So, you have just completed your successful Kickstarter campaign, and now you have to deliver on fulfilling the rewards promised to your donors.
This is a big task, and one that should not be overlooked. While it may not seem like the most glamorous subject out there, you have to sort out factors like:
- Pick and pack
- Postage
- Packaging
- Manufacturing
- Shipping costs
- Taxes
At first glance, this is undoubtedly overwhelming. But I’m here to simplify the process for you.
In today’s post, I want to give you some tips as you enter the fulfillment stage of your campaign. We’ll talk through the ways to best ensure that this process goes smoothly, leaving your supporters satisfied.
In addition to this article, I have tons of great resources available to help you on your path to fulfilling rewards.
Check out my Podcast episode with Joe Rabinowitz who is an expert in the industry working with Fulfillrite; one of my favorite fulfillment companies out there.
You should also subscribe to my Youtube Channel, where I’m always posting great content about crowdfunding, including more information about Kickstarter Fulfillment Costs.
For now, let’s get started on these 7 tips that will make order fulfillment as stress-free as possible.
Design a thorough survey for your backers
Surveys allow you to collect important information from backers. This includes items such as shipping addresses, sizing, choices of colors, and other potential variants specifically related to your product.
Your survey can be sent out only after your project is successfully funded, but you should consider drafting it before you reach your goal. The survey can only be sent out once, so be sure to prepare a thorough set of questions. The more specific information you have on your backers, the better.
You should visit Kickstarter’s survey tips to garner a better understanding of how things will be working on the back end. Kickstarter has a ton of great functionality that allows for optional surveys, the verification of shipping addresses, and the ability for consumers to change their shipping addresses. Be sure to be familiar with these features before sending out your survey.
Choose the right fulfillment partner
For most campaigns, it will be important to pair with a fulfillment provider that can meet your needs. While it would be nice to manufacture, pack, post, and ship everything right from your garage; most of us just don’t have that capacity.
I’ve assembled a list of the Top 7 Kickstarter Fulfillment companies that I highly recommend you check out when making your partnering decision. I am particularly partial to a company called Fulfillrite, as they are very reliable, easy to work with, and flexible to meet the needs for all different types of campaigns.
No matter which company you choose, make sure to do extensive research and take advice from industry leaders you trust. You should also scroll through the providers listed on Kickstarter’s website, where you can identify companies that specialize in certain industries.
Construct a realistic budget
When making your fulfillment budget, expect the unexpected. There are a ton of variables that come into play with this process. Production costs, shipping charges, and other fees can be more costly than originally imagined.
Planning out a detailed budget on how much it will cost to produce and ship your rewards is a great place to start. From there, you will have to account for postage and packaging costs, which can get very high with large volumes of orders.
I’d also advise that you put aside some buffer money to ensure that you don’t have to pay for anything out of pocket. At the end of the day, you’d rather have extra money laying around to reinvest into your product/business rather, than scramble to acquire funds.
Simplify your rewards offering
When planning out what rewards you want to deliver to your backers, it’s best to keep it simple. Offering a multitude of products or styles can get confusing, and leave you up to your neck in tedious work.
For example, if you are offering a T-shirt as a reward, you don’t have to offer twelve different colors and eight different sizes to satisfy your backer. Instead, consider giving just a few easy to manage, streamlined options that will be ideal for organizing and shipping.
You want fulfillment to be straightforward, not a jumbled mess. Simplifying your rewards offering is a great way to keep those cortisol levels stable.
Keep your backers up-to-date
Honest and transparent communication is very important to maintaining your reputation as an entrepreneur. The fulfillment stage of a successful Kickstarter page is no different; your backers want to hear from you.
If you’re running a little bit behind, let your contributors know. Even though the campaign is over, it’s beneficial for your supporters to:
- Let them know when they can expect to receive perks
- Talk about progress you are making
- Identify complications (should you have any)
- Assure them that you are keeping your promise
The more contact you can make with your backers, the better. This will serve you well not only for your current endeavor, but for projects you take on down the line.
Pick a reasonable shipping date
Reaching a campaign fundraising goal is very exciting. Understandably, you are going to want to fulfill your rewards promise as soon as possible. But practice caution, as selecting a shipping date is more complicated than you might expect.
For example, you will need to budget 1-2 weeks for product quality assurance. This can help you to avoid a huge and costly mistake, as sending out a faulty product can prompt calls for refunds and reruns of the product.
Additionally, you will have to consider the supplier you are working with for the manufacturing run. Do you have direct oversight of the manufacturing, or have you outsourced it? Is it coming out of an industrial factory, or is it locally produced? Do you have to import the product? These types of factors will increase or decrease shipping time and costs.
Finally, note that there will be transit time for the rewards to reach your backers. You will have to decide if you have room in the budget for faster shipping methods, or if you will have to get your products out more slowly at a lower cost.
This is where picking the right fulfillment company can be extremely rewarding, as they can help you to sift through these complications and take on some of the logistical burden.
Capitalize on forward momentum
Running a successful Kickstarter campaign can be very immersive and exhausting. After fulfilling rewards to your backers, it can be tempting to kick back in a recliner with a beer and take a load off.
However, too many entrepreneurs fail to capitalize on the buzz surrounding their product/campaign. Why not continue on all the great forward momentum you have created, and keep the excitement alive?
A great way to do this is to create a Pre-Order Store.
You can do this in less than 15 minutes with an awesome company called BackerKit, which has helped tons of Kickstarter campaigns continue to capitalize on their success. With BackerKit, you can offer additional rewards, add new products, and cultivate additional hype surrounding your business.
Fulfillment doesn’t have to be scary
While the fulfillment process can seem overwhelming at first, a thorough plan and commitment to making the right partnerships will lead to a low stress endeavor. Who knows, you might even have some fun.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel and check out my variety of books that can guide you through every stage of the crowdfunding process.
Want a more intimate conversation about your fulfillment concerns? Schedule a one-on-one coaching call with me so that we can discover the best methods for making your crowdfunding dreams a reality.
Overwhelmed with your Kickstarter? Check out our free Kickstarter checklist. It lists everything you need to know to get your Kickstarter campaign shipped.
I hope these tips have been helpful—go forth with confidence, and fulfill those rewards!
