[Closed] Crowdfunding - have you ever got a decent return?

So far:

A singular Puffin
A see.sense lights (twice)
A pair of moleskin trousers (pending)

I've tended not to just take a punt on a product I like the look of, though.

Hit and miss, really. Got the Simon Stalenhag book which is excellent, still waiting for the Graeme Obree documentary which was supposed to be finished two years ago.

Oh, I did the Beardy MacAxerperson mag which didn't fund.

and Cranked which did.

Beer for life 🙂
basically 12 beers of whatever they are making that year each year for the rest of my life. Repays after 3 1/2 years

The project I'm working on have raised 107 million dollars. Pretty good return, I'd say! 🙂

The project I'm working on have raised 107 million dollars. Pretty good return, I'd say!

Have your investors got any money back though, or made a profit on their investment! 😀

Others just seem like pre-paying for goods, not an investment.

A lot just seem to be donate £XX.XX and receive the product we hope to make sometime in the future.

If there is no return isn't it just a charitable donation.

I've often thought exactly the same. The current crowdfunding concept appears to ultimately be a system for individuals / companies to fund their businesses with minimal financial risk and no loans. Massive pre-selling of something that may never exist is a peculiar concept really!
Having said that I have supported a couple, with the most successful being me receiving a stack of vinyl albums and test pressings which would not have existed otherwise.

I've often thought exactly the same. The current crowdfunding concept appears to ultimately be a system for individuals / companies to fund their businesses with minimal financial risk and no loans.

On the flip side though, the backer gets the opportunity to (maybe) get a product which would otherwise never see the light of day. I think crowdfunding's great - as long as people understand the risk. A lot of people seem to think backing a kickstarter, etc is the same as ordering a product from an online shop (and then moan when it's delayed/not as expected/non-existant).

I contributed to the Peek Retina crowdfunding, but specified that when it is shipped it goes to a clinic in a place that needs it.

Hm. Not much other than fuzzy feeling - on open market anyway.

1/ Funded the Yorkshire Dales TDF line drawing book - no real saving but nice inscriptions on the books I bought.
2/ Spurcycle - which was great, but by the time factor in postage, no real saving.

I have funded bike purchase though, similar to the Puffin offer, and they have delivered a good return as well as that warm glow.

417 downhill. Took a while but full day uplift now booked in 🙂

Beer for life
basically 12 beers of whatever they are making that year each year for the rest of my life. Repays after 3 1/2 years

Seems good, but Camden town brewery ran a similar business. It wasn't quite as plain as they made out. They got all their investment, enough to see them through at least one new brewhouse. But instead of doing it themselves which was the point of the funding they contract brewed in Belgium, built the 'brand', and sold the business (a small microberwey in Camden + the branding) for £87million to AB.

Obviously the investors got their money back and interest in spades (200%+), but it wasn't really the point. They were investing in their local brewery (and tap houses) not the business as such. They lied about their business plan which was to build a brand quickly (which does cost money), then sell it. It was never to stay a craft beer microbrewery in Camden.

It'll go the same way as Meantime and Goose Island, cheap beer, less hops, only the branding stays the same. Having said that Goose Island still have their brewery, AB brew under the goose island name elsewhere leaving the founders both rich and still brewing 'craft' beer for pocket money (in as much as a multi million dollar business is pocket money).