At Best Buy: Backpacks sold out, props on backorder, looks like we are winding down

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Gimbals back to $39.99. Props no longer available separately at the moment. Batteries seem to be available.

Just picked up three batteries. Free shipping. Not available within 250 miles of me for store pickup.

richnat · Jan 20, 2017

My gimbal just shipped. It is coming from my local Best Buy store. They should have called, I would have swung by and picked it up......

I cannot see how Best Buy can make any money with all the discounts and free shipping they do. I bought 4 sets of props at $3.99 each and each was shipped from a different location. They have to be in the hole on that overall transaction.....

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Here's a guy who needs to rot in hell. And no wonder the supplies at Best Buy are drying up!

speedstuffsales | eBay

Yeah, He's buying kits and breaking them up to sell them piecemeal. Don't know how much he's making off of each kits but he's apparently bought at least a dozen. That's a pretty good chunk of change to drop in any event.

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
My gimbal just shipped. It is coming from my local Best Buy store. They should have called, I would have swung by and picked it up......

I cannot see how Best Buy can make any money with all the discounts and free shipping they do. I bought 4 sets of props at $3.99 each and each was shipped from a different location. They have to be in the hole on that overall transaction.....

Does make you wonder since, according to an article I read somewhere (Forbes? don't remember), the Solo cost $750 to build.

RickP · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Here's a guy who needs to rot in hell. And no wonder the supplies at Best Buy are drying up!

speedstuffsales | eBay

As you noted earlier, American free enterprise at work. That's OK, he/she is assuming a risk that the product won't sell as quickly or for as much as he expects and will have to carry the inventory until it does as well as the costs of listing and fulfilling orders. I bought a 2nd drone strictly as insurance for parts if needed. The community coalescing around the Solo will likely find ways to share parts as well as stories and expertise. Ebay can be a back-up source.

richnat · Jan 20, 2017

This is how Best Buy sent me four sets of propellers! They must be desperate to clear inventory. Good customer service though, lots better than simply cancelling my order.

jmooch82 · Jan 20, 2017

Whisky56 said:
Does make you wonder since, according to an article I read somewhere (Forbes? don't remember), the Solo cost $750 to build.

i remember seeing that. crazy to think it that was the cost to build and some of us are getting whole kits for $300

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
This is how Best Buy sent me four sets of propellers! They must be desperate to clear inventory. Good customer service though, lots better than simply cancelling my order.

LOL. SELL! SELL! SELL!

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

jmooch82 said:
i remember seeing that. crazy to think it that was the cost to build and some of us are gotta get whole kits for $300

I've been fortunate to pick up a couple of good deals (a new Solo body only, some individual bits, and a bundle that included a PeauPro 82d) on eBay prior to jumping on the Best Buy site. I think my little squadron is now complete. Got my props (stock and APC) balanced last night, now to work on the Sorbothane, flat HDMI, and mBo mods this weekend (since the weather is going to suck I might as well knock them out).

dmyhill · Jan 20, 2017

nikono said:
My 2 cents.
When the P4 crashed, $1000's buried.
When the Solo crashed, $299. In most cases, the Gopro survived. The Solo's advertised as modular design for a good reason.

Just bought my first Solo...$199 open box Christmas return (with gimbal)...so, it is a cheap intro to recreational drone flying!

richnat · Jan 20, 2017

dmyhill said:
Just bought my first Solo...$199 open box Christmas return (with gimbal)...so, it is a cheap intro to recreational drone flying!

Good snag! But you'll be out a lot more than $200 before it is all said and done.....

dmyhill · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Good snag! But you'll be out a lot more than $200 before it is all said and done.....

Well, that is true with any drone, I figured. Can't buy a Phantom 1 for $200 used on Craigslist.

I am not completely new to flying, I fly one at work. Just never bought my own.

richnat · Jan 20, 2017

Without a doubt, the Solo is the best buy out there, for now and while they last. Probably the best buy for the quality and capabilities we will ever see. I secretly hope someone will buy the rights to the machine and keep the lineage going but I suppose that is pretty unlikely.

Whisky56 · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Good snag! But you'll be out a lot more than $200 before it is all said and done.....

Oh yes, you will. It's like owning a Jeep or a Harley... lol

Jubalr · Jan 20, 2017

richnat said:
Here's a guy who needs to rot in hell. And no wonder the supplies at Best Buy are drying up!

speedstuffsales | eBay

I think that's a little strong. Nothing wrong with what they are doing and the prices aren't that bad. He apparently has a connection and bought some from a dealer or 3DR since he has a good supply of 3DR refurb units.

Marich · Jan 20, 2017

Just picked up three extra gimbals at $39.99. The sales guy told me they were the last they had available for sale or to order - could be we're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Aussie in AZ · Jan 21, 2017

Douglas A said:
There are some aftermarket alternatives for the props that are reasonable. I think I saw APC branded as well as Masterairscrew. Both seem reasonably priced.
3DR Solo Propeller Upgrade - Master Airscrew 10x4.5 MR Propeller
10x4.5MR(ST2A)
10x4.5MRP(ST2A)

I have a few sets of the APC props and love them. The grey plastic to some, might not be as attractive as the OEM props but they are quieter and aren't as brittle.

Cheers
Aussie

Todd Mahan · Jan 21, 2017

Just wish I could sell my whole setup, drone, backpack 4 Batteries gimbal extra blades everything, going to take a beating on it has less than an hour of flight time

Whisky56 · Jan 21, 2017

Todd Mahan said:
Just wish I could sell my whole setup, drone, backpack 4 Batteries gimbal extra blades everything, going to take a beating on it has less than an hour of flight time

I'd try eBay. There are several sets out there (a few of which are priced a bit ridiculously IMHO). You never know. While they're cheap and easy to get right now, that won't last forever. And from what I've read the cheap prices aren't transferring overseas, so you might be able to get a reasonable return on it if you go that route.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Todd123 · Jan 21, 2017

Douglas A said:
There are some aftermarket alternatives for the props that are reasonable. I think I saw APC branded as well as Masterairscrew. Both seem reasonably priced.
3DR Solo Propeller Upgrade - Master Airscrew 10x4.5 MR Propeller
10x4.5MR(ST2A)
10x4.5MRP(ST2A)

I've been using the Master Airscrew props, and they work well. They're very shiny, and quiet too.