Imagine pouring your heart and soul into a crowdfunding campaign, only to be shackled by platform rules that delay shipping your product to eager backers. Frustrating, right? Well, Indiegogo is shaking things up with their upcoming 'Express Crowdfunding' format, designed to get your creations into the hands of supporters faster.
Jay Peters, a seasoned tech and gaming reporter who joined The Verge in 2019 after a successful stint at Techmeme, broke the news. According to Peters, Indiegogo's 'Express Crowdfunding' aims to solve a major pain point for creators: the forced wait period between campaign end and product shipment. Currently, creators often have to sit tight until the campaign officially closes before they can even begin collecting shipping addresses and fulfilling orders. But here's where it gets controversial... some argue this enforced delay is actually beneficial, providing a buffer for production and ensuring the campaign's success before committing to shipping. What do you think?
So, what sparked this change? Indiegogo spokesperson Maciej Kuc explained to The Verge that this shift is directly linked to Indiegogo's recent migration to new infrastructure provided by Gamefound, the board game crowdfunding platform they acquired. Essentially, Indiegogo is adopting a system originally built for Gamefound. Kuc elaborated that the Gamefound system was designed with the understanding that creators need time after the campaign to finalize orders, collect addresses, and prepare for shipping – a minimum of two weeks, in fact.
However, this 'typical' crowdfunding approach can lead to frustrating delays. And this is the part most people miss... While the intention is good, these delays can sometimes damage a creator's reputation and erode backer confidence. A prime example of this is Ayaneo's Pocket AIR Mini retro gaming handheld campaign, highlighted by Android Authority. Ayaneo initially planned to start shipping the device by the end of November but faced unexpected hold-ups due to Indiegogo's platform policies. They couldn't initiate the Pledge Manager phase (where shipping addresses are collected) until December 2nd, and even then, the request required a three-day review period. This pushed the shipping date back to "around" December 10th, much to the dismay of their backers.
Indiegogo's new Express Crowdfunding format aims to bypass these hurdles. Kuc anticipates that it "should be available" in early February. The promise is simple: allow creators to ship products while the campaign is still running. This could significantly reduce wait times and boost backer satisfaction.
But let's be real: is this a game-changer or a potential recipe for disaster? What if a campaign falls short of its funding goal midway through shipping? Who bears the risk? And could this potentially incentivize creators to over-promise and under-deliver? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Does this new format truly benefit creators and backers, or does it open the door to new challenges and potential pitfalls? We want to hear your perspective!
