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Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:57 am
by taskman
I am trying to learn what people are looking for in a Kickstarter

So first is this Kickstarter that every 3D printer manufacturer on Kicksterter problably strives towards. Their machines are in the $2500 mark. That seems the sweet spot and they where the first to be able to produce very nice looking parts. They had 2000 backers. Why? Just because of the nice pictures?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fo ... 3d-printer

This printer had 388 backers. What is good and what is bad about the campaign?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/b9 ... 3d-printer

This printer is much larger than most and around the same price. They have a price freeze type Kickstarter. Is that even Kickstarter-legal? They only had 91 backers. I can't see any issues with the printer
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/br ... ruder-3d-p

These guys are probably getting a bit expensive and only had 68 backers
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/23 ... 3d-printer

So the numbers go down and down from 2000. What is needed to get a 2000 backer kickstarter for a 3D printer?

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 9:17 am
by drlouisechughes
Formlabs had a lot of marketing going for them, media exposure and the final printer looks very professional. It was also a great price for this type of 3D printer. The second one was not as professional looking but was still very successful so I don't really see a problem. The final two are relatively recent projects and prices for 3D printers have come down quite a bit in the past 1-2 years. For $2500 I would buy a printer from an established manufacturer like makerbot or ultimaker rather than risk it on a kickstarter, especially when recent campaigns for 3D printers on kickstarter provide kits for as little as $199.

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 9:57 am
by taskman
In your opinion if a printer had an aluminium frame and no skin with a print size double that of this Replicator http://store.makerbot.com/replicator-z18 and the price of $2500 and 4 times the speed with the resin costing 50% more of current filament and 10 times higher quality down from 400 micron X/Y to 35 micron X/Y. Would you buy it?

If you could get a pretty metal skin for the printer with 1 or 2 extra small nice-to-have features and ofcourse still the features listed before. Would you pay $3500 - $4500? What if you could print 10 times faster, have an integrated fully functional laptop where you can actually plan the prints and print from, skin and all the nice-to-have features that you didn't know you wanted. Would you pay $6500 for it?

What would convince you to buy something like that from a Kickstarter rather than spending your $6.5k at Makerbot, if you where to spend $6.5k. I have a Replicator 2X and I bought it because of the marketing and the pretty box I must say and because the forum was very active so I could get alot of help

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:09 am
by drlouisechughes
I wouldn't pay over $3000 for a 3D printer unless it was for my business (and even then, I have not paid that much money anyway). I don't see the cost benefit. Are you part of the Google+ 3D printing community? It might be helpful to ask them what they think, although most people on there are more interested in reprap printers.

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:25 am
by taskman
I am on Google groups and Yahoo groups. I will also have a look at Google+ 3D printing community. Thank you

What do you use a printer for?

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:21 pm
by sbriggman
@taskman - Some more 3D printing communities: http://www.fulltimepassion.com/3d-print ... es-online/

Personally, I don't have a 3D printer (though I really want to get one at some point) - so I can't add any helpful insights as to why certain models are better or resonate better with backers.

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:29 pm
by taskman
Thank you. Hopefully you can get one of mine soon :)

Re: Why do some projects do so well and others not

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:57 pm
by Petrolius
Good question !

But with NO answer. Why?

Because each project is different. Each project has its own "personality", its own specificity, its own target audience, etc

Generally, from my first research into the crowdfunding, i have categorized the succesful projects into three categories:

1)Really unique projects

2)Projects from well-known persons (if we speak for a book, a film, etc) or established and branded companies (if we speak for business and consumer-related projects, for example in the videogames section).

3)Some specially interesting, exciting and epic personal causes/projects, like mission trips.