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There’re numerous issues with any investment opportunity that you pursue. With bank loans, you have to be sure to pay back the loan or face bankruptcy. Crowdfunding almost seems risk-free when compared to this. There is neither anyone vying for control of your business nor do you have to pay back any money. However, fulfillment problems do arise when it comes to satisfying the contributors. Handling these problems the wrong way can be harmful to your business and reputation. Continue reading to discover 7 common crowdfunding fulfillment problems and ways to avoid them ahead of time of solve them.

Promising Too Much

Popular crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have attracted tons of creators who want to introduce the world to amazing new products. The issue is sometimes, the features they promise are too good to be true. As a creator, make sure you promise what you know you can do, instead of having to explain to backers why you can’t later. As a general rule, start with something simple that you know you can produce. If your project is successful and you start growing your capital, you can always test later to see if you can add new features and launch a newer and better version of the product.

International Shipping Issues

Figuring out how to include the cost of international shipping in your crowdfunding campaign can be frustrating. And if it isn’t done properly, it can cripple your chances of success. Crowdfunding platforms usually give you the option to ship within your country only or to ship anywhere in the world. However, shipping anywhere in the world can be expensive and time-consuming. Getting it right, depends on the amount of experience you have and your willingness to search for the right option for you. Research reward fulfillment companies and e-commerce services to find the best option for you.

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Forgetting To Calculate Costs For Packaging And Postage

Cost isn’t the only problem for international shipping. You need to consider the cost of packaging and shipping all of your rewards. Understanding how to calculate these costs and rounding your estimates up if you are unsure can help you make sure that you don’t run short on your budget for fulfillment. The first step in this process is finding out how much your packaging is going to cost. Once you know that, you can use online solutions to calculate the postage. Remember to figure out average costs for different countries if you are doing international shipping.

Unexpectedly High Demand

For instance, you come to a deal with a manufacturer and your crowdfunding goal is to reach their minimum order quantity. After you launch, your project went viral and your manufacturer can’t handle the demand. Now you’ve to find someone who can. Save yourself from this scenario by planning for it ahead of time and having a backup plan. Having a manufacturing plan before you launch can make you more prepared throughout your campaign. If you see that your demand is going to be higher, you can go to your manufacturer early and try to find a solution before you’re already running late on shipping and need to find an alternative fast.

Copyright Issues

This problem is about individuals looking to steal your ideas and then fund their projects to beat you to market. Some people look through projects to create and complete theirs before the original or real campaigner does. To avoid this, you need to use private chat areas to discuss projects, and non-disclosure agreements and constantly monitor who is looking at your data and for how long.

Managing Compliance and Accounting Problems

There is a huge amount of doubt when it comes to the accounting rules for funds raised through crowdfunding. Should they be affirmed as an income or as capital? The answer might tend to be different depending on which expert you ask. Furthermore, states in the US will have their own rules on how this money should be taxed. So always seek out a highly qualified expert to advise you.

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Offering Too Many Options

Having a variety of rewards for different pledge levels sounds like a great idea, but beware of the migraines it may cause when it comes to fulfilling them all. In addition to your main rewards, dealing with things like t-shirt sizes and other small rewards can set you back more than you think. Having a low pledge option is nice, but it doesn’t always have to come with something. Many just include email newsletters. If you want to include a smaller reward, ensure you include it in your budget and that these rewards aren’t going to take too much time to put together. You want to focus on getting your main rewards out to backers.

Parting Words

That’s it! The above are some common crowdfunding fulfillment problems and how you can avoid them. Crowdfunding is an excellent way to generate funds for your business or project.
It avoids most undesirable problems that can be found with other fundraising projects but it does have its own. By knowing what these problems are, you can reasonably find ways to avoid or solve them, without them costing you later on.

For more information about our crowdfunding fulfillment services, contact us today at Fulfillman. We specialize in picking, packing, and shipping backer rewards and products of different sizes and shapes. Our services are prompt, detailed, and highly reliable. Our dedicated team will be available to speak with you and provide suitable answers to your questions and concerns. When it comes to handling the logistical aspect of your crowdfunding campaign, you can always count on us for outstanding and unparalleled services.


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Crowdfunding has reshaped funding for entrepreneurs by creating an avenue where they can raise funds and launch their products, services, or businesses. Although the benefits of crowdfunding are numerous, sometimes, fulfilling crowdfunding operations might prove difficult. In this post, we will take a look at how to improve your crowdfunding fulfilment operations.

What Is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding involves entrepreneurs utilizing a tiny amount of money contributed by individuals to launch a new business. Crowdfunding takes advantage of many people on social media to link entrepreneurs and potential investors together, aiming to grow entrepreneurship by increasing the number of investors farther than relatives, friends, and a conventional group of owners.

Understanding Crowdfunding Fulfilment Operations

Crowdfunding Fulfilment Operations is the operations involved in getting rewards or gifts back to your investors or backers. This process can be very tedious as it contains many receiving, storing, packaging, and shipping.

Ways to Improve Crowdfunding Fulfilment

Here are some tips to improve Crowdfunding Fulfilment

Authentication of Product Idea

The necessity to authenticate the product idea cannot be overstated; not only does this help you to ensure the company’s idea is real, but it also allows you to know whether or not the production can happen at the required scale during and after funding. The last thing any of us wants is to gather funds and then realize that the product idea is not feasible or that the product production will take longer than predicted. A bold step towards achieving success is to meet with experts to confirm that they can execute your plan.

In-House or Outsource Fulfillment Operations

Another decision that will significantly affect crowdfunding fulfillment is whether to outsource the fulfillment steps or leave it In-house. If you decide to leave it In-house, you should know that about 20% of the total product cost will be gulped by budgeting. Many crowdfunding project owners ignore this essential element in their plan, forgetting that inadequate budgeting for product fulfillment could significantly affect their profits or likely sink their campaign.

Per Unit Costs

Ensure that the perks are carefully priced and put aside a funding goal to take care of all the costs and assimilate unpredictable costs. For one to effectively do this, they need to know the total per-unit cost upfront. Expenses such as labor, billing, cost of manufacturing, shipping, and packaging should be considered accurate.

Get Your Products

This step involves obtaining the product you will give to your customers. This step does not apply to individuals who manufacture the goods themselves. Another thing not to leave out is that you will need to account for freight fees. However, this particular expense may change depending on the size of your goods, their method of transport, and even the initial location. There is no better way to estimate inbound shipping costs than getting an autonomous quote from shipping carriers. You need to use shipment details to check your goods by confirming the quantity and checking for damages.

Packaging

The idea is to locate a good packaging partner and find the best design option. The cost of packaging is dynamic because of differences in materials, size, and design. It is also essential to double-check the timeline for everything relating to the product, such as delivering packages and artwork.

Storing Of Product

After you have successfully received the products, you need to put them someplace until they are ready to ship. If you are looking for a long-term solution, you might want to rent spaces like self-storage units, garages, or even an industrial warehouse. However, if you are looking for short term solution for tiny rewards, then you should consider using your home

Consider All The Shipping Variables and Orders

Shipping can significantly increase your cost if you are not careful. When shipping overseas, it is essential to check the current exchange rate to charge your international customers during the campaign properly. Another thing you do not want to forget to incorporate into your campaign amount you will be charged for the product’s weight and the number of packages to be delivered.

Managing Billing

When billing is not managed correctly, it can lead to many troubles, particularly for customers not in the same country as you. The best thing to do is create spreadsheets to keep track of international shipping charges and payments effectively. Sometimes, it might feel like this process eats away time that is supposed to be spent campaigning, but it will positively impact your overall performance.

Contact Us Today

For more information about our crowdfunding fulfillment services, contact us today at Fulfillman. We specialize in picking, packing, and shipping backer rewards and products of different sizes and shapes. Our services are prompt, detailed, and highly reliable.

Our dedicated team will be available to speak with you and provide suitable answers to your questions and concerns. When it comes to handling the logistical aspect of your crowdfunding campaign, you can always count on us for outstanding and unparalleled services.