In today’s article, I want to give you some tips for picking the right Kickstarter Fulfillment provider.
Fulfillment includes completing your project launch, getting promised rewards to backers, and communicating with your customers to ensure their satisfaction.
There are many companies out there who want to assist you in the fulfillment process. But sometimes, it can be difficult to know which provider is best for your needs.
Like every step in launching a successful Kickstarter campaign, fulfillment requires planning and budgeting for success. And if you do it right, it can be highly rewarding.
So let’s get started.
1. Identify fulfillment company specialties
When considering what fulfillment provider you want to work with, it’s important to first identify what that company specializes in.
If your Kickstarter campaign is centered around art and design, for example, you will probably want to pair with a company who specializes in manufacturing those types of products.
It might be beneficial to do some further research into the company’s history.
- What Kickstarter campaigns have they fulfilled?
- Do those products seem similar to yours?
These are the types of questions you can bring forth in order to cultivate a good match.
2. Define your goals
In order to choose the right fulfillment center, you will need to define your goals—both short and long term. You might have a short term goal of cutting down on shipping costs, and a long term goal of shipping internationally more quickly.
Whatever your goals, different companies offer certain perks and incentives that may be more conducive to your needs. You may not want to go with a company that specializes in international shipping if your short and long term aspirations don’t lie overseas, for example.
Having a clear document which outlines your goals, specifications, and reasons for outsourcing your fulfillment will make it much easier to choose from the hundreds of companies that are out there.
3. Find a provider with similar values
As you decide on a fulfillment provider, you’ll likely want to pair with a company that aligns with your mission statement. Working with a company that aligns with your values and visions can be the difference between a highly symbiotic relationship and a contentious one.
Focusing on creating a long-term partnership with a company dedicated to the same ideals as your own will benefit both parties involved. The more that you can establish a positive relationship with your Kickstarter fulfillment provider, the better it will be.
Perhaps you could even work with them again after your future successful Kickstarter launches!
4. Assess personalization availability
Assessing a company’s capacity to personalize fulfillment around your product is very important for Kickstarter campaigns in particular. Because Kickstarter products tend to be new and unique, you’ll want to confirm with your fulfillment provider that they can personalize packaging and shipping to get your product to the customer safely.
These could be things like:
- Marketing inserts
- Custom order packaging
- Flexibility based on order flow
Additionally, you should be aware that your needs may change over time. Not all fulfillment centers will be able to make accommodations to those needs on short notices. You will either have to plan ahead and notify the fulfillment provider well in advance, or work with a flexible organization with a great deal of resources.
5. Decide between large or small provider
This is one of the more tricky decisions you will make in your search for a fulfillment provider. Because you are a start-up yourself on Kickstarter, you may feel inclined to go with a smaller business to meet your fulfillment needs. This is a great idea, but note that the smaller the business, the less resources they are likely to have.
Bigger providers can produce more, faster. They also may be more available to meet your needs as they change.
The drawbacks to a larger business, however, is that you may not feel as prioritized as with a smaller provider. You’ll have to weigh what’s most important to you, how patient you can be, and how much production you will need. You don’t have to go with the smallest of the biggest providers, likely you’ll land somewhere in between.
6. Confirm providers communication abilities
As you begin to put your foot in the door with potential fulfillment providers, you are likely to get an idea of what it will be like working with them on your product. The inquiry/quoting stage is very important to keep tabs on communication levels, as you don’t want to get stuck with a company who isn’t attentive to your needs. Consider the following questions in these early stages:
- Was the representative knowledgeable and able to answer my questions?
- How quickly was I given a response?
- Did the provider take real time to understand my business?
If you have doubts as to the answer of any of these questions, you will probably want to avoid working with them. You want a fulfillment provider that is as invested in you as you are in them; don’t take anything less than their full attention.
7. Use Kickstarter resources
Kickstarter itself provides an extensive list of fulfillment providers on its site. There, you can browse companies from A to Z, identify their specialties, and easily view their mission statements all in one place.
Kickstarters want their most successful campaigns to do well in the fulfillment stage. You can trust that the resources available on the Kickstarter site surrounding fulfillment are trustworthy and will lead you in the right direction. Make sure to utilize their tips, tricks, and advice for best fulfillment practices!
8. Seek trusted names
As with any business, it’s important to pair with trusted names that come referenced from individuals or groups that you trust. Personally, I’ve paired with Fulfillrite, a company that specializes in fulfilling rewards for major platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
The folks over at Fulfillrite are experts in the crowdfunding fulfillment industry, offering ultra quick turnaround times even for thousands of orders. Setup is simple, and their software seamlessly imports all order information to ensure a swift and speedy fulfillment process.
Many crowdfunding campaign leaders have loved working with Fulfillrite. Should you choose to pair with them, you can be confident that they will be attentive and meet all your fulfillment needs, regardless of volume.
I hope that these tips were helpful in your quest to find the right fulfillment partner for your successful Kickstarter campaign. Remember, fulfillment doesn’t have to be stressful—especially if you pair with a company that you trust.
At the end of the day, you want to feel like your fulfillment needs are taken care of, and that you are in the best possible hands. Make sure to do extensive research and communicate with prospective partners to ensure that you have the right fit.
Overwhelmed with your Kickstarter? Check out our free Kickstarter checklist. It lists everything you need to know to get your Kickstarter campaign shipped.
All that’s left to do is go forth! Get out there and find the fulfillment provider that is right for you!
