Backers

What is Crowdfunding?

What is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding on Bestandfrist.co empowers people to unite around the ideas that matter to them, and together make those ideas come to life. Whether you’re searching for the latest in tech, supporting your favorite independent filmmaker, or helping an important cause, you can find something that inspires you on bestandfirst.co. Crowdfunding generates exciting opportunities for backers and entrepreneurs alike, but there are some basic facts that all backers should know.

It is important to understand that backing a campaign and claiming a perk are not the same as buying an item online. Instead, supporting a crowdfunding idea on a platform like bestandfirst.co means you are helping a work-in-progress project, idea or cause. We want to let our community dream big, so we don’t have criteria for what kind of project can become an bestandfirst.co campaign, other than what’s outlined in our Terms of Use.

Product Stages FAQ- For Backers

Product Stages FAQ- For Backers

What are Product Stages?

Product Stages allow backers to discover campaigns under the Tech & Innovation category with physical products in different stage of product development.

What do the different Product Stages mean?

The Product Stage categories mean the following:

  • Concept:Campaigns in the “Concept” stage have an idea for a physical product that they are planning to create. This may include mock-ups or 3D renderings that demonstrate the product’s appearance or functionality when produced.
  • Prototype: Campaigns in the “Prototype” stage have a working version of their physical product that successfully demonstrates the key features and functionality of the final product.
  • Production: Campaigns in the “Production” stage have a working version of their physical product, are currently producing this product for backers, and can highlight the current production stage with images or video support (ie tooling, molds, manufactured components, final product in the factory).
  • Shipping:Campaigns in the “Shipping” stage have already produced their final product and have begun shipping it to backers.

How do we approve product stages?

Our team reviews everything listed on the campaign page (we see all the same information as you!). If there is adequate information, the page will be approved for the Product Stage the campaigner has selected.

What is the Product Stage process?

First, campaigners select a desired Product Stage and include specific information related to their production process on their campaign page or updates. Next, bestandfirst.co reviews the information given, decides the appropriate Product Stage, and notifies the campaigner.

Does every campaign start at the same stage?

No, bestandfirst.co is an open platform and welcomes campaigners at any point in the development cycle.

Where can I learn more about a campaign’s progress?

We suggest you read over the campaign page (story, updates, comments, etc.) and look at the information campaigners include. The videos and photos are good resources to learn about the product’s development.

Why don’t all campaigns have product stages?

Product Stages are only available to campaigns that fall under Tech & Innovation with physical products.

What campaigns fall under Tech & Innovation?

  • Audio
  • Camera Gear
  • Energy & Green Tech
  • Fashion & Wearables
  • Food & Beverages
  • Health & Fitness
  • Home
  • Phones & Accessories
  • Productivity
  • Transportation
  • Travel & Outdoors

 

How to Evaluate a Campaign

How to Evaluate a Campaign

Contributing to a bestandfirst.co campaign is not the same thing as making a purchase in a store.

By contributing to a campaign you are supporting an idea, project, or cause you care about. One of the amazing parts of crowdfunding is pitching in and helping ideas you’d like to see come to life! It’s very rewarding to see projects that you fund go from idea phase, to seeing the stages of its development, and (if all goes according to plan) see the project be successful.

It’s important to know that you are not buying an existing product.

 

Like anyone getting in on an early-stage project, you accept the risk that the project may experiences changes, delays, unforeseen challenges, and it’s possible that a project you fund might not come to fruition. We leave it up to you to make your own judgment about a campaign’s merits before making a contribution.

Open Comments

Open Comments

What are Open Comments?

Open Comments is a community feature of Bestandfirst.co. With Open Comments, you can post a comment on nearly any campaign page on Bestandfirst, even before you become a backer. Open Comments gives you the opportunity to connect with campaigners before you make a contribution.

 

How It Works: 

Simply check out your favorite campaign, and if you see the comment box pictured below then any logged-in bestandfirst.co user can comment on that campaign. The campaign owner would love to hear from you! Just add your comments, questions, or words of support.

 

Are there any exceptions to Open Comments? 

You may notice that some campaign pages don’t have the Open Comments feature activated. That’s because campaign owners have the final say on who can comment on their campaign page, and some prefer to limit comments exclusively to backers of their campaign. If that’s the case, you won’t be able to add comments unless you back the campaign. But in our experience, most campaign owners would love to connect with you and have you be a part of the community!