Dear Customers and Pet Lovers,
It is with a heavy heart that we are announcing discontinuation of our flagship product: Felik AI Pet Companion.
How Come?
2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. The double whammy of increased import tariffs, job losses, and COVID-related economic downturn has made it very difficult to sustain a startup manufacturing business in the United States.
Although we do maintain domestic manufacturing operations, there are certain components which we cannot source domestically in the United States. These components must be procured from international suppliers and shipped to Seattle before we can assemble the final product here in Washington State.
Some of these components, like the custom IR-sensitive camera CMOS modules and wide-angle lenses, have been very difficult to obtain due to a run on web cameras since the COVID pandemic started. They have also been expensive to import due to the increase in customs tariffs.
Even though we manufacture Felik in the United States, the cost of the import tariffs for individual components falls squarely on the shoulders of the manufacturer, not the overseas supplier. That being the case, we do not regret being a domestic electronics manufacturer, and are proud of our Made in the USA heritage. Alas, the unfortunate combination of increased manufacturing costs and the COVID-related economic slowdown is no longer sustainable for many small businesses, including ours.
What This Means for You
We are offering our remaining inventory for sale at a 75% discount while supplies last. This price point is below the cost of goods, labor, and R&D that was invested to build the devices.
Felik does not require Internet connectivity and can operate entirely offline, so your devices will continue working as we begin sunsetting some of our Internet relay server cloud infrastructure.
Returns
We will continue offering 30-day hassle-free returns for all purchases made during this period, while supplies last.
Warranty
We will offer a reduced limited 90-day warranty from the date of purchase (as opposed to our normal 1-year warranty).
Customer Service
Email customer service will no longer be available 90 days after the last item is sold from our remaining inventory. We will continue to host our Knowledge Base which contains the user manual and troubleshooting guides.
Internet Connectivity
We will be sunsetting some (but not all) of our Internet Relay servers which provide remote Internet connectivity and access. Each relay server carries a monthly cost of operation, and our current cluster of servers is reserved with AWS for a certain period of time.
NOTE: Internet Relay servers are not required for normal device operation. They are used to provide access to the video feed and controls over the Internet, while you are away from your home Wi-Fi network. You will still be able to use your devices as normal on your home Wi-Fi network.
Below is the anticipated shutdown schedule of the Internet Relay servers:
Sydney, Australia: May 10th, 2021
Frankfurt, Germany: May 10th, 2021
N. Virginia, United States: May 10th, 2021
Oregon, United States: Continued operation through 2021
Starting May 10th, all devices (domestically and internationally) will be routed through our West Coast Internet Relay servers, which may degrade Internet connectivity for customers who are not in geographical proximity to Oregon State, United States.
Mobile Apps
Mobile apps will continue to be available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, with required maintenance updates continuing through 2021.
A Big Thank You to Our Community!
A huge Thank You to our Kickstarter and Indiegogo backers, as well as our customers over the years. We sincerely appreciate all of your support and kindness! Your messages and feedback have warmed our hearts and kept us going even though challenging times. We love pets, and we loved hearing all your stories about how Felik has made a positive difference in your furry pals’ lives :) Thank you all so much for making this an incredible journey!
Stay safe, stay healthy, and take care!
Warm regards,
Felik Team ❤️