Introducing MakerWorld Crowdfunding Feature

MakerWorld
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I guess the other thing is that I hope creators will be held accountable (one thing that kickstarter doesnt do at all).

I see a Pinball machine there that uses 20kg of filament and a significant number of external parts, with the creator quoting 500+ eurodollars cost in total.

I would hope that if the backer is expected to buy a file and then shell out for all that just to build it, they are appropriately vetted before final release

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Well i wish you the best, not really my thing i either buy what i want or a don’t, not really in to the whole crowd funding thing

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Here’s the official FAQ for Crowdfunding: FAQ - MakerWorld

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Thank you! The FAQ answers the following:

  • What are the fees? 10% Makerworld fee + 8% Stripe ( may vary ) = 18%
  • Moderation/Spam concern?
    • Once fully operational, creators will only be allowed 1 crowdfunding project at a time
    • With a typical campaign time of 30 days, that should reduce overall spam since each user will only have 1 thing going at a time.

Now I have a new question:

  • What happens to successfully backed project that the designer finishes on time?
    • Is this model published on Makerworld for free after the successful campaign?
    • Or is it a private model only for the backers and ‘late pledge’ payers?

The FAQ notes that these models will NOT receive any points from the platform, only receiving the crowdfunding monies, which makes me think that these models will be private, paid models only?

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The default case is the reward models are privately accessible to backers and are not public on MakerWorld. So backers will get private access to the model page or document.

I’d like to try a campaign where if the goal is met the models are publicly free for everyone, though. It sounds intriguing but I’m not sure if enough people would contribute without private access

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I originally thought the backers were providing funding to a designer to finish a complex model that they would normally not invest the time on. And then that model would be published on Makerworld for free, i.e. Crowdfunded focus. And maybe some exclusive perks for the backers such as customizations, feature requests, etc.

I like the idea of knowing what I should focus on for a month, and having a closer feedback loop with people interested in the design.

If the end result is a private access model then the loss of Makerworld points would need to be factored in.

As an all or nothing program, designers might be incentivized to place low goal amounts with the hope of making up the difference on the backend with late pledges.

Pros:

  • Design time is rewarded with money
  • Helps with staying focused on 1 project now that there is an obligation to backers

Cons:

  • No Makerworld platform perks like points, boosts, contests?, makersupply?
  • Less exposure due to the paywall, aka smaller user base appreciating your work

More questions:

  • How do successful crowdfunded projects appear on MakerSupply? Would agreements be made between designer and Makerworld to offer access to the private model for free to anyone purchasing a MakerSupply hardware set? Example, @MaKim’s Relic Rush releases and MakerSupply offers the hardware kit for it + code to access the private model?
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I think moderation is key to ensure succes of the crowdfunding feature, I would HATE to see cool artist just crowdfund every new cool idea they have, I mean, it’s cool we can help them, but one cool thing about Makerworld that I don’t want to loose is the fact that it has very detailed and amazing models completely for free.

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I would also like the answer to this one, if the projects get released for free, some time after the og supporters get the files, then im all for the crowdfunding feature

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Ain’t this the truth.

This comment that was posted on MW crowdfunding merch thread this morning gave me a chuckle. :joy:

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I don’t think it’s easy to get funding. Making the models available free afterwards will make it even harder. Most people can wait 30 - 60 days if it means they can get it free. If the models are going to be availabe for free, maybe do so after 12 months or even longer?

I actually don’t mind the models turned into paid models later on. People who pledge during the crowdfunding pay less than the full price, which provides another incentive to pledge.

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This is stupid. Just build printers.

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I rather enjoy all the extras that Bambu does. What makes them great isn’t just their printers, but everything. The whole of it. And it’s especially awesome how they support designers and give them these various avenues to capitalize off their talents.

ehh, maybe I’m a shill. As a designer though, I must say, it’s nice to feel like my time is valued. It’s nice being able to have those sorts of kick backs that allow me to further push my craft and my designs.

I probably wouldn’t do the crowdfunding thing, but it’s not just stupid. It’s another tool in our bag to help us designers further work to bring amazing work for others to enjoy.

This stuff doesn’t just happen. Good thought out and complex designs don’t just happen.

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If by MW community, you meant the uploaders of models to MW, or people who come to post on this forum, that can be true. However, majority of the 3D printing base are not on this forum. Some may have been buying models from other sites so they are used to pay for models that they really like. MW says “We’ll amplify standout projects across and beyond our platform to help you reach your goal.” which can help to reach these people.

Early downloads, variants and customization are some of the suggested perks. But I am not sure if these alone are enough incentives. Backers in Kickstarter pay less than the full price of the product when it’s on sale later. Something for MW to consider.