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I don't really get the ban on multiple reward tiers for hardware. Anyone got an example of something that used this to abuse users in the past?

by raldi 14y ago

waterlesscloud 14y ago
The Lifx lightbulb is specific in setting multiple products shipped per multiple dollar amount.
- raldi 14y ago
  So what bad thing did that lead to?
  - rm999 14y ago
    They are making two simultaneous points: 1. Projects are over-promising and under-delivering 2. Kickstarter isn't a store and was never meant to be one. People have turned it into one, leading to all sorts of issues, including point #1 I think when you are asking for examples of abuse you are thinking of the first point, but the 'no multiple products' rule addresses #2. You aren't buying a product, you are backing a project. If you want multiple lightbulbs, presumably you can purchase them after the project is funded. In other words, I don't think the rule is to prevent abuse, it's to bring kickstarter back to its roots and remind people what kickstarter is all about. It may hurt some projects but hopefully it will revert kickstarter to its original niche where it was adding a lot of value.
    - makomk 14y ago
      Of course, since LIFX is planned as a networked bulb you can't actually get the full functionality of it if you just order one. Also, for some of the smaller Kickstarter hardware projects the creator actually has no intention of launching them as a commercial product at all - they're essentially group buys allowing hobbyists to offer something they've designed to other hobbyists for less than the cost of building it themselves.
citricsquid 14y ago
something I noticed with some of the more "store-like" products (things that only use Kickstarter for money to mass produce and not development) is they have bulk options: $10 for 1, $100 for 15 "for retail distribution". eg Scanbox: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/scanbox-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-portable-scann http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/scanbox-turn-y...

I don't really get the ban on multiple reward tiers for hardware. Anyone got an example of something that used this to abuse users in the past?

by raldi 14y ago

I don't really get the ban on multiple reward tiers for hardware. Anyone got an example of something that used this to abuse users in the past?

waterlesscloud 14y ago

The Lifx lightbulb is specific in setting multiple products shipped per multiple dollar amount.

raldi 14y ago
So what bad thing did that lead to?
- rm999 14y ago
  They are making two simultaneous points: 1. Projects are over-promising and under-delivering 2. Kickstarter isn't a store and was never meant to be one. People have turned it into one, leading to all sorts of issues, including point #1 I think when you are asking for examples of abuse you are thinking of the first point, but the 'no multiple products' rule addresses #2. You aren't buying a product, you are backing a project. If you want multiple lightbulbs, presumably you can purchase them after the project is funded. In other words, I don't think the rule is to prevent abuse, it's to bring kickstarter back to its roots and remind people what kickstarter is all about. It may hurt some projects but hopefully it will revert kickstarter to its original niche where it was adding a lot of value.
  - makomk 14y ago
    Of course, since LIFX is planned as a networked bulb you can't actually get the full functionality of it if you just order one. Also, for some of the smaller Kickstarter hardware projects the creator actually has no intention of launching them as a commercial product at all - they're essentially group buys allowing hobbyists to offer something they've designed to other hobbyists for less than the cost of building it themselves.

citricsquid 14y ago

something I noticed with some of the more "store-like" products (things that only use Kickstarter for money to mass produce and not development) is they have bulk options: $10 for 1, $100 for 15 "for retail distribution". eg Scanbox: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/scanbox-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-portable-scann http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/scanbox-turn-y...