MORE QUESTIONS?
Of course you can always visit Kickstarter.com or contact us if you have additional questions about donating through Kickstarter.
The following questions and more are answered directly by Kickstarter at:
http://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/backers
Backing a Project
- Pledging
- How do I pledge?
- If I make a pledge, when is my card charged?
- If funding does not succeed do backers pay anything?
- What if I want to pledge anonymously?
- Is my pledge amount publicly displayed?
- If I make a pledge, what info does the project creator receive?
- Do I get notified if a project I’m backing succeeds?
- Can I pay with a check? Send cash by mail?
- How can I change my pledge amount?
- How can I change my reward selection?
- How can I change my credit card details before funding ends?
- Can I cancel a pledge?
- Is my pledge tax deductible?
- Can people from outside the US pledge to projects?
- Accountability
- Rewards
- Who is responsible for making sure project creators deliver what they promise?
- As a backer, how will project creators get my info (mailing address, T-shirt size, etc.) to deliver rewards?
- What does estimated delivery date mean?
- As a backer I’d like an update on my reward’s status. Who should I talk to?
- Amazon
Pledging Top ↑
To pledge to a project, just click the green “Back This Project” button on any project page. You will be asked to enter your pledge amount and select a reward. From there, you will go through the Amazon checkout process. Note that you must finish the Amazon checkout process for your pledge to be recorded.
If I make a pledge, when is my card charged?
If the project you’re backing is successfully funded, your card will be charged when the project reaches its funding deadline. If the project does not reach its funding goal, your card is never charged. That’s why we call them pledges.
If funding does not succeed do backers pay anything?
Nothing. If funding is unsuccessful, all pledges are canceled and that’s that.
What if I want to pledge anonymously?
We don’t currently have an anonymous pledge feature. You are free to choose any username you wish, though, so you could anonymize that way if you would like. Otherwise, we hope you’re okay with showing your name and support.
Is my pledge amount publicly displayed?
No. Only you and the project creator will be able to see your pledge amount.
If I make a pledge, what info does the project creator receive?
Project creators see your Kickstarter username, your pledge amount, and the reward you’ve selected. If funding succeeds we’ll also give the project creator your email address.
Do I get notified if a project I’m backing succeeds?
We’ll send you an email when funding ends, no matter the outcome.
Can I pay with a check? Send cash by mail?
Sorry, Kickstarter only supports credit card payments through Amazon Payments.
How can I change my pledge amount?
Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” Enter a new amount in the pledge amount box. Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected if the project is successfully funded.
How can I change my credit card details before funding ends?
Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” At the very bottom of the next page, click “Change Payment Method.”
By pledging, you are committing to supporting that person’s project; canceling that commitment is discouraged. If you must cancel, visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” At the bottom of the next page you’ll see the “Cancel Pledge” button.
How can I change my reward selection?
Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” To change your reward, make a new selection. Note that changing your reward selection does not automatically change your pledge amount.
In general, no. However, some projects started by or with a 501(c)(3) organization may offer tax deductions. If so, this will be touted on the project page. If you have questions about tax deductions, please contact the project creator directly via the “send message” button next to the creator’s name at the top of the project page.
A project I’m backing just succeeded and my credit card was declined. What do I do?
If your pledge was declined just login to Kickstarter and click the “Action Needed” system message on the top of your screen. It will redirect you to Amazon, where you can change your payment method. Alternately, we’ll send you an email every 48 hours with a direct link to correct the issue. Don’t delay, however: backers have seven days to correct payment issues before they are dropped from the project (and therefore no longer eligible to receive rewards).
I’m international and keep getting asked for a US address when pledging. What do I do?
If you are a non-US Amazon Mechanical Turk user you may experience a problem trying to pledge. We’ve alerted Amazon about this bug. Sorry this is annoying. Please view these instructions to pledge: https://www.jungledisk.com/secure/signup/mturk.aspx.
Can people from outside the US pledge to projects?
Yes! Anyone, anywhere (with a major credit card) can pledge to Kickstarter projects.
Accountability Top ↑
How do I know a project creator is who they claim they are?
Perhaps you know the project creator, or you heard about the project from a trusted source.
Maybe they have a first-person video. That would be hard to fake. “Is it really U2?!” Well, it is if Bono’s talking about the project.
Still not sure? Ask the project creator a question via the “send message” button next to the creator’s name at the top of the project page.
At the end of the day, use your internet street smarts.
How do I know a project will be completed as promised?
Each project is crafted solely by its creator, and it’s up to them to make the case that they can successfully bring their project to life. Part of every creator’s job is earning their backers’ trust, especially backers who don’t personally know them.
Creators are encouraged to share links to their personal website(s), as well as any websites that show work related to the project, or past projects.
The web is an excellent resource for learning about someone’s prior experience. If someone has no demonstrable prior history of doing something like their project or is unwilling to share information, backers should consider that when weighing a pledge. If something sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.
What do I do if I have questions about a project?
Ask the creator! At the bottom of each project page there’s an “Ask a Question” button. This will send your question directly to the creator.
If you are already a backer and you would like to make your question public, you can post a comment on the project. The creator will be notified by email when you do.
How do I know when rewards for a project will be delivered?
Projects launched from August 2011 onward have an Estimated Delivery Date under each reward. This date (month and year) is entered by project creators as their best guess for delivery to backers.
Older projects may not contain this information. Check the project’s updates or comments to see if the creator has indicated when they plan to deliver rewards. If a creator is communicative about delivery taking longer than expected, we ask that you take that transparency into account. If a creator is not communicating and you want to know what’s going on, contact the creator by posting a public comment or sending a private message.
What do I do if a project’s rewards are late?
See “I haven’t gotten my reward yet. What do I do?” in the Rewards section below.
Rewards Top ↑
Who is responsible for making sure project creators deliver what they promise?
Every creator is responsible for fulfilling the promises of their project. Because projects are usually funded by the friends, fans, and communities around its creator, there are powerful social forces that keep creators accountable. Creators are also encouraged to post regular updates about the progress of their project post-funding — communication goes a long way.
As a backer, how will project creators get my info (mailing address, T-shirt size, etc.) to deliver rewards?
Project creators will send you an email survey to request any info they need to deliver you and your fellow backers’ rewards, such as your mailing address or other details.
Surveys are sent only after a project has been successfully funded. Some creators send surveys immediately, others wait until they’re ready to deliver rewards. If you think you might have missed a survey email, please log in to your Kickstarter account to check — you’ll see a notification at the top of the site for any missed surveys.
What does Estimated Delivery Date mean?
The Estimated Delivery Date for a reward is the date the project creator expects to deliver that reward to backers.
I haven’t gotten my reward yet. What do I do?
The first step is checking the Estimated Delivery Date on the project page. Backing a project is a lot different than simply ordering a product online, and sometimes projects are in very early stages when they are funded.
If the Estimated Delivery Date has passed, check for Project Updates that may explain what happened. Sometimes creators hit unexpected roadblocks, or simply underestimate how much work it takes to complete a project. Creators are expected to communicate these setbacks should they happen.
If the creator hasn’t posted an update, send a direct message to request more information about their progress, or post a public comment on their project asking for a status update.
Amazon Top ↑
Why can’t I use Paypal? Why can’t Kickstarter just take my credit card info?
Kickstarter uses Amazon’s Flexible Payments Service, which enables our all-or-nothing funding method. No other credit card processor currently supports our requirements. We’re always talking with other companies and exploring other services, so expect more options in the future.
Amazon keeps asking me to verify my email when I pledge. Why?
You likely have an Amazon Business account. Email verification isn’t required for pledging, however Amazon Business account holders must verify their email addresses before using Amazon Payments. There are simple step-by-step email verification instructions here.
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