Kickstarter (scam-sh... well maybe manipulative?)

[Jimmy Higgins]

It is that time of year again, and Rifftrax has a kickstarter on-going. One thing I pondered with Kickstarters, primarily with the MST3K one (but other Rifftrax ones) was the legitimacy of the level of current contributions. I always wondered whether a higher amount was already reached, but they report a lower (but steadily increasing) amount as a psychological ploy to encourage more people to donate in order to reach whatever real goal they had in mind. It just seems rife for psychological manipulation.

The more I think of it, "stretch goals" seem kind of a silly way to help get to the line, where the actual intent was always to actually be. There is a science to this. What do you think Sirs?

 

[Worldtraveller]

I've only used KS with boardgames, and a couple of computer games. I think the KS page automatically updates the contributions. I don't >think< the people running the KS can manipulate it.

Depending on the target group, they may interact differently. Lots of people jump in early for the early bid bonuses and to quickly drive the total up to get more hype, while others wait to see if it will fund before going in.

Boardgames often have lots (like 50+) stretch goals, so the project may be fully funded, and still be going for a long time while stretch goals are unlocked.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Stretch goals are an incentive to put money in even if the original goal is met.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Stretch goals are an incentive to put money in even if the original goal is met.

It can also be used to mimic such a thing. It can work both ways. There is just a manipulative psychology to it that I detect. It almost becomes gaming theory and price modeling in mobile device gaming.

 

[Rhea]

Is nthat bad, though? I don’t like to be manipulated any more than the next human, but is fundraising for a start-up that seems like it’s appropriate?