Reddit roundup: 3,000 waitlist sign-ups but only 17 backers — what went wrong?
Campaign Discussion · PledgeRadar Editorial ·
u/Artistic-Yam8045 launched a premium portable dual monitor (two 16-inch 2560x1600 panels, aluminium body, single USB-C) with an $899 early-bird price, after building a 3,000-person waitlist from viral Instagram videos. Ten days in, only 17 people had backed it, and the creator admitted no price was shown before launch.
Commenters pointed to price shock, the hidden pricing and a goal that looked too low for hardware.
What Reddit users said
Most likely the price: what people want and what they can afford differ, and this costs more than a VR headset that can create multiple virtual screens. Asked whether it solves a problem cheaper alternatives don't.
Original commentTheir biggest backer concern is that a $5,000 goal is far too low to manufacture and support a high-end electronic product. A realistic goal is part of what protects backers.
It smells fishy.Original comment
A high-ticket tech campaign should show its pricing on the pre-launch page. That means fewer followers but much better conversion.
Original commentThere's no formula turning subscribers into backers. It takes months of community building, surveys and real development content.
Original commentSays they would have signed up from the videos, expecting a price around $400, roughly half the early-bird price.
Original commentLeads collected without pricing don't convert, and ad algorithms then find more of the same. For expensive products, use paid reservations or a founding-backer deposit; consider pausing and relaunching once a few hundred reservations are in.
Original commentQuestions how thousands of custom monitors could be produced and shipped on a $5K goal, noting that basic dual monitors sell for under $200.
Original commentSource: 3,000 waitlist signups, 144 Kickstarter followers, 17 pledges. What am I doing wrong? (r/kickstarter)
Replies in this roundup summarize public comments posted on Reddit and are credited to their original authors, with links to the source. They are third-party opinions, not statements by PledgeRadar or its members. PledgeRadar does not verify these claims and accepts no legal responsibility for the content of community discussions.