Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

Did you read the "what is Kickstarter?" page before making this? Because Kickstarter isn't about pre-orders, its about backing projects. The "Kickstarter Is Not a Store" post on their blog is pretty clear about it all.

I'm not saying that an alternative browser for Kickstarter projects doesn't have merit. Or that a meta-directory sat on top of Kickstarter (and others) isn't a useful service. I'm just saying that your framing of it (pre-orders) is actually opposed to the ethos of the underlying service.

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#5

Post by NoPiece » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:02 PM UTC

Are you sure you are solving an actual problem? I've backed a dozen projects, and never gone to to the kickstarter.com home page looking for a project.

I'm not sure many people spend time browsing for things to back. People just hear about interesting projects via HN, twitter, reddit, facebook, etc., and then transact via Kickstarter.

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#6

Post by Bradosaur » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:07 PM UTC

samworm wrote: post #4

Did you read the "what is Kickstarter?" page before making this? Because Kickstarter isn't about pre-orders, its about backing projects. The "Kickstarter Is Not a Store" post on their blog is pretty clear about it all. I'm not saying that an alternative browser for Kickstarter projects doesn't have merit. Or that a meta-directory sat on top of Kickstarter (and others) isn't a useful service. I'm just saying that your…

Kickstarter never intended to be a place for pre-orders. But it's hard to deny that a lot of campaigns treat the plaform that way. We think it's amazing and wonderful, but Kickstarter doesn't really want it on their platform (though they're not fighting very hard, see eg the Almond+... a story for a different day).

Both consumers and sellers want these transactions to happen, and we want to (eventually) be the best place to list. But for now, we're starting by being the best place to shop.

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#7

Post by Bradosaur » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:11 PM UTC

jonursenbach wrote: post #2

I don't want to be that guy, but clicking on your logo on your blog takes me back to... your blog. Super annoying.

I am so embarrassed. I had fixed it on the other WP theme, but then switched themes to F2. Thanks, it's fixed now!

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#8

Post by lanthe » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:20 PM UTC

NoPiece wrote: post #5

Are you sure you are solving an actual problem? I've backed a dozen projects, and never gone to to the kickstarter.com home page looking for a project. I'm not sure many people spend time browsing for things to back. People just hear about interesting projects via HN, twitter, reddit, facebook, etc., and then transact via Kickstarter.

Creators tell us that around 30% of their traffic comes organically from Kickstarter. There are some people browsing on Kickstarter -- but it's not really set up to help them browse. We just want to make it easier :)

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#9

Post by snikch » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:32 PM UTC

My initial thought was 'is this solving a real problem', but then I checked it out and have ended up backing a project. Definitely a cool service to help promote product based Kickstarters.

Re: Kickstarter sucks at pre-orders (or: Why we pivoted)

#10

Post by MBCook » Fri, Mar 15, 2013, 11:36 PM UTC

> So, following the apocryphal advice, we imagined the future, and built it. A refreshing pre-order store for sellers and shoppers alike.

Isn't Kickstarter always trying to get people to stop referring to them as preorders? You are supposed to back a project, and you are supposed to get a reward if its successful; but they are NOT preorders.

That's where people keep getting in trouble. They "preorder" something off Kickstarter and then complain when the project fails.