Reply To: Large Kickstarters should be more open about shipping costs

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 0]

>  it’s not really in the spirit of kickstarting.

It’s perfectly in the spirit of KickStarter. KickStarter, the company and their bank accounts.

>  hiding shipping costs

Welcome to online shopping. Amazon’s prices for the same product are different for Prime vs. non-Prime members. Walmart prices for the same item are different for In-Store vs. shipping product. Prices for produce and other items are different for grocery delivery vs. in-store. There’s only one reason for it — hiding shipping costs into the product and fobbing off “free shipping” or a low delivery fee.

> you tend to get very little consumer protection from a kickstarter and crowdfuning platfoms in general

That’s absolutely correct. And that’s why many gamers (they were particularly vocal on BGG) will not use crowdfunding. Retail is MUCH safer, and sometimes you can get the same base game item (not SG’s) at half the price of the pledge plus shipping, mostly CMON items, during holiday sales. Consumer beware.

> If the $50 kickstarter suddenly has a $75 shipping fee you have no right to refund or cancel

THAT is true (although I guess you could contact your cc to see if they can help) and happened to me when Maki’s disastrous KS wanted another $50 for a second wave, and CMON upped their shipping during Bloodborne. While I’ll still back KS, for CMON, I’ll only pledge $1.

Showing my age here, but “Cut out the middleman” used to be a thing when I was growing up. But, evidently, selling direct to the customer has its risks through KS. I do believe that KS lowers the barrier for companies to offer product and more of it for the customer, and much of it wouldn’t hit retail. (Just ask Monolith and their Conan boardgame.) Still, I doubt anyone really loses out for not participating in crowdfunding. All it’s done for me is make my painting queue longer. 😛