My name is Mossy and I am a Kickstarterholic.

[MossCommuter]

At first I thought I could handle it - I mean, one little pledge for something cool on Kickstarter couldn't hurt could it? But after that first little pledge comes another and then another until you're completely out of control.

Just ten dollars for a copy of a so far unpublished author's first novel about fantasy world ruled by Norse gods?! Of course you can have ten dollars. A self adjusting belt? OMG - how have I got to this age without a self-adjusting belt? How much you say? Just twenty-nine dollars? Have it! Take thirty five - I'll get my name graffiti'd on your office wall as well.

From time to time, though, I do have moments of clarity while surfing the app and think, as any sane person would, "Farking hell, what sort of idiot is going to pledge money for THAT?!!?" only to click through and find I'm already in to the tune of twenty five quid.

In the last year I have spent $512 on watches. $25 on a key ring that still hasn't arrived. £34 on three USB cables (I know - they've not come yet either) and just today something turned up that I'd forgotten about (this happens occasionally). It's a piece of stiff wire people, a piece of stiff wire. EUR31.00 for a piece of stiff wire.

My name is Mossy and I am a Kickstarterholic.

 

[Markymark]

?

 

[Hill Wimp]

Is this Ebay on speed or something ?

Not heard of it.

 

[Aperitif]

My friend's next door neighbour is much the same it seems. He's always "just" doing this or that. He did have a natty pair of ear bud/ bluetooth thingys as reward though...But. Please don't try and use your wire for this purpose Mossy. Maybe the wire is a device enabling you to have a 'stiff swg' of your favourite beer?

 

[MiK1138]

You can beat this Mossy, I am Kickstarting a new series of books called "Kicking Kickstarters" just send me £25 and you will be in line to purchase issue 1 for £59.95+VAT

 

[jefmcg]

Once upon a time, if you were starting a company and needed money, you would sell a proportion of your equity for that money. For the investor hat means that if the company goes down the toilet, they lose the money, but if the company succeeds they make serious bank.

Kickstarter is explicitly not for equity. So you give a company some money, and if they go bust you lose your money. And if they succeed you get goods of exactly the value of the money you paid.

Yay, the internet!

See also http://www.oregonlive.com/window-shop/index.ssf/2016/09/coolest_cooler_investigation.html

 

[MossCommuter]

My friend's next door neighbour is much the same it seems. He's always "just" doing this or that. He did have a natty pair of ear bud/ bluetooth thingys as reward though...But. Please don't try and use your wire for this purpose Mossy. Maybe the wire is a device enabling you to have a 'stiff swg' of your favourite beer?

He might want a piece of stiff wire like the one I got:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spark-wz/the-most-useful-earbud-accessory

 

[MossCommuter]

Once upon a time, if you were starting a company and needed money, you would sell a proportion of your equity for that money. For the investor hat means that if the company goes down the toilet, they lose the money, but if the company succeeds they make serious bank.

Kickstarter is explicitly not for equity. So you give a company some money, and if they go bust you lose your money. And if they succeed you get goods of exactly the value of the money you paid.

Yay, the internet!

See also http://www.oregonlive.com/window-shop/index.ssf/2016/09/coolest_cooler_investigation.html

OMG - it's got a blender fitted!

 

[Jody]

I have only ever backed one thing on kickstarter. It ran way beyond schedule, the chinese had ripped the idea off and got it to market faster than the start up for less than a third of the price.

Same thing happened with the Spurcycle bell.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I bought into a kickstarter that was meant to deliver while ago, it's next March now last I heard.

 

[jefmcg]

In the last year I have spent $512 on watches.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spark-wz/the-most-useful-earbud-accessory

OMG - it's got a blender fitted!

OK, that '..holic" thing is not a joke. You need help.

(only partially joking. still, if you missed 'Coolest" you must look away from Kickstarter occasionally)

 

[nickyboy]

Kickstarter, Crowdfunding et al are a joke.

They target lots and lots of relatively unsophisticated (sorry @MossCommuter ) tiny investors rather than a small number of relatively sophisticated investors. The quality of business and financial information that they provide is woeful and would definitely not pass muster with larger investors. While they have your money you're an unsecured creditor so if they go bust you've lost your investment. And a lot go bust

For a laugh I looked into a Crowdfunding project for a cycling apparel business. It was a hopeless. They didn't even publish a business plan on the kickstarter website, there was a link to click if you wanted it. So I clicked. It never came. I feel sorry for these tiny investors not used to this sort of stuff. They're going to lose their money

 

[MossCommuter]

Kickstarter, Crowdfunding et al are a joke.

They target lots and lots of relatively unsophisticated (sorry @MossCommuter ) tiny investors rather than a small number of relatively sophisticated investors. The quality of business and financial information that they provide is woeful and would definitely not pass muster with larger investors. While they have your money you're an unsecured creditor so if they go bust you've lost your investment. And a lot go bust

For a laugh I looked into a Crowdfunding project for a cycling apparel business. It was a hopeless. They didn't even publish a business plan on the kickstarter website, there was a link to click if you wanted it. So I clicked. It never came. I feel sorry for these tiny investors not used to this sort of stuff. They're going to lose their money

Kickstarting isn't investing; it's the opportunity to be the 1st to buy something which is important to "early adopters" like me, especially in the nerdy technology space that I occupy. I really enjoyed swanking about with my Pebble then my Pebble Time and now my Ticwatch . Not so sure about the piece of stiff wire. That might get gifted. It's Christmas and it's the thought that counts.

You do run the risk of getting nowt though if they do a runner, granted.

 

[nickyboy]

Kickstarting isn't investing; it's the opportunity to be the 1st to buy something which is important to "early adopters" like me, especially in the nerdy technology space that I occupy. I really enjoyed swanking about with my Pebble then my Pebble Time and now my Ticwatch . Not so sure about the piece of stiff wire. That might get gifted. It's Christmas and it's the thought that counts.

You do run the risk of getting nowt though if they do a runner, granted.

I wasn't so much thinking about folk doing a runner. More the circumstance where their ineptitude means they fritter away your cash and you get nowt

Looking forward to Santa delivering me a piece of stiff wire

 

[User169]

BrewDog offering a 7.5% bond atm. Seems ok given the current climate.