One of the best parts about being a backer and supporting creative projects on Kickstarter is getting a front row seat to the creative process. In exchange for your pledge, you get a window into what it’s like to bring something new to life, from concept to production. As a backer you can also opt to receive a reward in return for your financial support. However, sometimes – and despite a creator’s best intentions – things don’t go according to plan. It’s important to keep in mind that backing is not buying, and rewards are not guaranteed.
The estimated delivery date has passed and I haven’t received my reward
The first thing to note here is that the estimated delivery date is just that, an estimate.
This date is determined by project creators as their best guess for when backers will receive their rewards. It’s an estimate because it can often be tricky to determine exact dates so early on in the creative process, when a project is still in its beginning phase.
The project itself must first be completed before rewards can be fulfilled. As such, it’s not uncommon for refinements and modifications to push back a project’s estimated delivery date. In cases where a creator is delayed, we expect them to be open and honest with their backers, and properly communicate any changes to their project’s timeline. The estimated delivery date passing does not mean that you won’t still receive your reward.
I have questions or concerns about a specific project or reward
The first place we recommend looking if you have specific questions about a project is the Updates section of the project page. Creators are expected to share news of their progress and/or challenges in updates, so that’s often a good place to start.
In instances where the creator hasn’t posted a new update in the last 4 weeks, you can anonymously request a new update.
If the next update they post doesn’t address your specific question we recommend sending them a direct message through Kickstarter.
I still haven’t heard anything after reaching out to a creator
We expect creators to always keep their backers informed. However, each creator may approach their communication differently. Keep in mind that you may not receive a response right away – the creator is likely working hard to complete their project, and are communicating with backers as fast as they can. Don’t be dismayed if it takes longer than you expected to receive a response.
If you’ve already checked the Updates section, requested a new update, and reached out to the creator via Kickstarter direct messages, we recommend waiting a week or two before taking any further steps. A creator’s inbox can quickly become overwhelmed.
In some cases, creators may move their communications off of Kickstarter after their project ends, or they may be more responsive elsewhere. Check if the creator might have listed their own website, social media pages, or a direct email address in previous updates or in their creator bio. As a next step we recommend reaching out to a creator through their own website or social media.
If you are still having trouble connecting with the creator, even after giving them a reasonable amount of time to respond (think two weeks, not two days), you can let us know by sending a message to our Support team. Make sure to outline the steps you’ve already taken to contact the creator, and let us know a little more about the nature of the issue. In certain instances, our Support team may be able to send a message to the creator, as an extra way of reminding them to check in with their backers.
While Kickstarter can provide guidance to creators when delays happen, and remind them of their obligation to keep their backers in the loop, we don’t step into the actual fulfillment process.