Don’t Buy the FORT this Holiday Season!

FORT and Conor B. Lewis declined repeated requests for comment. Did you expect something different?

I know you’re used to reading my blog about what to buy, but this is the rare instance where I’m going to advise you on what NOT to buy. Namely, the FORT.

I have rewritten this article over and over again. I keep getting bogged down in the details and screenshots. With the ever advancing multi-car train wreck of his videos and the aptly backer-named “Hubris Tour” of podcast interviews, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the screenshots backers keep sending me. Combine that with a franken-flu in September and changing my normal depression medication regimen…this got away from me. I apologize.

Honestly, completing this is coming as a relief. I’ve stayed in several very toxic Facebook groups in order to stay up to date on this clusterfort and it’s truly bad for the soul. After releasing the “FORT & THE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION (AKA THE HARDEST THING I’VE DONE IN MY LIFE): a letter from FORT Founder Conor” via Kickstarter and Twitter, several Facebook groups sprung up. And like anything on Facebook, two camps sprung up, polar opposites in their feelings towards FORT and its founder, Conor B. Lewis. You had the “angry moms with pitchforks” (I’m looking at you, Amanda) and the “Conor stans”. The latter’s toxic positivity quickly turned into censorship of anything remotely critical of Fort or Conor. And since we all know I just can’t keep my mouth shut, I found myself shown the door a few times. The whole thing has been stressful and I have been very anxious about getting this right, and the legal ramifications if someone gets lawsuit happy. Spoiler alert: if you sue The Piedmont List, you’ll end up with several wooden rainbows and not much else.

But why am I writing this? Because I legitimately want Fort SEO to lead you here. I get a lot of views and am generally respected as a toy reviewer. I want to utilize some of that social capital for this cause.

Before we begin, I want to thank Fort Screen Shots, a FB group, for spearheading the collation of information, screenshots, and overall assistance. Where some purported to be leaders, but froze and then lied, they got things done. Far from holding pitchforks, they provided direction and information to those in search of it.

All that to say: this article is going to only be based on actual facts. Things that I have photo proof of happening. I’m not going to hypothesize on who actually responds to queries on Instagram (cough still him cough). It will not be some huge reveal. Most people involved in Fort drama will know most of these already, but no matter. I am hoping that this gets enough eyes to put a dent in their scamming this holiday season. So in an effort to be the most effective as possible, let’s stay to five things we know for sure:

1. Conor mismanaged the capital he received.

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I don’t think it’s reprehensible to treat yourself after working yourself to the bone. But Conor knew how tight his margins were. Behold an image gallery that I wish I could add a music track to. Specifically, Pitbull’s “Time of Our Lives”:

“I knew my rent was gon’ be late about a week ago
I worked my ass off, but I still can’t pay it though
But I got just enough
To get off in this club
Have me a good time, before my time is up”

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2. Conor preyed on vulnerable parents, such as the special needs population.

Furthermore, he continued to talk derisively about his larger target market (mom groups) to others.

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3. FORT substantively changed from the original product backed.

The FORT that people pledged for on Kickstarter:

• Non-removable covers
• Made exclusively in the USA
• Magnets supposed to be larger than a quarter AND in a protected sleeve
• Magnets exclusively sewn into pockets, with the ability to flip at will (to reverse polarity)
• Zippers were supposed to by YKK (the gold standard of the industry – see here), with locking and breakaway mechanisms.

The FORT that customers received:

• Removable covers
• All parts made in China
• Magnets are roughly the size of a quarter AND while some are sewn, others are patched or glued fabric. There will be more on that below
• Magnets are not exclusively sewn in and parents have documented a problem with flipping magnets
• Zippers were not as promised

4. The FORT is dangerously made.

I could include at least 100 pictures of improperly sewn in magnets, but my web host (my husband) would glare at me. So I have tried to include the most egregious. Suffice to say, it is more than the 15 alluded to by the article in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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Generally, magnets are heavily controlled in the toy industry. In fact, The Toy Association, the largest toy trade organization in North America, put a statement out that specifically recommends against neodymium (or “rare earth”) magnets. “Rare earth magnets pose a serious risk to children if they are swallowed or inhaled. They should never be given to children of any age” says The Toy Association. If you visit Fort’s FAQ page, in response to materials used, it states “The magnets are neodynium magnets”. So…it begs the question, how did Fort pass CSPC restrictions?

5. FORT is postponing refunds due to a cash flow problem.

In an email that was never supposed to be seen by the public, Conor advises those answering emails to keep to the script. Here is the screenshot below. In it he repeats “we cannot offer a large amount of refunds at this time”. This cash flow issue is not the customer’s problem, but it is the precise reason he’s delaying them by several weeks. He’s hoping and praying that the holiday season will increase the amount of people purchasing a FORT at full price. That would allow him to have the cash flow necessary to refund the heavily discounted units.

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The crazy part about all of this, is that even if Conor and FORT become insolvent and file for bankruptcy, nothing will happen. There will be customers out the cash and without a product. Creditors will seize anything of value in the company, as inventory is one of the first things they look at. Conor will just get on Twitter, commiserate with his friends, and I guarantee we’ll see him in the industry again.

I have already been kicked out of the majority of the FORT groups (I see you, Greg and Laura), and I’m positive this is my ticket out of the rest. But I cannot watch this man take advantage of any more parents/guardians/adults caring for children.

I tried to make a creative and impactful conclusion, but this article just needs to get done. I’m just putting it onto the World Wide Web, because I finally want FORT to be in my rear view. My heart just can’t take reading anymore FB posts about disappointment, unfulfilled expectations, and holidays ruined. Take it from me, don’t buy the Fort for your children this holiday season.

P.S. The Nugget is half the price.

P.S.S. I just thought I would include a screenshot of a comment FORT decided to like. Just in case you were curious exactly what their sentiments were.

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IMPORTANT LINKS:

BBB profile (where you can leave a review)

TrustPilot (also open for reviews)

How to Request a Refund

Comments are published at my discretion. If you’re a tool, I’ll just flag you as spam. To send actual questions or concerns, please email me at piedmontpearls@outlook.com.