If you're reading this, then you're probably considering using Kickstarter to make a purchase. And you might be wondering how it all works compared to buying something through a traditional website. You're in the right place! Let's explore how Kickstarter works in 2024!
What is Kickstarter?
The easiest way to simplify the Kickstarter concept would be to say that when you purchase through Kickstarter, you are funding a project. This is one big way that Kickstarter differs from a traditional eshop. Most websites sell products that are in stock and ready to ship. With Kickstarter, you are essentially using their reward system to pre-order a product. Now you might be wondering why you would do such a thing? Why dedicate your money towards funding a project instead of just buying something in the more traditional way? There are actually a few reasons to consider funding instead of just purchasing!
You get to have a Voice
When you buy something through a traditional website, you might be able to leave feedback. But you're unlikely to affect the product or company itself. When you choose to support a project through Kickstarter, you are getting in on the ground floor. Most Kickstarter companies are still developing their product. And your Kickstarter Pledge allows you to give them feedback during the development stage of a product. Have you ever bought something and thought to yourself that it would be absolutely perfect if just one or two things were tweaked a little? Then you'll probably love Kickstarter! You get to have a voice during development. Which means that your idea might make it into the final product! Pretty cool right?
Save that money!
Who loves spending more money than they need to? I didn't see anyone raise their hand. And that's yet another reason to consider funding a project through Kickstarter. In exchange for helping a company to fund an upcoming project, most will give you a hefty discount. We're talking 50% off or more! That's a big deal! You'll still receive the same product in the end. And it means that Kickstarter is a great way to make each dollar go a little bit further.
How does it work?
So now that we know why we would want to use Kickstarter, let's talk about how it actually works. What is it like to purchase a product through Kickstarter? Well this part is a little different from purchasing through a traditional website, but it's still easy! Here are the steps:
Find a project that you're interested in and make a "Pledge". Your pledge is the money that you'll spend to support that particular project. This makes you a "Backer".
Every Kickstarter campaign has a funding goal. The project must meet or exceed that funding goal in order to move forward. If the project does not fund, then you pay nothing!
In return for Pledging, you'll receive a reward. The rewards can differ from campaign to campaign, but in general most will provide you with the product that you're backing. And you'll save a lot of money along the way!
During most campaigns you'll have an opportunity to win extra gifts called "Stretch Goals". Stretch Goals are rewards that are added to your pledge based on the success of the campaign. Typically Stretch Goals are unlocked automatically as various pledge milestones are achieved.
Once a campaign is successfully funded, you'll be invited to the campaign's "Pledge Manager". This is a tool that allows you to provide your shipping address and make changes to your order if needed.
Now you sit back and wait for your product to arrive!
Merlin Models is currently running a Kickstarter Campaign to launch our newest product, a large-scale B-17F Collectible. And while this article applies to Kickstarter in general, we do want to take a moment to discuss a few specifics about how our campaign works.
B-17F Collectible by Merlin Models
Our Kickstarter campaign follows all of the guidelines that we just discussed. But we do have a few unique extras that are designed to make our customer's lives easier! We discussed earlier that Kickstarter is a great way to save money. And this is definitely true of our campaign! You can save up to 50% compared to what our retail price will be after the campaign completes! But we're taking it a step further by also offering Payment Plans in our Pledge Manager. We don't want finances to get in the way of ownership. So while you are welcome to pay in full, we also offer no-interest-no-credit-check payment plans to our backers. It's up to you! We discussed some general steps for Kickstarter up above. Here are some specific steps for our campaign:
Our B-17F Collectible launches through Kickstarter on May 28th 2024. Those that pledge during the first 24 hours will receive a free exclusive 2.5" Challenge Coin as a reward!
We offer two overall rewards during our campaign. Either of these rewards gives you access to our Pledge Manager and allows you to select the product of your choice. You can even change your mind and spend your Pledge on any of our offerings! And our backers lock in our discounted Kickstarter pricing on everything!
During our 30 day campaign, you can chat with us and provide feedback about the product and your experiences!
Once the campaign completes, you will receive an email from us that provides you with a link to our Pledge Manager. This is your opportunity to review your selections. You'll also receive a request to pay for shipping based on your region. Lastly, complete your purchase in full or through one of our payment plans.
And that's it! Our B-17F is on track to ship in April of 2025!
We hope that this answers your questions concerning Kickstarter. It's a great system that allows you to truly be part of the development process. And you get to save money while doing so.
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