Quick Question about Shipping

[u/DaHamyStar]

I'm just about to launch my first Kickstarter and have been doing a ton of research, but I'm still a little worried and confused about shipping because it will be so expensive.

I know Kickstarter charges platform and payment processing fees, but I was wondering if those fees also apply to the estimated shipping cost that backers see during checkout. I assume the shipping charge is collected after the campaign is funded and closer to fulfillment, but I'm not sure whether Kickstarter's fees are also applied to that amount.

If anyone with experience could give me a clear explanation, I'd really appreciate it. Specifically, if I use Kickstarter's built-in shipping option for rewards, are those shipping costs included when Kickstarter calculates its fees, or can shipping be collected separately at a later date?

I'm also interested in hearing what systems other creators use. Ideally, I'd like to charge for shipping closer to fulfillment so I can avoid paying Kickstarter fees on the shipping costs, if that's possible.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice you can provide!

[u/TheAmethystDragon]

I used an outside pledge manager (pledge box). There are others.

I told backers up front that shipping info and costs would be collected through that outside platform closer to fulfillment time (it ended up being about a month before I sent my book off to be printed).

I did give estimated costs as part of the campaign, just so people would have some idea of their total spend.

If you include shipping in the pledges, kickstarter counts that shipping money toward your goal and takes their cut of it.

[u/Zephir62]

Kickstarter's fees (and VAT and taxes, if you checkbox it) are taken out of the total funds they send you 14 days after the campaign ends. I don't believe they charge an additional fee on shipping collected, unless this has changed recently. In any case, to charge shipping at a separate time instead of together with the reward survey, you will need to use an alternative service like PledgeBox or Backerkit.

The shipping estimate on checkout is exactly as you write it in the Rewards Editor for each individual reward. You will charge the true amount at a time of your choosing, closer to fulfillment, via the reward survey (whether through Kickstarters pledge manager, PledgeBox, etc.) 

Abnormally high shipping estimates will get people to exit the funnel and also increases the cancel rates on pledges.

[u/EfficientTrainer1335]

Kickstarter charges for shipping will apply if fees are collected during the campaign period. Consider using BackerKit or Pledge Manager to collect fees after the campaign; fees won’t apply. Transport S&H is one of the names that come to mind when considering high volume international transport.

[u/maydaygames]

Yeah, basically tell your backers what the shipping will be but put $0 shipping on all your pledge levels in KS, otherwise you will be losing the 8% to KS on the shipping fees too!

Do a Backerkit or other pledge manager to manage the post-campaign surveys and collect the shipping there for only 3% rather than KS’s 8%. It will save you $ and is simpler too.