand business from a CEO’s point of view and the concepts of supply & demand; but from the little guy who discovered your website kind’ve late in your titanium EDC phase and at the beginning of your fidget & slider phase, let me just say that seeing the return of your SlideClick (I hope you keep making them man!!!) pumps me up and I can’t wait to finally be able to buy something like that again. You stopped selling them shortly after I bought my one and only and I disastrously lost that one off my keychain like 8 months later. I’ve been waiting for them to return ever since (years) and had definitely given up hope!! Selfishly I REALLY hope you find more time to continue with some more awesome EDC creations, anything you dream up I’d be interested in. Knives, pens, box cutters like your SlideClick, anything your mind might find useful and interesting to us blue collar doods looking to spend a little extra on Magnus Ti quality EDC stuff! Thanks again for doing what you do Magnus, I’m a follower/fan and occasional customer since 2020 – I think I discovered you thru a random comment under some YouTube video about “the best” mainstream boxcutters at the time! It read something like “if you can afford one then ignore all the ones shown in this video and treat yourself to a Magnus Slideclick – it’s all I ever use and it’s made out of pure titanium”… needless to say I was immediately intrigued, found your website, and should’ve bought back-ups! I’ve learned my lesson! Thanks again.
Ok since it seems that the opinions of the folks who voted in the poll seem not to matter then I will just vote in the best way possible. Ie with my wallet. I just won’t buy any more Magnus until the magnet spacing come back to something more to my liking. I have about 29 Magnus sliders and have loved them but there are enough designers out there. I will just take the money I was sounding on Magnus product and spend it somewhere else.
Great to see abit behind the scenes, have way too many of your designs but can’t wait for more! Great work