Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Indiegogo rolled out its bold redesign last week, and it broke several things across the site.
- Users were unable to log in, creators lost their pre-launch efforts, and order numbers were shuffled.
- Existing campaigns also saw prices increase mid-campaign as exchange rates were recalculated.
Indiegogo is one of the most popular crowdfunding platforms, hosting everything from Android gaming handhelds to creepy AI pets. However, a recent change has significantly impacted the public image of the platform, affecting both buyers and creators.
Earlier this year, Indiegogo was purchased by the board game crowdfunding platform Gamefound. At the time, it was announced that the two would remain independent but have new integrations. For example, login credentials would be shared across both sites, and Indiegogo would soon switch to Gamefound’s “proven technology” on its website.
That switch finally happened last week, but it was anything but smooth. Some creators lost their pre-launch signups, which are critical to building enough momentum to fund a campaign. Others found their entire campaigns missing, forcing them to rewrite everything and start from square one. Off-site promotions on social media were also broken, since the platform’s shortlink system was redirecting existing links to a 404 page. This also invalidated QR codes printed on physical material.
Broken links, deleted email lists, changed pricing, and deleted campaigns have plagued the rollout.
Larger creators were also affected. AYANEO initially announced crowdfunding for the Pocket AIR Mini would start on October 14, but it was later pushed to October 17. Indiegogo was set to go down on October 16 while the platform switched to Gamefound’s tech, which likely explains the logic behind the delay.
However, many users were unable to log into their accounts in the days following the switch. This limited precious early orders, which again, can make or break a campaign. For buyers, early orders typically come with the largest discounts and priority in the shipping queue.
Furthermore, the site changed exchange rates on new and existing campaigns, which increased the prices for most rewards. The promotional image for the Pocket AIR Mini on Indiegogo lists a super early bird price of $69.99, while the actual cost is $72.62. The difference is larger in more expensive items, such as the top-spec Pocket FIT Elite, which saw a price increase of $20.
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For users with outstanding orders waiting for shipment, there were even more issues. It appears that order numbers were scrambled when the platform switched, so early buyers may not receive their orders in the first batch. This caused concern for AYANEO Pocket DS pre-orders, which were set to begin shipping last week, but were further delayed until this morning.
These problems may push users away from Indiegogo, which is already an underdog.
Additionally, it’s no longer possible to start shipping until a campaign has finished, which companies like AYANEO have done on many occasions in the past. It’s also no longer possible to choose flexible funding, which many creators used to partially fund a creative project. This was a major difference with Kickstarter, which returns funds to backers if a campaign doesn’t hit its goal.
While it’s not clear that platform changes are the cause, yesterday AYN moved its highly successful Odin 3 campaign off of Indiegogo in favor of direct sales via its website. The campaign finished a few weeks ago, but until then it was still possible to put in a late pledge via Indiegogo. The device is still scheduled to start shipping at the end of November, so it remains technically in the pre-order stage.
If the issues with Indiegogo continue, we may see more creators and companies jump ship. For now, both backers and creators are waiting to see whether Indiegogo can stabilize and restore confidence. If it fails to do so quickly, the platform that helped launch everything from gaming handhelds to creative art projects could soon find itself struggling to stay relevant.
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