Imagine a world where creators no longer have to endure long waiting periods after launching their crowdfunding campaigns—where they can start shipping their products much sooner. This is exactly the revolution Indiegogo is aiming for with their new initiative, called ‘Express Crowdfunding.’ But here's where it gets controversial: some might wonder if rushing the shipping process could compromise quality or customer experience. Still, many believe this could significantly speed up product delivery and help creators satisfy early backers faster.
Indiegogo's latest move involves introducing a revamped campaign format that allows creators to begin shipping items even as their funding campaign is still ongoing. Traditionally, creators had to wait until their Crowdfunding campaign officially ended before they could start processing and shipping orders. Now, however, with this new approach, those involved in the campaign can expedite the process, potentially reducing delays and improving overall satisfaction for backers.
This change stems from a major overhaul in Indiegogo’s technological infrastructure. The upgrade was motivated by their recent acquisition of Gamefound, a platform known for backing tabletop game projects. According to Maciej Kuc, an Indiegogo spokesperson, transitioning to this new technology—originally built for Gamefound—has been a complex task. The existing system was based on a traditional crowdfunding framework, where it was assumed that creators would run campaigns to raise funds, followed by a waiting period of at least two weeks before they could finalize orders, collect shipping information, and begin fulfillment.
One notable example illustrating how this delay impacted creators is the campaign for Ayaneo's Pocket AIR Mini, a retro gaming handheld. The project aimed to start shipping by late November but was delayed due to platform policies. Ayaneo explained that they wouldn’t be able to collect shipping addresses until December 5th, because the platform requires a review process that takes approximately three days after they request the transition into the Pledge Manager phase—where backers’ addresses are collected. Consequently, their shipment schedule was pushed from an intended late November date to roughly December 10th.
Indiegogo guarantees that their ‘Express Crowdfunding’ format should become widely available by early February. Kuc emphasizes that this innovation could markedly streamline the entire process—from launching a campaign to delivering products—by enabling creators to act more swiftly.
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What do you think about this shift? Could speeding up shipping compromise quality, or is it the future of crowdfunding? Feel free to share your opinions and join the discussion below!
