Do not get the Square Off chessboard

The first generation boards are quite cool and most folks seem very happy with them, but I couldn't quite convince myself to pull the trigger.  This next generation is both cheaper and quicker; I suspect they'll be a big seller once they're in production.  I have been waiting for awhile...

Yes. I'd really like one. 

These folks seems to be a bunch of crooks from India who had a good idea and prototype to get millions of dollars in funding from gullible people (me included) in 2019.   They used the funding for SWAP & NEO board for their totally different new product "Pro" without any mechanical movement.   The standard chatbot "Alex " reply is  months of successive delays.  Last I head was October'22 for orders placed in 2019. Now I get a message that it has been delayed till Mar'23  and around March'2023 I will get a message a much later delivery!!   Chess.com should just disassociate from such crooks.  Looking forward to a pending class action suit against such crooks.  SquareOff must have created some record of delays and may succeed (if ever)  to deliver it to next generation!

Yeah there's no way this is a good business, let alone a fair one for consumer considering how many people never got their order (unfortunately, I've read plenty of comments about this everywhere). And I don't think a 'pre-order' for a product shipping in March 2023 is acceptable. I was considering getting a Swap. The pre-order price seems very fair. The shipping estimate however, is anything but fair or acceptable.

So I am not the only one.

I preordered a SWAP board on Feb 6, 2022 and it said I should get it on May 15th, 2022.

It's March 2023, and my order status has still not been updated and no communication from them unless I have emailed them to complain. 

But would you believe the number of sales promo texts and emails I get frequently telling me not to miss out on this great discounted price and how orders will be "guaranteed delivery". 

I am convinced if not an outright scam, this has to be the most poorly run business in existence. Absolutely would not recommend. 

Yikes.... that does not sound good at all.

I am a kickstarter, and I just got my SWAP.   I have played 5 games on the app with other squareoff users, and I can confirm it seems to work ok. 

However, as I have stated many times, if you plan on purchasing a Squareoff product, purchase it from Amazon or HoS, and not from the company itself. It is going to take longer for it to show up there, BUT Amazon and HoS offers much better customer service if things go south for you.  

How long did it take to arrive though @binomine ? Didn't the kickstarter end years ago?

They still claim ordering before June 2023, will result in getting it shipped in August 2023, which is simply not what we see happening at all. Plenty of people report well over 6 months of waiting, if not 12 months or more now. Not good.

I'm half tempted to buy their old 'slower' board actually, but I can't support a company that doesn't fairly report on real shipping times.

Yeah, the kickstarter Started October 2019, and I got it March 2023.  They absolutely lied about how far along they were in the design process, since they just started producing the SWAP in 2023.  And the Neo started being produced sometime June 2022.  

Since they are now manufacturing them, I expect it will be less than a 3 year wait. 

Chess.com wants me to be kind, but what is there to be kind to? This board is a waste of your money, the application is a waste of your money, the customer service is non-existent, there are WAY TO MANY BUGS in the application and therefore makes this a waste of your time and money. If you like to light up cigars with 100 dollar bills, You get more out of that than to put down 2 bills for this product. They are a rip-off and they will take your money to the bank and will not honor their warranty. It is a scam , plain and simple. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!

there customer service is non existent. i payd to upgrade the app got charged but no upgrade.

seven emails to there customer support not a single reply

Well, at least you got your board. I've bought mine in July 31st of 2020. Yeap, 2020. And I keep waiting to say it is terrible, or at least to play against the computer.

@maion - Which board did you order?

@Rsava I ordered the SWAP board. Today I've got a phone call from Miko (company that purchase Square Off company) they told me that due to shortage in inventory my board will be shipped in September. Let's see. It's being 4 years and counting.

Was my last post removed, even though it was nothing but facts and a public service announcement?

No, I had a follow up from the peacenik DKW - who probably cried to admins to have it removed. My question was merely rhetorical. Both House of Chess and House of Staunton will not help you if you didn't directly buy from them. And besides, they really shouldn't have to help - the ripoff err I mean SquareOne should provide the help you need. All these complaints add up to poor service and not a reliable company/product. Buyer beware!

They have made many updates to their app, and in my opinion, it has gotten progressively worse.