Kickstarter fulfillment is a vast process, and every fundraiser does it in their way. However, there's no reason to reinvent the wheel each time. There are some standard rules to follow.Everything starts with research. When deciding on your project and how you will realize it, think about your delivery strategy. Don't leave it for later. The pre-campaign phase is the ideal time to figure out the fulfillment plan. Consider all the small details. Then get in touch with your suppliers to determine the cost of producing the rewards, the turnaround time, and the shipping charges. Remember that it's always better to overestimate the weight and size of each object to have wiggle room in case there are some changes during the production phase.Fulfillment is what determines the long-term success of all the campaigns. So always plan your project around the fulfillment process, spend time on research and decide carefully on your rewards.And eventually, you have to decide whether to deliver your rewards yourself or outsource this step to a service provider.
Fulfillment is an essential aspect of the overall campaign. And it isn't easy to do it right. According to the CNN Money examination of Kickstarter's top most-funded projects, 84% missed their target delivery dates. So consider all the aspects before defining your crowdfunding fulfillment strategy. But how do you decide whether it's better to outsource to third-party fulfillment services or do it yourself?
If you want to take care of everything yourself, ensure you have enough time, skills, and resources. Preparing and planning supply chain and transportation strategies is not a piece of cake.Doing Kickstarter fulfillment in-house means being concerned with storage area, storage location, delivery method, customs declaration materials, import and export documentation, and so forth. Besides, if you are going to pack yourself, you will need to consider the packing material and quantity, as well as barcoding and labeling.Build a clear roadmap of all the steps. However, it's possible to do it all by yourself, despite how daunting it may seem. Also, you can use some dedicated tools and software. Remember to give yourself the space, time, and means to succeed.Another important tip from Kickstarter is to consider flat-rate formulas when doing everything by hand. It will allow you to avoid surprises in your shipping costs.If you want to avoid dealing with the hassles of the Kickstarter fulfillment process, or if you're shipping more than 500 packages, consider working with a third-party logistics company. More and more creators are contracting out this project component to other companies that handle the entire process on your behalf. They are your fulfillment partner. They put forth all the efforts to ensure the rewards are sent out on time.Nevertheless, choosing the right partner to help you fulfill your crowdfunding campaign is not something to do lightly. The cost of fulfillment is high, frequently exceeding the cost of production. But the price is one of many aspects to consider when looking for the right third-party logistics partner for your Kickstarter fulfillment.For instance, you need to determine if they can reach backers in remote and unpopular countries and the shipping options. It's also essential to ensure they can deal with many orders and promptly handle the shipping. Remember their order management system and the after-sales services. The details that you consider insignificant may cause problems later on. So gather as much information as possible and choose the company that matches your needs.
The advantages of using a professional fulfillment service go beyond simply not having to do it yourself. It takes work to handle every aspect of your project. The fulfillment partners are there to lift the burden off of Kickstarter creators in terms of storage, packaging, and delivery of goods and, in turn, give them more time to focus on managing their projects. So what are those benefits?
Kickstarter fulfillment might be particularly stressful. If you decide to outsource your crowdfunding fulfillment to a third-party logistics company, take your time and do the research. This is a big decision, and you should weigh your options before deciding which partner is best for your campaign. Here is our list of some of the best Kickstarter fulfillment service providers that will take care of your rewards before they are sent to your backers.
ShipBob specializes in picking, storing, packing, and shipping crowdfunding rewards of all shapes and sizes. Their goal is to assist crowdfunding campaigns to offer high-quality service at an affordable price.ShipBob provides warehouses located in spread-out, key regions, allowing you to ship your rewards closer to your backers. The less distance they travel, the less money you spend on shipping, and the faster your rewards get to your backers. And once the rewards leave the warehouses, you can track them from one central dashboard. The software is updated in real-time, so you to access the most up-to-date information.Remember the bulk shipping discounts. It's always good to save some extra money.
If you have Kickstarter rewards manufactured in China, SFC might be the fulfillment service provider you're looking for. They offer global shipping, accessible storage for 30 days, and strengthened or custom packing.SFC provides a custom platform to manage Kickstarter fulfillment, where you can store and manage your inventory and monitor real-time tracking. They'll also send emails with tracking information to your backers.SFC will pick up your rewards from the factory and pack them. You can choose custom or reinforced packing with bubble wrap and corner protectors.
Another timely and cost-effective Kickstarter fulfillment service provider is ShipMonk. Their proprietary inventory management software will give you complete control of the fulfillment process, including shipping, tracking, notifications, missing inventory, address verification, various shipping options, batching, and more. The best part is that their software integrates automatically with your crowdfunding site so that that setup will be simple and quick.With ShipMonk, you can choose from the slowest and cheapest to the most reliable and fastest carriers available. Therefore, you'll have complete control over your shipping costs and peace of mind that your rewards will always be delivered on time.