After your pre-order, make sure you share your unique referral link with your friends and family. If 5 of your referrals successfully pre-order through your unique referral link, you get your Volvorii for free! Or if you refer any 10 of your Facebook fans or Twitter followers to successfully pre-order through your referral link you get 2 Volvorii pairs for free. Plus free shipping if you are in USA or Mainland China.
In essence it is smart high heel shoe whose colors and design patterns can be controlled via a smartphone app to match outfits, among its other hidden sensorific capabilities to be unlocked.
To be Dragon Innovation Certified the Volvorii functional prototype was put through a battery of tests and physical examinations by the engineers and analysts at Dragon Innovation in Boston, MA, USA to make sure it works. For a glimpse of what those extensive tests entailed please see the official Volvorii Dragon Innovation Certificate here:
This did not happen overnight. For the past several months we've been working with Dragon Innovation through the certification process since they specialize in successfully bringing hardware products to market. Some of their customers include Pebble, Coin, FormLabs, Makerbot, LIFX, Sifteo, MOD-t, etc. So you may have seen their name on other crowdfunding campaigns. Thus our quality of work is in the same league and had to pass the exact same high standards as the other successfully delivered crowdfunded projects listed above.
We understood that we are not a well known global brand with bottomless R&D pockets that one would typically expect to pull off this kind of bleeding edge work. Nor are we based in Silicon Valley. So we had to put the Volvorii functional prototypes through even more rigorous tests than others. Mostly because the Volvorii was designed to compete for the Louis Vuitton Prize.
TechFrag "
The right dress with the right shoes is a headache no more!"
The Wall Street Journal "...Gadgets Signal New Era of Innovation"
MIT Smart Customization Research Group “I did watch the video. It seems like electronic ink! How fascinating!!" - Betty Lou McClanahan
Display Daily Magazine "iShuu Works Flexible Display into a… Shoe"
Information Display Magazine "New Shoes? No Problem. Creating Dynamic Fashion with Wearable Displays"
ChipChick Magazine "This Smart High Heel Shoe Never Goes out of Style"
ShinyShiny Magazine "Volvorii Timeless is the smart shoe that changes with your clothes (or mood)"
Stuff Magazine "These smart heels could match everything from floral dresses to a snakeskin bags"
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Step into the future today with the Int'l Award Nominated Volvorii.
The Volvorii is streamlined, has an embedded flexible electronic paper display, a Bluetooth LE module with battery wireless charging, elegantly positioned fastener accessory anchors both on the front and back of the shoe.
Style, comfort and convenience are at its epicenter.
The Volvorii’s clean, elegant, sturdy design brings gravitas, respect and formality in an unmistakable way. Whether you are a CEO at the apex of your industry or a prospective intern who got it as a graduation present going for your first interview in the corporate world, the Volvorii will carry you with grace.
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Yes ladies, you can have your cake and eat it too!
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You love the way your completely white Volvorii perfectly completed your work ensemble today but of course you can't wear the same outfit tomorrow. What's a girl to do ? No problem. Click the smartphone app button to change the shoes' flexible display and instantly change your completely white Volvorii to white with a dash of dark. The devil does not wear that shoe anymore, she now wears something with real 21st Century magic in it.
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Going on a special date and want that more fashionable look. Simply click your smartphone app to change what is displayed on the flexible screen to show design patterns with a flare.
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With the front fastener anchor you can customize your unique look by attaching detachable accessories to your smart shoe to match that "oh so impossible but unique" outfit that you love so much!
We plan to set up an online platform for users to buy a variety of accessories or request for those they want. While interested designers can make show stopping accessories for the Volvorii and list them on the platform.
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With the front and back fastener anchors you can customize your unique total ensemble look to your heart’s content. You want diamond studs fasteners to bling your Volvoriis? Or your initials on a plate? Or golden chain with sparkles for the party? Or jewelry gems for the ultimate glamor Volvorii runway look? …Your imagination is the limit.
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With the back fastener anchors you can attach a variety of detachable ankle straps that not only add a touch of more design elegance but also provide that added comfort advantage. Just the thing for when walking in your heels for long is called for.
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Then you are in luck!
No more guessing what is the right holidays gift for that special woman in your life.
Because :
a) A holidays gift she can customize in unlimited ways to fit her very unique personality/mood/atmosphere/etc or all those other reasons that even super computers have not yet figured out, let alone you, is a gift you can't go wrong with.
b) Simply put, here is a gift she will rave about and more importantly the guy who got it for her. And you know what that does to the Brownie Points Bank!
c) If feeling like totally impressing, the whole nine yards? Then pre-order the Developers Kit Perk, bond as you build a whole line of Smart Shoes together while making future plans.
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The Volvorii smart shoe concept, to a notable extent, was inspired by the work at MIT’s Smart Customization Research Group < http://scg.mit.edu/ >. However, we are not in any way affiliated with the university or the Smart Customization Research Group.
But we applied our own take on the similar theories and also read some of the best written words on the subject of smart customization including the following titles:
1-Infinite Possibility: Creating Customer Value on the Digital Frontier
2-Handbook of Research in Mass Customization and Personalization
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In the Volvorii smart shoe we hope to bring you a shoe that has unprecedented levels of being simultaneously versatile and elegant. It is our true hope that from this work and with your support the future of smart fashion has just crossed a threshold. And you got to cross it first.
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The comparison table below shows how the Volvorii stacks up against other well known customizable shoes. The goal is not to disparage anyone but merely to illustrate the value proposition we will provide to you our valuable backers.
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We started from scratch, designed then built something many considered impossible up until we gave them live hands-on demos of our
Innovation Award Nominated fully functional prototypes. Our goal all along was to bring this futuristic experience into the everyday life in a seamless way that brings out the
fashionista and
artista in all. The added advantage of easy customization to carter for each individual’s own tastes and occasion was paramount.
We deliberately did not overwhelm the Volvorii with mountains of tech. Instead we focused on just the essence of what we thought truly matters to enduring style and fashion in our fast changing world.
Now we need your support to reach the next level we cannot on our own without your help. The money we raise during our pre-orders campaign will allow us to pay for the FCC & CE testing, tooling & mass manufacturing, refining the iOS and Android App, roll out an efficient online platform for users to purchase and sell smart shoe design patterns and accessories.
In a way we just might be on the verge of creating a new micro industry for the world, but it is clear we cannot do it alone. Even simply spreading the word will be of tremendous help to making this a reality.
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After your purchase, make sure you share your unique referral link with your friends and family. If 5 of your referrals purchase through your unique referral link, you get your Volvorii for free!
You will find your referral link upon completing your purchase. For any questions about the referral program please email jane@ishuu.com.
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THE SEASONED CORE TEAM
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Wallen Mphepö | CEO
Wallen’s professional and academic background in Electronic Information Display technologies is covered in a dizzying array of ground breaking display technologies that have been featured in everything from The Wall Street Journal, to The Economist, to TechCrunch, to The New Scientist, to Popular Science, to IEEE/OSA Magazines & Journals and everything in between. He is also a reviewer for several IEEE and Optical Society of America’s Scientific and Technology Journals that touch on all facets of advanced & novel electronic information display technologies. For a peek at a sample of some of his work please see: http://about.me/wallen
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Mark Willner – UC Berkeley, MBA | Post-Financing COO
Having founded and ran several Technology companies in the past, Mark brings a real seasoned veteran's insight into how to run a multifaceted tech and fashion project such as ours. With the ability to see the grand vision and the know-how to have it executed on the day to day, his expertise holds the key to making the project delivery a success.
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George Melnik – Kent State Univ, PhD | Post-Financing CTO
For the ground breaking technology platforms that have an electronic information display dimension to not just work but sing in synchrony, a steady hand at the tech helm is necessary. George is a rare find for our team. He is the kind of technology expert who brings in vast experience in CTO, R&D, Tech Advisory positions he has held in the past to bear on the project.
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Dan Tian | Bluetooth SW/HW Expert & Founder of
JUMA To say Dan is a Bluetooth expert might be a gross understatement. This unassuming guy, for a long while, was the only Chinese member on the international Bluetooth technology standards and direction steering committee. He has been working hands on with Bluetooth since 1999. He is deeply involved in the whole Bluetooth industry, including chipsets, standards, stack, software, embedded and system applications. JUMA offers Complete Bluetooth Smart Development framework, High Quality Bluetooth Manufacturing Supply Chain and Expert Bluetooth Smart consulting solutions for efficient product delivery.
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Jusheng Ren | Hardware Extraordinaire
When it absolutely has to be customized, miniaturized, fine tuned and soldered by hand - all in record time and still come out looking and working like it got the advanced robotic accuracy treatment, Jusheng is your man. Juice as we prefer to refer him as, is the guy behind the complete transformation of the three storey building of electronics boards in our very first prototype to a coin sized board that packs everything including Bluetooth smart, wireless battery charging and a completely new Display Driver Controller circuit that he built from scratch. If that is not an art form then we don’t know what is.
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Jane Yang | Marketing & Shoe Critic
With a Masters Degree from Belgium in EU-China Business plus hands on experience working for a Dutch Business Development Consulting Firm, Jane knows how to transcend boundaries and get the message across. As a perennial high heel wearer herself, she insisted on making sure the Volvorii is something she would enjoy wearing everyday herself.
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Josh Fairbain, Morpho MFG | Shoe Manufacturing Partner
Josh Fairbain and his company Morpho MFG have been helping hardware makers for years. They are probably one of the most unsung heroes behind the scenes. They have made some of the most iconic and successful hardware crowdfunding projects not only get delivered, but delivered on time. We are glad to have them as our partner in this endeavor to bring about one of the most beautiful wearable fashion products we hope to share with the world. http://morphomfg.com/
ADVISORY & SUPPORT GROUP
Pedzi M. – MIT, Engineering PhD & Havard
University, Post Doc.
Justin Wang – Founder | Beijing Maker Space |
Mega MengMeng – Tsinghua University | Fashion Design
YinLei – Juma Tech | Logistics
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Detailed Time Line To Delivery
July 2009 – Idea takes form, but Wallen is still in grad school studying Display Technologies. Fashion Wearables’ potential still haven’t quite fully sunk into the mass consciousness. Result? Adviser is not impressed. Idea gets shelved.
January 2013- Arduino tinkering on the smart shoe begins
July 2013-Roadkill prototype version successfully tested and it performs with curated, though embarrassing, video to prove it.
November 2013- Iterated prototype. Results are much better and video recorded for proof. Less embarrassing so video clip is shared with friends to get much needed feedback. Personal trusted adviser and friend Dr. Pedzi, MIT views clip and verdict is “Idea has legs”
November 2013 – Met Dan Tian at Beijing Maker Space. The combined hands on expertise prove now it was time. Industrial grade prototype development begins in earnest. The rest of team slowly begin to fall into place.
January 2014 – Display driver control and Bluetooth LE electronic circuits merging and miniaturization to fit inside the sole of the shoe.
July 2014- Commercial grade prototype with custom miniaturized display driver control, BLE, battery wireless charging system.
September 2014 – Commercial grade prototype testing and refining for footwear mechanics.
January 2015 – Fully functional prototype becomes Dragon Innovation Certified
February 2015 – Crowdfunding preparation and continue refinements
March 2015 – Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign launches
April 2015 – Final product design and engineering refinements
April 2015 – Mass manufacturing validation tests
May 2015 – Volvorii goes into production
June 2015 – First batch of mass produced version of Volvorii undergoes extensive quality control.
December 2015 – Volvorii starts shipping
Risks & Challenges
While we have done all the home work and due diligence we possibly could, in advance, to make sure the engineering designs and mass manufacturing plans are sound we still understand that there are still risks. Some risks we can imagine and try to prepare for in advance while others we cannot foresee.
There are risks that our factories might need more time to manufacture, for that we have put a few contingencies in place.
There are risks that while we still refine the Volvorii, it might take longer to fix the Android App bugs we currently have. For this we plan to also use some of the campaign funds to hire more software developers to make sure everything will work perfectly within our delivery time frame.
There are risks that we or the engineers and analysts at Dragon Innovation might not have foreseen despite having put our best foot forward during the six point check.
In essence what we would like to convey to our backers is that : While we have done all that we could think of to anticipate even natural disasters so as to make the execution of this project as sound as it could be, there are still risks. This is because there are always challenges when manufacturing physical
products as we go through the FCC & CE certification processes, finish setting up the
production lines as well as lining up the logistics to get the Volvorii safely in your hands.
If any unexpected issue does come up, we have resolved to dig in and do everything in order to make sure we will be as
close to our target delivery time frame as possible. And more importantly that we will deliver to you a high quality product.
We appreciate all your various forms of support, and we are very excited to have
you join us in this mission to usher in a new era of wearable displays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please contact jane@ishuu.com with any questions whose answers you cannot find below.
PART I
[Technical Specs ]
Shoe Sizes: 37, 38, 39 | 34, 35, 36 | 40, 41, 42
Heel Height: Option A = 11.4cm | Option B = 8.5cm
Sole thickness: 2.5 cm
Colors: Black, White
Material: Leather, flexible electronic paper, rubber
Connectivity: Bluetooth LE
Battery: 3.7-4.3V, 200mAh Rechargeable
Charger: USB type wireless charger
Charging Time: 2 hours to fully charge from zero
Battery Life: Fully charged battery will last 2months-6months depending on usage
Free GPIO: Yes, 4 Total
PART II
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PRODUCT FEATURES
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Do you really have a working prototype, why did I not see the full video?
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Yes we do have fully functional prototypes that have been independently verified by Dragon Innovation in Boston, USA. We cannot show you the full videos of them here. This is because they were built for The Louis Vuitton Prize so they contain that global brand's trade marked logos and design patterns. We have not yet received written permission to show them on Indiegogo. However, some of the early prototypes' videos that are available for reference only can be found on our website.
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Is the inside lining leather
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Yes the inside lining is
made of genuine leather
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How can the Volvorii help me?
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The Volvorii adds more
variety to your shoe collection without the exorbitant expense or taking up
too much space. If you are artistically inclined you can also design graphics
patterns and accessories to sell to others on the smart shoe online store platform we are building.
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What is in the box
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a) Pair of Volvorii smart
shoes b) wireless charger
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Should I wash the Volvorii by dipping it in water?
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No, the Volvorii has a
flexible electronic paper display embedded in the leather. It is sealed to
prevent moisture from getting inside and damaging it. Even though it is sealed you still should not put water on the Volvorii.
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Can I kick rocks with the Volvorii?
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No, the Volvorii has a
flexible electronic paper display that could be damaged by excessive force.
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How should I clean my Volvorii?
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Use a dry cloth on the
flexible electronic paper display surface and surrounding area and wipe off the
dirt on the rest of the shoe normally.
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Where do I get the App to control my Volvorii?
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The free iOS and Android
apps will be placed on our website as well as in the App store once our work on refining it is completed before the shipping date.
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Do I have to install any software on my Volvorii ?
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No, your Volvorii comes with
all the software it needs pre-installed you just need to download the app
onto your phone and start controlling the colors and design patterns of your Volvorii.
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I would like to make a whole line of Volvorii accessories who do I
contact?
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Please send your request to
jane@ishuu.com with subject "LINE OF ACCESSORIES" and we will help you get set up so you can sell your great Volvorii
accessories on the future platform that we are still working on once it is completed.
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What colors do you offer and is it possible to increase the different number of design patterns that can be displayed each separate time by a single Volvorii.
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Currently we offer the
Volvorii in White and also in Black. Please see campaign photos for reference as well as the gallery link.
Yes we can increase the number of different design patterns that can be separately displayed. If there is enough demand for this feature we will add more design pattern looks each Volvorii can display as a Stretch Goal.
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What sizes do you offer
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Currently we offer the
Volvorii in size 36, 37, 38, 39. 40. We are still working on finalizing the other sizes i.e.
34, 35, 41, 42. However, please feel free to contact us if your size falls out of
these ranges.
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Is the Volvorii heavy
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The Volvorii weighs the same
as an average shoe and is actually lighter than others
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Who created the Volvorii
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The Volvorii was created by
the engineers and designers working for iShüu Tech and its partners. The original concept came from the founder and CEO , Wallen, who has a background in advanced electronic display technologies.
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How big is your team
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We currently have just 7
core members. If you would like to join us please email us at info@ishuu.com
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Who do I contact for PRESS material and interviews
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We encourage you to use our
images and videos in the gallery as long as you credit iShüu Technologies and link to http://www.ishuu.com.
For press kits and interview requests, please email wallen@ishuu.com.
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WOW you guys seem to be doing something interesting. Who do I contact for investment opportunities
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Please send an email to
wallen@ishuu.com
Or view our Private Placement Memorandum draft.
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Does Volvorii collect my personal private data
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No, we do not collect any of
your personal private data. Our goal is not tracking you or anything about
you. We just want you to enjoy looking good.
However, the Developer Kit Perk which we are considering adding as a Stretch Goal can be customized and enable various sensors to be added if you so choose. This is because the electronics board of the Volvorii has 4 free GPIOs to hack if one is so inclined.
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PART III
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SHIPPING
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When will the
Volvorii ship?
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We’re planning
to start shipping Volvorii to our crowdfunding supporters in December 2015,
with all units delivered by end of December 2015. Actual ship dates may vary.
We will keep you updated on the shipping date of your unit!
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Why do I have
to wait so long for the Volvorii?
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You're helping
us to build the smart shoe, and we also need to know how many of them to make before
we can start production. The Volvorii is the first of its kind, and you'll be
glad you waited. We have a talented team surrounded by even more experienced
advisory group apart from our proven partners. Our partners have helped
deliver related numerous crowdfunded hardware projects which is why we chose to work
with them. Having noted that, we will still send you updates while we
continue working to produce your Volvoriis for you.
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Where do you
ship?
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We plan to
ship both in the US and internationally to all countries. We use major
courier companies and we will ship to anywhere that they deliver.
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Is the cost of
shipping included?
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Please contribute
$25 to ship to US & Canada. For all other countries it's $50. For the
specific Shipping fee for Distributor Pack and Brand Pack please inquire
before hand before pre-ordering.
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Do I have to
pay VAT?
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You are making
a contribution and receiving the Volvorii as a gift and should not have to
pay VAT. However, depending on your country you may or may not have to pay
your country's own customs fees or other fees. So please do check with your country’s
customs and regulations in advance before submitting contributions.
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Can I split a
bulk order into multiple shipments?
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Our system
currently does not support shipping to multiple addresses. Please make a
second contribution if you would like to ship to multiple addresses. For all
questions regarding bulk orders, please email jane@ishuu.com and use
"BULK ORDER INQUIRY" as the subject line. Or consider our Family
Pack , Distributor Pack or Brand Pack Perks as alternative options.
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PART IV
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SUPPORT
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How do I
choose more than one perk?
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The Indiegogo
system is not set up to choose multiple perks. If you would like to choose
more than one perk, you will need to initiate a separate process for each
pre-order. If you encounter difficulties, please email jane@ishuu.com and use
"NEED HELP WITH ORDERING" as the subject line.
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Bulk Orders:
how can I order a larger number of units?
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For all
questions regarding bulk orders, please email jane@ishuu.com and use
"BULK ORDER INQUIRY" as the subject line. Or consider our Family
Pack , Distributor Pack or Brand Pack Perks as alternative options.
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I preordered
Volvorii but I didn't get a confirmation email. How can I check the status?
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Please refer
to this article on How to Know if Your Contribution is Successful. If there
is still an issue, then you may need to contact support@indiegogo.com.
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There was an
error with my contribution. What happened?
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Please refer
to this article on common contribution errors and steps to resolve: Common Contribution Errors.
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Why am I
checking out through Indiegogo?
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We are using
the Indiegogo platform to maintain transparency with our campaign: all the
stats, numbers, deadlines and dollars raised are real. We want you to know
that we have the full support of the crowdfunding community to help keep us
accountable.
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Can I get a
refund?
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According to Indiegogo Terms of Use, Pre-order contributions are not refundable. By making a contribution to this campaign, you acknowledge
that you understand that you are contributing to a work-in-progress and not
making a direct purchase. BUT we want to be fair and we do understand that sometimes life happens and people's situations change. Thus we will try to handle possible refunds on a case by case basis, but this would be best done after the campaign is completed.
Having said
that, we would like to also re-iterate that we have put our engineering designs and manufacturing plans through the
rigorous paces including 3rd party verification and certification from Dragon
Innovation to verify that our functional prototype and its mass production
plans are sound. Please see the rigorous 3rd party tests that the
Volvorii underwent for yourself here: https://www.dragoninnovation.com/certificates/48-volvorii-by-ishuu-technologies
We also partnered with Morpho MFG, the company that handled manufacturing for some of the most iconic related hardware crowdfunded projects that got delivered on time, to manage our mass manufacturing as well.
In short, we are just as excited about getting the Volvoriis delivered to you as you are about receiving them. Nothing would make us happier than one day seeing your Pinned images while wearing your customized Volvoriis.
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I don't see my
answer here. Who do I contact?
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Please email
us at jane@ishuu.com. We have a few team members answering emails, so please
be patient with us & keep in mind that we're getting many customer
support requests per day. We will get back to you ASAP.
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The Impact
“Using
current definitions the Volvorii is a wearable mobile display, another
variation of Google Glass that just takes a different form factor. With well
designed wearable displays the potential for an unknown talent to create a viral
and epic design that can be a world wallpaper in a matter of days is huge. Thus
there is potential to upset the balance. Just as the MP3 did to the music
industry, wearable displays such as these are poised to do the same to the fashion industry.
Soon after the Spotifies of the fashion world will rise to take their own places, it’s
inevitable. And it’s not all bad.”
