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Re:Coolest Cooler, $13M-funded Kickstarter project, needs an... by jacquesm on Monday April 04, 2016 @02:11PM (#11423987)
> A big problem with crowdfunding is that many backers don't seem to understand the risk they are taking on.

The bigger problem is that the people starting crowdfunding initiatives have no idea about what it takes to bring a new product to market, if they're not outright scams.

Re:Coolest Cooler, $13M-funded Kickstarter project, needs an... by Balgair on Monday April 04, 2016 @02:22PM (#11424102)
Related: http://www.iflscience.com/technology/artificial-gills-underw...

And yes, indegogo, but its basically the same platform as kickstarter.

Re:Coolest Cooler, $13M-funded Kickstarter project, needs an... by slantyyz on Monday April 04, 2016 @03:19PM (#11424569)
It looks like I just got burned on an Indiegogo project myself (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/zaptip-the-world-s-first-...) - I was aware of the risks, but the product was "just" a cable, so I considered it low risk. I had previously participated in a couple of other Indiegogo projects worked out wonderfully.

The worst thing about my IndieGogo Zaptip failure is that there are now tons of ZapTip knockoffs already available through Amazon, eBay and other channels, and at lower price than what I paid to fund the Indiegogo project.

Re:Coolest Cooler, $13M-funded Kickstarter project, needs an... by makomk on Monday April 04, 2016 @05:48PM (#11425986)
Indiegogo is where projects go when they're too shady for Kickstarter. They're much less willing to give the boot to scammers and actively welcome projects that have been kicked off Kickstarter.
Re:Coolest Cooler, $13M-funded Kickstarter project, needs an... by jasonlaramburu on Monday April 04, 2016 @04:51PM (#11425539)
The reality is no one can 100% derisk a new venture, and hardware is a particularly complex industry. Even those with lots of experience in hardware face challenges (google Tony Fadell and Nest). It's up to consumers/backers to do their due diligence on a campaign and its founders. The same is true of any investment or purchase.