Our story of building Ready luggage. Any feedback?
Dec 25, 2016, 7:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Our story of building Ready luggage. Any feedback?
This thread is being posted after consultation with Moderator Wharvey.
Hi all,
We are a startup working on Ready luggage, we want to share our experience with the community and also hear about your feedback.
I have been thinking for a long time on what the most suitable luggage for travel should be like. In my opnion, It should not just be a box which is strong enough to bring, nor a toy which is a collection of cool technology features. Instead, FUNCTIONAL and AFFORDABLE ought to be its key identity. As frequent travellers, we hope our laundries can be placed in order, and our daily electronics can be properly protected. Also, we don’t want to ruin our travel mood for paying the overweight luggage. READY LUGGAGE is determined to provide an "all-in-one" solution to all these problems.
Here are several key features of it:
1. Carry-on size. We all understand the pain of waiting at the baggage claim point, so we choose a carry-on luggage that can suits most airlines.
2. Detachable charger. Providing up to 4x iPhone charges. You can also remove the battery to avoid issues if sometime it is used as Check-in luggage.
3. Built-in scale. Simply weigh before your journey, no more overweight luggage at the airport.
4. Advanced tracking. Get notified if your suitcase is left behind you. I have to say this feature is less appealing, since we use Bluetooth chip to transmit the scale data to your phone, this is just a little extra bonus without any hardware or software cost. and you can turn it off easily.
5. Organized packing system. We do design a set of pouches, which can be fastened to the inside lining.
6. Cup holder - Enjoy coffee on the roll
7. Aircraft grade aluminum frame, scratch-resistance case. Lifetime Warranty.
Basically, our luggage is supposed to be durable and able to solve all problems, however we want to take one step futher. We want you to feel amazed when you first meet our product. Therefore, instead of calling for an industrial designer, we worked together with a car designer to lead the design, who has been heavily involved in Chevrolet concept car design program.
Moreover, we want everyone has his Customized Ready luggage. As you can see there are plenty of dots on the surface of luggage, Ready will come together with different diamond stickers, with which you can design your own decorative pattern. It could be a world map showing all places you have been to, or a portrait of John Lennon to show respect, or anything that can show your creativity and represent your personality.
That's quite a long paragraph, if you made it, here is our website for the luggage, readytravel.co. We want to hear your thoughts on it.
Thank you all!
Hi all,
We are a startup working on Ready luggage, we want to share our experience with the community and also hear about your feedback.
I have been thinking for a long time on what the most suitable luggage for travel should be like. In my opnion, It should not just be a box which is strong enough to bring, nor a toy which is a collection of cool technology features. Instead, FUNCTIONAL and AFFORDABLE ought to be its key identity. As frequent travellers, we hope our laundries can be placed in order, and our daily electronics can be properly protected. Also, we don’t want to ruin our travel mood for paying the overweight luggage. READY LUGGAGE is determined to provide an "all-in-one" solution to all these problems.
Here are several key features of it:
1. Carry-on size. We all understand the pain of waiting at the baggage claim point, so we choose a carry-on luggage that can suits most airlines.
2. Detachable charger. Providing up to 4x iPhone charges. You can also remove the battery to avoid issues if sometime it is used as Check-in luggage.
3. Built-in scale. Simply weigh before your journey, no more overweight luggage at the airport.
4. Advanced tracking. Get notified if your suitcase is left behind you. I have to say this feature is less appealing, since we use Bluetooth chip to transmit the scale data to your phone, this is just a little extra bonus without any hardware or software cost. and you can turn it off easily.
5. Organized packing system. We do design a set of pouches, which can be fastened to the inside lining.
6. Cup holder - Enjoy coffee on the roll
7. Aircraft grade aluminum frame, scratch-resistance case. Lifetime Warranty.
Basically, our luggage is supposed to be durable and able to solve all problems, however we want to take one step futher. We want you to feel amazed when you first meet our product. Therefore, instead of calling for an industrial designer, we worked together with a car designer to lead the design, who has been heavily involved in Chevrolet concept car design program.
Moreover, we want everyone has his Customized Ready luggage. As you can see there are plenty of dots on the surface of luggage, Ready will come together with different diamond stickers, with which you can design your own decorative pattern. It could be a world map showing all places you have been to, or a portrait of John Lennon to show respect, or anything that can show your creativity and represent your personality.
That's quite a long paragraph, if you made it, here is our website for the luggage, readytravel.co. We want to hear your thoughts on it.
Thank you all!
Dec 27, 2016, 7:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Tampa Bay
Programs: DL DM, Marriott/Starwood Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 41
I travel frequently on the East coast of the US. 4-6 flights a week on average.
I almost never check a bag.
I am not trying to be a troll. I am always looking for better luggage. Below are my quick thoughts, good and bad.
good:
It looks very nice. I like the square corners, it gives me a little more room to squeeze things in. Aluminum frame sounds tough.
Neutral: the wheels... they look cool. I can't see much of them. A battery? how big? how long to charge? what is the output? how easy is it removed if need be?
Bad: I can't see much of it. How about some videos of it?
A cup holder? great something else to break.
It seems like you have this all finished, so why ask for input other than marketing?
I almost never check a bag.
I am not trying to be a troll. I am always looking for better luggage. Below are my quick thoughts, good and bad.
good:
It looks very nice. I like the square corners, it gives me a little more room to squeeze things in. Aluminum frame sounds tough.
Neutral: the wheels... they look cool. I can't see much of them. A battery? how big? how long to charge? what is the output? how easy is it removed if need be?
Bad: I can't see much of it. How about some videos of it?
A cup holder? great something else to break.
It seems like you have this all finished, so why ask for input other than marketing?
Dec 27, 2016, 7:36 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,225
Looks cool but not for me. My only feedback is I HATE websites where, when you start to scroll down, a pop up blocks your view and demands a mouse click before you can see the website. If I am forced to click, I usually click the < instead of whatever annoying pop up demands my attention.
Dec 27, 2016, 7:58 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
I travel frequently on the East coast of the US. 4-6 flights a week on average.
I almost never check a bag.
I am not trying to be a troll. I am always looking for better luggage. Below are my quick thoughts, good and bad.
good:
It looks very nice. I like the square corners, it gives me a little more room to squeeze things in. Aluminum frame sounds tough.
Neutral: the wheels... they look cool. I can't see much of them. A battery? how big? how long to charge? what is the output? how easy is it removed if need be?
Bad: I can't see much of it. How about some videos of it?
A cup holder? great something else to break.
It seems like you have this all finished, so why ask for input other than marketing?
I almost never check a bag.
I am not trying to be a troll. I am always looking for better luggage. Below are my quick thoughts, good and bad.
good:
It looks very nice. I like the square corners, it gives me a little more room to squeeze things in. Aluminum frame sounds tough.
Neutral: the wheels... they look cool. I can't see much of them. A battery? how big? how long to charge? what is the output? how easy is it removed if need be?
Bad: I can't see much of it. How about some videos of it?
A cup holder? great something else to break.
It seems like you have this all finished, so why ask for input other than marketing?
Neutral: Yes we will add more information(specs and videos) about the battery.
Bad: Absolutely more videoes are needed.
About the cup holder, it would be something to be broken easily when used as a check-in, do you think the problem remains as a carry-on?
The reason why we ask for input is that we value high of the opinions from potential customers. For the product, it's still not finished yet and we do consider add/remove features.
Dec 27, 2016, 8:00 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Looks cool but not for me. My only feedback is I HATE websites where, when you start to scroll down, a pop up blocks your view and demands a mouse click before you can see the website. If I am forced to click, I usually click the < instead of whatever annoying pop up demands my attention.
Dec 27, 2016, 9:09 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Looks cool but not for me. My only feedback is I HATE websites where, when you start to scroll down, a pop up blocks your view and demands a mouse click before you can see the website. If I am forced to click, I usually click the < instead of whatever annoying pop up demands my attention.
I'm also not a fan of spinners.
Dec 28, 2016, 2:43 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Glad to know. It is more susceptible for this kind of spinners. Won't argue if it is the truth, but we still have time to change it back to normal ones which the customers are more used to. We will consider that. Thanks.
Dec 28, 2016, 3:03 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: LH FT, AA Plat
Posts: 198
The leather strap, USB charger and scale are neat features.
I'd never use the cup holder, I find it tacky. Why do the wheels have holes in it? When I think of the times I travel during winter (leaves, mud, water on the floor, dirty uneven surfaces), I can already see how dirty they'd become, maybe even with stuff stuck in it.
I'd never use the cup holder, I find it tacky. Why do the wheels have holes in it? When I think of the times I travel during winter (leaves, mud, water on the floor, dirty uneven surfaces), I can already see how dirty they'd become, maybe even with stuff stuck in it.
Dec 28, 2016, 3:58 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
The leather strap, USB charger and scale are neat features.
I'd never use the cup holder, I find it tacky. Why do the wheels have holes in it? When I think of the times I travel during winter (leaves, mud, water on the floor, dirty uneven surfaces), I can already see how dirty they'd become, maybe even with stuff stuck in it.
I'd never use the cup holder, I find it tacky. Why do the wheels have holes in it? When I think of the times I travel during winter (leaves, mud, water on the floor, dirty uneven surfaces), I can already see how dirty they'd become, maybe even with stuff stuck in it.
Thank you very much for bringing up the question, I think that will cause some problems. Now we are leaning toward change the wheels (luckily we do have a backup design).
Dec 28, 2016, 10:38 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
I think I'm missing something on the strap. What exactly is its point? Is it kind of like a built-in luggage strap or something?
I'm not sure if I'm in the minority here, but I've never understood batteries built in to luggage. Don't get me wrong - I always carry a battery/power bank with me when I fly. But building it in to the luggage just seems like the least practical idea ever:
1. You can only charge your device when you're directly next to your bag, most likely only when sitting still. This rules out charging on the plane (the important time to be able to charge, in most cases) or in a car. You're left with the few minutes that you're sitting at gate or in the lounge.
2. The placement of your charger ports makes sense in that they're a little more protected, but it's also more annoying, in that they can only be used when the handle is extended. So those few minutes at the gate, when your handle should be down, it's now up and in the way. Or, if you're at the gate for a longer amount of time, you're unable to put your feet up on the bag because the handle is up.
3. You have to put your bag next to the outlet to recharge it at night. Kind of in the way, and often not the most convenient location in hotels. If the battery is removable, this might help with this problem.
4. The extra weight is added to your bag. For 4 iPhone charges, you're looking at at least a 10,000mAh battery. That's going to add a pound or so to the weight, minimum. Not great for the carriers that weigh carry-ons (which admittedly aren't all that common).
Then again, having a battery built in may pretty much be a requirement for higher-end luggage these days, so maybe you've got to do it. I will say that one way to set yourself apart is to include a small place to store a cable with the battery, so that you're not having to dig through your stuff to find a cable every time you sit down. My favorite batteries all have cable storage built (often retracting into the battery, or wrapping around it once) so that you don't have to keep up with extra stuff. Probably a little more difficult to do in a suitcase, but something to think about.
I'm actually something of a fan of the cupholder. I probably wouldn't buy the suitcase based solely on that (as others have said, I'd see it mainly as something else to break), but there are definitely times I could have used one. If you want to say it's also for umbrellas, make sure there's some way to actually attach the umbrella.
If you're sending out stickers to decorate with, you better have some kind of system for helping people get them put on absolutely straight. I can't think of a much better way to ensure that someone is immediately frustrated with their new luggage than to have a bunch of people (semi-)permanently attaching stickers to it, only to find that they went on crooked. Think about the frustration of phone screen protectors, on a much larger scale.
I'm not sure if I'm in the minority here, but I've never understood batteries built in to luggage. Don't get me wrong - I always carry a battery/power bank with me when I fly. But building it in to the luggage just seems like the least practical idea ever:
1. You can only charge your device when you're directly next to your bag, most likely only when sitting still. This rules out charging on the plane (the important time to be able to charge, in most cases) or in a car. You're left with the few minutes that you're sitting at gate or in the lounge.
2. The placement of your charger ports makes sense in that they're a little more protected, but it's also more annoying, in that they can only be used when the handle is extended. So those few minutes at the gate, when your handle should be down, it's now up and in the way. Or, if you're at the gate for a longer amount of time, you're unable to put your feet up on the bag because the handle is up.
3. You have to put your bag next to the outlet to recharge it at night. Kind of in the way, and often not the most convenient location in hotels. If the battery is removable, this might help with this problem.
4. The extra weight is added to your bag. For 4 iPhone charges, you're looking at at least a 10,000mAh battery. That's going to add a pound or so to the weight, minimum. Not great for the carriers that weigh carry-ons (which admittedly aren't all that common).
Then again, having a battery built in may pretty much be a requirement for higher-end luggage these days, so maybe you've got to do it. I will say that one way to set yourself apart is to include a small place to store a cable with the battery, so that you're not having to dig through your stuff to find a cable every time you sit down. My favorite batteries all have cable storage built (often retracting into the battery, or wrapping around it once) so that you don't have to keep up with extra stuff. Probably a little more difficult to do in a suitcase, but something to think about.
I'm actually something of a fan of the cupholder. I probably wouldn't buy the suitcase based solely on that (as others have said, I'd see it mainly as something else to break), but there are definitely times I could have used one. If you want to say it's also for umbrellas, make sure there's some way to actually attach the umbrella.
If you're sending out stickers to decorate with, you better have some kind of system for helping people get them put on absolutely straight. I can't think of a much better way to ensure that someone is immediately frustrated with their new luggage than to have a bunch of people (semi-)permanently attaching stickers to it, only to find that they went on crooked. Think about the frustration of phone screen protectors, on a much larger scale.
Dec 28, 2016, 9:45 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 283
I like it. Obviously, there will be design conversations, but if it were reasonable in price, I'd consider it when I do my next purchase.
The cup holder is interesting. Why not include a sippy cup than can be hooked onto the bag with a carabiner, just as kids do with a Nalgene and a clip? Basically it would be a thermos which could be locked shut and attached to the suitcase with some kind of cord. If you wanted, you could toss the cup, but it should be branded, so when I get a cup of coffee in my kitchen, I will see your name when I pour it into a thermos.
Ditch the battery. I don't want to carry it. I bring a small cord. I don't travel a lot to places which require converters, so I would rather plug my cord in at the hotel or house and use it then. I don't want to charge my phone by attaching it to a suitcase, for the reasons listed above.
I do want to minimize weight. Even if the airline does permit an overweight bag, it is still heavy. Don't want the wheels to break or slow me down when I'm trying to flag a cab at 3AM in Vancouver.
Chuck
The cup holder is interesting. Why not include a sippy cup than can be hooked onto the bag with a carabiner, just as kids do with a Nalgene and a clip? Basically it would be a thermos which could be locked shut and attached to the suitcase with some kind of cord. If you wanted, you could toss the cup, but it should be branded, so when I get a cup of coffee in my kitchen, I will see your name when I pour it into a thermos.
Ditch the battery. I don't want to carry it. I bring a small cord. I don't travel a lot to places which require converters, so I would rather plug my cord in at the hotel or house and use it then. I don't want to charge my phone by attaching it to a suitcase, for the reasons listed above.
I do want to minimize weight. Even if the airline does permit an overweight bag, it is still heavy. Don't want the wheels to break or slow me down when I'm trying to flag a cab at 3AM in Vancouver.
Chuck
Dec 28, 2016, 9:50 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Hi bobert24, great feedback, lots to be taken!
On the strap I think photos explain better than words. It's basically a place for your hand bag, coat. However we do need to add more photos to the website.
I understand your points on the battery, almost everyone carry a power bank today, what we want to achieve is basically a better way for people to charge their phones when they are walking. We see many people holding a phone as well as a power bank in their hand at the airport. When they sit down, a normal power bank can work totally fine. In that case, you can see it as a organised place for you to put your power bank in. It is definitely REMOVABLE, and we haven't decided wether you have to purchase the power bank when you buy the luggage, and now I am more leaning towards provide the dimensions so customers can use their own power bank if they like.
Yes we did choose the place for charging port carefully for the protection as well as the aesthetics. Obviously when you are walking with a luggage, the handle is extended. I have to admit that we never thought about putting feet on the luggage, it does make sense, like we said, we are more focused to provide a better solution for "charging on the move".
It is removable, that might help. And if you choose a larger battery, it can reduce the frequency need for charging the luggage
.
This is so true. We tried hard to minimize the weight of the luggage, which would be around 8.38lb without the battery. It is pretty decent for a aluminum frame carry on. But you are absolutely right, we will definitely consider let the users to choose/use their own power bank most suitable for their trips.
I like the idea of built-in cables. In fact we tried to solve that problem. We don't really want to sacrifice the storage room as well as the durability, haven't found a satisfying solution yet. But we will keep working on that. Your feedback make us more motivated on this feature.
Yes, it is a place you can put a coffee, newspapar, magazine, umbralla on there. We will shoot more photos on it.
Stickers is kind of a bonus for this luggage, we are developing an app (choose the pattern, detailed instructions, etc) to make it easier to use. Also the pixel dot stickers are quite small, not a big one, the worst case is someone put a wrong pixel, still have ways to make it look good. I think we should film more videos on this.
Again thanks for all those valuable feedback, and we shall keep you updated with more details on all the questions you mentioned.
I think I'm missing something on the strap. What exactly is its point? Is it kind of like a built-in luggage strap or something?
1. You can only charge your device when you're directly next to your bag, most likely only when sitting still. This rules out charging on the plane (the important time to be able to charge, in most cases) or in a car. You're left with the few minutes that you're sitting at gate or in the lounge.
2. The placement of your charger ports makes sense in that they're a little more protected, but it's also more annoying, in that they can only be used when the handle is extended. So those few minutes at the gate, when your handle should be down, it's now up and in the way. Or, if you're at the gate for a longer amount of time, you're unable to put your feet up on the bag because the handle is up.
3. You have to put your bag next to the outlet to recharge it at night. Kind of in the way, and often not the most convenient location in hotels. If the battery is removable, this might help with this problem.
4. The extra weight is added to your bag. For 4 iPhone charges, you're looking at at least a 10,000mAh battery. That's going to add a pound or so to the weight, minimum. Not great for the carriers that weigh carry-ons (which admittedly aren't all that common).
This is so true. We tried hard to minimize the weight of the luggage, which would be around 8.38lb without the battery. It is pretty decent for a aluminum frame carry on. But you are absolutely right, we will definitely consider let the users to choose/use their own power bank most suitable for their trips.
Then again, having a battery built in may pretty much be a requirement for higher-end luggage these days, so maybe you've got to do it. I will say that one way to set yourself apart is to include a small place to store a cable with the battery, so that you're not having to dig through your stuff to find a cable every time you sit down. My favorite batteries all have cable storage built (often retracting into the battery, or wrapping around it once) so that you don't have to keep up with extra stuff. Probably a little more difficult to do in a suitcase, but something to think about.
I'm actually something of a fan of the cupholder. I probably wouldn't buy the suitcase based solely on that (as others have said, I'd see it mainly as something else to break), but there are definitely times I could have used one. If you want to say it's also for umbrellas, make sure there's some way to actually attach the umbrella.
If you're sending out stickers to decorate with, you better have some kind of system for helping people get them put on absolutely straight. I can't think of a much better way to ensure that someone is immediately frustrated with their new luggage than to have a bunch of people (semi-)permanently attaching stickers to it, only to find that they went on crooked. Think about the frustration of phone screen protectors, on a much larger scale.
Again thanks for all those valuable feedback, and we shall keep you updated with more details on all the questions you mentioned.
Last edited by ReadyTravel; Dec 28, 2016 at 10:47 pm Reason: typo correction
Dec 28, 2016, 10:03 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
I like it. Obviously, there will be design conversations, but if it were reasonable in price, I'd consider it when I do my next purchase.
The cup holder is interesting. Why not include a sippy cup than can be hooked onto the bag with a carabiner, just as kids do with a Nalgene and a clip? Basically it would be a thermos which could be locked shut and attached to the suitcase with some kind of cord. If you wanted, you could toss the cup, but it should be branded, so when I get a cup of coffee in my kitchen, I will see your name when I pour it into a thermos.
Ditch the battery. I don't want to carry it. I bring a small cord. I don't travel a lot to places which require converters, so I would rather plug my cord in at the hotel or house and use it then. I don't want to charge my phone by attaching it to a suitcase, for the reasons listed above.
I do want to minimize weight. Even if the airline does permit an overweight bag, it is still heavy. Don't want the wheels to break or slow me down when I'm trying to flag a cab at 3AM in Vancouver.
Chuck
The cup holder is interesting. Why not include a sippy cup than can be hooked onto the bag with a carabiner, just as kids do with a Nalgene and a clip? Basically it would be a thermos which could be locked shut and attached to the suitcase with some kind of cord. If you wanted, you could toss the cup, but it should be branded, so when I get a cup of coffee in my kitchen, I will see your name when I pour it into a thermos.
Ditch the battery. I don't want to carry it. I bring a small cord. I don't travel a lot to places which require converters, so I would rather plug my cord in at the hotel or house and use it then. I don't want to charge my phone by attaching it to a suitcase, for the reasons listed above.
I do want to minimize weight. Even if the airline does permit an overweight bag, it is still heavy. Don't want the wheels to break or slow me down when I'm trying to flag a cab at 3AM in Vancouver.
Chuck
Glad you like it! I am sure the price is competitive!
Maybe we didn't explain it quite well with the cup holder, it is a place designed to carry your coffee cup/newspapers/magazine/umbrellas easily, it is not that we assume everyone need to bring a cup. We believe that every traveller has their own thoughts on what to bring or not, we just make the luggage easier to be tailored by you.
Same with the battery. You are not forced to buy a power bank from us, and you can definitely leave it empty. And we are trying to integrate a cable in it, which can give you a bit convenience for your future trip.
The weight now is roughly 8.37lb, it is decent for a aluminum frame for a carry-on, considering it has one or two "smart features".
Yes, wheels are important. We are trying to write a blog, arguing that why we think the wheels we are choosing now is better. But open for discussion.
Thanks!