Moby1, Inka, Pelfrey, this is becoming all too common in this industry as of late. It's starting to to turn me off to the entire community/hobby/interest as a whole. I know this is a possible unfortunate byproduct of a burgeoning industry where backyard craftsman turn into entrepreneurs over night with little to no financial background and little business savvy, but this is starting to look like a culture ripe with sleazy business practices and ponzi schemes.
As a former owner of a successful startup, I know the struggles and hurdles these small businesses face, but the difference between a successful business that survives the first 2-5 years and continues to grow and have staying power and a company that fails in the wake of lawsuits and bankruptcy is clear/open/honest communication and never over extending yourself either financially or in time/contract/promises. Sadly I see a common theme in all of these recent failed businesses, poor communication and falling back on excuses and expecting sympathy and more time granted. Sadly it appears the excuses are used in order to buy time in hopes of catching up, gaining more capital or backers, or ultimately to stave off the masses while they wait for their bankruptcy filings to process in hopes of making out with products and capital.
I may be way off base here, but the current trend in society is the victim mentality, it seems everyone wants to be a victim and the masses are trending towards supporting the perceived "victim" with nothing more than assumptions and conjecture (just to be clear, I am referencing the businesses here as the "perceived victims", not the customer who is the actual victim). Sympathy is then offered in the form of begging those who judge to empathize with the accused. Business was not founded upon the feelings and emotions of those involved and yet society has somehow allowed that mentality to slip into every facet of our culture. At the end of the day goods and services were contractually agreed upon, funds were exchanged and now those funds are being withheld while those goods and services have failed to be delivered in a timely manner well beyond the contract parameters and schedule. Regardless of whether or not there was a specific date inked on the contract, the company is far beyond the agreed upon terms originally set for delivery and they are in the wrong here both morally and legally.
I hope for the sake of everyone involved that they receive their money back, but if history is any indicator here, odds are that those involved will be left with no product and no refund when the dust clears.