"Sellers shouldn't be shocked that projects should fail -- and so shouldn't offer rewards that depend on success to be deliverable." This is actually an excell

"Sellers shouldn't be shocked that projects should fail -- and so shouldn't offer rewards that depend on success to be deliverable." This is actually an excellent point, but... The reasoning behind this "pre-sale" approach is about the perceived value of the reward. An traditional gift might be acceptable (T-Shirts, etc) but there is something unique about being offered something that's not on the market yet. It makes the customer feel special, something they might be able to brag about if the product is a success. Something akin to the concept of "Collector Edition" in the game industry. That will add value to a reward, will attract more customer an in turn increase the chances of a successful campaign (even though successful campaign does not mean successful product). It is a good way to kickstart a business. Riskier? Yes. Short sighted? Yes and no (Actually no). Short term cost is 0 (great), long term cost is your manufacturing cost + distribution cost (ouch). That doesn't seem right? Actually it is. You're actually paying for: + User acquisition + Early product validation (Lean Startup) + Momentum + Beta testing for the whole product pipeline and the product itself I think that as a company it is definitively worth the risk. You have to be able to take risks sometimes in order to be successful. My 2 cents.