Yesterday, I published an article about my frustrating experience ordering an Omi Firmware Developer Kit.

I had paid AUD $85 for the product and another AUD $91.19 for express shipping, only to spend nearly eight weeks waiting without receiving the hardware.

After several emails, changing delivery estimates and explanations about a missing cable, I decided to share my experience publicly.

I also sent the article to Omi and shared it on X.

What happened next genuinely surprised me.

Within hours, Omi responded with a more detailed explanation and offered something I had been requesting: a refund of the express shipping charge without cancelling my hardware order.

And this time, it wasn't just another promise.

I received an official refund confirmation for AUD $91.19.

The money may take up to ten days to appear in my account, but the refund has been processed.

I'm including the confirmation screenshot with this article.

Omi has now explained that the missing component is an FPC — a flexible printed circuit cable — used to connect the J-Link programmer to the device for firmware flashing.

According to their response, some developer kits had been supplied without this component. After discovering the issue, they checked their inventory and arranged for replacements through their manufacturer.

That is a more useful technical explanation than I had received previously.

They've also agreed to dispatch the available kit now and send the missing cable separately at their expense.

I'm still waiting for tracking confirmation, so that part of the story isn't finished.

I believe criticism should be fair.

If I'm prepared to publicly question a company's conduct when something goes wrong, I should be equally prepared to acknowledge when it takes meaningful corrective action.

And Omi has done that.

Does the refund erase the original eight-week delay? No.

Does it resolve my concern about the undisclosed dispatch lead time? Not entirely.

But it demonstrates a willingness to find a practical solution, and I appreciate that.

I didn't start GrayLessons to attack businesses. I started it because real experiences, including disappointing ones, can teach us something.

Sometimes the lesson is about poor communication.

Sometimes it's about customer persistence.

And sometimes it's about a company being given an opportunity to put things right.

For businesses, my takeaway is simple: tell customers what they need to know before taking their money. An honest delay disclosed at checkout is far better than weeks of uncertainty afterwards.

For customers, don't be afraid to ask reasonable questions, keep records and speak up when something doesn't seem right.

But also remember to acknowledge a genuine effort to resolve the problem.

Accountability should leave room for appreciation.

Thank you to the Omi team for processing the refund and agreeing to send the hardware separately.

I look forward to receiving the kit and getting back to the reason I ordered it in the first place: experimenting with open-source technology.

I'll share another update once the hardware arrives.

— Mahendra Pratap Singh

Previously on GrayLessons: I Paid More for Express Shipping Than the Product Itself. Eight Weeks Later, Omi Still Hasn't Shipped It.

Evidence: Omi refund confirmation dated 25 October 2026, Order #22045. Screenshot attached.