A notice from Mr Spencer Smith ....

[Paul]

I think i've only backed about a dozen and most have gone fine, sometimes with small delays but nothing unacceptable.
All of the ones that have gone well have always provided a great product at the end. I tend to more often regret the ones I didn't back!
(I'm currently having backer envy over the "Rogue Regiment" boardgame KS that I decided against )

[Willz the Wargamer]

$10000 on a mold that does not include production cost of the plastic if injection molding, packing, insurance and more, as a guess that would be at least $10000. So selling figures at $1 a figure would mean selling 20000 figures just to break even. but do I want more
Me would I buy 2000 plastic figures for $1000 (£780) at today's exchange rate, tempted do I want more 18th century figures probably.
Are there 20+ wargamers out there to support this project, I hope so.
I am not sure about the kickstarter I would buy if they were sale in his shop.

Willz.

[Paul]

I think i'ts unlikely he'd get 20+ people willing to pledge $1000 or more each on a KS like this.
When I was looking into it niche projects seem to get around 100 backers if marketed well or maybe 200 if the marketing was stellar! Individual pledges tend to struggle to get to $200 each.
If he could do that he'd need IRTO 200+ backers each pledging around $120-130 plus postage to recover his basic costs plus KS fees etc..
If he was going down the Siocast route the cost to him would either be around $80k up front plus labour and consumables if he was manufacturing for himself or in the region of $0.8 per figure wholesale cost to him from outsourcing.
He would be better looking at printing resin himself on larger machines, if the volumes were lowish or investigating the possibility of outsourcing production in PVC for bigger numbers.

[Wg Cdr Luddite]

I have mates in the US. They have explained to me that crowdfunding is the new normal for them.
It's the whole "free market without proper laws" thing.
They regurlarly use it to raise cash for stuff like medical bills (I was actually conned by a 'friend' on this).
"I need money for my wife and kids"
"My truck just blew up and I need a new one"
When a US bank or other financial institution won't lend you money (because they deem you "High Risk") crowdfunding is the default for them.
Here in the developed world I feel we should be wary. Lots of lies are told by people doing crowdfunding and your legal comeback under US law is close to zero.

[Jeremy]

Crowdfunding is already pretty big here too. GoFundMe, Kofi, etc

[Jeremy]

I think the original idea of KS is great. Help a small business bring a dream to life by giving them money. Sure there’s risk, but you know that up front.

Sadly KS has been abused and is now largely a preorder system. Even worse, it’s used by exiting large organisations as a risk reduction mechanism to get cash up front.

[Paul]

I think the original idea of KS is great. Help a small business bring a dream to life by giving them money. Sure there’s risk, but you know that up front.

Sadly KS has been abused and is now largely a preorder system. Even worse, it’s used by exiting large organisations as a risk reduction mechanism to get cash up front.

Absolutely agree

[FreddBloggs]

yes and no.

The ones that annoy me are the companies that only sell by KS.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

I recently avoided a KS close to my heart (FPW Bavarians, released by Bavarian Miniatures) because of the limited number of packs they were releasing as part of their first KS, but also because the discounts for backing the KS were negligible. Yes, it's a business and it has to be profitable, but I do think that if people are prepared to stump up money for your project, you should reward them.

[Peeler]

Thankfully I purchased a few SSM figures just before they went over the pond.